A Thorn in the Side
CAELAN
I burst into my office, slamming the door behind me as I prowled the room. I couldn’t sit there and listen to that any longer. It was infuriating to hear anyone speak about my mate the way Sunny had.
And to strike her in front of everyone?!
It made me wonder how many times she’d done that before. It had been too swift a reaction for it to have been a one-off.
It’d been clear from the start that Sunny wanted to reinforce the fact that Shade was beneath her. She’d referred to her as a servant from the moment I arrived.
It almost seems like she thought we’d be impressed. But all she’s really done is make me even more disgusted with her.
I still didn’t know much about Shade. Taffy had tried to get past her defenses, but she kept herself tucked tightly inside her shell. However, it was becoming more apparent that others were to blame for her distant nature.
She’s probably been bullied into submission. Told she doesn’t matter as much to the pack. Not like Sunny. That girl is the most self-important she-wolf I’ve ever met. That display at dinner proved as much. I would never make someone like that my luna.
If it were up to me, I’d have Sunny dismissed first thing in the morning. She never really stood a chance anyway. Even if Shade hadn’t been my mate, Sunny’s energy had rubbed me the wrong way from the very moment she introduced herself. And now I knew why.
A knock at the door snapped me out of my reverie. I sniffed the air and then bid for the wolf on the other side to enter. I knew that scent well, and she wasn’t the kind of female who liked to be kept waiting.
“Caelan,” my mother greeted as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.
“Mother,” I grumbled, not really wanting to speak to anyone right now.
“Would you like to explain to me what happened at dinner?” she bid as she walked over to the couch and took a seat.
“Not really,” I muttered through clenched jaws.
If I were going to trust either of my parents with the news that I’d found my mate, it would definitely have been my mother. However, I didn’t want to put her in the position of having tokeep a secret from my father while I figured out how to present my fated mate to him.
Also, my mother’s opinion on who would be the next luna mattered a great deal to me. I worried she might disapprove of Shade and try to convince me to let her go.
“Well, you may not want to discuss it, but I do,” she said sharply, making her intentions clear as she casually smoothed a hand down her dress. “I don’t care for that Sunny girl.”
A low growl escaped me at the mention of her name. “The omega from her pack though,” she continued, my ears perking up as the conversation shifted to my mate. “Now,herI find intriguing.”
“In what way?” I pressed, curious to see what my mother was getting at. “Well, she’s beautiful, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” my mother hinted, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “The energy she exudes is calming, caring, and much more befitting of a future luna. I’m curious about her eyes though. Such a peculiar color. They’re strange, yet somehow still…”
“Breathtaking,” I offered, my voice full of longing.
My mother snapped her fingers victoriously. “Ah-ha! I knew it!”
“W-what?” I stammered.
“You couldn’t keep your eyes off her at dinner. And don’t think I didn’t notice you were waiting for her to eat,” she accused, a playful smile on her lips.
“What are you talking about?” I argued as I waved a dismissive hand at her. “After you and Father ate, I took a bite of mashed potatoes.”
“You did, but you didn’t eat them,” she remarked, tossing herlong brunette hair over her shoulder. “I saw you spit it into your napkin.”
“How did you notice that from your seat?” I groaned, running my hand over my face. “You were at the other end of the table!”
“I’m your mother, Caelan! Just because you’re the alpha now doesn’t mean you can get one past me,” she replied. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell meimmediatelythat you had found your fated mate!”
“Huh?” I asked.
I thought she’d be upset, but she sounds thrilled.
