Page 34 of Lycans & Lattes

I’d always wondered what it looked like inside. The house had been featured on countless Pinterest boards for “spooky house inspo,” and it was just as regal as I’d hoped it would be. Much of the dark wood décor could have been preserved from the 1700s, but there were plenty of modern updates, like AC and a giant TV. But my favorite part was the subtle nod to the moon in every tapestry and piece of art. Even the wallpaper had a celestial feel to it, with flecks of moonlight peeking through dark florals.

Wyatt placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the place he’d grown up. I leaned a shoulder into him, trying to signal him to calm down. I wanted to prove to him that I could handle this. I wanted to prove it to myself too.

When we wandered into the dining room, we found that most of the seats had already been taken. From the spaces left, I inferred that I should be told where to sit, and by Wyatt’s hesitance to step in any specific direction, my assumption was proven correct.

It was clear that there was a hierarchy to the seating arrangement.

Wyatt’s grandfather, Daniel, sat at the head of the table, with Gregory on the opposite end. He was flanked by his grandchildren, Aisling and Liam. All three wore sheepish expressions, like they had no idea I was coming and suddenly realized how awkward this dinner was going to be.

She invited the girl she wishes Wyatt would marry instead of me? Seriously? I bit the inside of my cheek to fight the urge to say something about it. I knew Gregory was a close family friend. Still, it felt incredibly pointed to invite Aisling.

Next to Liam sat Lulu and her mother, Edie.

Sandra swept over to the chair to Daniel’s right, pulling it out and presenting it like a throne to Wyatt. “Come on. We’ve already carved up the roast. Sit next to Pops, where you belong.” Wyatt looked back at me. “Willow will sit next to me, there.” She pointed to the two vacant seats on Daniel’s other side.

She didn’t want us sitting together or even across from each other.

And worse, she wanted to keep me within arm’s reach.

Wyatt gave his mother a cutting look. “I didn’t realize we needed ceremony seating for a family dinner.”

“Don’t make this a big deal.” His mother balked. “The meat is getting cold.”

It took a great force of will not to roll my eyes. She was the one making this a big deal.

I tugged at Wyatt’s hand before rounding the table to the seat that Sandra had indicated for me. We just needed to get through dinner. It wouldn’t kill us to not sit near one another—at least, I hoped it wouldn’t—but I questioned the look Wyatt was giving his mother.

My own mother had once liked to play similar games. The only blessing was that she didn’t take as active an interest in her children’s love lives as Wyatt’s mom did.

It also helped that my parents lived in another state.

Wyatt finally gave in as I settled next to Eloise. At least I had one ally close by if Sandra decided to bring out her claws later. Daniel clapped his grandson on the shoulder, and the two exchanged a tense acknowledgment.

Once Sandra took her seat, everyone started passing platters around the table.

Everyone, that was, except me.

Eloise and Sandra took it upon themselves to scoop food directly from the serving dishes and onto my plate before serving themselves, as if I couldn’t be trusted to perform the task on my own. Moments later, my plate was piled high.

The roast beef was cooked to bloody, medium-rare perfection. Roasted carrots, garlic confit tomatoes, and blistered green beans took up the vegetable layers of the food pyramid. Then came the rice almandine, roasted potatoes, and a cornbread pudding.

The woman might be trying to break us up, but a sliver of me couldn’t help but be won over by this feast.

When our plates were filled, we ate in stilted silence for what felt like an eternity.

Daniel was the first to speak. “It’s about time you took this pack seriously, Wyatt.” He pointed the tip of his steak knife at me, which I took as him addressing me without any formal greeting. “You should know a mating bond is a big undertaking, especially for a human.”

Wyatt’s nostrils flared, and I gave him a look to tell him to calm down, that I could handle this. I steadied myself before replying, “I haven’t taken the thought lightly.”

Internally, I was patting myself on the back for how diplomatic my answer was, but Daniel shot me a look that said I’d stepped right onto a mine.

“Being the true alpha’s mate isn’t just a thought, young lady. It’s an all-consuming thing,” Daniel snipped, then turned to Sandra with a snide, “I thought you said they’d completed the mating bond.”

“Mother!” Wyatt’s eyes bulged across the table at Sandra, then pinged to me with an apology.

“It’s only natural,” Sandra drawled, waving her fork like a delicate wand. “I smelled it on you. Of course, I would share the good news.”

I was missing something. Was there more to accepting Wyatt’s mating bond than just constantly ripping each other’s clothes off? What exactly did we smell like? Sex? That thought had me fighting back blush-inducing memories from the night before.