“Hello.”
“Who?”
“It’s me, Mother Mary,” Priya replied as she answered the phone.
As she freshened up and Priyank still hadn’t come inside, she decided to take advantage of it and talk on the call, something she had wanted to do for a long time, because she knew her mother Mary would be stressed out.
“Priya?” The voice came from the other side of the phone, in a rush.
“Yes, Mother Mary, it’s me, your Priya,” she answered, her heart beating thousands of times in the meantime.
It had been so long since she last talked or saw her mother. It was like she had just seen her before running away from the marriage, after so many things had happened, and now she was here in a safe house with the very person she had hated.
“Where are you, Priya? Are you safe? Are you doing good?” Mary suddenly threw out the questions.
“I am totally fine, I am at some safe place, and doing okay,” Priya didn’t know what else she could answer.
Because she was indeed safe, and yet not safe at the same time, as she had Priyank there, but for now, he was outside, and she didn’t want to think about it at all.
And she couldn’t even tell the whole pack thing and other details, because it would be too hard for Mary to digest it all, and these things were too sacred to share.
Priya took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. She knew her mother Mary deserved to know the truth, but she couldn’t bring herself to reveal everything just yet.
“Mother Mary, I’m so sorry for running away like that. I know it must have been really hard for you,” Priya said, her voice trembling slightly.
“Oh, Priya, I was so worried about you. Are you really alright? Where are you staying?” Mary asked, the concern evident in her tone. “And running away was the best decision you took for sure.”
Priya hesitated, unsure of how much to divulge. “I’m staying with a lady for now. It’s not the best situation, but it’s safe.”
“Which lady?”
“A lady from the old age home, she helped me,” she lied.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Mary spoke again. “Priya, you know you can tell me anything, right? I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
Priya felt a lump form in her throat. She wanted nothing more than to unburden herself to her, but the thought of revealing the truth about Priyank and the pack filled her with dread.
“I know, Mother Mary, And I promise, I’ll explain everything soon. But for now, I just need a little more time,” Priya said, fighting back tears.
Mary sighed, but her voice was gentle. “Alright, sweetheart. Just know that I’m here for you, no matter what. Please, be careful and take care of yourself.”
“I will, Mother. I love you,” Priya said, her voice cracking with emotion.
“I love you too, Priya. More than you’ll ever know. And just stay where you are because Priyank is finding you,” Maya warned.
Priya wanted to laugh it off, because he had already found her, and this time all because of the curse she bore. So it was useless to think he was still searching or to be scared.
But she couldn’t say that to Mary, not wanting to stress her any further, no matter what. Priya knew how stressful this already was for her mother.
“You are safe too, right?” Priya asked cautiously.
“He said he will burn down the orphanage on the day he asked me where you ran away, and I told him I didn’t know,” Maya spoke, her voice heavy.
“What?” Priya gasped, her heart sinking. “Did he burn it? Is anyone hurt?”
She believed Priyank was capable of such cruelty without remorse.
“No, he didn’t, something changed in him, I don’t know what, but it did,” Mary responded, some relief in her tone. “But the threat alone was terrifying.”
Priya clenched her fists, anger and fear coursing through her. Priyank’s ruthlessness knew no bounds. How could she protect her loved ones from such a monster? How would she even protect herself?
“Mother, listen to me,” Priya said, her voice firm despite her inner turmoil. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”
Because now she knew Priyank wouldn’t do anything as he was here with her, so on the positive side, everyone would be safe.
There was a pause before Mary responded. “Priya, what’s going on? You’re scaring me. Why shouldn’t I be scared?”
Taking a steadying breath, Priya replied, “Because he knows if he did something to you, he won’t be able to find me.” She made up an excuse.
The line went silent for a long moment before Mary’s resigned voice came through. “Okay, Priya. Just… be careful, my love.”
“I will, Mother. I’ll be in touch soon.” Priya ended the call, her stomach twisting with guilt over the deception.
But what choice did she have? Telling her mother the full truth would only put her in more danger.
Priya leaned back against the sofa, closing her eyes as a wave of weariness washed over her.
A slight creak in the floorboards made her eyes snap open. She tensed, straining to hear any other sounds. After a few moments of silence, she let out a shaky breath. It was just her frayed nerves playing tricks.
But the brief fright was a stark reminder – she was never truly safe here. Not with the very man she feared and despised just a few miles away.
And she couldn’t even imagine how Mary would react when she discovered that Priya was a royal blood heir, and Priyank was her mate. The revelation about werewolves would be hard to take; she didn’t even know where to start or how to explain.
For now, she kept the secret for everyone’s safety, but sooner or later, she would have to tell Mary.
Still, this is not the time. With Maya and the others trying to hide her identity, Priya knew it wasn’t safe to tell Mary right now. Even though she trusted her more than anything, keeping this secret seemed like the best option.
At least one good thing had happened: Priyank was here now, and he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone in the orphanage.