"Would you prefer we spoke before or after food?"
"After food, please." She said lightly, wanting to stall the serious talks for later. She thanked the butler quietly as he handed her a copy of the menu.
'Why are we using a menu? This isn't a hotel.' She wanted to ask, but swallowed her questions, her eyes lazily scanning the menu, a little worried as there were no prices attached to the dishes.
After thinking for sometime, she decided to pick the cheapest dish she could guess. "I'd have Ramen, please. Thank you." She said, handing the menu back to the butler who still stood beside her.
"Alright, ma'am." The elderly man said animatedly before turning away, she couldn't help but cringe visibly at his choice of words, Troy chuckling from across her.
"Ma'am." He teased, laughing.
"Don't call me that. I'm just eighteen." She responded, huffing.
"Eighteen and mated to three powerful men. Seems very well deserved to me." Tristan said, pride in his voice.
"Oh please, I haven't accepted you guys yet." She said, grinning widely like she had some kind of leverage over them.
"Oh, but you will." Theo said in full assurance, his face smug, mocking her pride.
"You don't know that! I can decide to walk away, right now. It will hurt but not so much." She said shrugging her shoulders like it was nothing, her pride returning to it full state as she stared at them.
"You wouldn't dare." Tristan said, his voice bellowing.
"Oh, I will." She said grinning. Theo and Troy couldn't help but relax visibly upon realizing she was joking.
"Then we'd lock you up." Troy said simply, like he was talking about the weather, ignoring the incredulous look on her face.
"And tie you up." Theo added.
"And gag you, I'd put restraints on your fangs and claws so you wouldn't be able to run or cut your way out." Tristan said, his voice very grave, giving her a look that sent both good and bad shivers down her spine, she tried to fight so hard.
"You guys wouldn't dare." She said, almost whispering, not sure if was just saying it to them, or trying to convince herself.
"Of course, we won't." Theo said, shaking his head. "As long as you comply." He chimed, a mocking grin laying easily across his face.
Bethany couldn't help but stiffen in her seat, her grip on her purse so hard, her knuckles were whitening, her jaws locking intensely.
Troy was the first to notice the change in her demeanor, already sitting up in alarm, leaning into the table and reaching for her. " Bethany. Look at me. Baby, C'mon, look at me." He called almost softly, urgency in his tone.
Beth turned hesitantly to him, that was when the rest noticed.
"We were joking with you, baby. We would never ever do that to you, I swear." He said, his voice now soothing.
Tristan struggled to pry her vice like grip away from around her purse, taking her hand in his, Theo couldn't help but feel horrible from where he sat.
"We are so sorry, baby." Tristan said raising her hand to his lips, kissing it softly.
Swallowing, she tried to calm her racing heart. Tristan's kiss and the heavy attention wasn't helping her case at all.
She wanted to pull her hand away, and run to the bathroom, away from all the tension but thought against it.
They were joking, she had no reason to be scared. Besides, she started it.
Nodding slowly she relaxed in her seat, although not completely. It was going to take a while before she could relax completely again.
Luckily, there was a soft but firm knock on the door before it was opened, a cart was rolled in, it's contents covered with golden plate covers.
She kept her eyes on the butler, watching him do his duties, not caring if it was rude to stare.
She still had the attention of the boys on her, so she was seriously in need of a distraction.
The butler left as quickly as he came, leaving the smell of deliciously looking dishes to fill his absence.
Bethany slipped her fingers from Tristan's slowly, her other hand already choosing a fork.
"Bethany." Troy called, causing her to look up. She could feel the rest of the boys looking at her solemnly like some fragile artifact the were hoping they hadn't cracked.
"Yeah?" She answered lightly, holding his gaze.
"We are really sorry."
"It's okay. Really." She turned to all of them, making sure they saw the warmth in her eyes. Seeing that her words had no effect, she sighed and began to explain.
"I shouldn't have started something I wasn't sure to finish. I joked recklessly, and you returned my energy, that's the way it's always supposed to be. Don't mind me for overthinking. It's a bad habit." She said, hoping they had gotten her message.
She fucked up, but she wasn't about to let herself fuck up their entire dinner.
"C'mon, you guys. I'm not a baby. I knew you wouldn't do all that. Of course, this-" She motioned to all of them including herself. "-is all new to me, all of it, but I know you wouldn't do that kind of stuff to me, so it's okay. I'm okay. Alright?" She questioned, turning to all of them.
"Alright." They bellowed together, their shoulders relaxing as the tension passed.
Meanwhile, she sat there, taking in their reactions, her heart bubbling in her chest. She had handled it, better than she expected.
Taking in a deep breath, she made a resolve.
She wasn't going to let her stupid mind ruin her first night in the city, not now, not ever.
Moving her shoulders playfully, she opened her dish cover, frowning as she took in the dish.
Did the butler not hear when she said Ramen?
"You couldn't possibly think we'd let you eat 'Ramen' on your first night with us." Tristan said cooly, taking her plate of steak from before her and placing it before him. He begun slicing it into smaller chunks for her.
Her heart bubbled again in her chest, her stomach tingling as well at his gesture. She opened her mouth to complain, but couldn't form any words, so she just shut it, a small frown sitting on her face.
"Exactly, let go like our baby girl." Theo teased, devilishly, taking a huge chunk of his own steak.
"Shut up or I'd make sure you choke on my fork." She snapped jokingly, stabbing the air with her fork.
Theo chuckled heavily, almost choking on the meat.
"Naa, I'm sure he has other things he plans to choke on." Troy said, handing Theo a napkin.
"Yeah, like the oranges before you." Theo said, his eyes glinting in amusement.
Bethany was petrified. "You assholes!! I swear to God, I'm gonna-"
"Finish your meal." Tristan said, stuffed a small chunk of meat into her mouth, cutting her string of curses off.
She glared at him, her chest heaving in embarrassment as she chewed on the meat that almost melted in her mouth.
The boys laughed at her reddened embarrassed face, her cheeks protruding with meat. Troy even took a picture.
Swallowing her meat, she swore at them. "I hate every one of you."
"Oh, you wish, princess." Tristan said, amusement still sitting on his face.
And before she could help it, a smile was sitting on hers.
She was happy. Very happy.