Page 200 of Fated to the Hunters
“You look absolutely breathtaking and seeing our mark on you is something I will never get enough of.”
Scarlett offered him a grateful smile before returning her attention to her plate. Ezra’s storm was still raging, but she was handling it far better than any of them would’ve thought. He sat to her other side, seeking her company to calm him and fighting the urge to run as far as he could from her to give her some peace.
Looking around, Mateo soaked in the image of their families mingling. Maximilian was talking to his father, while Karena was in a deep conversation with his mother explaining therune Scarlett had carved into Ezra’s palm. His brothers were stupidly trying to beat Kurt in a drinking game. Clearly, they had forgotten that a human’s metabolism was nothing compared to a wolf’s. He let out a sigh and walked over to them, not wanting this special night ruined by them puking their guts out.
“I regret allowing alcohol,” he said, snatching their glasses away.
“Aw, that’s the only reason we came!” Fabian whined.
Adrian, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten his manners already. “Well, that and maybe the chance of getting some insight on the Moonlight Pack.”
Kurt grinned with an arrogance Mateo only knew from Ezra. “If you outdrink me, I’ll tell youeverything—even the codes to the security system and where the cash vault is.”
Adrian’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “You have avaultof cash in that tower?”
“So large you could swim in it.”
“Fuck,” Fabian spat, forgoing the glasses and snatching the bottle.
“You make them puke, you clean it,” Mateo warned, unable to help laughing at his brothers’ stupidity.
“Nah, your family, your mess to deal with,” Kurt countered, taking a long swing from the bottle handed to him.
“Might make them wake up next to it and have them clean it themselves,” Mateo grumbled.
Kurt chuckled and while Fabian swayed on his feet, Mateo went on to sit next to his father and Maximilian.
“I can call Kurt back if he takes it too far,” Maximilian offered.
“They brought this upon themselves.”
His father grunted, displeased, but didn’t say a word about it. They fell into easy conversation until his mother interrupted to remind him to fill a plate for himself. As he stood in the kitchen, his father stepped up next to him.
“Is there a private space we can talk?”
His father’s words took him by surprise, but he indicated the office. “As long as you promise not to trip and fall into the cake. Scarlett will have our heads if something happens to it.”
That drew a chuckle from the man. They sat opposite each other in front of the desk and for the first time since leaving his family’s ranch, Mateo couldn’t help but fear the conversation to come.
“I now see that I’ve made a mistake by following my father’s tradition.” Mateo stayed silent and waited for his father to continue. He rubbed a hand over his beard. “I should have givenyouthe ranch and made you the family heir. Instead, I have to watch my eldest son forget his heritage and pass out drunk before an alpha and his warrior.”
Mateo could only sit, stunned. What was he supposed to say to that? His father had never been a man to apologise. This still wasn’t technically an apology, but it was the closest he would ever get.
Then, his father shifted and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. He laid it on the desk, and stood. “I’m proud of you.” Without giving Mateo the time to come up with a response, his father left the room.
He stared at the thick envelope, terrified to even touch it. He could feel Scarlett’s worry and a moment later Vince stepped into the office.
‘Would you like Vince to open it?’Scarlett asked.
‘Maybe catch me when I faint.’
Ezra chuckled darkly through Scarlett’s mind, but Vince sensed how serious Mateo was and stepped closer the second he reached for his father’s envelope.
Inside was a deed to the lake house by Kirkwall.
Shit.Adrian was eager to get his hands on that one. He spent at least a weekend every month out there. This would break out afamily feud—no, an all outwarand even though he was satisfied to finally have something he felt he’d earned, Mateo was not ready to lose his brothers over this.
‘They are too drunk to know their own names and you don’t have to tell them anything. They will figure it out soon enough.’
