Page 33 of Rejected By the Alpha

“I can’t do this right now,” Leah said, sounding distraught.

“That’s fine,” I quickly assured her. “Just know that I’m here. Whenever you’re ready.”

Chapter 16 - Leah

My parents’ sudden arrival had thrown me for a loop. I knew that Killian wanted an explanation for my attitude towards them, but I was struggling to manage the tumultuous emotions that arose after they’d barged into my new life.

Killian had been watching me since my parents had departed. He thought I didn’t notice, but his attentiveness was hard to mistake. Although I appreciated that he was available if I needed anything, I was having a hard time accepting his help.

“It’s been about two hours since they left,” he pointed out. “I’m going to give them a call and set up dinner plans for the four of us, if that’s alright with you.”

I shrugged. “I don’t think we have much of a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” he said sternly.

I sighed. I knew he was right, but in my mind, it wasn’t the full truth. They had traveled all the way here to visit us. There was no way they were going to leave until they got whatever it was they came for. Better to get it out of the way sooner rather than keep suffering from their presence.

“Can we do dinner here?” I asked. “I don’t think taking them out in public is a great plan.”

“I’ll let them know we’re ordering in and ask them to stop by around seven.”

Killian left to call my parents, and I decided to clean up a little bit around the house. They hadn’t spent much time here earlier, but I knew if they got an opportunity, they would critique me on every last nook and cranny.

“Leah,” Killian said, coming back into the room. Something in his tone gave me pause, and I looked up from scrubbing the baseboards to see what was wrong.

“Is it my parents?” I asked. “Did they say something?”

“No, but Jasper called. There’s an urgent matter that he needs to discuss with Nile and me. He asked if I could come over to meet with them. I’m so sorry, I know I just made plans for your parents to come over, but I hope to be back by seven.”

I could see the disappointment on his face that he was leaving, though it didn’t soften the blow. But this was the life of a luna. There was nothing that trumped his duties as alpha.

“Okay,” I said, resuming my cleaning.

Killian gave me one last look before leaving. For the next hour, I scoured everything my parents might take issue with and then went to change for dinner.

I was just slipping into a modest blue dress when I heard the doorbell ring. The clock read six-thirty.

Must be the food, I thought.

I zipped up my dress and hustled to the front door so the delivery person wouldn’t have to wait long. But as I opened the door, I saw my parents looking excited. When they saw it was me instead of Killian, their faces dropped.

“Hello,” my mother said curtly.

“Come on in,” I said, holding the door open for them.

“Where’s the alpha?” my father asked.

I sighed at the confirmation that they were only here to get in Killian’s good graces. “He had a meeting with the other Pinedale alphas,” I explained. “He said it wouldn’t take too longand that he’d be home around seven. The food should be here soon as well.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t even bother to make us a welcome meal,” my mother scoffed. “I thought we raised you better than to offer restaurant food to guests.”

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.

I didn’t feel sorry, but with them in my house, I felt like a child again. There had never been anything I could do to please them, but for some reason, I had always tried.

“Do you have wine at least?” my father asked.

I nodded and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of red for the three of us while they walked around the living room, eyeing my new home.

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