Dad clears his throat. “The thing is Max here hasfinally”—he eyes me pointedly—“told us what’s been going on for the last six months or so, and we’re just a little worried about safety.”
There’s that damn word again.
“Dad, I’m fine.”
“Wait up,” Mom says. “Just the other night you were telling us about rogue attacks, crazed wolves who wanted to kill you. It seems wherever you go, Jasper, trouble follows.”
Why is she doing this? Just when Jasper and I have worked through all of this, Mom is bringing it back up again like it’s hot tea ready for serving.
“We’re just worried about our son,” Mom says to Jasper. “As I’m sure you can understand. If we let you and Max see each other”—Let us! Excuse me?—“how do we know Max won’t be caught up in more political drama? How do we know he’s safe with you?”
“Mom, you’re being crazy. You don’t get to choose whether we see each other, just like you can’t choose if we’re mates or not.”
“Max, don’t speak to your mother like that,” Dad says.
“We have a right to know,” Mom drones on. “You’re our child, we need to know you aren’t in danger.”
“I’m not!”
“And what about when Jasper becomes the alpha—what happens then?”
“How can you even ask that?”
“It’s a valid question.”
“But you’re being ridi—”
“You’re right,” Jasper says, lifting his head for the first time in minutes and cutting me off. “My life is difficult and it’s not always safe to be around me. That’s why I called things off with Max in the past, why I tried to put so much distance between us. Even hurt him to push him away.”
Jasper is making direct eye contact with Mom and Dad now. The three of them are locked in a staring contest, but somehow understanding is beginning to dawn on my parents’ faces.
“But I’ve come to learn,” Jasper continues, “nothing is as painful or as dangerous as not being with Max. He is my mate and being apart is not an option for us. So I have made it my goal to protect Max and do all I can to keep him safe. He is…” Pausing briefly, Jasper turns to look at me. “He is the most important thing in my life. And I will do everything in my power to make sure he is never hurt, or in pain, or put in any kind of danger again. I will protect him with my life.”
I smile at Jasper and take his hand. When I glance back at my parents, they both have tears in their eyes. Dad has reached up to put his hand on Mom’s.
“Well said.” Dad wipes away a tear with the back of his sleeve.
I glare at Mom, who, despite her glassy eyes, hasn’t backed all the way down just yet.
“Things aren’t going to be easy for you two,” she says.
“Mooooom!”
“But I think…I think together you have a pretty good chance.”
Ugh.The conversation has turned from overzealous interrogation to embarrassingly sentimental and it’s more than I can take.
“Great, so can we go?”
“Yes, you may,” Mom says. “Just be home by eleven.”
I roll my eyes but can’t help the grin creeping across my lips. “Great, see you later.”
I hop up, pulling Jasper with me. But before we can even make it to the hall he’s let go of my hand and turned around.
“Thank you,” he says, despairingly earnestly, to my parents. “I’m pleased to have met you.”
“You too, son.” Dad shakes Jasper’s hand, and Mom, after a moment of hesitation, grabs him in a tight hug.
