Chapter 8

MISTY

Last night had been insane. I hadn’t expected to be ambushed—men surrounding me with practiced stealth—but seeing Lloyd was an even bigger shock. He’d clearly followed me. But why? Was it the mate bond pulling him?

He practically fought off half the nightclub’s population, and the parking lot looked like a war zone by the time it was over. I could only hope it wouldn’t come back to bite us.

The whole night had been strange, and on the way back, speculation buzzed around us like static—but I didn’t tell them Lloyd was my mate.

My dad always cooked breakfast on Sundays, and I lay in bed until I smelled bacon and hurriedly showered the stink of the nightclub away before opening the sliding door and peeking out to see him laboring over the grill.

“Morning,” I greeted.

“Did the smell of bacon entice you out of bed?” he chuckled.

“How’s Mom?” I asked, hugging him.

His face fell. “She’s okay, but we must ensure she doesn’t exert herself.”

I nodded and sat down. “It’s crap that we work such long hours. Can’t you ask Uncle Zack if he could reduce your working hours? Or mine?”

He turned the sausages before his eyes met mine. “I don’t think bed rest will do the trick, sweetheart. I wish it did, but…” he trailed off.

Just like my mom, he was expecting the worst. “Why can’t her wolf heal that?”

“I don’t know, but I guess our wolves aren’t omnipotent.”

“Dad, how is it possible that Mom managed to carry me full term but now has these problems?” I asked.

He turned around the tongs in his hand. “Maybe because you were the first, but she also bled during your pregnancy, and we had one or two scares.”

My mom joined us, looking much better than she had yesterday, and the topic was off the table. We ate breakfast together like we did every Sunday, and I felt some sense of normality return.

~“When can we go for a run?”~ Cammy asked.

I’d been so busy that it hadn’t entered my mind.

~“Sure, we’ll go this evening.”~

~“After eating a bag of chips,” ~Cammy grumbled, ~“you won’t want to”~.

I grinned, mainly because she was right.

“Dad? Cammy needs to stretch her legs. Can I go for a run?”

“Let’s go after lunch at Zack’s. It will be good to burn off some of the calories,” he suggested.

Wait a minute, what had I missed?

“What lunch?”

“Did I not tell you?” my mom asked.

I shook my head. “No, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit drained. Do I have to go?”

“You do, sorry, Misty. I know it’s been a hell of a week for you. Next Sunday, you can do whatever you please, okay?” he promised.

Damn. No chips and no afternoon nap to catch up on sleep.

“Fine, but I really don’t feel like going. What’s the occasion anyway?”

“Just a get-together, that’s all.”

That information ruined breakfast for me, but I dutifully loaded the dishwasher and tidied up the house so my mom wouldn’t have to. By the time I showered and was dressed in boyfriend jeans and a T-shirt, it was time to go.

My dad drove us to the alpha residence with the aircon on full blast. I blanched when I saw Lloyd’s Jeep parked in the driveway. Argh, I didn’t want to deal with him today, especially not after yesterday.

Beta Anthony, his mate, and Josh were walking up the driveway as we got out, and I shot my father a baleful look. He could have mentioned it wasn’t a family affair.

“Ah, Harris, Charlotte. You remember my mate, Emma?” Beta Anthony asked.

Emma was as blonde as Josh and had the same blue eyes. Her French braid was perfect, not a hair out of place. “Welcome,” she said, a false smile on her face.

“Thank you. It’s good to be here,” my mom responded.

Again, I felt that they had something against us. Josh didn’t speak at all, and I ignored him. Uncle Zack opened the door, and we moved inside.

I hadn’t seen Aunt Faye since I was eight, but she hadn’t changed much; her ash-blonde hair was in a bun, and her light blue eyes narrowed in judgment. Even though I was taller, she still looked down her nose at me.

“Well, Misty, you’ve grown up. Not that pudgy little pup you were,” Aunt Faye stated.

Pudgy?

“Where is Olivia?” I asked, ignoring her remark and my mate’s wonderful smell.

Her eyes narrowed before she schooled her features. “She’s away,” Aunt Faye said curtly.

My mom shook her head imperceptibly, and I resisted asking Aunt Faye more questions, wondering what Olivia had done. We moved outside onto a huge, covered porch with a buffet set up against the floor-to-ceiling window next to the patio doors.

I stayed close to my parents, hoping to sit between them and not beside Lloyd or Josh. He might have saved me last night, but he still didn’t acknowledge me.

“Lloyd,” my dad greeted. “This is my mate, Charlotte. Of course, you’ve met Misty.”

Kill me now…

“How do you do,” Lloyd said, shaking my mother’s hand as she gazed up at him, clearly charmed by his size and good looks.

He nodded at me, and I inclined my head aloofly.

“Let’s not stand to attention,” Uncle Zack said, gesturing to the buffet and taking the lead. Aunt Faye and my mother sat down, waiting to be served by their mates.

I followed my dad and was quickly dishing up when Emma said, “Josh, why don’t you sit next to Misty? Lloyd, you can sit next to me.”

Fuck, now I had Lloyd sitting opposite me and Josh beside me.

~“Our mate is beautiful,”~ Cammy commented.

~“He’s also an asshole,”~ I responded.

~“Once he’s established you are not a witch, he’ll claim you,”~ she prophesied.

Lunch was tedious. Lloyd barely spoke, and I assiduously avoided eye contact. Once everyone had finished, Uncle Zack cleared his throat.

“I received an invite from the palace this week.” He looked inordinately pleased. Chelsea had been just as excited. “All alphas and betas, including their mates and pups, have been invited this Friday. I’ve already taken the liberty of replying. I expect you to be appropriately dressed and on your best behavior.” He looked directly at me.

I glanced across at Lloyd, his face a mask of horror.

~“What’s up with him?”~

~“Maybe he doesn’t like dancing?”~ Cammy chuckled.

“I don’t have a dress, Uncle Zack, and will need time off to buy one,” I said. I couldn’t wait to tell Chelsea.

“Not necessary. Olivia has a full cupboard, and you two are about the same size,” Uncle Zack responded.

My mother and I looked at him in outrage. I’d seen how short she was when my dad FaceTimed with Uncle Zack, and her boobs were half the size of mine.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” my mom said. “But not to worry, I’ll make sure my daughter has something fitting to wear.” She angled her chin defiantly, and I grinned. That’s who I got it from.

“Dessert, anyone?” Aunt Faye asked.

On a hot day like this, I was definitely having ice cream. I got up and helped myself, Josh on my heels.

“Yum, pudding,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t mind licking ice cream out of your pussy.”

For a second, I thought I hadn’t heard right before turning on him in outrage. Without thinking, I smashed the bowl of ice cream in his face. The bowl splintered in two, and Josh blinked at me in astonishment, ice cream sliding down his face.

Like lightning, he retaliated, punching me in the sternum, and I went flying, landing on the buffet table and tipping bowls and casseroles over. The glass window behind me shattered even though I hadn’t touched it.

Pain rocketed through me, and I couldn’t draw breath. My dad was at my side instantly and helped me off the buffet table, his face furious.

“Relax, breathe,” he instructed, rubbing my back, which was covered in food.

“Misty!” Aunt Faye shouted. “Why do you always destroy my house whenever you’re in it?”

“He punched me,” I gasped, pointing at Josh.

“Not surprisingly,” Beta Anthony snarled.

“Excuse me?” my dad said through clenched teeth. “Misty would never retaliate without good reason. You have a problem with us, don’t you?”

“Enough,” Uncle Zack shouted. “I don’t need my betas quarreling.”

My mom moved beside me. “I think it’s time to go,” she said, tugging me to the front door, my dad in tow.

My eyes met Lloyd’s. Whose side would he take? Yesterday he was on my side, but today? Josh would never own up to what he said, which meant it was my word against his. And why did he say it? To get a rise out of me?

But my dad confirmed what I suspected. Beta Anthony didn’t like us.

Lloyd turned to me, “Don’t forget, seven p.m.”

“But it’s Sunday.”

“So?”

I walked to the car in a huff and paused when Lloyd praised Josh.

“Josh, that was quite a punch. I think you should get a chance to train with the elite team. Why don’t you join us tomorrow after one p.m.?”

“Oh, I think Josh will make a great warrior, and it’s good of you to notice,” Beta Anthony said smugly.

Fucker! I couldn’t bear to hear more and slammed the car door.

“What did that little shit say?” my dad asked, reversing out of the driveway.

“Dad, I can’t repeat it,” I said, wiping my eyes.

“That bad? Well, Lloyd will sort him out.”

“He praised Josh.” The pain in my chest had lessened, but not the ache in my heart.

“He might have, but only to get him to the training yard. He went all stiff when it happened.”

Really?

~“Told you—he can’t resist the mate bond,”~ Cammy said.

~“Rubbish, he doesn’t care.”~