32. Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Two
Violet
“ A re you sure you want to do this now, Violet? We could wait a few weeks until we’re back in Crescent Moon,” Chris asked as he paced in front of me.
“I’m sure, now go away.”
“I should stay here if you’re going to do it,” he insisted.
“Nope. They’re my parents, not yours. I’ll handle it.”
“But what i—”
“Chris, go. I'm not afraid of my parents.” Maybe I was a little, but I was determined and I was going to do this.
The love of my life sighed and finally gave in, making me fist pump in my mind.
“You’ll call for me if you need me?” he asked, and I nodded up at him, trying to look like an obedient mate.
He shook his head, already knowing I was lying. Regardless, he bent down and kissed me long and hard before he left. I felt a bit flushed as I dialed Mom’s number, and ended up hanging up before the first ring to fan myself. I didn’t want to sound all worked up from the kiss while I spoke to my parents about my relationship with my guard.
Once I was calm, I dialed Mom’s phone again.
“Hi, sweetie. How are you?” she answered on the third ring.
“Hi, Mom! I'm good. How’s everything going over there?”
“Good! Evie’s keeping everyone busy getting everything ready for the influx of people. How’s Bells?”
“Sad, I think. But, she’s hanging in there.” Probably more sad about how things ended with Cade, but I couldn’t say that.
Mom heaved a deep sigh at the other end of the line.
“I don’t think it’s helping that most of us here are so excited to have her back. I feel like she thinks we’re happy her efforts failed,” she admitted.
“No. She knows that’s not the case, Mom. A big part of her is happy to go home. I just don’t think she wanted it to end the way it did.”
My poor sister was conflicted about everything other than Cade. She just felt miserable and terrible about how things ended with him. She wouldn't even tell me what happened, only that it was her fault, and that it was irreparable.
“And you, baby? Are you okay with coming home?”
“I am! I miss you guys. I miss Crescent Moon.”
“I’m glad, Violet. I was beginning to think maybe it was the memories here that were holding you back.”
“No, Mom. You guys were great. I think I just needed the unknown to push through my fears. I’ve been doing really great, and every time I get through something, it pushes me to keep going.” I was silent for a few moments before I decided that was as good a segue as I was going to get. “That’s kind of why I’m calling. Is Dad around?”
“Yeah. Everything okay?”
“Yeah! I just wanted to talk to you both,” I answered nervously.
It was ridiculous. I knew them. I knew it would all be okay, but Chris’ fears were hard to ignore.
“I’ll grab him. One sec.”
There was silence at the other end of the line for a bit, and then I heard Dad talking in the background as Mom asked him to come over to her.
“Hey, kiddo. What’s up?”
“Hey, Dad. I’m good. Can you put me on speakerphone? I want to talk to both of you.”
“You’re scaring us, Violet,” Mom said.
“It’s good, I promise. I think so, anyway,” I said, stopping myself before I started word vomiting from nerves.
I needed to explain things calmly, and ease into it so it wasn’t a shock to their system.
“Alright, we're listening,” Dad replied.
“So, you know how I mentioned that I feel like I’m making a lot of progress, and I finally think I might be able to get back to something close to normal?” I started with the stuff I knew they’d be happy with.
“Yeah? And we’re so proud of you, Vi.” Mom paused for a moment. “You haven’t been lying to us to make us feel better have you?”
“What? No. I wouldn’t do that to you. I—okay so I have been lying about something, but it’s not that,” I rambled, Mom's question throwing me for a loop.
“What have you been lying about?” Dad’s voice took a serious tone.
“Well, it’s not really lying. It’s more like... lying by omission,” I laughed nervously, making Mom giggle with me.
“Violet, mija, just tell us before your dad has a heart attack.”
“I’m dating Chris,” I blurted out, then slapped a hand to my mouth. So much for easing into it. There was silence on the other end of the phone. I gave them a minute, but then I got impatient. “Can you say something?”
“You said you were dating Chris,” Mom repeated my words.
“Yes.”
“We need a minute,” Dad replied. “Does Dr. Campbell know?”
“Yes.”
There was more silence that was making my stomach sink. What if Chris was right, and I was going to have to fight to keep him in my life?
“How long?” Dad asked, his tone cold and shuttered.
“About a month after we got here,” I answered meekly.
“Put Chris on the phone,” Dad demanded without further preamble.
“He’s not with me right now,” I answered, looking over at the closed bathroom door.
“Then, find him and put him on the phone.”
“Bu—”
“Now, Violet,” Dad's tone said if I didn’t obey he would come here today to make it happen, so I didn’t argue.
‘Dad wants to talk to you.’
Chris didn’t answer my mind-link, instead, he walked inside the room a moment later. He looked a little bit pale as he sat down beside me.
“Alpha,” Chris answered the phone when I put it on speakerphone.
“I’d like to speak with you alone, please,” Dad answered.
“Dad—”
“Not asking, Violet. Let me speak with him alone.”
“It’s okay, Violet. Give me a moment, sir,” Chris answered, standing up.
He took the phone from me and started moving. Before he could get to the bathroom door he stopped, turned back and kissed me hard, before he finally left, closing the door behind him.
I paced the room while waiting for Chris to return. I knew they might be a little apprehensive about us. With all my trauma, they were very protective of me. But, I didn’t expect to hear the coldness with which Dad reacted to the news. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to mention that we wanted to become chosen mates.
I continued pacing, working myself up into fighting mode, as I imagined every possibility of what would happen when Chris walked back through the door. What would he say if Dad opposed? Would he fight for us like he promised or would he give up on us again?
It was maybe twenty minutes later when I heard the door to Chris’ old room open. Hell, if he gave up on us, I was going to have to sleep alone again. The thought had me fisting my hands, ready for a fight.
“He wants to talk to you.” Chris’ voice was lacking any kind of emotion and my heart sank.
He stretched his hand to pass the phone, and I took it, but when he tried to lower the arm back to his side, I grabbed onto it, dragging him to the bed and making him sit. I put the phone back on speakerphone while I remained standing.
“Violet?”
“I’m here, Dad,” I answered.
“Listen—”
“No, you listen,” I interrupted him. “When I told you I was dating Chris, it wasn’t so you could do an inquisition.”
Chris’ eyes almost bugged out his head at my words, and he tried to grab my arm, but I moved out of his reach. I wasn’t done.
“I was informing you. I wasn’t asking for permission on what to do with my life. I’m a grown woman. I love you and Mom, but I will fight you tooth and nail on this. I’m in love with Chris, and I want to take him as my chosen mate. No one else figures into that decision. Only the two of us.”
Chris’ jaw dropped, and he froze on the bed as he listened to me standing up to my parents.
“What about your second-chance mate out there?” Mom asked.
“Only Chris and I figure into this. Only he and I matter, not a potential mate out in the world. I waited for a mate once. I’m done leaving my life in the hands of everyone else but me.”
“So, what we think doesn’t matter to you?” Dad asked.
“It matters a lot, but at the end of the day, I’m the one that's gotta live my life. I hope I have your blessing, I really do, but the only blessing I need to have is Chris’.” There was silence on the other side of the line for a moment.
“Are you done?”
“Yes, sir,” I answered meekly, beginning to lose the adrenaline I worked up in my system, and feeling my body starting to shake. I’d never spoken to my parents like this before.
“Well, what we were going to say before you so epically defended your love from your ogre of a dad, is that we’re very happy, and proud of you, kiddo. If this is what you want— if Chris makes you happy— then, we’re happy,” Dad’s voice held warmth once again, and I dared say a bit of amusement and pride.
“Oh,” was all I could say, feeling my face heat up.
“But, it’s nice to know you feel so strongly, Vi. That was awesome,” Mom giggled, making Chris and Dad laugh.
“But, you sounded so angry,” I argued weakly in my defense.
Chris pulled me onto his lap, his arms surrounding me, making me relax and feel a little bit better.
“I needed to. You’re my little girl. One of my princesses. I will always do what I can to protect you. I had to figure out if Chris was serious about you or not,” Dad explained in a bit of a sheepish voice.
“As serious as taxes, sir,” Chris answered, making Mom and I giggle.
“I do have one request, though,” Dad continued.
“What’s that?”
“I already asked Chris, but clearly you’re the one in charge,” Dad chuckled, but it was interrupted when I heard what sounded like a whack on the arm. “Ow, Tuli!” Dad whined.
“It’s as it should be, and if you try to tease that boy about it, I’ll tell a bunch of stories about you,” Mom scolded him.
Chris bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud, but I didn’t even try to rein it in. I cackled at Dad, knowing Mom would make good on that threat. She was awesome that way.
“Can I please keep my macho bravado intact at least until after they mark each other?” Dad continued to whine.
“Bravado? Please, you, Cory and Lucien are all suckers for their mates. It’s only right Chris is, too.”
“Anyway...” Dad trailed off, clearing his throat and with what I was sure was an epic blush on his face. “I asked Chris and I’m asking you, too. Don’t mark each other just yet. Wait until the next full moon.”
“What, why?” I asked, furrowing my brows.
“For one, so you can be sure. Also, because I’d like us to have a proper sit-down dinner with you both, and his parents to celebrate when you get back.” When I didn’t answer, he sighed. “It’s three weeks, Vi. You can wait three weeks to make your old man happy. Please?”
Chris nodded down at me, one of his fingers twirling a piece of my hair.
“You got it, old man,” I conceded.
“Have you told Cory, yet?” Mom asked.
“No. I was hoping you would?” I asked hopefully.
“Oh, no,” Dad said before he and Mom laughed at the hopeful tone in my voice. “Miss it’s-my-life-and-no one-gets-a-say can tell her big brother and alpha by herself.”
I groaned. I kind of deserved that.
“Alright, we’ll let you go so you can call your brother, sweetie,” Mom said, then before they hung up, I heard her squeal in the background. “Do you realize what this means? Gabriel and Brenda are finally going to be family.”
Chris and I sat there in silence for a few minutes after the call ended.
“That went well,” I finally said, still looking at my blank phone.
“I can’t believe you told off your dad that way.”
I looked up at him, wondering if he was going to start teasing me, but instead, I found his face full of emotion.
“I told you I was in all the way,” I whispered.
Chris leaned me back until I was lying on the bed.
“I don’t deserve you, but I’m the luckiest son of a bitch to have you love me,” he told me, his voice choked up and his eyes shining with unshed tears.
I didn’t get to respond because the next moment, he was kissing me. I dropped the phone, and wrapped my arms around him, moaning when he covered my body with his. It felt like eons before we came up for air. Chris leaned down and kissed me one more time, before he reached over the side and picked up my phone. “Call your brother, and then I’ll call my parents. I’m ready for everyone to know how much I love you.”
I dialed Cory, nerves rising again. It wasn’t that I was afraid of Cory, but he had a tendency to go big brother on people who dated his sisters. I never dated, so it never happened to me, but Bells dated a bit when we were younger, and so did Areli before she met her mate. It was amusing watching them go through it, but I didn’t want it to happen now that it was my turn.
“Hey, Bug. How are you doing?” Cory finally answered.
“Good! How’s your day going?”
“Not bad. Hectic with all the new and temporary people coming to the pack. I was ready for a hundred, didn’t expect a sudden four hundred in addition to the two hundred already here.”
“Well, maybe I can call back la—”
“Nonsense. I could use a break. What’s up, Vi?”
“Umm, so I just wanted to give you a little heads up. I... umm... I sort of started dating.”
“Oh? Like online dating or in-person dating? You know there are rules if you’re dating a human, Vi,” Cory replied a little more seriously.
“I’m not online dating, Cory,” I answered, rolling my eyes.
Though thinking it over, it made sense he would assume that. I couldn’t date like normal people did the last time he saw me. Not that what I was doing now was normal dating, either.
“Who is it, then? Someone from Bells’ old pack? Or Cade’s? Is he coming here? Tell me his name, and I’ll give him a look.”
“Umm... it’s not one of Bells’ old pack members. It’s Chris.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Chris. I’m dating Chris,” I repeated.
“Chris? As in Brenda and Gabriel’s son? The man I left with you to keep an eye on you and keep you safe?” Cory's voice was getting growlier as he talked.
“He’s kept me very safe,” I blurted out, and Chris slapped a hand to his forehead beside me.
‘Not helpful,’ he mind-linked.
‘I panicked!’ I defended.
“So safe, you ended up tumbling down a couple flights of stairs and breaking bones?” Cory growled in response.
Chris winced beside me, regret and guilt flashing through his face.
“That’s not fair, Cory,” I protested.
He knew it as well as I did. We already talked about what happened, he never blamed Chris.
“How long?” Cory asked.
“What?”
“How long has this been going on?” he clarified.
“A while,” I admitted.
“And neither of you thought to tell me any of the times I talked to you?” Hurt was slipping into his voice, giving up a little bit of the anger.
“It was new. I wanted to keep it to myself until I knew it was serious,” I answered, hating that I hurt his feelings.
“Who else knows?”
“I spoke with Mom and Dad a little while ago.”
“Does Bells know?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know the whole time?” he asked, and I groaned.
I never meant to get her in trouble.
“Yes,” I answered, making Cory growl.
“Why does everyone keep things from me, lately?” he asked angrily.
“Do you get all growly with them, like you did with me just now? Because, that might be why,” I suggested helpfully, making Cory growl again.
He never used to be a grumpy pants. He must be really stressed right now.
“That’s not funny, Bug. We’ll talk when you get home.”
“Bu—”
“Not up for discussion. I want you both to come to my office the moment you’re home.” Cory hung up and I was left staring at the blank phone again.
“That could have gone better.” Chris sighed, pulling me back to the bed. He kissed my forehead and closed his eyes. After a bit of silence, he opened one eye, and looked at me. “‘Maybe it’s because you get all growly?’ Did you have to say that to the alpha?” he asked.
“He’s my brother and he was being growly,” I defended. Chris shook his head and closed his eye, a whisper of a smile appearing on his face.
“You really are a little warrior, aren’t you?” he asked.
“When it matters.” I shrugged, drawing circles on his shoulder.
“Let’s call my parents, then,” Chris replied a little while later, pulling his phone from his pocket.
He dialed, and I waited with bated breath. Chris had been worried about my family, but I was worried about his. Gabriel and Brenda were nice people, but they were as disciplined as their son.
What would happen if they thought it was inappropriate, too? What if they tried to tell Chris they were disappointed, and then I intervened and they didn’t like me for arguing back? What happened if they thought I was too broken for thei—
“Hi, Mom,” Chris called out when the call picked up.
“Hi, Chris. How’s the job going, son?” Brenda answered.
“Okay. I’ll be home in a few weeks. Is Dad around?” Chris asked, taking my hand in his.
“He’s right here with me.”
“Hey, son,” Gabriel's voice came through the speaker.
“Hi, Dad. I was hoping I could chat with you both?”
“Sure. We’re all ears.”
“So, umm, I…” Chris started.
I didn’t think he thought about how start the conversation, but then Gabriel surprised us both.
“Does this have anything to do with the reason why Luna Celeste and Alpha Markus are here, planning a dinner for a few weeks from now?” Gabriel asked.
Chris’ jaw dropped and I groaned, my face heating up.
“Sorry kids!” I heard Mom from the background.
“It’s your fault, really. You should have told us you were making all of your calls after hanging up with us,” Dad defended.
Chris started chuckling and so did his parents.
“Are you sure you want this, son? Your secrets will never be safe again if you’re related to Luna Celeste.”
“I resent that! They didn’t tell us it was a secret! I can keep a secret! It’s lying that I don’t know how to do!” I could hear the indignation in Mom’s voice, but really, Gabriel had a good point.
“So, you guys are okay with everything?” Chris asked.
“All we’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy, son. As long as you are, we’ll support you,” Gabriel answered.
“What he said,” Brenda answered, happiness clear in her voice.
“I’ll let you get back to your meeting, then,” Chris chuckled. “Love you both.”
“Love you, too!” They both answered back.
“We do, too!” I heard Mom in the background, making me chuckle.
Chris hung up and looked over at me, amusement all over his face.
“Sorry. I should have remembered to tell Mom to keep it to herself until we told everyone,” I admitted.
He shook his head with a low chuckle I felt all the way down to my core, and stood.
“Let’s go get lunch, Little Warrior. That left me hungrier than a full day workout.”