Page 92 of Alpha Mates

I snort. “Yeah, it is, smartass. I’ll figure something out eventually. Just give me some time.”

He salutes me before he refocuses on getting us through the web of roads. Posted guards welcome us through as we pass their southern gate, but we’ve barely rolled past it when a lone figure steps into the road, forcing the car to stop.

“You have to be kidding me,” I murmur, peering through the windshield at my mother.

Some people felt comfort seeing their parents. All I felt was a shit-ton of dread. The kind that makes my eyes burn behind my shades and my heart sink in my chest.

“Think you can back out of here fast enough?” I ask. My mother folds her arms over her chest, gaze pinned on me.

“I can, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be waiting for you wherever we go,” Emitt replies quietly. “I say bite the bullet.”

“Would be much easier if her bullets weren’t made of silver,” I grumble, before I force myself out of the car to face my ma like a big boy.

While Emitt rolls away towards safety, I stride towards my mother. I’m tempted to walk right past her, but I’m not suicidal.

“Aiden,” she greets—more a growl than a word. We’ve only just started, and she’s already a picture of barely contained rage.

“Yes, Ma,” I reply with a sigh, too familiar with this side of her to be anything other than tired. “What can I do for you today?”

“You’ve been ignoring me for weeks,” she seethes, her brown eyes boiling now. “You’ve kept your father and me away under the excuse of‘urgent matters,’ and you ask what you can do for me?”

To be honest, I’m surprised I’ve made it as long as I have without this confrontation. I’d been blatantly ignoring my parents ever since the coronation because, unlike Julian, I don’t think I owe them a damn thing now that I’m alpha. Maybe once, before they turned into terrible parents, sure. But they hadn’t done shit for me in years, so I don’t owe them shit in return. They believe the complete opposite, so I’d been expecting this tantrum aweek ago. But alas, pride.

“You’re running our pack into the ground,” she declares firmly, and it takes every effort not to roll my eyes.

“Am I?” I ask dryly.

“Yes, you are. You are ignoring your main duties in favour of attending thathumanschool,” she spits with flagrant disgust. “You have not spent nearly enough time overseeing the newly claimed lands between packs, and as I understand, it has been four days since you’ve spent a night in our packlands.”

I watch her carefully, waiting until I’m sure that she’s done before I reply.

“My main duties are just fine. Julian and I have a yearly, monthly, and daily agenda set up that we balance between the two of us.” I don’t mention that it had been forced onto me by Julian’s overactive planning, but I use it all the same. “And Ihavebeen overseeing the projects within the new lands. In fact, I’m the one making sure the wards are up to standard. And tonight will be my fifth night here because we’re commuting for the time being because that’s what we decided. You know … Julian and I … as mates and alphas … ofourpacks.”

Sidestepping her, I continue down the dirt road. “And as for school, I’ve got a really important biology project that I just have to do.”

I take five blissful steps before her enraged growl sounds from behind me, and my ma returns for round two.

“You think the state of our pack is a laughing matter?” she asks, stalking at my side. “Not everything is a joke, Aiden.”

I rake a hand through my hair, reaching for the remnants of overworked patience. “I just answered all your concerns,” I reply tightly. “What else is there to complain about?”

“I’m not complaining,” she hisses. “I’m ensuring that you don’t ruin everything before the year is even done. You should be more involved with what’s happening within the packs. Baxton and Felix sent out the blueprints for the new buildings, and yet Julian is the one meeting with them as we speak!”

“Yeah, because he likes that shit and I don’t.” A dull ache starts behind my eyes. “He’s doing that because this morning I was up at the ass-crack of dawn planning our next Lunar Celebration. It’s part of the agenda.”

It’s ironic that the agenda I’d fought tooth and nail against is currently saving my ass, but my life remains a joke. If Julian could hear me now, he’d never let it go.

“You should be doing both, Aiden!” she chides. “You should be spearheading every project, attending every meeting, so that the packs see you andrecognise you as the—”

“As the what?” I ask, whirling on her so quickly she stumbles.

Mouth ajar, Ma suddenly finds herself at a loss for words as she becomes my sole focus and the object of my rapidly mounting rage.

“As the what?” I repeat through my descending canines.

She drops her gaze, aiming for a placation. “I’m only trying to remind you that you’re the alpha of our pack, and when the packs join, you will be the real—”

“I advise you to stop talking,” I say in a dead whisper that’s nearly drowned out by the growl filling my chest.