Lucas pov
“Let me adjust your tie a little bit,”
I tilted my eyes downward as she worked on my tie, carefully adjusting it until she was satisfied. Then she turned to her parent’s front door.
“They are going to love you, I'm sure,”
It had already been a week, every morning I woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking, she'd waltz casually in front of me. Striking up conversation, she'd make me lunch before I could for myself and sent me off to my warrior duties with an endearing smile.
When I came back she would be waiting for me, another hot meal at the table making me dizzy with confusion.
Why was she doing all of these? Didn't she hear all the nasty rumors? She says she goes out yet she never mentions them.
It must be harder on her than me. So why?
Now I was here for her parents approval, I figured if I played along she would eventually get bored or I would manage to find the emit that would keep me away from that dreaded yearly mating ceremony.
So no matter where I stood it was a win-win situation for the both of us.
“I already told my parents that we were coming by, they are really eager to meet you,” she told me as she wrapped her hand around mine and a maid came to open the door.
She sounded a little naive, even a pop could tell her parents must be livid over her choice but were just holding back, yet here she was pretending to be blissfully unaware.
I was supposed to meet her parents over dinner and the dining table was elaborately set with scrumptious food brilliantly presented in a way that seemed far too excessive for my own taste.
I had heard that things had become tight for the pack recently in terms of finances but I guess that was something that didn't penetrate the protective bubble that surrounded high ranking families.
Budgeting was something that only mid ranks and low ranks had to worry about.
I took my seat next to Anna, waiting for her parents.
And they made sure to take their time before they casually strolled into the dining room. From the moment I locked eyes with her father I had a feeling that we might never really get along, at least not in this lifetime. His own gaze was hard and piercing while his wife appeared to be patronizing in the most annoying way.
“I've heard a lot about you Warrior Lucas,” she said in the middle of the meal after we had exchanged unnecessary pleasantries and introductions.
“Is it true that you were the one that took care of those nasty rogues banding together to attack our packs boundary?”
“It wasn't just me, other warriors also–”
“Oh there's no need to be so humble!” She said with an unprompted giggle, then she nudged her mate.
“Honey, wasn't that impressive? It's no simple feat you know?”
His frown deepened.
“Woman, let me eat my food. He's not making a big deal out of it so why should you?”
All through this, Anna was quiet. Just observing her parents. I tried to focus on the free food. This arrangement was a joke anyways, I'll play along for now until she gets bored.
“Where did you and my daughter meet?” The Gamma demanded to know, and I knew that he was holding back most of his hostility.
“I've seen your daughter afar off, several times in the pack House,” I said honestly, Anna didn't refute this she simply leaned towards me and said, “I've been admiring him from afar for a while now father, he caught my eye and I've not been able to take it away,”
What a sweet talker, if I was a fool I might have fallen for it. But I knew that to her, this was all a game so I just had to play carefully and not be used more than I was using her.
“Is that so? Anna you gave the idea that there was someone else on your mind,”
Her mother slammed her cutlery onto the table when she heard her father say that.
“Honey!” She called out. “How could you bring that up now? Anna's old enough to make her own decisions and change her mind if she wants to,”
She looked at me the same way someone would look at a pup that had stubbed their toe against a table.
“I hope you don't mind my husband, it was a slip of tongue,”
“Was it?” He mumbled between bites of food. “Are we going to pretend that Ray was not here having dinner with us at this same table just 2 weeks ago?”
Anna's mother flushed.
“Father, that was two weeks ago, this is now. Ray is in the past for me.”
I kept a blank face even though my mind was being shaken. Even though she was just messing around, wasn't she going too far? If she kept acting like this I might actually think that she–
No, she was just like all the other high ranking ladies. Her pretence was not going to make me lower my guard.
“Have you lost your ever loving mind?!” Her father barked at her and my jaw clenched.
“Don't talk to her like that,” I said without thinking, everyone's eyes were on me.
His anger also followed. He pushed the table in anger and the open bottle of wine would have spilled all over her but I covered her and ended up getting stained.
Seeing the disaster he, caused the Gamma only got angrier.
“Get out! Both of you should get out of my house!”
Anna's mother tried to plead for her. She was all but shoved aside by her husband.
“Shut up! Your daughter is a fool that brought disgrace upon this family!”
Anna looked at me, at my stained suit then shot a glare at her father.
“Let's go, Lucas, father isn't himself today.”
We left and as we got into my car the bizarreness of the dinner's disaster seeped into my mind.
“Your father is going to disown you if you don't go back to the Alpha’s son, Ray,” I told her frankly as I got the car into motion.
“He can't disown me, I'm his only child,” she said confidently. I sighed. Making to start the car, just then I got a text on my phone. It read; “The Alpha wants to see you.”