There was a small knock on the door, and I couldn't help but flinch and look at the door with wide eyes and my heart skipping a beat before it started pounding harder and faster in my chest.

Oh Goddess...

Fear filled my body, and I couldn't help but move closer to my mate because I had no idea who was at the door and couldn't help but think that it was my father.

My mate pulled me closer to him and placed a gentle kiss on my head, and I couldn't help but close my eyes just a bit while my heart grew warm.

"Relax," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's just my mom and the rest of the group that we need so that we can discuss whatever has happened and what's next. Ok?"

I hesitated before I slowly nodded and pulled away from him. I didn't say a word and looked at the door before I looked at him, silently telling him to go ahead and open the door and let them in.

My mate pulled away some more before he cocked his head and studied me with a small frown on his face. "Are you sure?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question, and I hesitated before I slowly nodded again.

'It's time,' I said, biting the inside of my lip, and my mate sighed with relief and slowly nodded.

"Ok," he said before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat before he stood. He didn't say another word and walked to the door, and both Sarah and I watched him.

He opened the door, and everyone piled in with Aunt Jess being wheeled in in a wheelchair, rubbing her belly. "Is this everyone?" Daniel asked when Parker entered last. He looked at the group before he looked at his dad, raising an eyebrow in question.

"This is everyone," he said and nodded in confirmation. "You can go ahead and close the door, Daniel, and go back to your mate."

Daniel nodded and closed the door before he walked over to me, and I bit back a small smile while he did so. He was about to sit down beside me when Aunt Jess cleared her throat, and we looked at her with a small frown on our faces.

"Come here, Daniel," she said with a small chuckle in her voice and held out her hands toward him. "You forgot to do something."

"Mom," he groaned but walked over to her, doing what she wanted. "We have a meeting that we need to start. Why are you wanting a hug, now?"

"Because you are my son, and I know that you need one," she replied with a small laugh in her voice. She hugged him and pressed a small kiss to the side of his head and whispered something in his ear that none of us could hear.

There was a small twinge in my heart, and I couldn't help but feel a little jealous because I wanted the same bond with someone, for I had no parents that I could lean on or turn to like Daniel.

Aunt Jess placed her hand on his cheek when he pulled away to look at her. She smiled and tucked her head closer to her chest before she lifted her head and looked him in the eyes, saying something that only he could hear.

Daniel's throat seemed to close, and he hesitated before he slowly nodded and cleared his throat. He took a step back and turned towards me. He offered me a tight smile and looked at her before he walked over to me.

My aunt chuckled and held out her hands toward me. "Come here, Sweetheart," she said with another small chuckle in her voice. "I am still your mom, too, even if it is through mateship because you are mated to my son."

I bit back a small smile and tucked my head closer to my chest before I stood and walked over to her. I didn't say a word while I walked over to her, and I went into her open arms and became enveloped in her warm embrace.

"I love you, Katie," she said and squeezed me tightly but not tight enough to hurt me. She placed a small kiss to the side of my head, and I closed my eyes while I nodded.

I didn't say a word, getting very nervous because of the number of people that were gathered in the room. I squeezed her just a tad before I let go and stared at her with a small smile on my face, silently telling her that I loved her.

My aunt placed her hand on my cheek and rubbed it, and I placed my hand over hers. She tucked her head closer to her chest while she stared at me. "I love you, too, Katie," she said while she stared at me. "Never forget that, ok?"

I nodded and bit the inside of my lip before I looked down and then at her again.

She bit back a small chuckle and let go of my cheek, and I couldn't help but let my hand fall to my side. "Are you ready for us to start the meeting?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question while she cocked her head and studied me with warm eyes filled with life and love. "Or do you want me to help you feel better some more?"

I hesitated before I shook my head no. 'It's ok,' I said. 'We can go ahead and start the meeting.'

My aunt pressed her lips into a thin line. She didn't say a word while she looked at her son before she looked at me, and I could tell that she didn't believe me but knew better than to push.

I bit my lip and shifted on my feet, feeling very nervous and guilty. 'We'll talk later, please,' I said, whispering while I signed. 'I just...' I paused and grimaced, not knowing what to sign so she would know how I was feeling.

My aunt pressed her lips into a thinner line before she looked at me and then looked at her son again. "Ok," she said and looked at me again with a small nod. She cleared her throat and shifted in the wheelchair, trying but failing to get comfortable. "Are you wanting to go ahead and go sit with your mate before we start?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

I nodded in confirmation, biting back a small sigh of relief, grateful that she changed the subject. I walked over to my mate and was pulled into a small hug before I could even sit down, and I couldn't help but giggle. My heart grew warmer when he placed a small kiss on the side of my head, and I couldn't help but smile and move closer to him.

"I love you, Katie," he said softly and pressed another kiss to my head, "and I am very proud of you. Ok?"

I nodded and bit back a small smile. I didn't say a word while I pulled away from him and sat down, pulling him down beside me.

My mate chuckled and pulled me closer to him again before he cleared his throat and grew serious while he looked around at the people that were gathered and turned into someone that I didn't know but respected. "Now," he said before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, leaning forward just a tad while he looked at them.

"What are we supposed to do, now?"