Page 96 of Patiently Yours
I imagine seeing my mates later. What kind of evening we’ll have, and who will try to pull me away first. It’s normally Kendall or Ciro. Uriah and Atlas are a bit more patient for my attention. I like both dynamics immensely.
While I’m still trying to decide what I want, the menu is abruptly snatched out of my hand. I look up in surprise to see the waiter has taken it and is making his way back to the kitchen.I raise my brows in disbelief before interrupting my parents’ chatter for the first time since we left my house.
“What just happened?” I ask, and they look at me with such contempt I want to crawl under the table and never come out.
“Now she decides she wants to be present. Lucky us,” my mother states in a flat tone. “We ordered for you. You obviously eat too much junk. Your fridge was full of it.”
“You ordered for me? I’m an adult.”
“Thenactlike it,” she sneers, her teeth clenched. “You’ve just been sitting there acting stupid this entire time. This is a nice establishment, it wouldn’t hurt to not be your usual dense self right now, Stacia.”
I emotionally flinch at her words but my body stills.
“What’s going on with that hockey player you were dating? Darren something?” my dad asks as he sips on something dark in a Glencairn glass. The question catches me off guard. He’s never once asked about my love life. Even now he looks bored.
I swallow harshly before taking a sip of my water. I really don’t want to talk about him. I don’t even have the care to correct his name.
“I dumped him,” I say, short and simple.
My father nods. “Good. He was a complete scoundrel. I’m not sure what you saw in him.”
My eyes widen in shock. Does this mean somewhere deep down he does want the best for me? At least, in terms of me choosing someone who deserves me in some way?
My lips twitch, a small smile wanting to form.
“Now, you’re free to meet your pack,” he says, a nonchalance in his tone.
I see my boys in my mind just before his statement said fully registers.
“How did you know about my pack?” I ask.
As I say it, I realize this is the first time I’ve referred to them as such out loud and it feels good. Theyaremy pack, or they will be.
Gosh, I can’t wait to be with them for the rest of my life.
“What do you mean?” My mother’s words cut through my thoughts and I’m back at the table, both of them are watching me with suspicious expressions.
I’m hesitant to share this part of my life with them. They can criticize Derek all they want, he was an abusive asshole, but my boys are kind and deserving. I definitely don’t want them on my parents’ radar. But I know they probably won’t let it go until I tell them anyway.
“I met my scent matches.”
As I say it, a bright smile finds its place on my lips. It feels good to say, but then I look at my parents and my smile falters.
My father looks annoyed, but my mother is laughing under her breath. I’m confused by their reactions.
“What’s going on?” I ask, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden.
“Dear, scent matches are extremely rare,” my mother says patronizingly. “Are you sure they’re your scent matches?”
I raise my eyebrow.Is she serious?
“Yes, I’m sure. And they are, too.” I sit a bit taller and push my shoulders back.
My mother looks surprised by my response, but my father just shakes his head.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not,” he says before looking back at me with stern eyes. “We’ve already chosen your pack. It’s been settled for a while. We’ve just been waiting for you to drop that loser you were dating.”
It takes me a second to process his words, then I rear back.
