31. Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best
~ E LIZABETH~
The November air carries a crisp chill as I stand on the doorstep of my father's mansion, but I barely notice it. My stomach is doing nervous flips that have nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with what's about to happen.
Before I can even ring the bell, the door swings open with dramatic flair.
"My Abbie!" Dad's thick Russian accent carries across the entrance, his blue eyes lighting up as he takes me in. The slight flush to his cheeks tells me he's already been enjoying his favorite vodka, but his movements are steady as he reaches for me. "Look at you!"
He pulls me into a bear hug that lifts me clear off my feet, the familiar scent of his cologne mixing with top-shelf liquor. "My beautiful girl! So gorgeous!"
"Dad!" I laugh as he sets me down only to make me spin for him, the sapphire blue fabric of my gown catching the light. The crystals scattered across the bodice sparkle as the color shifts from bright blue to midnight and finally to black at the hem.
"Amazing," he declares, his accent thickening with emotion. "Like stars falling from the sky into the dress." He reaches out to touch one of my carefully styled curls. "Hair perfect too. Makeup..." He squints at my shadowed eyes and red lips. "Very dramatic. Very you."
"Thank you," I say, trying not to mess up my lipstick as I smile.
He steps back, studying me with exaggerated seriousness.
"Look at this! You find a pack that takes care of you and your ass isn't flat anymore. Amazing."
"Dad!" I sputter, heat rushing to my cheeks. "No! I've been training at the gym, doing squats?—"
"Sure, sure," he waves off my explanation with a knowing smirk. "You’ll come back pregnant with babies soon enough."
"Nooooo," I groan, covering my face with my hands. "I have to finish Juilliard first! And all that madness—" I gesture toward the guys who are making their way up the path from the truck. "Besides, do you want me having babies with them?"
Dad gives them each a long, assessing look before shrugging.
"Well, they haven't died in your company, so that means they can handle you."
"Dad!" I protest. "You make it sound like I'm a killer or everyone who's been with me has perished."
"Maybe." His eyes gleam with mischief. "I’m usually first round of defense before fuckers can get close to you. Since you lot are still alive..." He shrugs again. "I guess my tactics failed."
I freeze, my brain taking a moment to process his words.
"What?"
Felix adjusts his glasses, a small frown forming.
"Ah, so you're the one who sent the assassins the other day."
"Assassins?!" I whirl to face him, my gown swishing dramatically.
"How about the robbers last week at Holmes's place?" Carter adds casually.
"ROBBERS?!"
Holmes clears his throat.
"Well, better than the douche trying to poison Abercrombie's drink ten times."
"Oh right," James nods, as if remembering something mildly interesting. "You brought him to the ring and boxed his brains out for fun, didn't you? I was a bit drunk so I don't really remember other than you telling me to hold Eli for a sec."
I stand there, mouth opening and closing as I try to form words, looking between them like I'm watching some bizarre tennis match.
"What. The. Fuck?" I finally manage.
Dad raises his glass – when did he even get that? – in a casual toast.
"Welcome to family dinner! Come in, come in. Marissa’s already here, probably plotting your death in the dining room."
"I'm sorry," I say, holding up my hands. "Can we go back to the part where you've apparently been sending people to KILL my pack?!"
"Not kill," Dad corrects, looking offended. "Just test. Needed to know they’re worthy of protecting my Abbie." He grins at the guys. "They pass many tests! Very impressive."
"How many tests exactly?" I demand, but they're all already filing past me into the house, Dad leading the way like this is completely normal.
"Lost count," Carter says cheerfully. "But the ninja attack last month was pretty fun."
"NINJAS?!"
Now they HAVE to be bullshitting cause there ain’t no way.
"Your father has excellent resources," Felix comments, pausing to admire a painting in the foyer. "The hack attempts on our security system were particularly sophisticated."
James claps a hand on my shoulder as he passes.
"Don't worry about it, Eli. We handled it. I’ve been surviving your dad’s tactics since we were babes in school. He made some prick sabotagege my test. Remember when I got that F once. I knew from then onward, it would be a mission to stay by your side, but look, I made it."
“W.H.A.T?!” I don’t even know where to start with that. “J-J-JAMES!”
“Anyways, we’re here to enjoy. Come on, let’s admire your family home.”
"That's not the point!" I sputter, but Holmes is already sliding next to me and slipping an arm around mine, guiding me inside while James trails along with a gentle hand on my lower back.
"The poison attempts were amateur though," James says critically. "Might want to hire better chemists next time, sir."
Dad makes a dismissive gesture.
"Bah, good assassins are very expensive these days. Economy, you know?"
"Oh my god," I mutter, pressing my fingers to my temples. "This is actually happening. My father has been trying to kill my pack and everyone's just...okay with this?"
"Not kill," Dad repeats patiently. "Test. Big difference."
"How is that better?!"
"Because," Carter explains, accepting a glass of what looks like extremely expensive scotch from my father, "if he wanted us dead, we'd be dead."
"Correct!" Dad beams at him. "See? They understand! Smart boys."
I look around at them all – my father playing bartender while my pack settles into his living room like they've done this a hundred times, discussing various attempts on their lives as casually as if they're talking about the weather.
"Have you all lost your minds?" I demand.
"No, no," Dad says soothingly. "It’s normal! All fathers test daughter's pack. I just more...creative than most."
"Creative," I repeat flatly. "You call sending assassins and ninjas 'creative'?"
"Don't forget the submarine incident," Felix adds helpfully.
"THE WHAT?!"
"The submarine incident was quite clever actually," Felix explains."Your father somehow managed to flood the basement which thankfully didn’t get too high cause you know I have valuable stuff down there,” he pauses to give me a wink, reminding me of his secret man cave. “Made us think we were in a sinking submarine."
"Very realistic," Carter adds enthusiastically. "The emergency lights going off in the house like we were going to be bombed. The rising water and Felix’s added theatrics?—"
"The emergency oxygen tanks," James chimes in. " Which why the hell do you guys have those in the basement?”
“Scuba diving, “ Holmes casually notes like it’s no big deal.
James gives him a look before he admits, “I’m not trying to be an ass, but are you able to see with googles on?”
“Nope,” Holmes genuinely notes but seems more amused about it than upset.
“I’m not going to further ask,” James concludes, dismissing it. “They were a nice touch."
I relax on the nearest sofa, my gorgeous gown pooling around me.
"I... I can't even..."
Carter laughs, materializing beside me with a glass of something amber.
"Just don't stress about it, we handled everything just fine and dandy."
"Besides," James adds, "it's better than other packs. I heard one of my friends say his Omega used to snipe anyone who tried to make a move on her. Almost got him apparently, but he has the best instincts from working with some secret agency that blends FBI and military experience or something."
"The Omega SNIPES people?!" I turn to Holmes desperately, hoping his shooting expertise might make this make sense somehow.
He meets my gaze calmly.
"There are actually several documented cases of Omegas who snipe, individuals, they deem unworthy or hunt down Alphas who show signs of trafficking or attempting to harm other Omegas."
"A few at Dead Knot don't even try to hide it," Felix adds, adjusting his glasses. "Pretty ballsy since it doesn't exactly encourage potential suitors."
"Except for Marcus," Holmes notes quietly.
Carter barks out a laugh.
"Marcus is fucking insane with an extra dose of testosterone. All those steroids and rut blockers made him certifiable."
"Marcus?" James furrows his brow. "I think I met him last week. Big dude with the muscles at the gym? Cool guy."
"Crazy," Carter, Felix, and Holmes say in perfect unison.
"Ah," Dad nods sagely, "so he was part of pack, huh?"
They all turn to stare at him.
"How did you—" Carter starts.
"The unison denial is normally the sign," Dad explains with a knowing smirk.
Before anyone can respond, a new voice carries from the doorway.
"Mikhail? Why are you talking to the walls again?"
My mother, Anastasia, freezes as she enters the room, her eyes widening at the sight of four imposing Alphas in her living room.
"Oh! Are these more suitors for Marissa?"
Dad moves aside with a flourish, gesturing toward me.
"No, no! Is our Abbie's pack!"
"Elizabeth?" Mom gasps, finally noticing me. "I... I didn't even recognize you! I thought you were some high-end mistress or?—"
"Sadly, I don't cheat for a living," I say with a tight smile but proceed to rise up to greet her simply out of respect. Not earned but I guess I have higher morals. "So I guess not."
Carter's laugh booms through the room as he suddenly appears behind me, wrapping his arms around my and pulling me back against his chest.
"Mrs. Abercrombie," he purrs, turning on the charm, "you're far too young and beautiful to be Elizabeth's mother. Are you sure you're not her sister?"
Mom actually blushes, waving him off with a flustered laugh.
"Oh, stop it, you charmer!"
"Next time you shoot," James tells my father seriously, "don't miss."
"Da, agreed," Dad nods solemnly.
"Dad..." I warn, giving him my sternest look.
He holds up his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. I won't kill playboy trying to sweet praise your Mother into being a baphoon. Fine."
Felix smirks while Holmes maintains his silent observation, but I can see the amusement dancing in his visible eye.
"Kitchen!" Dad announces suddenly. "Food getting cold, and Marissa probably wondering if we all died in the living room." He pauses thoughtfully. "Though maybe she hoping we did."
"Mikhail!" Mom scolds, but there's no real heat in it.
As we all start moving toward the dining room, I catch Holmes's arm.
"Did you really know about all this? The tests and everything?"
He looks down at me, and something soft passing through his expression.
"We weren't going to let anything happen to you," he says simply. "Whether the threat came from your father or anyone else."
The words settle warm in my chest, and I find myself leaning into him slightly.
"You're all insane," I inform him, but I can't quite hide my smile.
"Says the woman who just learned her father has been trying to eliminate her pack and is more concerned about us than herself."
"Not eliminate!" Dad calls from ahead of us. "Test! Why nobody understand difference? I speak English! See, I need to speak in Russian."
I can't help but laugh, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside.
Looking around at this bizarre collection of people – my overprotective Russian father, my oblivious mother, my deadly but devoted pack – I feel something I haven't experienced in years.
I feel like I'm home.