"Leave my daughter alone, you animals!"

"Mom?" Lia was startled out of her mind. She jumped off from Asher's Laps. She looked as guilty as a child caught stealing meat from a pot of soup by her mother. How did her... no, why was her mom here and with a gun?

"I would not let you two ruin my daughter's bright future," She declared, pointing the gun at Asher, then at Daniel, and then back again at Asher. Making sure to point at both in between intervals.

"Mom, what are you doing with that gun," Lia eyed her.

"Don't bother yourself, mother-in-law, that won't work on me," Asher told her blandly.

Jenny wanted to faint from extreme anger, mother what? She then focused the gun on Asher, "I'll rather die than accept you filthy thing as a son in law. Who knew how many lives have been wasted by your hands,"

Asher snorted, "Oh, you know that, and yet you point a useless weapon at me?" He was amused.

"No," she said.

"No, what?"

"I found this in my son's room - still shocking by the way- who happens to be a hunter and if he truly hunts creatures like you, then this should be lethal," she gave him a mocking look.

The environment changed, Asher's jaw ticked and Lia didn't like it one bit.

"Mrs, Jenny. Please calm down," Daniel attempted to mediate.

"Shut up!" She snapped at him, pointing the gun at him now, and saying, "I trusted you, yet you not only lied to me but even indulged my daughter in this madness!"

"Exactly," Daniel said, "I had no choice but to keep it a secret because of a moment like this,"

"Excuses, lies!" Jenny fumed, "You all deceived and used me," She was determined, "Lia would not be used that way too. This has to end now,"

"Mother, put down the gun," Lia was cautious while taking small steps towards her. She didn't know what that gun was loaded with but her best guess was silver laced bullets which were dangerous to her mates.

Everything happened too quickly.

Asher came after her mother with the intent of snatching the gun from her. However, Jenny was startled by his great speed and fired unknowingly at him while Lia screamed, putting up a shield at the last minute.

Though no one was hurt, the event shook Jenny greatly; her hands and lips began to tremble.

"Oh my God, I almost killed somebody," Jenny burst into tears. Her legs became soft as jelly and gave out, she fell to the ground.

"Mother!" Lia rushed at her and encompassed her in a hug as they commenced a crying marathon.

The gunshot commotion attracted the others who came into the living room to investigate what was going on.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to scare them so they could leave you alone," Jenny cried harder.

Lia was confused about what to do. She didn't know whether to console or just beat sense into her mother. Why would her mates stay away from her because of a simple gun threat? It sounded stupid! Those two would turn the world upside down just to find and be with her.

However, no matter how vexed Lia was with Jenny, she was still her mother, and seeing her break down in front of her, broke her heart.

"I'm so sorry, forgive me, Lia. I'm not a bad mother, I just want what's best for you," she sobbed on.

"I know, why is why I'm sorry too," Tears

fell from Lia's eyes and she clasped her mom's face, "I'm sorry mom that it had to come to this," she apologized.

No one dared to make a sound. Everyone watched as mother and daughter worked out their differences.

"You're just too young, Lia," She caressed her cheeks with affection.

"Yeah, I know," Lia acknowledged that, "But mom, I'm no longer that sweet, naive, obedient daughter you want me to be. You might not understand but there's this strong bond between me, Daniel, and Asher; it's out of this world. I feel something for them - something you might have never shared with Dad if I'm to say. I simply can't live without them, mom,"

"So you're not going to leave them?" there was a twig of hope in Jenny's voice when she asked that.

Lia turned to look at Asher and Daniel, she shook her head, "No, mom, I would not leave them,"

"Even at the expense of our mother-daughter relationship?"

Lia's mouth hung open, she couldn't believe her mother was asking her to choose.

"I love you mom," Lia started, "But you lived your life, now's my turn to live mine. So yes, even at the expense of our relationship, I won't leave them," her words were firm and decisive.

Asher and Daniel were touched by her statement. They knew where Jenny was heading and as much as they wanted Lia to reconsider her decision, they couldn't. They would never let her go, she was their life.

"Fine, you made your decision," Jenny declared.

Lia's heart hurt, so this was how her ties with her family were severed? She was determined not to regret it, rather would prove to her mom that this wasn't a mistake. But she didn't even get to say goodbye to Trevour and Rex.

She was about to ask for permission to see her siblings once more when her mother added,

"And I'm going to respect your decision because you've proven to me that you're old enough to bear the consequences,"

"What?" Lia must have heard wrong.

"You can date them, Lia," Jenny told her.

Whoa, Lia was shocked. Did she just hear date them, not him? Not one but two? Did her mom just accept both of them? Was this truly her mother and not an alien occupying her body?

Jenny continued, "Just don't come running to me for solace when people begin to criticize you for -"

Lia didn't care to hear the rest of her statement, throwing herself at her mother out of happiness and almost brought both of them to the ground.

"Thank you so much," Lia hugged her tight. She felt light as if a heavyweight was removed from her chest.

"However, you are going to tell me everything and there would be no secret between us," Jenny conditioned.

"Fine, no problem," Lia was giddy with Joy, almost lifting her mother off the ground from excitement. This was a dream come true; she had always wanted to converse with her mom about her crazy experiences.

"Miss Jenny, I don't know how to thank you," Daniel was happy too. His mate's happiness was his happiness too.

"Don't thank me," Jenny told him, "I'm not yet done with you two,"