Page 41

Selene

I t’s our first pack breakfast after our mating and to say I’m nervous is an understatement.

My parents have been completely amazing about it.

I’ve made sure to check in with them each day, even though I’m right across the street from them.

Since it’s nothing new to wolves, they expected that the first few days would be a lot of ahem, mating.

Dad said he didn’t want to know what we were doing, just that I was alive.

Mom has been gushing that she will be a grandmother soon.

Cal and I walk into the main room arm in arm as pack members turn to smile at us. It’s not unusual for mates to become a couple not long after finding each other. It’s more unusual for people to wait, although, I think some people have very good reasons for making someone wait.

Mom is waving her hand frantically in the air as she taps Dad on the shoulder.

He looks over from where he is talking with both sets of my grandparents.

Shit, did they have to bring everyone here like we just got married?

My grandparents haven’t been to a single pack breakfast since Nova started these, claiming that they retired so they didn’t have to be up and out of the house before noon.

Which, fair because I would have to agree with that sentiment.

I look up at Caelon as his eyes flit from one side of the room to the other.

I can feel him trembling under my fingers as his nervousness bleeds through our bond.

It’s a different world for him to be in the crowds, not hiding in the shadows observing from a distance.

My hand gently squeezes his bicep bringing his attention back to me as I feed calming thoughts through the bond back to him.

“You ready for this,” I ask, just loud enough for him to hear but quiet enough that nobody else is privy to it.

“Not really,” he says as more of his anxiety bleeds through.

“Hey.” I nudge him to a stop. Everyone is chatting amongst themselves oblivious to the chaos swirling inside him.

His soft cry for help. He turns to face me with anxiety etched in his eyes.

“I want you to know that at any point during this it becomes too much, too loud, too messy, all you have to do is squeeze my hand two times in a row and I’ll find a way for us to get out of here.

We don’t have to stay a second longer than that, okay?

” My hand runs up and down his arm, as I continue to push calm, relaxing feelings through to him.

“O…okay. I just don’t want to take you away from your family because I can’t handle it.” He looks down at his hands as he wrings them together.

My hand caresses the side of his face, bringing his eyes back to mine.

“Cal, you are my family, my home. The most important member of my family. As much as it’s your responsibility to be strong, loving, and caring, it’s also my responsibility to do that as well.

It doesn’t always have to be one or the other.

Let me be the strong one today and maybe the next time will be your turn. ”

He nods his head. “Okay.”

Bringing my arm back around his, we turn and finish walking through the crowd towards my parents.

It’s the first time I’ve actually seen them since my birthday dinner and it feels weird.

I’m so used to seeing them every single day, that I hadn’t even considered what it would be like to not.

They look the same, but something about it has changed for me.

Almost like I see them differently. I’ll no longer see the little changes that happen or hear them giggling in the kitchen together in the mornings.

It’s something we never talk about, the loss of those small comforts when you become an adult and move out on your own.

We are all so ready to spread our wings, buck the system, forge our own paths in the world.

That we never realize the things we are going to miss.

Those moments that always seemed to settle your soul like the coffee brewing in the morning or your parents dancing together in the kitchen.

Looking at my parents now, hugged together with their beautiful faces spread in a smile, I wish I could capture this moment like a photograph.

Remembering how it feels, smells, and looks forever.

Mom breaks free of Dad the second we circle around the last group.

Practically sprinting to me as if she’s missed me as much as I realized I missed her.

Her arms wrap around me, the smell of her patchouli and lavender soap surround me, I can feel a small piece of me settling again.

There’s nothing like a mother’s hug to make the world feel right again.

“I’ve missed you Mom,” I whisper into her long, golden locks as my fingers twist them around like I’ve always done.

“I’ve missed you too sweetie. My Moondrop has grown up and found her mate. I’m so proud of you, even if I miss having you in my home.” She breathes into the side of my neck as she squeezes me even more into her before leaning back and holding me by the shoulders.

Her face is warm with love as her eyes scan all over me. Almost as if she's seeing me differently than before. “You’ve changed.” She says it like it’s so matter-of-fact.

I brush the hair back behind my ear as a blush creeps across my face. “I have not.”

“Yes, you have. It suits you.” She lets go of my shoulders before wrapping her arms around Caelon and kissing both of his cheeks.

“How is my handsome son-in-law doing?” She squishes his cheeks between her hands, making his lips pucker like a fish.

His eyes glance to mine with wild panic.

Thankfully Dad saves Cal when he comes over. “Now, June Bug don’t scare the poor man. You’ve only been around him once. He isn’t quite ready for your weird behavior just yet.” He taps Mom on the shoulder as she chuckles and drops her hands before stepping back into Dad’s embrace.

Dad smiles to both of us, with a knowing look in his eyes before he looks to Mom with a fondness.

It’s almost like seeing us, freshly mated and young, reminds him of when they found each other.

You can almost see the stories flashing behind his eyes.

I can only hope that when we are their age we will still be as madly in love with each other.

Dad turns back to us. “Son, I hear…”

He’s cut off by the most obnoxious laugh that sounds borderline like a hyena on helium.

We all turn towards the sound. If I thought Caelon was anxious before, it has nothing on the feelings flooding me.

I’m overwhelmed trying to cypher through them myself.

Between outright fear, he’s feeling anxious, worried, and guarded.

Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell come walking towards us with I’m assuming Asher behind them.

I don’t really remember much about him, he is seven years older than me and I only have vague memories of him taunting Caelon in their backyard.

Often he was so loud about it that it would disturb my twirling causing my feet to falter to a stop.

Mr. Blackwell is a tall, stout man with that rugged masculine look to him.

Everything about him screams “I drink beer, scream at my football team, and there won’t be no sissy talk around here.

” How a man like that produced someone as brilliant as Cal, I’ll never know.

His mother, on the other hand, is exactly who he took after, at least in the looks.

With her soft, brown curls touching just above her shoulders and her petite frame.

I can easily see where he got his softer features and more gentle nature.

She is far more timid than I would have thought, the way her eyes flick to his as if she’s expecting him to explode at any second.

Asher, he can already get fucked. The scowl on his face as he sneers at Caleon already has my hackles up.

My wolf rises up ready to defend our mate against the threat clearly walking our way.

He looks just like his father and that same shitty attitude is seeping off of him.

After what Cal told me he did, I already have a few choice words for him.

The three of them come to a stop in front of Cal and I, my parents taking a step behind us in a show of support.

I haven’t even told my parents what his parents did to him, but they can tell by the atmosphere, and I’m sure what they already know of his parents, that this isn’t going to be friendly or pleasant. What have they fucking done to him?

“Seems you found your mate, pity,” his dad sneers as his lip curls in disgust and looks at me. “I almost feel sorry for you, but you seem happy about it, so maybe you are just as pathetic as he is.”

“Hey now,” my dad pipes up.

“Oh, it makes so much sense now. Of course you’re Rowan’s kid,” he sneers again, his face morphing into a look of disgust. As if he just stepped in something sticky and foreign.

A growl rips out of my throat as I step forward. I move between Cal and his father. My chest heaves as my hands ball up at my sides. People surrounding us take a step back, some even covering their mouths in shock.

He doesn’t even flinch, only looks down his nose at me. “If you knew what was best for you, then you would reject your mate. He’ll never defend or protect you. He won’t even protect himself, how could you possibly want to…”

I cut him off, tired of his bashing of his own child.

“Let me make one thing perfectly, fucking, clear. I’ll be sure to speak slow since I’m sure your pig head can’t understand simple English. You will never speak about my mate like that again.” I can feel my arms slowly sprouting my black fur as my nails sharpen.

Someone yells about someone needing to stop this. There’s a scuffle of feet, but I’m too pissed to stop now.

“Another thing, don’t ever ask me again to reject my mate because of some stupid, misguided judgement on your part.” I take a step closer, directly into his space.