Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Genie
The diner is in full morning swing when we walk through the door.
Everyone turns to look at us when the bell jangles over our heads, sounding much louder than it has any right to.
I don't usually care about the gawking stares of humans.
They don't know a wolf at a glance and the three of us look no different than anyone else here.
Humans just like to look. Wolves look too, we outright stare, but it feels different.
Wolves look to see, humans typically look to judge.
I just walked into a crowded room, freshly claimed, approaching my next heat, and the gigantic bite mark on the lowest part of my neck is barely covered by my hair and Drew's jacket.
The two overprotective men flanking me are all but snarling at every pair of male eyes that land on me.
They are breaths away from causing a scene.
An ancient waitress wearing fuchsia lipstick and a sweatshirt with dachshunds printed all over it approaches us with her thinning brows sky high. “Let's get you all settled into a booth. This way. You drinking coffee this morning, sweetheart?”
“Yes, please,” I answer quietly. “Thank you.”
She leads us to a corner booth. I could hug her.
I slide into the seat facing the wall, allowing Drew to sit across from me, giving him a full view of the dining room and front door.
Parker drops into the seat next to me, slinging an arm across the back of the booth behind me.
It is both obnoxious and endearing. This is our first public outing together and I didn't know what to expect from them.
I knew Drew would likely be territorial, all males are, and alphas are worse than most; but I thought Parker would stay by Drew's side like he always has.
Between the two of them, I am being well protected.
I like it. I can't help liking it. But it definitely isn't what I was expecting.
“Cream?” she asks, placing three menus and sets of napkin wrapped silverware on the table.
I answer for all of us again. “Yes, please.” I don't know how Drew takes his coffee, but I'll be shocked if the both of them put any less than a truck load of sugar in their coffee.
“Let me go get that for you and I'll be right back to take your orders.”
I wait until she gets out of hearing range before looking down at the menu. “I hope one of you has some money because I left my purse on my dresser back home. I didn't think I'd need it.”
Parker turns his whole body to look at me, giving me several slow blinks. “You left home without anything? No money? No ID?”
I shrug and look back down at the menu. “Recovery feeds you.
There are no stores on the grounds. I didn't expect to leave before someone from my pack came to pick me up.
I had no reason to think I'd need it.” I turn a page and smile when I find an entire section dedicated to different kinds of pancakes.
“If you didn't bring anything either, whoever picks us up will cover the bill. It'll be fine.”
“I have money,” Drew says gruffly.
The waitress comes back carrying three coffees in one hand and a basket full of little tubs of cream, butter, and an assortment of jellies. “Here we go. Have you decided what you want? I can come back in a minute or three if you need more time.”
I smile up at her. “Can I get a butter pecan platter with bacon?”
“How do you want your eggs, honey?”
“Over medium, please.”
She scribbles my order into her pad and looks between Drew and Parker. “And for you all?”
“The same,” Parker says.
“Me too,” Drew answers. “But I'd like ham instead. Please.”
“Alright,” she says, clicking her pen. “It'll be out in just a few minutes.”
“Do you even like pancakes?” I ask them after she leaves.
“I love pancakes,” Parker says, but he isn't looking at me or smiling. He's too busy glaring a hole into the cook staring at us through the pick up window.
Drew reaches across the table and takes my hand between his. He isn't looking at me, either. He's engaged in a staring contest with the busser across the room who couldn't be more than sixteen. “I've never had butter pecan pancakes, but all pancakes are good.”
“I thought Recovery was neutral grounds?” Parker asks, still focused on the cook.
“Recover itself is,” I tell him. “But the land around it is protected by several packs. Do you not read anything?”
He glances at me, then back at the cook. “I had no reason to research Recovery, Miss Leaves Her Whole Life Sitting on Her Dresser.”
I laugh and more heads turn toward us. “Sorry,” I whisper to them.
Drew squeezes my hand. “Don't ever apologize for laughing. I don’t think there are any wolves here, but people are staring too hard. I don't like it.”
“We don't like it,” Parker amends. “Which packs watch over this area?”
“It runs in cycles. I don't know which one is currently watching over things, but Pack Reynolds, Pack Shouse, and Pack Dillon share the responsibility.”
“Maybe they're human sentinels?” Drew suggests. “We have a few humans who we trust.”
I nod. “Probably. We have humans who help us out, too.”
“How long do you think it will take your father to get here?” Parker asks, finally looking away from the cook to start tearing open packets of sugar to dump in his coffee.
“Maybe an hour and a half. We can eat slow. It'll be fine.”
“You're very optimistic,” Parker says, pouring in three tubs of cream. “There were a lot of eyes on us until just now.”
“You're very paranoid,” I counter. “Wolves and humans are nosy. We walked here and they all saw us coming. This isn't exactly a pedestrian-friendly area, if you haven't noticed.”
“Well,” he hums, and stirs his coffee. “I still don't like it.”
Drew stops staring down the busser and takes a sip of his coffee. Flat black, easy to remember. “It's fine. Are you feeling alright, Genie?”
My cheeks heat at the connotation. “I'm okay. Just hungry.” I'm sore and the hike through the woods surrounding Recovery and the following uphill stroll to get to this diner didn't help anything, but I'm alright. It's a good soreness.
Our waitress comes back with our plates balanced on a big tray with two bottles of syrup and a coffee pot. “Here we are,” she says cheerfully, putting our food in front of us. “Two bacons and a ham. Let me top off your coffee. You need anything else right now?”
Neither Drew or Parker answer and I roll my eyes at them. “No, thank you. We're good.”
“Alright, then. I'll be back around to check on you.”
I wait until she's back behind the counter before picking up my fork and forcefully cutting into my eggs. “You're being rude.”
“It isn't intentional,” Drew says, picking up the syrup. “We're on edge. You're sweet enough to make up for our grumpiness.”
He's right. They are on edge. I can feel it. But how grouchy can a person be with a steaming plate of pancakes in front of them?
We eat every bite of food on the table. We take our time and there isn't even a crumb left when I watch through the wide front window as my dad's car pulls into the parking lot.
At least my mother isn't with him. She can become overwhelming so fast. But my dad?
He was extremely angry about Drew's rejection when I left.
He sounded fine on the phone, but I think this is about to be the most awkward ride home in history.
“Dad's here,” I say quietly.
“Thank fuck,” Parker says, tossing down his napkin. “You need to be out of here. There's a wolf in the kitchen and he's been staring at you since we got here.”
“He was staring at you because you were staring at him,” I chirp and let him help me out of the booth when he stands up.
“I'll pay at the counter,” Drew says. “You take her outside.”
I sigh. “We can go outside together. I'm not facing my father without you.”
His brows raise. “Face him?”
I smile. “He's sooooo mad at you. He's been mad at you for years. And I just let you claim me without permission or any type of ceremony.”
Parker combs his hands through his hair, smoothing it behind his ears. “Great.”
I hook my arm around his. “Don't get me started on how upset he is with you. Everyone in my pack is going to have so much to say about this. I hope you're ready to rebuild some bridges.”
“Are they going to be pissed at you, too?”
“Nope,” I say. “I did everything I was supposed to. You'll have to prove your worth, though.” I laugh. “It's going to be a good time.”
“You laugh at your mate's future misery?” Drew tuts. “That's terrible, Genie.”
I laugh again. “Hey. It's not my fault my mate is a card carrying, jacket wearing jerk. It'll be okay, Drew. Don't worry. Everyone will forgive you because I did.”
He stops in the middle of the diner with everyone staring at us and turns to face me. “You do?”
I was trying to be funny and stop him from worrying, but I feel the truth of the words. I made the choice to forgive him and accept him. I chose. It was my decision. Everything else will fall into place. “Yes. Head first. All in. All at once.”
“I don't deserve you.”
I give him a soft smile. “Nope. But you will.”
*
There is a brief and awkward silent argument beside the car about who will sit in the front seat with my dad and who will sit in the back with me.
In the end, I roll my eyes at both of them and push Parker into the back seat before climbing in after him and dragging Drew in after me.
It feels exactly like it did when I was a kid and my dad would pick me up me and my friends.
Before he puts the car into gear to get back on the road, I lean over the seat and wrap my arms around him. “Thank you for coming to get us.”
He pats my arm and turns his head to kiss my cheek. “Anytime, baby.”
I sit back between Drew and Parker and watch my father's eyes meet each of theirs in turn. “Boys.”
“Alpha Barrett,” Drew greets. “Thank you for coming for us.”
Parker doesn't say anything, but nods at my dad's reflection.
“That's what we do,” Dad says, nodding back at Parker. “We take care of our kids. And Genie will always be my daughter. Remember that, Drew.”
“Dad,” I huff. “Come on.”
“What?” he asks in exaggerated innocence. “You can't begrudge me a little paternal threat, Eugenia. After everything that's happened, I'm entitled to one or two, don't you think?”
“Maybe, but don't, okay? Please? This is already hard.”
Drew puts his warm hand on my thigh and squeezes gently. “No, I deserve the threats. I have a lot to make up for.”
“Good to know you understand that,” Dad says, pulling out onto the highway.
“The pack is already buzzing, by the way.
I've been overwhelmed with phone calls. They want to know when we'll have an official joining.
I'll try to keep everyone at bay once we get back, but there's only so much I can do.
People want to know if you're going to run again, Cross.”
“I'm not running,” Drew says, pulling my hand up to press a kiss against my knuckles.
“And you?” Dad glances at Parker in the mirror. “Where do you land with all this? Eugenia told me it's a done deal, but I want to hear from you.”
“What's there to say?” Parker shrugs. “I go where they go. I'm Cross's Second. She's going to be my Luna. They're mine to watch over.”
My dad's eyes flick between the mirror and the road for a long moment. “What about the rest? What happens between you and Drew?”
“Dad!” I hiss.
Parker takes my other hand, shaking his head.
“It's alright, Genie. I'd ask, too.” He looks at my dad's reflection.
“Nothing will change between Cross and me.
Nothing will come between Genie and Cross, including me.
Genie chose us the way we are and I will honor her choice and her trust. What she wants and needs is what I will make sure she gets.
I'm his Second, but she's our priority.”
My dad's gaze moves to mine. I nod solemnly. He takes a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling. “Good enough.”