All I could do was stand there, frozen, waiting for Evander to walk through the door and explain everything. Waiting for her to ask the question, I didn’t know how to answer.
Waiting for something, anything, to tell me what I was supposed to do.
None of my training had ever covered how to talk to someone outside of an Alpha. No one had taught me the protocol for this instant.
She didn’t move any closer. “Oh, sweetie, I really didn’t mean to startle you. My son hasn’t ever had a…someone over before.”
I shook my head; my eyes fixed on the floor. “I-I’m fine.”
She hesitated, then offered a small, reassuring smile. “I’m Maren. Evander’s mom.”
All I could manage was a shift in my feet.
“And you are?”
The question wasn’t demanding. Just curious. But it still made my pulse spike.
“K-Kasey.” I wasn’t sure if she caught it, but there was no way I was going to repeat it. I looked up at her a bit more, seeing light brown eyes looking back at me.
Her brows lifted slightly, but not in a bad way. More like she was filing the name away, trying to place it. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Kasey.”
“You too, Ma’am.” I did have manners if I didn’t know what else to do.
“Oh, none of that,” she said with a gentle laugh. “Just Maren is fine.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. She must’ve sensed the panic creeping up my spine, because she softened her voice even more. “I promise, I’m not here to bother you. I just came to drop something off for my son.”
She glanced towards the kitchen, then back at me. “Is he around?”
“He-he left.” I forced the words out. “Said he had work.”
Maren nodded slowly. “That’s new. He never works the day after…well today’s a special type of day and usually he’s taking a personal day.”
I had nothing to say, because I didn’t know Evander well enough yet to explain his time away, or his actions.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” she began, her voice still soft. “Are you from around here?”
I shook my head slowly. Yes, but not.
Would Evander be ashamed of his family to know he bought me from Lockswell? Would they tell him that I wasn’t worth his time, demanding that he get rid of me?
“I know you aren’t just passing through. Omegas don’t…well they don’t tend to let a strange Alpha help them if that’s the case. Even if my son has a big heart.”
Questions like that always felt like traps. Well, not a question but a statement that was meant for me to correct. It was easier to not answer, to let her assume whatever she wanted.
Maren hummed softly. “Do you have family around here?”
“No, Ma’am.”
Her expression softened even further, sympathy taking hold. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
I didn’t know what to do with that either.
She glanced at the bed, then came back to me. “You’re tidy. Evander never makes his bed.”
A tiny, startled sound escaped me, something almost like a laugh but too nervous to be one. She smiled at the reaction, like she’d been hoping to coax it out.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your work. I just wanted to say hello. And make sure you weren’t a burglar who does laundry before stealing the silverware.”
