“You are not.”
“I might be. You don’t know.”
Delilah giggled. “You are not afraid of your 13 year old daughter!”
“She’s not nice anymore. She’s full of attitude. And I can’t intimidate her like I do all the rest. It’s kinda scary. I don’t like the teen years.”
Delilah sat up, full on laughing. “She’s no more intimidating than I am.”
“I’m sure you were just as mean at that age, too.”
“Perhaps. I don’t remember.”
“Dad! Are you even in the house?!” Tessa shouted irritatedly.
“See? She’s mean,” Kaid said again, nodding for emphasis.
Still laughing, Delilah reached out and turned on the lamp, then called out. “We’re in the living room, Tessa!”
Tessa came to the door of the living room and looked at them with her hands on her hips. “I looked in here. I didn’t see you.”
“I just turned the light on. We’ve been sitting here watching television.”
“In the dark?”
“Except for the T.V., yes. Is there some rule that says we can’t sit alone in the dark?” Delilah asked.
“Eww. No. But, just no.”
“You see?” Kaid asked.
Delilah shrugged slightly. “Eh, I suppose.” She turned her attention back to their daughter. “Why are you interrupting our show?”
“Brandt’s here.”
“Well, tell him to come in here,” Kaid said.
“He’s not inside. He’s just here. Waiting outside.”
“Let him come in,” Delilah said.
“He said he wanted to be invited in this time. I told him he’s needy.”
“Why would he need to be invited in when he usually just knocks and then walks in?” Delilah asked.
Kaid was already standing from the sofa and began moving toward the kitchen. “Protocol,” he said at the same time Tessa said it.
“Tessa, you come sit in here with me, or go to your room so your father can have the kitchen,” Delilah said.
“But I’m in the middle of my homework! Brandt already interrupted me, and now I can’t go finish?!” she asked incredulously.
Delilah stared at her daughter as she slowly turned her body and set her feet on the floor. “First, you will remember who you are speaking to. We are your parents, and Brandt is your Alpha.”
“Daddy’s my Alpha.”
“No, Daddy was your Alpha. He’s handed over that responsibility to Brandt. But Daddy is still your daddy and can treat you like the insolent toddler you seem to want to act like, any time he chooses. Am I clear?” Delilah demanded, her eyes flashing.
“Yes, but…”
