Amber POV
"Jeb?" my mother was looking at me as though she were looking at a ghost. "Amber, is that really you?" her voice was so full of hope and longing.
I started walking towards her taking slow small steps. The utter disbelief in my mind was incredible. How the hell is this all happening? How long as this been happening? I stopped right in front of her, taking my hand and placing it on her cheek. "Mom?"
At that simple word my mother broken down into a river of tears. Her sobs sounded through the room like waves crashing off of the rocks along a shoreline. "My baby!" she sobbed. "My baby! You are here! Oh my lord!" she continued to sob. She stood up from her chair and wrapped her thin arms around me. "I am so sorry I couldn't save you! I am so sorry!"
I wrapped my arms around her in return, taking her into my embrace. Tears slid their way down my cheeks. This woman standing in front of me was so broken, so incredibly broken. I took my hand and started stroking the back of my mother's head down her hair. "Mom it's OK. I'm here. I don't understand what happened, but I'm here."
My mother seemed to jump out of whatever state she was in. All of a sudden she pushed to get out of my embrace and walked over to the other side of the room. She pointed her finger at Jeb, "You! No you take my daughter out of here! You promised me no harm would come to her! Take her away, she is only in danger here!" she ordered.
Jeb started to quickly walk over to her. I stepped in his way as I pointed a finger in his direction. Narrowing my eyes, my voice took a low, deadly tone. "Don't you take one step closer to my mother."
"Amber," my mother cut in.
"No!" I yelled turning to face her. "This piece of shit abused me for years! Not to mention not even an hour ago he almost RAPED me!"
I watched the sudden crack in my mothers face. She looked as though she had just lost someone she loved. She put her hands over her mouth and gasped. "Jeb? Is this true?" the pleading in her tone was unmistakable. She wanted him to tell her it was a lie.
I looked over to Jeb and he had his head down in shame. "Natasha…" he whispered. "It…it wasn't me."
I could feel my wolf pushing her way through. Must be that the meds were starting to wear off that were in my system. I let out a deep thunderous growl. Fighting my wolf to back down, I took a step towards Jeb. "What the fuck do you mean it wasn't you?" I bellowed. "It WAS you! You beat me up until the day I left your house! Then I finally left your hellhole of a home, I found my mate and I found people that are actually my family and you had the audacity to take me away from all of that! Not only take me away from it but also force yourself on me! If Gretchen wouldn't have come in you would have raped me!" my chest was heaving up and down as I tried to take in deep breaths. If I didn't calm down my wolf would take over any minute now.
"Amber Rose! Look at me!" my mother screamed. I turned slowly to look at my mothers face. Her eyes were full of shock and fear. "Gretchen is not a normal werewolf. She is a witch as well, but not just any witch. She is very powerful, can mask her scent, morph into anyone she pleases, and she has the ability to control people!" she was quickly trying to explain everything. No doubt trying to ensure that I didn't kill Jeb.
I turned towards Jeb. "Is that true?" I looked at him in utter disbelief. He nodded his head up and down. "I don't understand. There were so many times I would receive beatings from you! You were so cruel! I spent so much time around both of you, how could I not notice this?" I begged for answers. My mind was racing and I was starting to get dizzy from all the thoughts making their way around my mind like a tornado of information.
Jeb took a step towards me. "Amber I am so sorry. I am so ashamed of everything that has happened to you, but when Gretchen has control of me, it's like I am sitting in the background of my mind watching a horror show with me as the star but no control over what I do or what I say. She is an evil woman with only one goal." He paused.
"What is that goal Jeb?" I screamed losing my patience.
Just then the door to the room swung open to reveal…Damien? My heart burst with happiness as tears of joy came to my face. "Damien?!" I screamed. Just as I started smiling, his features started to morph and change into those of Gretchen. She let out a roaring laughter, "No Doll-face! It's just little old evil me!"