"Mom, Dad, I have to tell you guys something. It..it's about my mate..or mates..it's so complicated," She said, groaning, burying her head in her palm.
Jen was beyond shocked when she heard the word 'mates' from her daughter, and so was Ray, but he knew she didn't need them to be quiet, so he pushed his shock away.
"It's okay, bunny. We'd be here with you every step of the way. Just start from somewhere, it will all fall into place." He said warmly, gripping Jen's thigh from beneath the table to bring her out of her own mind.
Nodding and trying to breathe, she began telling them everything that happened the night before, leaving them starstruck by the time she was done.
"I know it's crazy and a lot to handle. I cannot help but feel like an anomaly. Have you guys ever witnessed such?"
"No, baby, we haven't." Raymond, being the first to come back, replied, gripping his wife's thigh again.
"Oh my God. This is bad." Beth said, almost panicking, but Ray snapped her out of it, taking her hands in his.
"Not every anomaly is bad, bunny. A lot of things are anomalies, a whole lot. That's how the world works. I know Athena has a good plan, and you might just be what this pack needs. A strong, resilient Luna."
"But, they might reject me. Alpha Sampson probably has goons coming to get rid of me right now. Luna Faye might not accept me and Audrey, that girl can be a bitch and witch when she wants to. I really don't think I can handle this much attention." She said in between tears, Raymond's heart getting heavier and heavier with each tear that rolled down her cheeks.
"No, no, baby. Listen, listen to me. All those people do not matter at all, trust me. The Alpha, Luna, whatever the other girl's name was. They cannot do anything to you, bunny.
You have three powerful mates, and you are not powerless either.-"
"-Alpha Sampson can be harsh and hot-headed, but he's reasonable. Do you know what losing a mate can do to someone? It's indescribable, honey. He wouldn't do that to his sons. They might not fully accept you but that only explains what shitty people they are. You didn't choose this, remember?"
"Yeah." She said, taking in shaky breaths.
"Exactly, so enjoy them. Enjoy the mate bond and everything that comes with it. Use it to the max. Those boys love you like hell and have waited so long for you. In my opinion, they are good people. Always treat me with respect at work. So it's cool. It might be an anomaly, but I wouldn't ask for less, honey." He said, smiling warmly, causing Beth to put up a smile of her own. A real one.
"Damn, babe. I never knew you gave such good speeches." Jen cooed fondly, her look teasing but filled with admiration.
"Oh, baby, there are a few other 'good things' I can give." He replied, smiling right back, his eyes teasing.
"Oh, c'mon. I thought this morning was about me." Beth complained jokingly, feigning annoyance even though she was excited that her mom had expertly lightened the mood.
"Oh, baby," Jen said. " It is about you. I'm just showing you what you'd be getting from three people." She told deviously, grinning widely.
"Mom!" Beth shouted, her eyes wide as saucers, her cheeks colouring to a dark shade of red as images flashed in her head, her wolf dancing through them in glee. Raymond roared in laughter, gripping the table for support.
"What?! I am excited for you! I was terrified at first but damn, Bun, you are so damn lucky. And now we can finally have 'the talk. '"
"Alright," Beth said in surrender, using two fingers to block her ears, knowing fully well it wouldn't do shit.
"You guys haven't had 'the talk ' yet?" Ray said teasingly, giving Beth a mocking side eye.
"I don't need to have any talks, you old people!" She shouted playfully. "There's something called the internet."
"Pfft. Like what they do there is real." Ray said, taking a huge bite from his already cold toast.
"You've seen them?! What made you go there, huh?" Jen said, already wrapping a long, thin towel around her fist.
"Ouiii," Beth whistled, watching them with glee.
Her father had a ton of explaining to do.
"Uhh..." Ray stammered, taking a moment to understand what he had just done. "Alright, I'm out." He said, jumping out of his seat, with his bag to his chest and toast in hand, he ran to the door.
"Take care, my loves." He called before shutting the door behind him.
"Dad!. " Beth called loudly. " You forgot your phone!"
"Bring it for me, bunny!" He replied from outside.
"Don't you dare," Jen warned, waving the towel.
Beth, lifting her hand in surrender, just continued her meal, watching her parents act.
"Honey, please." Raymond pleaded from the other side of the door.
"Come get it yourself. I'm not with the towel anymore." She replied, tightening the towel around her fist.
"Urrgghh." He groaned, coming into the sitting room. "You see, I trusted you by coming in You have to trust me too, I was just curious, honey. You can't be pissed at me for being curious."
Beth cackled at her forty-five-year-old father's tone as he begged like a teenager.
"Trying to blackmail me now, eh?" Jen asked.
"No, baby. It's you I love, no other." He cooed, slowly reaching for his phone sneakily but was caught by Jen's side eye.
"You sneaky bastard." She cursed through gritted teeth, but as she lifted her hand to wipe him with the towel, he caught it mid-air, pulling her closer, he captured her lips with his, kissing her gently.
It didn't take long for Jen to react. She leaned into his warmth, kissing him back.
"Guys, I think I might puke," Beth said, making gagging sounds.
Raymond chuckled at her words as her released Jen.
"You see, that's what I learnt." He said coyly. Grabbing his phone, he bolted out of the door, leaving a heavily tinted cheek on Jen.
"You guys really don't know when to stop," Beth complained, taking hers and Raymond's plates to the sink. "See, you are a blushing mess at seven in the morning. Eww."
"Oh please, you'd be sucking and swallowing chunks and chunks of saliva from three different people soon. Yours is worse." Jen said, sticking out her tongue at Beth, who mirrored her actions, laughing right after.
"I'm nervous, though. We even have a date today." Beth said her eyes on the dishes.
"A date? Already?" Jen asked in confusion.
"No, sorry. It's not a date. More like a meeting to discuss everything that happened." Beth explained.
"Oh, okay. Where are you guys going then? Because it definitely can't be on the pack lands. At least not yet." Jen reasoned, munching on her own breakfast.
"Yeah, Tristan said it will be in the city. Theo would be coming to pick me up."
"In the city?! You are going to the city?! Wow, bunny. You are so lucky." Jen said, shaking her head in awe.
"I know, right. I get to be somewhere a lot of people haven't been to. I wish it were on a better occasion, though. " Beth said, plopping into the chair beside Jen, who was already done eating.
"Oh, please. It's perfect as it is. C'mon, let me help you take out something perfect for you to wear for this perfect occasion." Jen said gingerly, pulling Beth as she got out of her own seat.
"A hoodie and sweatpants would suffice, Mom. It's just a meeting." Beth said, trying to reason. She really wasn't in the mood to be playing dress up with her Mother on a Monday morning.
"I don't know what a hoodie is, but you better not be referring to your awful collection of humongous sweaters."
"Mom, they are comfortable."
" Not my problem," Jen said absentmindedly, as she rummaged through Beth's wardrobe.
"Humph." Beth sighed, lying flat on her bed.
"Aha!" Jen exclaimed, grinning ear to ear as she held out what she had picked before Beth.
"Hell no!"