Chapter 17 - Ezra
It wasn't like me to be nervous, and certainly not about something as trivial as someone meeting my parents when I was a grown man, but a vague heaviness in my chest seemed to say otherwise.
Given how my parents had a tight rope on me when I was a teenager, I never had that opportunity before I left the pack. Because of that, it was technically my first time doing so.
It was ridiculous for me to even be concerned about it, but given how deadset my parents were about me leaving Zoe, ruse or not, and accepting Nora, it seemed like a long shot that we'd ever get them fully out of my hair.
Still, we had gone that far already, and there was no point in backing out.
That being said, I found Zoe in the bedroom as she finished getting ready, and I leaned against the doorframe. At first, I took a moment to admire how good she looked. Even if she wasn't all that dressed up, the way her clothes hugged her plush, yet muscled figure wasted no time making my head spin. Gazing at her was enough to stir that longing in me once again, but I shoved those thoughts aside and forced myself to focus.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" I asked her, still concerned that we were both in over our heads.
I was pushing it by involving her in the first place, but having them in the same space as Zoe felt like asking for trouble. They already resented that I was 'engaged' to her, so it would be no surprise if that sentiment worsened by my persistence.
But I wouldn't know until we tried, and unfortunately, it seemed like the only feasible option.
As Zoe adjusted her dark hair over her shoulder, she looked over at me and nodded before putting a pair of earrings in. "I'm sure. It'll be fine."
I had to admit, her reassurance did help resolve some of that doubt, even if a bit of it lingered still.
"Yeah, you're right," I murmured, nodding to myself. "It'll be fine."
Zoe looked at me momentarily, looking somewhat curious and vaguely amused. "Are you...nervous?"
Immediately, a wash of shame came over me at her question, and I furrowed my brows as I tried to shove the feelings back down. "No...of course not."
While she could easily have dug in and teased me about it, she put on a knowing expression and approached me. "It will be fine, you know. Technically, they already met me. This time, we both just need to try and convince them."
Having her near me helped to soothe that persistent concern swirling in my chest, and I pulled in a breath, nodding.
I wasn't a fan of how vulnerable I felt at that moment, but Zoe brought a hand up and gently moved a stray hair away from my face with a faint smile on her lips. I had no choice but to look at her eyes then, locked in by how effortlessly gorgeous they were.
"If you get nervous, just remember I'll be right there. Okay?"
Her voice was so soft and comforting that I had half the mind to throw the whole plan out the window and just keep her to myself for the night.
A faint shiver moved through me as her hand lingered by my cheek as she took in my features. Then, after a flicker of debate with herself, she gently cupped my jaw.
I remained silent as she looked up at me, looking so calm and cool that I was almost envious of her. But the warmth of her palm against my skin made me melt slightly as I leaned into her touch instinctively.
Her smile grew by a fraction then, sending a wave of affection through my entire body.
At that moment, with that touch feeling so intimate, it was like nothing else mattered. like no problems existed in the world, and it was only us, together, appreciating the peace.
That invisible cord that connected us felt more alive than ever as if nourished by that moment of quiet and the gentle reverence we exchanged.
I couldn't help but see everything through a different lens for a second. One that seemed clearer than ever and removed any previous doubt I had.
Before, I was afraid she didn't want to keep our bond because of how badly I hurt her in the past, but with those perfect eyes looking back at me, I could feel her acceptance growing.
As her thumb gently stroked my cheek, I couldn't help but close my eyes while concentrating on how nice it felt to have her touch against me and be graced with her warmth.
Everything inside me was screaming to move in and kiss her—to continue the affection and be as selfish as possible.
But the doorbell ringing through the house caused my eyes to snap open again, making us both jolt out of that calm moment.
"Shit..." I muttered, letting go of a breath as she gently pulled her hand away. Another beat of uncharacteristic nervousness rushed through me as I ran a hand through my hair. "They're here."
Zoe, still as calm as ever, nodded. "Here goes nothing then."
Reminding myself to pull it together, I steeled myself against those emotions and began towards the bedroom door with a nod.
All the way down the stairs and toward the front entrance, I could only go through everything in my mind, hoping I'd be able to subdue my parents long enough to get them off my back.
Of course, that involved convincing them I was in love, and my current emotions were as confused as ever.
That sense of dread followed me to the door, and I was struck by how real it felt since they were actually at the door.
Despite how much I wanted it to be over, I pulled myself together and considered everything that could happen if this meeting went well.
***
A suspicious feeling lingered within me as my parents sat across from us in the living room, closely focused on us. Despite their lingering gazes, they were being surprisingly cordial.
I expected them not even to make it in the front door, assuming they would lose their minds at the sight of Zoe.
But, as far as I could tell, they were on their best behavior.
It was slightly unnerving, and I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop.
They were my parents, and I experienced living with them long enough to know what to expect from them. Yet, in that moment, I was at a complete loss.
Despite the slight tension in the room at first, as they seemed to evaluate us, Zoe was more of a natural than I gave her credit for.
"So, Zoe...it was your gym we found ourselves at not too long ago, correct?" Mom asked as she sipped her water.
Zoe smiled and nodded, not mission a beat. "Yes, I decided some time ago that the pack grounds could use a new facility. I've always had a passion for fitness, so it only made sense for me to take on the project."
My parents both nodded as they listened intently.
"And your brother is the alpha?" Dad questioned.
"He is. Sebastian is actually how Ezra and I met," Zoe said, glancing at me with a brief look that seemed to say, 'Here's an opening—take it !'.
It was a solid effort on her part to further our narrative, and I knew I couldn't fumble it.
I nodded, remembering that it would take both of us to convince them of anything. "Sebastian introduced us when they became friends, and we clicked."
Mom glanced between us again. "And your brother approves of your engagement?"
"Oh, definitely, he does," I answered, leaving no room for doubt despite it being a rather hefty lie.
Zoe nodded as well, cushioning that lie even more. "He admitted to introducing us because he thought we'd get along well. It turns out that he was right."
To my surprise, a steady stream of guilt trickled into my system—not about lying to my parents but about the fact that she wasn't completely untruthful.
We did get along well at the start before I screwed everything up, and more recently too. It only took us stepping back from the pain I caused to see that we were compatible despite my actions.
My parents nodded again, continuing with their silent evaluation of us.
"Between the two of you, it sounds like you're both fairly focused on your careers. Will you be ready to accept the responsibilities that come with being a Luna?" Dad asked Zoe, face neutral like usual.
Not needing to think about it, she smiled. "Of course. My best friend is my brother's Luna, so she's taught me everything there's to know about it."
It was such a smooth lie I couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to it. If she had been talking to Lydia and been preparing in some way or another.
To my surprise, it sent a thrill scurrying down my back at the thought of Zoe being my Luna.
The mental image of her taking up that leadership role was a lot more interesting and arousing than I cared to admit, but now certainly wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Pushing the thoughts away, I watched as my mom seemed to approve. "Every Luna's experience is different from the next, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to have a baseline."
The longer the conversation went on, and the more agreeable my parents seemed, the more at ease I felt. My guard started slipping, and I couldn't help the curious thoughts from entering my mind.
With how they seemed to accept her, an idea flickered into the forefront of my mind. While it seemed unlikely before, I began to wonder if they might actually be okay with it—if they'd be willing to give up their stance on me being with Nora.
From what I could tell, the plan seemed to be working, and a small ember of hope settled within my chest.
All I needed was for them to forget about Nora, and then I'd be free to figure out everything between me and Zoe.
For a moment, my thoughts became even greedier from that sense of hope, and I considered the idea that I might be able to have Zoe without completely disappointing my parents.
While the former was the most important part, regardless of the ruse, having the latter didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.
Maybe then we'd have the opportunity to patch things between us and move on from my treatment as a child.
It was a lot of wishful thinking, but it didn't seem all that unrealistic at that moment.