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“Sure. Be my guest.”
I made a decision right then and there that I would let Minx lead the conversation. I’d done my part and wouldn’t push any more.
“This is Theron, Bodhi, and Grim, my mates.”
Each of them said hello.
“It’s nice to meet you all.”
Again, it wouldn’t be me who pushed the issue at hand.
Minx picked at her pancakes but didn’t actually put anything into her mouth. Theron whispered something in her ear, and she stuffed a bunch in her mouth and then gave him a there, happy? look.
If it wasn’t so awkward, I would’ve laughed.
My skin broke out with goose bumps and I didn’t have to turn to know my roommates were right behind me. They didn’t ask if they could sit down, just took seats at the table. They didn’t have to ask permission to be near me. I wanted them near all the time.
“This is Nolan, Wolfe, and Lex. My…roommates.”
I received a colossal stink eye from all three for that. I knew there was more between us, but like hell I would be the one to define it—especially out loud.
They all made their introductions, but apparently Minx’s mates already knew my…boys.
“So, can we talk about all of this?” Minx asked.
“We can talk about whatever you want, Minx. I’m not going to push any issue.”
She nodded. “Let’s say everything you told me is true. How are you sure it’s me?”
“The Shifter Ancestry test showed that we share DNA,” I responded.
“But that doesn’t mean we are sisters.” She sat up straighter.
“Specifically, it showed we shared a father, Minx.”
She sighed and nodded. Grim, the darker-haired one took her hand in his. “So you got curious about your own parents and sent in your blood to the service?”
Over pancakes wasn’t exactly the way I wanted to tell my story, but my roommates, potentially mates, were here, and Minx was here. And Lex knew about my nightmare the other night but not the specifics. No time like the present, I supposed.
I cleared my throat, since thinking about it already made my chest tense and emotions lodge in my throat. “My parents and I were in a head-on accident with an eighteen-wheeler a few months ago. I was hurt, but not badly, but they were severely injured and both died a few days later. While I sat in the waiting room, hoping for some news, a nurse approached me and said my parents needed blood donations. As much as they could get from me since I was the closest living relative. Except when they pulled my blood, they let me know I was only a match to my mother because my father and I were not related.”
There were all sorts of gasps and head shaking around the table from my boys as well as Minx and her mates. It wasn’t a frilly story to tell but necessary for Minx to hear the whole truth.
“I’m so sorry, Ava. What a horrible way to lose your parents and then learn that about them.”
I nodded. “I appreciate that. So, once I knew my father wasn’t my biological father, and I’d settled all their estate and things, I decided to submit my spit, not my blood, to the Shifter Ancestry. My parents were both only children, so there are no aunts or uncles. Grandparents on both sides are dead. No cousins. Nothing.”
“And the results said that you and Minx shared a father.”
I nodded at Nolan’s question. Somewhere during my story, he had put his hand on the small of my back and was rubbing circles there. I hoped he knew how soothing that was to me. “Yes.” I shrugged.
“Please understand that I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but also, I know my family is my family—that my father is my father. There are pictures of us all from when I was born.”
I put my palms up. “I understand. And I’m not forcing my truth on you. I probably went about this all the wrong way, but once I saw that I had a relative in this world, I tried to get in touch with you. First by phone, then by letter, and finally, I took a chance and came down here.”
Silence fell over the table. We all ate our food and I nursed another cup of coffee courtesy of Lex this time.
I’d said my piece. Whatever happened after this…I had no control over it.
