Page 10 of Knot Our Mistake
It was Bran's mother, Jane, who answered. "Meeting our new daughter-in-law."
"I don't think I'm?—"
"Nonsense, dear," my mother, Liz, cut off our omega. "You are part of the family now."
Behind me, Leo sighed. "I swear these women are like wolves; they can smell prey a mile away."
"I heard that, Leonardo," Cecile shot her son a pointed look that caused the omega's lips to tilt up as she fought a smile.
Our mothers resituated themselves, aligning their seating on the opposite side of the omega, leaving the seats directly next to her open. We had no choice but to pick a seat next to her, me directly to her right, and Bran and Leo to her left.
"This meal smells amazing, ladies," Bran, always the charmer, buttered up our mothers. "Though I will admit, we hadn't expected you here this morning. It's not even a scheduled Sunday."
"Only here to meet our daughter-in-law. If we didn't come over, you'd never introduce us," my mom beamed.
"That's not true," I huffed as I reached for the carafe of coffee, wishing I had something slightly stronger to combat the headache that was forming.
"Well," Cecile gave a look of disapproval to the three of us. "You didn't call once yesterday, and we waited."
"Excuse me?" My brows furrowed, not understanding why they would wait for a phone call we never promised to make.
"About your gift," my mother rolled her eyes before picking up a potato and ham breakfast casserole, offering it to me.
I scooped some onto my plate, adding a few other fixings before continuing on with the conversation. "I'm not sure I understand what you ladies are going on about." I scooped some of the casserole in my mouth and groaned at the cheesy goodness. "This is outrageously good."
"You like it," my mother grinned.
"I said I did."
"Sophia made it," my mother's smile morphed into one full of beaming triumph.
I turned to the omega. "You... made this?"
She kept her eyes on her plate, and I hated that. Hated that she did not want to make eye contact with me when my alpha begged for it. I reached over, using my fingers on her chin to raise her eyes to mine before repeating the question. "You made this?"
"I—" She tried to look down again, but I wouldn't allow it. "Yes. I thought since I was here, I'd pull my weight, but then your mothers came and they helped out."
My mind couldn't wrap around how an omega who wore a layer of makeup so thick just yesterday could somehow make the best country baked breakfast casserole I'd ever tasted. Without thinking, I rubbed a thumb against her bare cheek. "I like you without the makeup."
Her cheeks brightened under my fingers as someone cleared her throat. "Anyway, you never called to tell us about your omega, and we waited all day."
I dropped my hand, turning back toward the elderly ladies waiting patiently on the other side of the table. "Well, I myself didn't know about my omega until later in the day. Which brings me to a curious question, Mother." I addressed my mother, though my eyes fell to the three of them who were no doubt accomplices to whatever scheme my mother surely instigated. And this scheme, I somehow knew, deep down, had to do with the pretty little omega sitting timidly next to me.
"Oh?" Bran's mother, Jane, leaned forward, her elbows on the table. "What question is that?"
These fucking devils. "If I just learned about my omega yesterday evening, how did you know about her now?"
"Simple," my mother shrugged. "We bought her."
My fork clashed down to my plate. "What?"
Beside me, Leo rubbed his face with his palms. "I shouldn't be shocked."
Bran finished his statement. "Yet they never fail to surprise us."
"Boys," my mom scowled. "If we didn't step in, we'd never get grandkids. And I know you said to butt out of your business, but the last time I left it up to you, you almost had that awful beta carry your children. And you know she could have never carried a child of yours, James."
Beside me, Sophia's head tilted in interest, but she kept quiet. I growled my frustration before directing my annoyance back at my mother and not the girl next to me who was clearly a victim of her plotting as much as me. "How?"
