CHAPTER FOUR : REUNION AT DE'JALUNE'S PASTRIES

CHAPTER FOUR

***MEI'S POV****

The scent of pastries fill my nostrils as soon as I enter the building. I halt in my tracks, inhaling deeply. It's well past the closing hours but I know Mama can spare me a few minutes of her time.

Cinnamon rolls, dough, apple pie.

Mmm.

It smells delicious in here.

My mouth immediately begins to water at the thought of just how much I'm about to consume. Relax girl, you have all evening.

My eyes flicker open to meet a young man with a pair of dark blue orbs looking at me. The young man scans me like he's seen me before and is desperately trying to remember.

I narrow my gaze on him. He looks familiar too. My nostrils flare as I remember who it is.

It's my beta friend from years ago.

Devon....or was it Damien? We'd been part of the many stray mama June's cared for all those years ago. He'd become a stray after his parents were killed in a robbery gone wrong by rouge wolves.

Devon or Damien seems to recognise me too as immediately steps closer and gives me a hug.

I return the hug, waves of memories flooding my mind. The flood, threatening to burst through the archives of my mind I'd buried years ago.

I feel a heavy lump in my throat as it settles deep in my chest.

This is home.

"By the Moon Goddess Mei!" He says, his chin resting on my head. "It's really you." I swallow and blink back the tears already forming in my eyes as I manage a nod.

It's the only thing I'm capable of now.

I bite my lower lips as I feel my skin prickle. The guilt that I can't remember his name only adding to the forming lump in my throat.

"Gosh mama will be so happy to see you." He continues after a while. His grip on me firm like if he let's go, I'll dissappear.

Guess I'm not the only one having a hard time.

I relax into his hold, gosh, I still can't remember his name.

"Still mixing up my name huh?....It's Devon by the way." He says again after a while, finally looking at me. His lips curved into a small smile.

The scent of his emotions wrap around us both. I'm sure he can smell mine too since Curtis isn't here to mask that.

I let out a chuckle —half cough, half laugh.

He remembers......just how much I always mixed both names.

The beaded curtains leading to kitchen stir and shake as a figure comes through them. Devon and I look to see who it is and time immediately stops.

Mama.

Her nose is still flared. She must've smelled me.

The world around me seems to fade as mama reaches for me and pulls me into a hug.

"By the goddess.....Yumei Meredith Chatteris. My baby has come back to me." She whimpers as she holds me tightly in her embrace.

My focus briefly lands on the wall behind her where I'd drawn a huge flower and all the tears I'd been holding back finally burst through.

This is home.

I've missed this so much.

"You still obsessed with dieting mm? No worries though, I'll change that." She whispers into my ears and I smile and dig my face into her hair. It smells just like cherry and blossoms.

Mama.

"My baby girl. Look at you. All grown." Mama continues after a while, releasing me just enough to look at my face.

I lick on my lower lip and nod, the taste of my tears mixing with my saliva.

These damn tears won't stop.

Mama sniffles a bit. Unable to hold back her own tears.

She inhales deeply and gives me a quick hug before releasing me.

"It's okay baby. We've just reunited and we will not spend it all crying...mm?" She says again, wiping my tears with her hands before ushering me to sit on one of the chairs close to the windows. Her actions don't immediately stop the tears though. The just keep pouring.

Devon rushes to bring another seat for him to sit beside Mama and I.

I can't help the smile that creeps up my lips as I notice his eagerness. The action causing me to taste my tears again.

Classic Devon.

"I see you're now quite famous now. Look at you....handling a whole business." Mama's voice is giddy, but the pride is still very much evident in her voice.

I put on a confused expression as my gaze darts between the two.

"C'mon Mei, we see you on TV." Devon quickly chirps in. "Mama literally stalks your Fame-A-Gram.....she sometimes wishes you posted more."

The last part comes out as a whisper as he winks at me.

Mama obviously catches that and reaches to shoo Devon away. Devon dodges, but only narrowly.

He quickly places his hands over his eyes in an attempt to feign hurt, his lips up in a pout.

Mama rolls her eyes and I can't help but chuckle at the two of them.

Gosh. It's been so long.

"Tell me everything. Work. Life. Love. All of it." Mama says leaning closer to me.

I smile and pout my lips like a child. "Can I have some cinnamon rolls, and cake and—"

"Devon..." Mama interrupts.

"On it." Devon says before noding and heading into the main kitchen.

I relax into my seat with with a slight smirk. They must be too excited to refuse me.

Devon comes out a while later with a tray filled with so many pastries.

My eyes widen as I graze through all of them.

I swallow for a bit before reaching for the tray and rubbing my hands together.

Calm girl. Calm.

I can feel my inner child doing backflips right now.

Mama huffs. She glares at Devon for interrupting our conversation as I'd just been briefing her about work and life at Moss.

"Go on Mei." She says as Devon settles beside her again. I nod but I don't look at her, my eyes still fixed on the tray before me.

There's a lot.

Where do I start?

I swallow unable to wait any longer as I dig in.

"Yeah...Moss is a pretty busy city." I continue as I stuff a crumble cookie into my mouth. "It's the place to be...." I chew a bit. "If you need to socialise." I chew and swallow again.

"But the humans there are so oblivious and silly." I say as I stuff a chocolate chip cookie into my mouth this time.

I can't get enough.

The beaded curtains shake again as a small figure comes through it.

It's a young pup.

"Mama!" He calls out before reaching for mama and standing by her side.

I observe as she bring him to her chest and kisses his forehead.

"This is Noah," she finally says, "he's one of my babies now." She says with a smile plastered on her face.

"Hurry on, kiddo, the adult are trying to have a conversation okay? " Devon says as he urges the young pup out of the room.

I watch as Noah hesitates before leaving the room. I flash him a smile and gesture for him to have a cookie but he declines.

Oh.

Maybe he's scared of strangers...

Noah disappears behind the curtains.

Mama watches until she's sure he's gone before turning back to me.

"Poor thing..." she murmurs.

Curtis enters into the room as I force two rolls down my throat.

Mmm.

"I know I said I'd wait outside, but.... oof the aroma is just..." he says as he walks up to me and reaches for a cookie on my tray. Mama and Devon look confused at the stranger who's reaching for my snacks but say nothing.

I smack his hands to deter him.

It's mine.

He doesn't seem to care as he lunges and snatches two.

Two.

I look up to where he's standing and make sure to flash a very fake smile at him. He looks at me knowingly, sticking his tongue out to me before cocking his head to signal that I introduce him.

Oh.

"Mama....Devon...." I lick my fingers and clear my throat. "This is Curtis, my Omega." The shocked expression on their faces tell me where their minds have wandered to.

I clear my throat again before explaining. "He's my best friend and body guard. We met a few months after I left Vos and we've been best of Friends ever since."

Curtis flashes them a smile. " it's an honour to finally meet you. Mei talks about her family a lot."

"Oh dear boy, I'm glad to meet you too. Thank you for keeping our Mei safe." Mama says, her brown orbs give way to reveal a green glint for only a split second. She smiles as she gestures for Curtis to get a seat from the other table.

"Bodyguard huh?" Devon says with a questioning look as Curtis moves away from us.

Mama gives him a slight nudge and I crinkles my nose as I ignore him, stuffing another chocolate cookie down my throat.

"How are things here? Especially with the Ironclaw." I blurt before thinking.

"Well, it's been a hassle honestly." Mama says, leaning back into her seat. Her brows crease a bit before smothening and I almost regret asking. Curtis brings his seat and settles beside me, reaching for my velvet cake this time.

Stupid omega.

I don't stop him though, there's always a next time.

"More and more rabid wolves continue to oppress the weak. Nothing's really changed since you left Mei." She continues, biting her lower lip. I can tell this topic makes her anxious.

"Just last week, some troops attacked a small community in Vos. Mama had to take in the child survivors. Like she always does. But it's starting to take a toll on her. We're running out of resources. I had to fly from Perth a month ago to assist mama." Devon's the one to speak this time as he glances at mama.

Oh. Survivors like..... Noah.

The air is thick with scents of anxiety and fear.

I inhale deeply and shove a roll in my mouth.

I can't get worked up now.

My wolf stirs a bit, she's finally going to sleep.

"And what is the unified council of packs saying?" My voice comes out raspy. I clear my throat and turn to look at Curtis as his ringing tone blares through the room.

He nods his head and mutters an 'excuse me' before leaving to take the call.

Devon speaks, his left fingers, twisting the ring on his right. "Nobody is saying anything Mei, things have only got worse since you left. The masses suspect Ironclaw is behind the rabid wolves and it's only a matter of time before they break whatever is left of the unified law and start a war." He says, his voice dropping an octave lower at the last sentence.

The walls have ears and talking openly about these things can be seen as treason.

"The stormfang pack isn't really doing well too, no one is." Mama chirps in as he eyes study my every move.

I know what she's trying to do and I refuse to give in to it.

Not today.

Mama always believed my mate and I would eventually work it out and find our way back to each, but of course she would, she is mama. She wants what she believes is best for me.

She might be from moonveil pack and have some insight from the Moon Goddess but I stopped believing in fate a long time ago.

"Mei!" Curtis calls out as he enters the room, interrupting my thoughts and our conversation. His face looks pale as his eyes are widened.

"Borin was right." He says, as he struggles to catch his breath.

The roll on my hand falls on the tray with a splutter and I can hear my heart skip two beats.

"Ironclaw just made their move."