Dinner Discord
Dominic
Shifting in my seat, I stared out the car window. The palm trees and manicured lawn zoomed by as Talon took another turn. This must’ve been the third one, but I sensed we were getting closer because I could feel the tension in the car rise. Lucas fidgeted from the backseat, and Talon’s knuckles turned white as he clenched the steering wheel.
“We can always go home,” I suggested tentatively.
Talon shot me a side-eyed glance. “Don’t tempt me,” he muttered, then added, “Too late for that. We’re pulling up now.”
As we slowly drove into the driveway, I took in the sight of Talon’s childhood home. Nestled under the expansive Florida sky, the house was a sprawling single-story with a stucco exterior painted a soft sand color that blended seamlessly into the lush, vibrant landscaping. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, framing the house with a distinctly tropical flair.
“Wow, this place is nice,” Lucas commented from the back.
Talon shrugged, a hint of discomfort in his voice. “I think I prefer your parents’ home; I like the ranch style. Plus, you probably have better memories than me.” He parked the car and killed the engine.
“What’s with all the cars?” I asked, then jerked my gaze at Talon. “You don’t have nine brothers and sisters, like Lucas, right? I thought you said it was just your parents and your sister.”
I honestly didn’t know if I could handle that many people again, at least not meeting that many for the first time.
“It’s just supposed to be my parents and my sister,” Talon replied, his brow furrowing as he scowled. “I don’t know why there are so many cars.”
“Only one way to find out,” Lucas said, leaning forward between the front seats. “Whatever happens in there, we’ll get through it together.”
I smiled at my mates. “Yes, we will.” I turned to Talon. “And if anyone gives us trouble, we have our tiger to defend us.”
Talon’s laugh broke the tension, just as I had hoped, while Lucas rolled his eyes playfully and stepped out of the car. Talon and I followed, walking up to the front door. The absence of noise, unlike at Lucas’s home, was a relief.
“I will defend you,” Lucas affirmed as Talon knocked on the door.
“And we’ll defend you, tiger,” I replied, glancing at both. Talon nodded in agreement; his expression resolute.
“You made it,” a young woman said as the door swung open.
“Tessa,” Talon acknowledged. “These are my mates, Lucas and Dominic. Guys, this is my sister, Tessa.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I replied, extending my hand.
Tessa didn’t shake my hand. Instead, she furrowed her brows and sniffed the air before turning back to Talon. “You mated an ‘other’ and a prey shifter. Dad and the family are going to have a field day.”
“Family? What family?” Talon’s voice carried a mix of surprise and irritation.
“Our family,” Tessa replied, her tone suggesting it should have been obvious to him.
Her dismissive attitude grated on me. Talon had said he and his sister hadn’t gotten along, and I could see why. She was a bitch with a capital B.
“What do you mean, ‘our family’?” Talon pressed, his voice hardening.
Tessa rolled her eyes. “We have an aunt, an uncle, and their families. Dad invited everyone over. We should go inside,” she added with a smirk before turning and heading inside the home.
Talon pressed his lips together and released a heavy breath through his nose.
“Count to ten,” I whispered, recalling his own advice for dealing with stressful situations.
Talon chuckled dryly. “I have a feeling I’ll be counting a lot tonight,” he muttered. “Come on, let’s get this over with,” he said, then led the way inside.
The interior of the house was modern and stark—neither unwelcoming nor inviting, just distinctly impersonal.
As we followed Talon down the hallway to the kitchen, the aroma of cooking food enveloped us—a stark contrast to the cool aesthetics of the house. My stomach growled in anticipation of the meal.
“Talon!” a warm voice exclaimed as an older woman pulled Talon into a tight embrace.
“Mom,” Talon murmured, hugging her back.
He stepped back and introduced us. “Mom, these are my mates, Dominic and Lucas.”
Lucas reached out first, offering his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Roads.”
“Please, call me Mira,” she said, and instead of shaking his hand, she pulled him into a quick hug. She then turned to me with an open smile and embraced me as well. “Welcome to the family. I’m so happy Talon found his mates.”
Her words appeared heartfelt and genuine. I glanced at Talon. He wore a surprised expression. I guess he wasn’t the only one taken aback by her warmth.
“Mom,” Talon said, regaining his composure. “I thought it was just going to be us tonight.”
Mira’s voice hardened. “Your father invited them without telling me.” She touched Talon’s arm. “It’s not just family he in—”
Her words were interrupted by a loud, boisterous greeting. “Tal, it’s good to see you.”
Talon tensed immediately, his demeanor closing off. The man who entered was robust, with broad shoulders, sea-blue eyes, and an air of unearned entitlement. He was dressed stylishly, but carried himself with a palpable arrogance.
“Mark,” Talon said, his voice a low growl.
At the name, Lucas’s body stiffened beside me, and a protective fury stirred within me. This was the man who had caused so much pain in my mate’s past.
Before anyone could address Mark, another voice cut through the tension. A tall man, an older version of Talon, entered the scene. “Talon, you’re here!” he exclaimed. “Now that you’ve arrived, we can eat. Come into the dining room and introduce us to your mates.” He then turned dismissively to Mira. “Bring the food.” Grasping Mark by the shoulder and guiding him out of the room.
Talon exhaled loudly, and Lucas stepped closer to him, whispering, “We can leave if you want.”
Talon’s mother, still nearby, seemed about to interject, but Talon shook his head. “Let’s just get this night over with.” Clasping Lucas’s hand as if drawing strength from it and leading the way out of the kitchen.
I lingered behind for a moment, noticing the tears shimmering in Mira’s eyes. “I told Seb they needed to leave, but my husband wouldn’t listen. The damn bastard,” she muttered bitterly.
She turned back to the stove, her shoulders tensed with frustration. Unsure what to say or how to comfort her, I hesitated before following the others.
As we entered the dining room, a large table set for a family gathering awaited us. The room quieted slightly as we approached; eyes shifted toward us with a mixture of curiosity and caution. Talon took a deep breath and began the introductions.
“This is Lucas, and this is Dominic,” Talon introduced us, his voice steady but tight. “My mates.”
He methodically introduced us to his family members—his father, Seb, who offered a terse nod; aunts and uncles with polite, if somewhat strained, smiles; and two younger cousins whose eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and intrigue. Talon, however, carefully skipped over a few individuals at the table, whose presence he seemed particularly keen to ignore, but they were seated next to Mark.
His father, Seb, however, picked up where Talon left off. “And let’s not forget our long-time friends, Graham and Vivian,” he said, indicating a couple who nodded in our direction with cautious smiles. “And of course, you remember Mark,” Seb continued, gesturing towards a man who gave a tight-lipped smile.
“Have a seat,” Seb gestured to the open chairs.
I internally breathed a sigh of relief that Mark was opposite the open seats and not beside us. I purposely took the seat directly across from the man; if he stepped out of line, I’d take care of him.
Mira entered the room carrying a large platter and setting it in front of her husband. It was a huge roast, and it glistened with gravy. My mouth watered and my stomach rumbled. I couldn’t wait to taste this dinner. It’d been a long time since I’d had a home-cooked meal—shit, had I ever had a home-cooked meal, I thought. I know I’ve seen meals like this on TV.
“So, you landed yourself a prey princess.”
Like nails on a chalkboard, Seb’s words jerked me from my thoughts. Gasps from Talon’s cousins and stifled chuckles filled the now-silent room.
“Watch how you speak about my mate,” Talon growled, his voice low but dangerous.
“Oh, relax, Tal. It’s just a little fun with the cutie,” Mark chimed in with a smirk, but his levity fell flat. “Perhaps we could—”
“Finish that sentence and die,” Talon responded, his tone grave.
It seemed Mark was going to start shit, I thought before I spoke, “So you finally admitted you’re gay. Are you going to admit that what you said all those years ago was a lie? The fact my mate didn’t assault you.”
The smirk instantly dropped from Mark’s face, and he shifted nervously as I continued to stare.
“That’s all in the past. We—” Seb began, but I cut him off.
“I’m sorry. It’s not in the past. This person and his parents lied and defamed my mate and caused a rift between you and your son. How can you, as his father, allow them in your house? Is it because you’re in love with your ‘best friend’? I’ve noticed how you’ve been looking at him,” I said, nodding to Mark’s father.
“What are you talking about?” Graham growled.
“How dare you!” Seb exploded, standing up in fury.
“No, how dare you! You call yourself a father. I’ve seen the worst of the worst behave better than you. You treat this piece of shit like a prince and your own son like crap,” I retorted, my temper flaring.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Mark demanded, puffing up in his seat.
I smirked and allowed some of my demonic nature to break free, revealing my long, black horns. “Someone who can deal with all of you. Don’t mess with me, cat. You owe my mates an apology.”
More gasps filled the room, and Mark jerked back, causing the chair to squeak across the floor.
“Calm down, babe. Please,” Talon said, touching my arm.
I released a long breath and internally counted to ten. I couldn’t vaporize anyone, even though I longed to do so. My horns retreated, and I turned back to Talon. “Sorry,” I whispered.
“It’s okay,” he reassured me.
“Aren’t you going to do something? He threatened your family,” Seb yelled.
“Not only am I going to allow him to, I’m going to stand by him. You made my life hell over false accusations. And what, you want me to play happy family and forget?” Talon looked around the table at his entire family. “None of you stood by me. None of you.”
Talon rose from his seat. “This is pointless.” He gazed down at Lucas and me. “Let’s go home.”
Lucas and I quickly rose to our feet. We’d defend and back our mate through anything.
Quickly leaving the table, we made it down the hall and to the front door, but stopped at Talon’s mother’s words.
“Talon, please don’t leave like this,” she pleaded, her voice breaking with emotion.
Talon paused at the door, his back still turned to her. I held my breath; the tension was so palpable. I wanted my mate to hear out his mother, but at the same time, she had remained silent for so long.
Talon turned slowly, meeting his mother’s tearful gaze. There was a momentary softness in his eyes, a fleeting glimpse of the pain he felt.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m done. Goodbye,” Talon said, his voice resolute yet thick with a mixture of regret and relief.
Without waiting for a reply, he stepped outside. Lucas followed immediately, and I lingered for a brief second, placing a comforting hand on Mira’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Mira,” I whispered before joining my mates, closing the door gently behind me. The cool evening air hit us, a stark contrast to the stifling tension we had left behind. The quiet walk to the car was contemplative, each of us lost in our thoughts.
Once inside the car, Talon started the engine, his hands steady despite the turmoil. We pulled away from the house, the warm glow of its lights dimming in the rearview mirror. The car was silent until Talon finally broke it, his voice low but unwavering.
“It’s for the best.”
Part of me wondered if it really was for the best, but regardless, I’d stand by my du?a.