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Chapter Forty-Two

T here’s so much riding on this conversation.

So fucking much. Posie’s family is a huge part of her life and mine—if they don’t accept our bond… The thought makes me want to puke.

Besides her father being my boss, her parents are like my second family, and losing them would be like living through the accident all over again. I take a few deep breaths, trying to fortify myself, to not bumble my words.

I need to make it clear that I love Posie without limitations. She’s my whole fucking world and I’ll do anything for her. Quit baseball? Absolutely. Support her dreams? Always. Protect her? With my life. Even though I may never deserve her, I’ll work every single day to try.

As we enter the kitchen, the only sound is the thundering of my heart. My palm becomes slippery with sweat, but Posie’s hand in mine is the only thing keeping me tethered. Willie glares at me, his fury palpable, and I swear you could hear a pin drop. A surge of unwavering love and support explodes down the bond, and it breaks through my worry.

Not alone. With my omega buried deep in my chest, I’ll never be alone again. And no matter what happens here, we get to leave through that front door—together. Now that we’re mated, there isn’t anything that can stop us.

“Hi, Dad. Papa,” she says, breaking the heavy silence that’s descended around us. They stare at her longingly, their eyes roaming her body, checking for injuries—and to be honest, that’s fair, given all the pictures from the festival. Jeez, some stories implied I clubbed her over the head and dragged her away against her will. “How was your vacation?”

“How was my vacation? How was my vacation?” Willie shouts, standing so abruptly that the table lurches. “Where the hell have you two been? I sent people to Miller’s apartment. I called hospitals. I even had the police check the morgue.”

What the hell?

“I’m sorry we scared you, sir,” I cut in, wanting to get straight to the point. “Didn’t Mari and Emma tell you Posie went into heat?” To be honest, I hadn’t thought to reach out to anyone. Caring for Posie had been my sole focus. But I know her friends are close to the Moores .

“They did,” he snaps, tossing a phone on the table. I’m too far away to tell for certain, but I think it’s Posie’s. “Emma showed up with her phone and said you rescued her from the carnival after she went into heat. What she didn’t say was where you took her.”

He glowers at me, the rage simmering just under the surface, and I swallow hard, trying to tamp down my rising anger. What kind of man do they think I am? What kind of Alpha?

“I took her to my house,” I try to explain, but he cuts me off with a snarl.

“We checked your place. Banged the hell out of your door until they threatened to escort us from the building. Did you bring her to a hospital to be sedated for her heat?” His eyes drift once again over to Posie, and I see the moment when they relax just a fraction. Narrowing in on where our hands link, his brows furrow in thought. “Please tell me you didn’t take her to one of those cheap heat clinics. Anyone could have hurt her there.”

Oh, holy hell.

It dawns on me; her parents have no clue that I was the one to help her through her heat. They think I just dumped her somewhere and disappeared, leaving her to figure it out on her own.

“Oh gosh, Dad. No. You’ve got it all wrong!” Posie exclaims, stepping in front of me. “Miller didn’t leave me for one second. He’s my scent match.”

All heads swing toward Posie, and questions start flying so fast that we can’t respond to any.

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t have a scent match, sweetie. ”

“How can that be possible?”

But one voice stands above all the rest.

“I told you, he’s filled her head with nonsense and fairytales,” Owen booms, looming large in the doorway as if he was waiting for this moment to make an entrance. “You all said Miller was too good for that. You didn’t want to believe that he was taking advantage of Posie. Just look at her. Look at them .”

His demands cause a stir in the room, and I tug Posie against me, my hackles rising, ready to protect her against any threat—even her own family.

“Please. Let me explain,” I beseech. “It’s a long story.”

“Willie, we need to listen to the boy,” Samuel cuts in, grabbing his packmate’s shoulder. He gestures to the seats across from them. “Let’s all sit. Anyone can see how happy our girl looks. She’s fine. They both are.”

Willie snorts like an enraged bull, but after a tense moment, he allows himself to be guided into a chair. His eyes never leave us, warring between concern and rage.

Stepping closer, with Posie still tight against me, I cautiously take a seat, even though my beast is still close to the surface. I tug Posie into my lap and only calm once she leans into me, dropping her head onto my shoulder. Her sweet cotton candy scent surrounds me, and although it’s ripe, there’s no fear in it. She trusts me to take care of this, and I will. My poor Puff should be relaxing, napping, and replenishing her body after the demands of her heat—not dealing with this bullshit. Resentment gives me strength, and I meet Willie’s glare head-on before launching into the story .

Doing my best to keep it short and to the point, I explain about finding out we were scent-matched young and not knowing how to handle it. There are some details I omit; they don’t need to know about the trackers and stalking. Although my omega has accepted some of my darker needs, I don’t think her fathers would approve—though, being an Alpha himself, he just might. I explain how I tried to stay away, but as time wore on, my need to be near her grew until it was undeniable.

“Sirs and Mama Rosa, I love Posie. I always have. I swear I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy until I take my last breath,” I implore, hoping they’ll understand that I never had a choice. I fell fast and hard for my Puff—my life’s not worth living without her.

There’s silence once again in the kitchen, all of them staring at me with inscrutable expressions. All except for Owen, who has his arms crossed over his chest and murder in his eyes.

A gentle sniff catches my ear, and I turn my head to glance over at Mama Rosa. She’s dabbing her eyes, and Posie stiffens in my arms.

“Please be happy for us, Mama,” she intreats, “I’ve never been so content. So at peace with my omega.”

At her words, her mother bursts into tears, rushing around the table and enveloping us both in an enormous hug. Sobs wrack her small body, and I have no idea what to do. My eyes land beseechingly on Willie, who just chuckles at my predicament.

Okay, Father-in-law. I see you.

But it makes me feel better. If he were opposed to our mating, he wouldn’t be laughing, and for the first time, I have a glimmer of hope that it’s going to be all right. Seeing my plight, Samuel has mercy on us and rounds the table to grab Mama Rosa, whispering something in her ear that has her nodding and giving us a watery smile.

“I can’t imagine a better pairing,” she murmurs, her voice cracking with emotion. “You’ve always felt like my second son. And I’m thrilled to find you’re a perfect match for my daughter. I know you’ll take the best care of each other.”

Samuel tucks her into his side, snuggling his omega close. He reaches out his hand for a shake that I eagerly reciprocate.

“I’m in full agreement with the Missus here. You’ve always been a big part of the family. But, Miller?” I gulp, waiting for him to hit me with an ‘if you hurt her, they won’t ever find your body,’—not that I need a warning… I’d off myself first.

I meet his eyes, showing him the respect he deserves. “We want grandbabies.”

“What the actual fuck!” Owen explodes, slamming his fists on the table. His face purples with rage, and his pulse visibly pounds in his temples. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what his damn problem is. I understand she’s his baby sister, but this has gotten completely out of control. Standing slowly, I shift Posie until she’s behind me. Her brother has become a wildcard, and I refuse to take my omega’s safety lightly.

“What is your objection, son?” Willie asks, a frown on his face as he takes in Owen’s aggressive stance and my protective posture. “Of all the people your sister could have chosen, Miller brings me the least concern.”

“He’s a fucking liar,” Owen roars, thumping the wooden table so hard that it creaks and slides across the tile floor. “He has her convinced they’re scent-matched—but has everyone forgotten about her anosmia? It’s ridiculous. He must have been grooming her all along—right under our noses. Pretending to be my best friend, just to get close to her.”

Owen stomps toward me, and I bristle, warning him back with a growl. My instincts are begging me to rip into him with my bare hands, tear him limb from limb for daring to suggest any such thing. His answering growl echoes around the room, and although I’m the more dominant Alpha, he doesn’t yield.

“Back up. I don’t want to hurt you,” I bark, keeping my omega squarely behind the bulk of my body. Of course, she doesn’t like any of this and, quick as a flash, darts around me and right into the path of the advancing Alpha.

“Cut it out right now. Both of you,” she chides, stepping between us. “He didn’t tell me we were scent-matched. I found out all on my own. Not to mention, my sense of smell returned after we bonded. There’s no doubt for me, so there shouldn’t be for you.”

Owen grabs at his hair, yanking the strands like a madman as he processes her words. “You’re BONDED?”

His yell is so loud that Posie covers her ears, and I tow her back to me, unable to trust him so close to her in his unhinged state. With a final animalistic roar, he darts from the room, and seconds later, the front door slams loud enough to rattle the house. For minutes after his departure, the only sound in the house is the soft patter of rain hitting the windows. No one dares to breathe. Then the dam breaks, and everyone starts talking at once.

“Your anosmia is gone?” Mama Rosa asks .

“How did you know before you bonded about the match?” Samuel questions.

“He’ll come around. Just give the hothead some time to cool off,” Willie soothes.

Samuel’s question makes Posie’s cheeks flame with embarrassment. Although we’re all well aware of how things are between Alphas and omegas, there are just some things that don’t need to be discussed with the parentals. Quickly sidestepping that landmine, I tell them about Posie being able to smell all the food earlier today, that it’s a skill we’re going to continue to work on her fully regaining. They all seem satisfied with the answer, thankfully and let the rest go.

“All right, son, now let’s get down to brass tacks,” Willie cuts in, reminding us why we’re all here to begin with. “Your batting practice at the fair caused quite the stir. The league is calling for your head.”

I open my mouth to speak, but Willie’s already continuing. Steamrolling through and taking complete control. And this time, I let him, knowing our goals align—keep my job, support my Puff.

Taking it as their cue to leave, Samuel and Mama Rosa excuse themselves, snatching Posie with an offer to help her pack some of her belongings. My sweet omega kisses me on the cheek before heading out with her parents, and the second she’s out of the room, a hole opens in my heart, already pining for her presence. I want to call her back, but Willie already has his phone out conferencing with the head of our PR department along with Coach. My gut sinks.

This is going to be a long night…