Verge of Insanity

Chapter Eight

Mara Leigh

 Xander's house was just as spectacular on the inside as the outside. I tried not to stare at all the trinkets and shiny glassware that covered almost every inch of the hall and as he dragged me into the living room I saw it was also covered. The sun coming through the windows made everything sparkle, and in some cases, rainbows to scatter around the room. 

"Mom's in the kitchen," he whispered, pulling me along. 

I braced myself, praying that she had more compassion than her son. There was nothing I wanted more than to go back home and live like this had never happened. Like I hadn't gone walking the other day and he hadn't smelled and tracked me down.

In the kitchen, just as he'd said, Xander's mother stood facing the stove, with her back to us. Long light brown hair, similar to her son's color curled gently down her back. I stood shocked when she turned toward us and smiled. Her light green eyes sparkled and her smile made me smile back just by seeing it. She was beautiful, and really didn't look old enough to be Xander's mother. 

I immediately felt horrible for my appearance. Surely I looked horrible with twigs in my hair and dirty spots on my clothes. But it was all Xander's fault.

"You must be Mara!" she said, pulling me from Xander and into a hug. 

She didn't scare me, which wasn't something I had expected. I actually kind of liked her. When she pulled back and looked at me, I realized I hadn't said anything.

"Yes ma'am," I replied. She smiled bigger.

"This one's got manners," she winked at Xander. "I like her already."

"Me too," he laughed, and hugged her.

Seeing the love on their faces made me think twice about how I'd been calling them monsters. The love and warmth of their home was obvious. 

I walked over to the glass wall and stood at the sliding glass door to look out at the back yard while they talked. This yard was just as huge and lovely as the front yard. The same kind of flowers as in the front were planted around two large oaks in the back yard. 

Their back and front yard together is as big as all of the town of Grover, I thought, smiling.

I jumped as something rubbed against my legs.

Werewolves keep cats? I wondered. I picked up the little yellow kitten, holding it close to me. If Xander hadn't told me what he was, I would have never known. If he had gotten to know me like an actual guy instead of scaring me half to death I probably wouldn't have minded going out with him, either.

I shook my head, clearing my mind. I didn't need to worry about that. What'd been done was done. Now I just needed to fix it.

"Mara?" I put down the kitty and turned to look at Xander's mom. "I told Xander to go on and get the pack together and me and you'd finish up supper while he gathered them."

I hadn't even realized he'd left.

"But I didn't figure you'd mind hanging out here. You seem kind of nervous," she smiled.

I smiled back. It was automatic toward her. She just made you smile. Following her orders I began chopping up potatoes and carrots for her chicken and dumplings. She seemed to enjoy chatting, and I didn't have to say much before she'd gone on about something else. Her happiness was contagious.

I'd forgotten who I was talking to after fifteen minutes.

"I'd been looking so forward to meeting you," she said, happily. "In the few times that I've gotten to see Xander in the last week, you've been all he's talked about. How did you two meet?"