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“Nothing exciting.” I moved to the other side of the kitchen island, hoping she wouldn’t pry any further.
“Is Ramon fixing you a snack?” She sounded once more like the mother of my childhood, but in there, in that woman, was a note of judgment I’d never noticed before. She filled her stainless-steel cup with filtered water from a pitcher in one of the refrigerators. “I wouldn’t mind a little something myself. I had too much on my mind to enjoy dinner.”
I suppressed a groan. She was not going to like the answer. “No, we’re deciding what Ramon should cook for my picnic with Liza tomorrow.” I glanced at her face, curious to see her reaction to my date with the woman she’d all but forbidden me to see.
To my surprise, she remained calm as Ramon and I finalized the meal plan.
Mother cleared her throat, unable to find it in herself to remain silent any longer. “Are you really serious about pursuing that girl?” Her tone was low but loud enough to convey her disdain.
Son of a bitch. Here we go again.
“Yes. I am.” I didn’t smile. Couldn’t. I didn’t enjoy arguing with my mother. Less, I disliked her questioning my judgment about Liza. Questioning fate’s judgment.
She sighed. “I really wish you wouldn’t, Tyson. Isn’t there another woman you’d like to get to know? Cecily, maybe?”
I narrowed my eyes, attempting to keep my voice calm and level. “Why don’t you tell me what, exactly, you have against Liza.”
Mother shook her head. “I assure you, my issue isn’t with the girl.” She sniffed. “I don’t have an issue with the girl.”
What the hell? I was confused. I’d just spent the past few days attempting to convince my parents to support my match with Liza to no avail. They’d begged me not to pursue her, and now Mother dared to claim she had no issues with Liza? Ha.
“I don’t understand.” I leaned against the counter and stared at the ceiling. “If you don’t have a problem with her, then why do you want me to ignore fate? Is it simply because you don’t want me to be with her?”
She opened her mouth to say something just as Dad barked her name. He entered the kitchen with an air of dominance that we were used to. My father stared at my mother for a long minute without saying a word, but thoughts were exchanged between them. They, too, were fated mates. Where no one else might’ve understood what was happening between them, I’d grown up watching them exchange messages subliminally. This time, it would probably have been obvious to anyone and everyone that he didn’t want Mother to speak another word about Liza.
Instead of quietly complying, Mother pinned him with a scathing glare. “Dominic, you need to remember that this is all on you.” She spat her words as she pointed a shaky finger at him.
Whoa. My mother never talked back to my father. She didn’t raise her voice at him. She might’ve treated everyone else as if they were beneath her, but she was always respectful to my father.
I glanced back and forth between my parents. “What the hell is going on here? What aren’t you telling me?” Because sure as fuck, there was something.
Dad stared at me with ice cold indifference while Mother pivoted and stormed out of the room, leaving an almost visual trail of anger and disappointment behind her.
I glanced over my shoulder at Ramon, who tossed a hand in the air as he walked to the back door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ty. And don’t worry, I’ll have your picnic ready to go.”
Flashing an apologetic smile, I waved. Poor guy. How many times had he been caught in the crosshairs of our family’s affairs? This time was different, though. This wasn’t just a petty argument about a family get-together or social event. We were talking about my future, and emotions were running high.
I turned back to face my father, my hands on my hips. A fighting stance to show him that I refused to back down. “I’m sick of all the fucking secrets. If you’re so adamant about me not being with Liza, you need to tell me whatever you’re keeping from me. You owe me that much as your successor and son.” It wasn’t like they were keeping me from a school dance. This was my future. The future of the pack.
I watched as the ice cleared from my father’s face, and he sighed. He looked worn out. As I studied his features, it hit me how old Dad was getting. It seemed like only yesterday he was young and full of life. His age was taking its toll on him. Deep wrinkles marred his forehead, and his eyes were dark and sunken.
My parents had me when they were in their twenties, so Dad was pushing seventy. Long gone was the youthful alpha who had more energy than anyone in the pack. Leading for so long had taken a toll on him and, for a moment, I felt sorry for him.
He should have stepped down years ago, but because I hadn’t been able to find a mate and hadn’t been willing to choose one for myself, he’d had no choice but to press forward and remain in his position of power. An alpha had to have sons to carry on the family name. It was a rule.
He stared at me, his lips moving as if he was forming his words carefully, but no sound came.
I couldn’t wait all night. “Listen, if you let me pursue Liza, you’d get to step down and enjoy retirement with Mother. If it all works out, the sooner the better, right?” I had to reason with him and get him to see that finding and being matched to Liza wasn’t a mistake but a blessing. “I just want to know what’s causing you and Mother so much stress. I hate to see the two of you arguing like this.” Maybe the way to get them to talk to me was to show some empathy, even if I had to fake it.
Dad turned and looked out the window into the woods along the edge of our property. He was lost in thought, so I stood, patiently waiting for him to answer.
Finally, he spoke softly. “Ty, there are some things that could bring the strongest man to his knees, and this is one of those things. It’s better left alone.” He paused, then turned to meet my eyes. “I’ll stop interfering. You have my blessing to pursue Liza.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. Dad’s sudden shift stunned me. Not to be ungrateful, but I needed answers. I needed to know why he’d had such a change of heart. “Why?”
“You’ll soon learn that as an alpha, you have to pick and choose your battles.” He smiled weakly. “This is one I can’t win. Fate made her decision, and it’s out of my hands.”
He walked away, leaving me to stare after him. Nothing had been resolved. But his blessing was enough for me. For now.
