Chapter 63: Chapter 63

After yesterday’s performance in the third game, I was in a good mood. I wasn’t looking forward to dinner with Finlay’s family. But if I was going to choose him as my mate, I would have to get used to his family as well. And more important, Finlay wanted me there for support. It was the only reason I put effort into getting ready. I used one of the dresses Medow had made me pack. It was midnight blue with a modest top with short sleeves, an empire waist and a flowing skirt. I felt ridiculously nervous as I joined Finlay and Matilda.

“That is a very nice dress. Don’t you think so, Finlay?” Matilda said as we walked toward the communal building.

“It is,” he agreed.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Lighten up! The two of you look like we are going to our own execution. Amie, I need your help in keeping our Alpha from harming his dear brother. His mother and I are trying to mend bridges, not get anyone disqualified from the games for maiming a competitor,” Matilda said.

“I will do my best,” I promised. Finlay snorted.

“You’re not too old to be put in time out, young man,” his aunt told him.

“Yes, aunt Matilda. I will try to behave,” he said. I giggled. We walked into the booked room, it looked like a private room at a restaurant. A small, round table was set for five and Finlay’s mother and brother stood waiting for us. His mother had put the food she had cooked on the table and after greeting everyone, I helped Matilda put down the dishes she had made. We sat down and started helping ourselves to food. All in silence.

“It was nice that you could join us,” Finlay’s mother said to me. She looked unsure, as if she doubted it was nice.

“Thank you for letting me come,” I said and did my best to give her a relaxed smile.

“Of course you should come, you are practically family,” Matilda said in her usual cheerful voice.

“And why is that?” Alpha Ryan asked.

“I kind of adopted her from day one,” Matilda said with a laugh. I smiled at her. She was going strong today.

“Both Matilda and Finlay made me feel welcome in the pack,” I agreed.

“That’s nice,” Finlay’s mother said. “Have you been moving around, visiting the different packs between games?” she asked Finlay.

“I have been keeping up with our allies,” he said.

“Shouldn’t you get out more? Meet new wolves? An opportunity like this only comes every ten years,” his mother told him. She sounded sincerely worried.

“Mother, it’s not like I’m shutting myself away. I have duties as Alpha to take care of the pack as well,” he replied. “I’m sure you understand how it is, Ryan,” he added. His brother shrugged.

“My pack runs itself, more or less. And I’m not the one who needs to find his mate,” Alpha Ryan said. Touchy subject and Finlay instantly tensed up.

“This stew is amazing. What is the herb you have used?” I asked his mother. Trying to take the focus away from Finlay.

“That’s sweet of you. The secret in thyme,” she told me and gave me the first genuine smile I had seen from her.

“Our mother always used thyme in everything she cooked,” Matilda told me. “Remember when she added it to custard and then mixed in bubblegum flavour?” she asked her sister. Finlay’s mother laughed.

“Horrible. But I still enjoy thyme in general. It reminds me of my childhood,” she said.

“My mom loves all herbs. My childhood was a symphony of different blends,” I told them.

“Amie is our best gardener. She has saved Finlay’s garden from lapsing into a jungle,” Matilda said.

“You like gardening?”

“I do. It’s nice to have something relaxing to do,” I told her. The three of us did our best to keep the conversation going.

To my surprise, once Finlay’s mother warmed up to me, she was quite nice.

‘If you don’t jump into this conversation and do your part, I will put my fork in your thigh,’ I mindlinked Finley. He and his brother were both moping.

‘You seem to be doing fine without me,’ he told me.

‘Did you think I was joking?’ I asked. It made him look up at me.

“So, mother, how have your roses been this year?” he asked.

‘Thank you,’ Matilda mindlinked me. ‘There is only so long I can be cheery and not slap a grown ass man sulking like a toddler in the back of his head,’ she added.

‘I’m with you,’ I told her. We stayed silent for a while, eating and listening to the forced conversation between Finlay and his mother. As they kept going, they both relaxed and the conversation became more natural. All in all, the dinner was a success. Except for Alpha Ryan, who still moped on his own, refusing to join in the conversation. By the end of dessert, Finlay was relaxed and even laughed as his mother told a story about him as a pup.

“We need to head back, we have a new game tomorrow,” he said. He got up from the table and helped me with my chair.

I smiled at him.

“It was lovely to have got a chance to get to know you,” Finlay’s mother told me as we got ready to leave. This time, I actually believed her.

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“It has been a fun evening. When all of this is over and things calm down, you should really come and visit the pack,” I told her. Finlay froze beside me.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked. I ignored him.

“I don’t know,” his mother said.

“I know both Matilda and Finlay would love to meet you more often, and I think the pack would be delighted as well,” I told her.

“It would be nice to see everyone again,” she agreed.

“We will arrange it,” Matilda said. As Finlay and Matilda said goodbye to his mother, I stood a little back. Alpha Ryan came walking up from behind me.

“The Lunar Medow pack has a party ongoing almost every night. Care to join me for some fun?” he whispered to me as he bent down over my shoulder, his hand on my ass.

“Remove your hand or I will remove your dick,” I hissed in a whisper.

“Come on, why not have some fun?” I snorted at his question.

“Yeah, don’t think you would live up to what you’re offering.” I glanced over my shoulder at his crotch. “Doesn’t seem to be much there. No fun at all. Now get your hand off my ass,” I told him, reached back and took a firm grip on his dick. “If I extend my claws, there will never be any small alphas running around,” I pointed out. He hissed and removed his hand. I felt a little sick as I released his manhood and moved to stand next to Finlay. He gave me a look and I tried to smile at him.

“I think it was a success overall,” Matilda said as we walked home.

“I agree,” Finlay told us.

“I knew bringing you was the perfect thing,” Matilda said, giving me a sideways hug.

“Thank you. I had fun,” I said. When we got back to the cabin, Matilda joined the others who were playing board games. I was going to go up and change and then join them as well when Finlay took my hand.

“Join me on the sundeck for ten minutes?” he asked.

“Sure.” I followed him outside and waited for him to close the door and walk up to me. He gently put his hand on my arm.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. I didn’t answer straight away, I needed a moment to think about what to tell him. “Red, something is wrong,” he said and there was a warning in his voice. I sighed. He knew me too well and I didn’t want to lie to him. But we had just made progress in his relationship with his mother, something I knew he wanted.

“You’re right, but it’s not something big and it’s been dealt with. Will you trust me when I say you don’t need to know the details?” I asked.

“You are okay?”

“I’m fine,” I told him with a genuine smile.

“And you are safe?”

“I am. I think I have never been as safe as when we are here if you don’t count the games. I am always around either you, Sam or other pack members,” I said.

“Not when you go and see your brother,” he pointed out.

“That is true. But then I’m with my brother.” He nodded. Apparently he felt Elder was a good enough bodyguard. “How about you? Did you get what you hoped for from the dinner?”

“That and more. Thank you for what you did and for pushing me. I needed it.”

“I’m happy I could help. I like your mother,” I told him.

“You do?” he asked with a look of shock on his face.

“I do. It takes her a little time to warm up. But when she does, she is nice.” He smiled and shook his head as if he had a hard time believing me. He reached out his hand and played with a lock of my hair, I had let it hang loose for the evening.

“You look beautiful. I don’t think I have seen you in this dress before,” he told me.

“Thank you. And no, you haven’t. I bought it for the games.”

“Hm,” he said and took a step closer. I knew where we were heading and I also knew if I let it get to that point, I would not be able to stop. I gave him a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Only twenty days left,” I told him.

“Are you keeping count on the days, Red?” he asked.

“I am. You’re not?” I told him.

“No. I’m counting down the hours,” he said, placed a kiss on my forehead and took a step