Cougar's Victory (14 page)

Effie waited until they passed and then followed giving Margo an exaggerated eye roll. She lamented the fact she was wearing short navy blue sailor pants with a sleeveless white blouse and her signature victory roll at her hairline. She’d curled and pulled the rest of her hair back in a high pony tail. It looked casual but had taken her the better part of a half hour to perfect it. Of course if she had known Dax’s mother was coming she could have spruced herself up a bit. Although, it’s not like her closet contained any Chanel suits she could have thrown on in a pinch.

Once they were inside Dax’s office, and he had his mother sitting stiffly on his couch, Dax scooped his mate into his arms before introducing her.

“Mother, I’d like to introduce you to my Mate, Effie Parks. Effie, this is my mother Lilibeth Hayes.”

“Nice to meet you,” Effie offered, though she didn’t try to shake hands since she was wrapped in Dax’s arms and he had a tight grip on her. She knew it was for her benefit. He wasn’t going to abandon her to the dragon and his tight hold was assuring her he was there. Gawd, she loved him.

Lilibeth Hayes looked her up and down a few times. “Have you sealed your bond?” she asked.

Dax very proudly announced, “Yes mother, we have, thank you so much for asking!” There might have been a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

His mother sat quietly for a moment, then sighed, “I suppose there isn’t anything that can be done now. If the fates have decreed that she’s your mate then who am I to say differently.”

“Thank you, mother, I hope you will come to love Effie like I do,” Dax said, smiling and giving Effie a squeeze.

“Oh, I’m sure Ephrata and I will get along just fine. Maybe we could go shopping together,” she offered as Effie watched her eyes scan her clothes. “We girls love to bond over shopping, don’t we?”

“It’s Effie, and yes I enjoy shopping.” The idea of shopping with Dax’s mother ranked right up with a root canal with Effie.

“Oh yes, Effie. I’m guessing there aren’t a lot of options around here, but I’m sure we could find something. I suppose we could also just jet over to Seattle if we really wanted to do some damage,” Lilibeth said, smiling sweetly.

“Oh, thank you mother, I almost forgot,” Dax said, letting go of Effie and walking over to his desk. He opened the drawer and pulled out a number of items. Coming back to Effie, he started handing her things.

“Here is the key to my house. Spare key to my car, I know Cassie has your spare for your car so no worries. I went ahead and got you the paperwork to fill out to apply for a passport. I have some trips in mind for us, so we might as well get a jump on this. I’ll have our lawyers expedite it for us. And finally, here is your own card for my Amex account. It doesn’t have a limit, so don’t worry about going shopping with my mom,” he finished, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

Effie stood staring at him, was he for real?

“Dax, I’m cool with the key, I’m happy to fill out the paperwork, but I can’t take your credit card,” she said exasperated.

“Effie Parks, you already said you love me, and that was for forever. This is the business of being together forever. You eventually will be a Hayes, I hope, unless you are attached to your name. So you need to start living like my mate.”

“But, Dax…” she started.

“My mate deserves the world. I intend to give it to her,” he said low, moving in to envelope her in his arms. It also effectively blocked his mother from her view.

“You are too generous,” she whispered to him.

“No such thing where you’re concerned,” he replied, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

“Well, that’s all settled then. I was going to stay in a hotel, but I couldn’t find anything suitable. I knew you already had a full house, so I thought I could steal Effie from you for the night and we’ll fly back to Seattle tonight. We will have a girl’s day tomorrow, then I’ll return her to you,” Lilibeth said, then stood like it was all arranged.

A low growl rolled out of Dax, he didn’t like the idea of Effie being away from him.

“Dax Montgomery Hayes, don’t you dare growl at me. Your cat knows better and so do you, Alpha or not.” His mom reprimanded him.

“I don’t want her out of my sight, I need to be able to protect her.”

“What do you think is going to happen in Seattle? I am a full grown woman and a cougar. I can handle myself and protect your mate.”

Dax looked to Effie, and Effie was hoping he could read her signals that she did not want to do this. Her message was not received.

“Well, I guess I can manage one night away from you. Plus some of your clothes got torn up at your apartment. We haven’t had a chance to replace them. This will be good, you and mom can get to know each other and you two can plan a pack party to introduce you to everyone.” Dax turned and smiled at his mom, he was clearly missing the signals between the women in his life. He was just so thrilled to be mated and wanted Effie folded into his family, that he didn’t see the potential pitfalls of this endeavor.

Lilibeth smiled. “Wonderful, how about Effie runs to your house and picks up some things to carry her over tonight, then meets back here so we can head to the airport?”

Effie realized she was going to have to suck it up and play nice with mommy-in-law for the sake of her relationship with Dax. She wasn’t the first person to wade through these waters, and she wouldn’t be the last. For her sweet man, she would go shopping with mommy.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said to Dax.

“Dax dear, why don’t you show me around your vineyard and tell me what you have planned for it?” his mother suggested as she stood. “Then you can also explain to me why my son has magically become a brunette, when I’m pretty sure every Hayes for a century has been blond.” She looked at him annoyed.

Ignoring his mother’s last comment, Dax turned to Effie, “Will you be all right?”

“Yes, I think I can drive to your house and back on my own,” she answered with a laugh.

Giving Dax a kiss and smiling at his mother, who was looking like the cat that just ate the mouse, she headed back to the rental house.

Grabbing an overnight bag, she shot off a text to Cassie to let her know she was on her own tonight and to play nice with Dax. Cass wrote back that she was going to torture her man with eighties teen angst movies. That should keep them both entertained, she thought.

Driving back to the winery she gave herself a pep talk. She was a little excited by the idea of shopping, even if it was with Lilibeth Hayes. Her brief moment of shock when Dax handed her the credit card was replaced with the idea of getting some sexy new lingerie to surprise him with. She was already living with him. He’d said he wanted to marry her, though he hadn’t asked. It seemed to be a when not if. They already acted like an old married couple.

So she was trying to find the bright side of this little adventure. She wasn’t going to mention to either of the Hayes, that she’d never ridden on an airplane. She figured that was something best kept to herself. Lilibeth Hayes clearly already considered her a country bumpkin, no use confirming it for her.

Pulling into the winery, she walked in and found Margo behind the counter. Margo gave her a knowing look and gestured towards the warehouse.

Effie walked back and found Dax and his mother standing next to an oak barrel sampling some of the winery’s chardonnay.

Wading in she walked straight up to the pair, “Mrs. Hayes, what do you think of the wine?”

Turning on her heels Lilibeth gave her the once over again. Effie had traded her shorts for a knee length full skirt in black, with a red sweater set. She figured it was conservative but still her. Clearly it was not what his mother would have preferred seeing her in.

“It has potential, I must say. When Dax told me his plan to come to Washington and build his own winery, well I thought he was a little crazy. But this is not bad, in fact it’s quite good. I think with Dax managing and refining the fruit here he can make this a top notch winery. Do you know much about wine my dear?”

“Only what Dax has taught me. He’s an excellent teacher,” Effie said with a little smirk.

“I’m sure he is,” his mother replied coolly.

“Well Dax, us girls need to head out. I’ll bring her back safe and sound, don’t you worry.”

“I’m sure you will, mother,” he said, turning and wrapping Effie in his arms.

“I’ll leave you two to say goodbye, I know how new mates are,” she said, wisely walking to the tasting room.

Dax gave Effie a kiss like he was welcoming her back after days instead of an hour. “I missed you,” he said.

“I was gone an hour, what are you going to do with me gone overnight?” she chided.

“Well I’m going to worry, pace, probably stress eat. I might spend some time thinking about you and jerking off,” he said with a growl.

“Dude, remember Cass will be home tonight. She has big movie plans for you tonight, so be nice. And keep what belongs to me in your pants. I love my friend, but she doesn’t get a free peep show while I’m gone.”

“Anything for you, my love,” he said, giving her a deep wet kiss.

“I better go,” she said into his mouth with a moan.

“Thank you for doing this. I know my mother can be sort of…stiff. But she means well, I think,” he added.

“Oh I’m sure,” Effie snorted.

“Just remember, you are the mate of an Alpha. My mother may be a matriarch in our pack, but your voice still counts human or not.”

“Thanks, Dax. Good to know you can’t leave me even if I tick off your mom,” she laughed.

“Nope, it will just make Thanksgiving a little awkward. I’m pretty sure that’s what holidays are for anyway,” he teased.

Groaning, Effie laid her head on his chest one last time and took a deep breath, soaking in his scent. She seemed to be more sensitive to it now, it calmed her like nothing else ever had. She felt Dax breathing her in as well.

Looking up she gave him a small smile. Dax returned it and walked them out to the door where his mother was waiting by a limo.

Lilibeth gave Dax a peck on the cheek and then motioned Effie into the car. She got in beside her as the door closed.

Trapped.

Ok, that was a bit dramatic, Effie reflected. But as the car pulled away, Effie got a sinking feeling.

“So, Effie, tell me about yourself,” Lilibeth started.

Effie knew this was coming, she was a smart girl. She kinda hoped they would at least pretend for a few miles, try to make small talk. But nope, straight into it, fine she could do this. “I think you probably already know plenty about me, Mrs. Hayes.”

“Call me Lilibeth, and yes, you’re right, I do. I know your mother is in prison, you grew up in foster care after she was incarcerated.  You changed your name to Parks once you turned eighteen. You are only twenty-three years old and my son is twice your age. And you know nothing of the responsibility that comes with being a Hayes or what it takes to be the mate of an Alpha.”

“Well, you can hardly blame me for Dax being over fifty,” Effie said, a little sarcastically.

“True, but you need to understand, Dax has been raised in a world of privilege. Not just because he’s a shifter, but because he’s a Hayes. Our family may not be the richest or most influential in the shifter world, but we still are expected to set an example.

For too many years shifters hid out of fear. They lived in poverty, surviving off the land, because they thought that was what was best for their animals. But really they didn’t know how to adapt to a world that was changing quickly around them.

I’m sure Dax has mentioned that I’ve been searching for his mate for the last thirty years. What he doesn’t know is I started looking right after he was born. I had hoped to make a strategic alliance. Pool shifter blood together to make stronger packs. Now my daughter is married to a bear, my grandson is a bear, and my first born son is mated to a girl barely out of her teens that probably has never left her home town.”

Effie couldn’t deny any of that. She didn’t know about the shifter side of it. But she was young, she was a small town girl and she understood Dax’s mom wanting the best for him. She wished her mom had wanted that for her.

“You know I didn’t have a choice. He’s my perfect, and he says I’m his. You may not like me, but you are going to have to figure out how to deal with me. If not for me, then for Dax.”

“Yes, that sounds lovely dear. But the fates may know what’s best for the heart, but not for real world. How do you think it’s going to look when you show up to a Hayes family function, dressed in some hillbilly outfit and introduce yourself as Dax’s wife? You know Dax will never be able to see how you don’t fit in, but everyone else will.

You will be what others judge him by, other family, friends, and business associates. Having a frivolous wife, often translates to people thinking you are frivolous in business. I’m sure your recent enjoyment of my son’s wealth has been quite the payday for you as well.”

Effie was feeling like she’d been hit by a bus. She knew his mom wouldn’t like her because of her age and her background. Hell, she wouldn’t even argue that she had been enjoying the benefits of Dax’s money that he liked to throw around so casually. But to attack her as the potential downfall of the family empire? It was too much.

“First, if Dax wanted me to change in any way, I would consider it. I love him and want what’s best for him. I don’t think Dax wants me to change. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not in California attending corporate functions and mingling with your rich friends. In fact, it seems to me he ran away from you, long before he found me,” Effie shot back. “I would also be with Dax whether or not he had money. He’s smart, charming, adores me, and makes me laugh. All things that he clearly learned from his father, not you!”

“My son may have needed a break from his family and responsibilities, but he didn’t need to stoop to dating some backwater orphan. I’m not sure my son wouldn’t be better without you. A broken heart might heal. Better than a future derailed by someone who isn’t good enough for him!” Lilibeth’s voice rose beyond her previous cultured monotone.

“He’s not dating me,
Lilibeth
, we’re mated and soon we’ll be married. I think you better think very hard about how much you want to be in his life and the lives of any future children we may have. Because I hate to break it to you, he’s already told me, he’d choose me.”

Effie hit the button on the door to slide down the middle partition between them and the driver. “Pull over please,” she asked the man.

They were on the edge of town and Effie was not in any mood to continue being in Lilibeth Hayes’ presence.

As she got out, she considered a parting shot, but chose to take the high ground and simply closed the door, in the very shocked face of Dax’s mother. She clearly thought Effie was going to fold under a little bad mouthing. Hah, she didn’t know Effie and certainly couldn’t understand what Effie had dealt with growing up. Her mother would often take her venom out on her young daughter. She would degrade and mock her, blaming her for all of their troubles. Usually she did this high or drunk. Effie had built up a thick skin against it.

The limo pulled away and Effie pulled out her cell phone. She texted Cassie asking her to pick her up at their old apartment. She was about four blocks away so she started walking. Her mind was a whirl. She should call Dax, but she wasn’t ready to answer how she’d gone from taking a trip with his mother for a little fun shopping to bitching her out and walking the streets of Clark.

Nope, not ready for that conversation, she thought. After a few minutes she realized she was at her old place. Looking up at the dreary building she felt a little nostalgic. This was the first place she’d felt like she could be her own person. They had a life there. Maybe not a fancy one but still it was theirs.

Spending time at Dax’s had been like a luxury vacation. No weird smells from the neighbors. Comfy beds, sheets that weren’t from a thrift shop. She was sure Dax thought he was living rough, but to them it was a palace.

Standing on the curb she thought about going up, her landlord probably hadn’t secured her apartment yet. She looked over to the diner, she could wait in there. The food wasn’t bad enough to kill you, just make you sick and wish for death for around twenty-four hours.

But before she could make a decision, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, then the world went black.