***Austin***
It’s four o’clock by the time we pull back into the school parking lot. I cut the engine, exhaling as I glance over at Ella.
"Today was good," I say, turning fully toward her. "Thank you for coming with me to talk to my parents. I know my dad has been nothing but negative toward you, and I really appreciate the effort you made despite that." I pause, studying her expression. "Honestly? I think you handled yourself incredibly well."
Ella sighs, shifting slightly in her seat.
"He’s a little more… aggressive than I pictured," she admits, "treating our one-day-old relationship as some sort of power play for your pack? It’s a lot. I don’t even know how to feel about it yet. I still feel like my brain hasn’t caught up."
I nod, understanding completely. Hell, I never expected a
