“Did you talk with Aunty Daisy?”
Priyank stopped what he was doing as soon as she mentioned his mother’s name. How could he forget about this whole thing?
He had sent his driver away that day and had been here for quite some time, which nobody knew about. His mom would have been stressed.
Because of his anger, he hadn’t talked to his mom, thinking she had faked her health so Priya could have more time for her escape plan. Even though he knew it wasn’t his mother’s mistake-he was the one at fault-he had clearly forced the marriage on Priya, and if he thought about it now, it wasn’t right.
Still, it seemed like the best option if he didn’t want to let her slip. Now it was impossible for her to slip away, as he was her mate. Before, it wasn’t like that, so he had been scared: what if she left? And that’s exactly what happened. Priya left him stranded on their wedding day, confirming his doubts.
Now, thinking about this whole thing, his mother would have been so stressed. He had been day and night trying to find Priya, and suddenly he followed those two random people, Jackson and Rish. Though it helped and he found Priya, that’s not what his mother would think. She would be too stressed trying to find him-which wasn’t good, as she was a heart patient.
Due to everything, this whole situation of talking to and informing his mother that he was fine had literally slipped his mind. How dumb and selfish did he have to be? Just because he had Priya now, he selfishly dismissed his mother’s presence, who had done so many things for him.
“You’re hurting me, Priyank. Where are you lost?” Priya winced, as he was gripping her hair tightly, as if he was going to rip it apart from the roots.
Priyank snapped back to reality, his grip loosening instantly. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he muttered, gently smoothing her hair. “I just… I forgot about Mom. With everything that happened, finding you, the bond… I didn’t even call her.”
Priya turned to face him, her eyes a mix of concern and reproach. “Priyank, how could you? She must be out of her mind with worry.”
He winced, the old pain flickering across his face. “I know, I know. I’m a jackass. It’s just, when I thought I’d lost you, nothing else mattered. But that’s no excuse.”
She sighed.”I get it. Trust me, I do. But Aunty Daisy, she’s your mother.”
“You’re right. God, she probably thinks I’m lying in a ditch somewhere. Or worse, that I’ve gone off the deep end again.”
“Then call her,” Priya urged. “Now, before she calls out a search party or something.”
“I will, but where will I get the phone?” Priyank questioned as he sighed.
“You can tell Maya to give you a phone. Just go and take a phone from her, so you can call Aunty Daisy.”
Priyank nodded, his hand stilling in her hair. “Right, Maya can help.” He asked, hesitating for a moment. “You’ll be okay here for a bit?”
Priya rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips. “I think I can manage a few minutes without you hovering, Priyank. Go, call your mom.”
He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be right back. Don’t… don’t go anywhere, okay?”
She saw the flicker of old fear in his eyes and softened. “I’m not going anywhere. Promise.”
Satisfied, Priyank strode out of the room.
Maya looked up as he entered, her eyebrows rising. “Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence.”
He grimaced. “Look, I need to borrow a phone. My mom-”
“Say no more,” Maya cut in, her stern expression softening, as she pulled her phone out and give to him.
Priyank took the phone, a mix of gratitude and chagrin on his face. “Thanks, Maya.”
Back in the room, he dialled his mother’s number, his free hand clenching and unclenching. Priya watched him, her damp hair forgotten as she saw the tension in his shoulders.
“Mom? It’s me,” Priyank said when Daisy answered, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “I’m okay. I’m with Priya.”
Priya couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but she saw Priyank’s face cycle through emotions-relief, guilt, a flash of anger quickly suppressed, and then a deep, aching tenderness.
“I know, Mom. I’m sorry. I should’ve called sooner. We’ll come home as soon as we can, I promise.” He paused, listening. “Love you too. Take care of yourself, okay?”
Hanging up, Priyank sat heavily on the bed, the phone dangling from his hand. “She’s been worried sick,” he said, not looking at Priya.”
Priya moved closer, her hand on his back. “Now you’ve let her know you’re safe. That’s what matters.”
He turned to her, his eyes holding a vulnerability that made her heart ache. “I keep screwing up, Priya. With you, with Mom. How long before one of you decides I’m not worth the trouble?”
“Hey,” she said fiercely, taking his face in her hands. “I don’t know about me, but I know one thing, for your mom, you are worthy enough, or maybe more.”
Priyank stared at her for a long moment, then pulled her close, burying his face in her neck. They sat like that, her stroking his hair, him holding her like she might vanish if he let go.
Finally, he pulled back, a ghost of his usual smirk on his lips. “So, about that hair-drying service…”
“Haha,” Priya laughed, the sound chasing away the last of the tension. “It was quite bad, but I think I can tolerate it.”
She wanted to think about what this relationship was like. One moment, they were hugging, he was kissing her forehead, and she felt fine. The next moment, they were fighting, and she found him the most uncomfortable man, maybe because of his behaviour.
Or perhaps it was because he was her mate, so she found him comfortable, even if her wolf was cursed. Still, his presence gave it comfort-this was the only definition she could come up with. It might sound lame, but somehow it fit with the twisted bonding they had recently experienced.
Before, she had found him unbearable. Now, his presence was bearable and sometimes comfortable too.