Chapter Text
"Does Samuel [...] live here?"
"No??"
"Are you sure? A woman said he did."
"A woman... what woman?"
"She said her name is Alexis Getty, and that my son Samuel lives here."
"...That fuckin' bitch."
Darlin smacked the door in the woman's face and pulled out their phone, finding Sam's contact and giving him a ring. The other end picked up and his voice echoed through.
"Hey Darlin'. What's up?"
Darlin' hesitated, but spoke up anyways, "Hey.. Uhm. We have some unexpected visitors."
"Really, who?" Sam said, sounding concerned.
"Your mother, apparently.."
"...What? What do you mean apparently, are you sure??"
"Well, she said Alexis told her you lived here, so I'm assuming yes."
"..What name did she use..?"
"Samuel [...]. "
The other end went quiet for a while, a long while.
"Babe? Are you still there? Who is that, is that actually your mother?"
The silence continued, before he finally spoke again.
"I'm comin' back... wait there, don't let her in."
"Okay."
No questions asked, no disagreeing. Sam sounded serious. And angry. They only heard bits and pieces of his homelife back in Mont Blanc, but nothing big other than that it wasn't a particularly healthy environment. Not for him at least. Sam hung up, and so did they. They turned back to the door, slipped the chain lock on and opened it again.
"Samuel will be home in about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the traffic."
"Why do you have the chain lock on?! This is my son's home, let me in!" The woman shrieked.
"You're not welcome inside yet at the request of Samuel Collins. Wait in your car until he returns or I will use force." Darlin' growled, and smacked the door again.
Exactly 24 minutes later, as Darlin' counted, they saw Sam's truck pull up the road and into the drive way, stopping close the the house and rather a distance from the other car. They slipped the chain lock off and opened the door, stepping out and closing again, then joining Sam near the truck while the woman rushed towards them.
"Samuel!" She screamed, her tone pushing the line between relief and annoyance.
"What the hell are you doin' here." He snapped sharply at her.
She tried getting close, but Darlin stepped in front, putting space between him and the woman. And she did not seem to appreciate that.
"That is my son!" She shrieked again.
"And he doesn't want you near him, so back off." Darlin' growled.
"What are you, his guard dog?!"
"Well. I'm a wolf Shifter who works security. So technically, yes, I am a guard dog. And he is my partner, as I am his. So, again, technically, yes, I am his guard dog. And I'm telling you to back. Off." They snarled.
The woman stepped back a bit, obviously nervous now that Darlin' posed as a threat towards her. Which is normal, given their bulk and size, and being a wolf Shifter as well. You'd be stupid to try and size up a Shifter, much less a wolf Shifter, even being empowered. And from detecting her core, they sensed Freelancer. Wouldn't really help her.
Darlin' backed up a bit to stand closer to Sam, who wrapped his arm around their waist as they crossed both of their own over their chest to appear more intimidating.
"Where have you been?! We haven't seen you in over two decades!" The woman yelled.
"You didn't answer my question. What are you doin' here." Sam snapped back again.
"Well I was lookin' for you! You're my son!"
"He hasn't been your son since he left Mont Blanc and changed his name, woman." Darlin growled.
"He is my blood! I gave him life!"
"Blood isn't the only thing that makes someone family. And you didn't give him anything. If you did, he wouldn't have had to run away, would he."
"Now who the hell are you to tell me that, mutt?!"
"DON'T call my mate that." Sam pointed a finger at the woman, tightening his grasp around Darlin's waist.
"Mate?!"
"Yes. Mate." His eyes narrowed to a glare.
The imp's expression shifted between shock, focus, and then pure disgust. Darlin's hands curled up, seeing the be her reaction to what they called each other was an insult to their biology. But that's not what made the expression changes on the woman's face.
"You're... a FEEDER?!" she screeched. The slur slammed into Sam's chest so hard it almost knocked the air out of his lungs, his hand faltering a bit. Darlin', on the other hand, nearly boiled over in anger at the name their mate was just called, their own hands falling to their sides.
"The fuck did you call him?"
"He's a feeder!! Can't you see?! No wonder his canines are so sharp!"
"I know he's a vamp, numbnuts, but that doesn't change anything." Darlin' snapped at the woman sharply. "You say he's your son and then you call him a name like that? You're pathetic."
"My son is a Freelancer, not a feeder!" The woman yapped like a chihuahua.
"Your son was turned by the leech who told you his address. He didn't want to be a vampire, so you don't have to make it harder for him." Darlin' barked back, now stepping closer again. "Alexis stripped him of his mortality 15 years ago and for 15 years has he struggled with it, he's still struggling with it even now. You want your son back? Go berate that bitch Alexis Getty for taking him from you, and yourself while you're at it." They glared, while the woman stared back.
"Sam..?" A lighter voice said from the truck.
A young woman stood there, holding a child in her arms, while a man, as old-looking as the woman in front of Darlin' and Sam, held the young woman's arm firmly.