She blinks, opens her mouth, and my heart pounds as I wait to hear what she’s going to say in response to that, but a man in a tuxedo appears at our elbows.
“Excuse me, sir and ma’am, but we are proceeding with the reception dinner. We ask that you be seated.”
Maeve closes her mouth, and I try not to be too grumpy about the interrupted moment as Tuxedo takes us to our table.
“Felix,” my mom says the moment she sees me, standing up and kissing me on both cheeks. It’s not something we do normally, but anytime we’re at an event for the rich cousin, she seems to think it’s necessary. “You haven’t been answering my calls.”
“Sorry, Mom,” I say simply, knowing all the calls were going to be about Maeve. “I’ve been super busy with stuff at the firehouse.”
“What could you possibly be busy with?” she asks, taking her seat and glancing around. I can tell she wants to rip into me, but she is also highly aware of our surroundings. “There hasn’t been a fire in months, Felix—”
The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“Xeran is making me the leader of my own squad,” I say, and when my mother and father’s mouths drop open, I go on.“We’re getting another engine. I guess he thinks I have what it takes.”
“Oh,honey,” my mother says, reaching out and putting her hand on my dad’s shoulder. “Oh, that’s wonderful. I had no idea.”
She had no idea, and she’s not sure why Xeran would ever choose me when there are so many other guys who could do it—Soren, Lachlan, Kalen. Any of them is more serious and capable than I am. Sure, Lachlan used to use his money to do everything for him, but after having his baby with Valerie, he’s leveled out quite a lot. Kalen is a Sorel. Maybe he wasn’t raised as the incoming alpha supreme, but he knows about leadership. He watched his father do it for years. And besides, his last name already commands a significant amount of respect around here. Unlike mine, which is pretty middle-of-the-pack. A fact I did not enjoy sharing with the lawyer. I felt like he was trying to decide if I was good enough to be with Maeve.
And Soren is more than capable of being a leader. Hyper-aware of everything, constantly taking notes. Organized beyond comprehension, and even getting certified so he can work on the engines.
“Neither did I,” Maeve breathes, drawing me out of my thoughts. When she looks at me, her gaze holds something like a mix of pride and hurt—shewantedme to tell her first.
If I’d known she cared, I would have told her. I’d just pushed it out of my head and spent enough time telling myself it didn’t matter that it hadn’t occurred to me to share.
“Well, it’s true,” I shrug, and when my father lifts his drink in a mini-toast to me, my mother assures me it’s fine because the bride and groom haven’t even arrived yet.
If my mother is still angry about the thing with Maeve, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she seems completely mollified by this revelation. If I’d known this was all it took, I would have said yes to Xeran the first time to get her off my back.
To my shock, my parents even start to laugh and joke with Maeve as the meal goes on, and at some point, my mother follows Maeve on social media.
Halfway through the meal, another couple joins us at the table, dropping down quickly and giving half-hearted apologies—they were running late. My mother gives them a disapproving look, but I try to be nice. It’s not like I’ve never been late before. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in skipping the ceremony—that’s the most boring part.
After getting situated in their seats, the woman’s eyes settle on Maeve. “Oh,my,” she says, sucking in a breath. “MaeveVillareal?”
Maeve instantly looks down. “Yes, that’s me. Do we know each other?”
The woman’s face darkens a bit. “I was the stenographer during your trial.”
I watch as Maeve’s jaw ticks. I’m not sure she would describe what happened as a “trial.” According to her, Holden Sorel announced it was she and Phina behind the fires—along with Valerie, who ran off—and condemned them in front of the entire pack. Their punishments were severe manual labor. And Maeve left as soon as hers was over.
“Oh,” Maeve says, and I’m already bristling at her discomfort. She opens her mouth, but it’s clear she doesn’t quite know what to say to that.
“I heard you left Silverville,” the woman says, tucking her napkin onto her lap. “I’m surprised you decided to come back.”
My parents sit quietly, taking it in, but I can’t.
“Why?” I ask, leaning forward, meeting the woman’s eyes. She’s a beta, so not as swayed by my status as an alpha, but she still lowers her gaze.
“I’m sorry?” she asks. “Why…?”
“Why are you surprised a woman decided to return to her hometown after the passing of her grandmother?”
“Oh,” the woman says, glancing again at Maeve and seeming appropriately cowed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know—”
“Of course not, because you didn’t bother to ask.”
“Felix—” my mom tries, a mollifying note to her tone.
