Page 37 of My Brutal Alpha

Of course, that involved convincing them I was in love, and my current emotions were as confused as ever.

That sense of dread followed me to the door, and I was struck by how real it felt since they were actually at the door.

Despite how much I wanted it to be over, I pulled myself together and considered everything that could happen if this meeting went well.

***

A suspicious feeling lingered within me as my parents sat across from us in the living room, closely focused on us. Despite their lingering gazes, they were being surprisingly cordial.

I expected them not even to make it in the front door, assuming they would lose their minds at the sight of Zoe.

But, as far as I could tell, they were on their best behavior.

It was slightly unnerving, and I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop.

They were my parents, and I experienced living with them long enough to know what to expect from them. Yet, in that moment, I was at a complete loss.

Despite the slight tension in the room at first, as they seemed to evaluate us, Zoe was more of a natural than I gave her credit for.

"So, Zoe...it was your gym we found ourselves at not too long ago, correct?" Mom asked as she sipped her water.

Zoe smiled and nodded, not mission a beat. "Yes, I decided some time ago that the pack grounds could use a new facility. I've always had a passion for fitness, so it only made sense for me to take on the project."

My parents both nodded as they listened intently.

"And your brother is the alpha?" Dad questioned.

"He is. Sebastian is actually how Ezra and I met," Zoe said, glancing at me with a brief look that seemed to say, 'Here'san opening—take it!'.

It was a solid effort on her part to further our narrative, and I knew I couldn't fumble it.

I nodded, remembering that it would take both of us to convince them of anything. "Sebastian introduced us when they became friends, and we clicked."

Mom glanced between us again. "And your brother approves of your engagement?"

"Oh, definitely, he does," I answered, leaving no room for doubt despite it being a rather hefty lie.

Zoe nodded as well, cushioning that lie even more. "He admitted to introducing us because he thought we'd get along well. It turns out that he was right."

To my surprise, a steady stream of guilt trickled into my system—not about lying to my parents but about the fact that she wasn't completely untruthful.

We did get along well at the start before I screwed everything up, and more recently too. It only took us steppingback from the pain I caused to see that we were compatible despite my actions.

My parents nodded again, continuing with their silent evaluation of us.

"Between the two of you, it sounds like you're both fairly focused on your careers. Will you be ready to accept the responsibilities that come with being a Luna?" Dad asked Zoe, face neutral like usual.

Not needing to think about it, she smiled. "Of course. My best friend is my brother's Luna, so she's taught me everything there's to know about it."

It was such a smooth lie I couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to it. If she had been talking to Lydia and been preparing in some way or another.

To my surprise, it sent a thrill scurrying down my back at the thought of Zoe being my Luna.

The mental image of her taking up that leadership role was a lot more interesting and arousing than I cared to admit, but now certainly wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Pushing the thoughts away, I watched as my mom seemed to approve. "Every Luna's experience is different from the next, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to have a baseline."

The longer the conversation went on, and the more agreeable my parents seemed, the more at ease I felt. My guard started slipping, and I couldn't help the curious thoughts from entering my mind.

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