Page 39 of Howling Mad
Mom practically preens.“Call me Meredith, dear.Sit, sit.We have so many questions.”
The interrogation begins before our coffee arrives.Dad leads with the classics.“What are your intentions with my daughter?”
I choke on my water.“Dad.”
Michael remains unruffled.“Right now, sir, my intention is to enjoy getting to know her better.Finley is remarkable.Brilliant, compassionate, and the only person who’s ever truly seen me as I am.”He glances at me with such genuine warmth that my embarrassment melts away.“I’m not rushing anything, but I’m not wasting time, either.”
Dad grunts, which from him is practically a standing ovation.
Mom jumps in next.“I understand your family is quite traditional.How do they feel about you working in...human finance?”
The question carries layers of meaning.What she’s really asking is whether Michael’s family would accept me, a wolf who doesn’t fit traditional molds, either.
“They’ve struggled with it,” he says candidly.“My father wanted me to follow him as beta, but my aunt Eleanor has always supported my choices, and she’s a respected pack historian.”
“Eleanor Thornton?”Mom perks up.“I know Eleanor.We served on the Inter-Pack Cultural Preservation Committee together years ago.Lovely wolf with a brilliant mind.”
The conversation shifts, easing tension as they discover mutual connections.I watch in amazement as Michael navigates my parents’ questions with unexpected grace.He impresses Dad with his knowledge of pack politics and Mom with sincere compliments about raising such an independent daughter.
“The Morgan lineage is well-respected,” Dad says, his tone warming slightly.“Your father and I ran together in the Great Northern Territory Summit, you know.”
“I didn’t know that,” says Michael, “But I’m not surprised.My father mentioned you were an exceptional tracker.”
Dad puffs up visibly at this.“I wouldn’t say exceptional...”
“He would, actually,” Mom interjects with a fond eye-roll.“He brings it up at every pack gathering.”
By the time our omelets arrive, the atmosphere has transformed completely.Mom leans toward Michael conspiratorially.“When are you two planning to make things official?The Blood Moon is only two months away.That’s perfect for a mating ceremony.”
“Mom.”I nearly spit out my coffee.“We’ve only been dating for a week.”
“When you know, you know,” she says with infuriating serenity and then passes me a napkin with “Moonlight Glade or Howling Ridge?”scrawled on it, along with a crude drawing of what appears to be a wedding altar.
Michael catches my eye across the table, his expression a perfect blend of amusement and apology.I kick him lightly under the table but can’t help smiling back.
“What are your plans for today?”asks Dad, scraping his plate clean.
“We’re going hiking,” I say quickly before Mom can suggest wedding cake tastings.“At Crescent Preserve.”
Mom and Dad exchange a knowing look.They’re well aware of what “hiking” at a shifter-friendly preserve on a full moon day implies.
“Excellent choice,” says Dad gruffly.“Good running terrain there.”
“Stay on the marked paths,” Mom adds, “And take a first-aid kit.You never know when—”
“We’ll be careful,” I interrupt, standing up.“Thanks for breakfast, but we should really get going if we want to make the most of the day.”
After a flurry of hugs, extra snacks pressed into my hands, and my mother whispering, “He’s perfect,” loudly enough for Michael to definitely hear, we finally escape, and they walk out with us, heading toward their vehicle.
“I am so sorry,” I say as we walk toward my car.“They’re usually not quite this embarrassing, at least at the first meeting.”
Michael laughs, linking his fingers with mine.“They’re charming.I mean that sincerely.”
“My mother just planned our mating ceremony.”
“At least she wants one.”He squeezes my hand.“My father would sooner disown me than accept my choice of mate not being a politically advantageous pure bloodline wolf.”
I look at him, truly seeing the weight he carries.“That must be hard.”
