Page 20 of The Worst Mate Ever

The aroma of the food was tantalizing, but the empty chairs cast a poignant reminder of the vastness of the house. “Why so much food if it’s just us?” I inquired, unable to mask my curiosity.

Alma pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, her chuckle deepening. “My dear, you’ve clearly never seen Roberto eat. That boy can out-eat an alpha wolf after a three-day fast. It’s hard to believe he isn’t one, given the amount of energy he burns.”

I frowned as I watched her begin to make a plate. She piled on enough food for at least five of me and sat it on the table in front of an empty chair just as Roberto sauntered into the room, his arrival as timely as if it had been scripted. “Speaking of alpha wolves...” he joked, his eyes twinkling with mirth as he surveyed the breakfast spread. “Wow, Ama! This looks amazing,” Roberto exclaimed, his stomach evidently in agreement as it growled audibly. “I don’t know if I can ever find a mate who cooks as well as you do.”

Alma playfully smacked his arm, her laughter mingling with his. “Oh, you. The Fates will bring you the right mate for you. And when they do, you best not compare her cooking to mine. I may have raised you, but she’ll be your future.”

I frowned at words; my sour look not gone unnoticed by the older woman.

Roberto grinned, rubbing the spot where Alma had smacked him. “I wouldn’t dare, Ama. But you’ve certainly set the bar high.”

Ama shrugged at Roberto’s comment and turned her attention to me. “Is there something you want to say, Mija?” Alma’s voice broke through my thoughts, her eyes sharp but not unkind.

“Mmhm. What?” I asked, pretending ignorance as I shoveled more food in my mouth. “Um, no. I’m fine.”

“Mmhm,” Alma huffed and finally took her seat and began to make her own plate. She smiled at Roberto, who smirked back. “You know, I am just so impressed with how Brady has been overseeing things in place of his sister. He has really come a long way. Far from that mischievous little boy he used to be.”

I kept an eye on her from my peripheral vision while pretending to be engrossed in my food. Roberto signaled to his mother and carefully watched for my response. A reaction that they would be quite disappointed not to find.

Though my face remained straight, my thoughts began to run wild.

Why were they bringing up Brady in front of me like this? Did they know we were mates? Had he told them? Had he told everyone?

I fought the urge to bite my lip as my nerves began to run wild. Still, Alma and Roberto continued to talk about all the improvements that Brady had made.

“It’s a shame his wolf wasn’t stronger. He’s an alpha, certainly. His blood alone dictates that, but just wasn’t as strong as his affinity for witchcraft. He would have been a great pack alpha if not for his calling to lead the witches.”

“Yes, well, we always knew that Diana would need an heir, just as Orion needed one. The coven and pack aren’t meant to be run by a single person together.” Roberto said. “Both the pack and coven need someone who puts their needs first. Brady will make a great coven leader.”

Alma nodded. “Yes, he will be an excellent leader for them. And Liberty will be a powerful one for us. It’s just that I know how hurt Brady had been when he first learned he would never have a real rank in the pack because of his calling for the coven. I’m just glad to see how far he has grown away from that sad and angry child and into the responsible and respectful man he is today. Whomever his mate might be, she will be a very lucky woman.”

Alma’s words made me want to flinch, but I maintained my composure. I could feel their eyes locked on me, as if they were expecting my mask to crumble. I had to focus entirely on my food then to keep my control, but their conversation was now stuck in my head.

It matched up to everything he had been saying since I got here. Now, he could have told them to convince me. He could have told them all that I was his mate, that I was rejecting him because of our past, but something told me these two were working on their own without his knowledge.

I remembered stories of how Alma had gotten involved in many people’s mateship. In fact, I was fairly certain she was the one behind my grandmother finding my grandfather and falling in love. I finally turned my head in her direction and found her eating her food happily, as if she wasn’t just meddling in my affairs. As I turned to look at Roberto, he was less convincing of his innocence, his gaze looking up at me every so often before turning away quickly as he found me watching him.

The rest of the breakfast was fairly normal. Quiet, given there were only the three of us, but normal.

Alma asked Roberto about his plans for the day while I listened quietly.

“I’ll be going to the school today. I’ve scheduled a few sit-ins for different teachers and hopefully by the end of the month I’ll be able to do a staff meeting before taking over the school.”

“That’s wonderful, Mijo. Whose classes are you sitting in with today?” Alma inquired.

Roberto took a moment, his gaze reflecting a thoughtful strategy. “Well, since I’ll be helping Edwardo and Madie on their patrols, I decided to check in with the future beta’s classes first. I’d like to get a feel for what they are teaching the kids and then compare it to the actual training that Madie is receiving. This way, I can set up a teaching plan that matches the reality of true beta’s needs.”

“That’s very smart. Taking real-life lessons from your brother and Madie will surely benefit the future betas,” Alma nodded approvingly, her eyes gleaming with pride. Her gaze then shifted to me, expectant and slightly probing. “What do you think?”

I glanced upward, momentarily surprised. My thoughts still lingered on Brady and the conversation earlier, but the intensity of Alma and Roberto’s stares pulled me back to the present. I quickly finished chewing and washed it down with juice.

“Oh,” I croaked, then cleared my throat, hoping my voice would carry the conviction I felt. “That is a great idea. Edwardo’s reputation as an excellent beta precedes him, so aligning the theoretical lessons with his practical teachings will undoubtedly set the kids up for a successful future. It’s crucial, especially for those who may not have a beta bloodline but aspire to take on the position, like Diego’s uncle did.”

Roberto’s eyes lit up, his enthusiasm palpable. “Maybe you might even help me come up with some of the lesson plans, Madie. Your insights would be invaluable, especially considering the formidable challenges you faced alongside your alpha. Your experiences can provide a unique viewpoint that our curriculum doesn’t have.”

I smiled, a genuine smile now. I thought about my personal experience as a beta for Nyte and Paige. The danger I helped them ward off and fight against. The vampire ancient and his minions were no joke. The ancient, with his cunning ways, had successfully deceived a once benevolent witch, twisting her powers to aid him and his vampire clan in abducting countless wolf shifters throughout the San Diego region. Women, children, old and young alike. They had stolen them in the dead of night without so much as a trace of the packs having ever existed in their own homes.

Had it not been for Paige and Nyte working together, we would have never found them and, most likely, the vampire would have enslaved the entire city’s packs. For what reason? We still hadn’t a clue. Some of the packs believed it was simply an old vampire looking to recreate the world he had once called home, but for me personally, I think that is too simple of an answer.

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