The Mates of Monsters
Chapter 53

We gather for dinner around the dressed dining table. David sits at the head, I take my place to his right, and Ken squeezes my shoulder reassuringly as he settles to my right. My parents sit across from Ken and me, my mother in my direct line of vision. With my mind conjuring tests, I can't help but believe this is another. The Goddess seems to entertain me when my mother is the first to speak mere seconds after everyone has gotten comfortable.

"You drink now, Brigette?" My mother questions, looking to my glass.

My mouth opens a beat before my words come out. "Yes, I do, Mom. Just wine. Just at dinner."

"Of course. By all means, dear," she waves me on. "I was only curious; you've changed so much."

My mother turns her interests to David's father, asking about his position as Alpha, but avoiding the tempting inquiries about his absent mate. She must know, then, that Anne is gone and has been for a while.

"And how long did you hold the position for?"

"About thirty years. Started when I was twenty-six and turned it over to David just two years ago," Ken answers. "I'm glad he found Brigette so soon. It's nice to have someone to come home to-to try harder for. I'm sure you understand, Dale." My father nods. "I do. Family is everything."

I sip my wine and think about Helena's lemon meringue pie. I think about eating some right out of the dish in the middle of the night, on the counter with the lights off. I think about getting out of these clothes once everyone has left. I think about David and I taking advantage of that.

"Please, David, Brigette, tell us how you are; how you're doing."

"We're great," I say, my voice a bit raw. My eyes find his.

"Yes, we are," he says, seamless. "We've been doing well for a while now. There was some adjusting to do at first, but I think we're at a place where we are understanding each other. She has made many sacrifices for us, as I'm sure you're familiar with." My mother smiles endearingly at David, then turns to me. "As I said, you've changed, Brigette. You've grown so much so quickly."

"He's brought it out of me."

It's like saying: he made me change. He made me sacrifice. David surely brought out a lifetime of suppressed emotion, but did I willingly chose to give up my dreams? To sacrifice would be to give them up myself. Did I sacrifice them, or did he? These guards and borders tell my mother one thing, but my heart knows the truth. David knows the truth."

"Regardless, I'm happy to hear the two of you are doing well. That's all I want, as your mother. I'm sure your father feels the same."

"Of course," he murmurs.

The meal carries on and my wine glass runs dry. David asks my parents about themselves, and the story of how they met resurrects from my memory as my mother says she'll tell the tale.

"My family had lived at many packs. Since I was a little girl, I've lived at-including our home-I've lived at four. My father worked for the Union, keeping track of the land and topography and borders of the packs," she says, making my brows furrow.

She's never said that; I've never known of my Grandfather's work with the union. He never told me such things, only stories of my grandmother. Why wouldn't she tell me? Maybe I didn't think to ask. Maybe I was too caught up in everything except our world.

"My mother wanted to send me with the other girls to travel and find my mate, but my father didn't want me to leave. He said I would find him eventually because we moved around so often. My mother got her way, as it tended to be, and I went off for three months. When I came to Orrick, I was close to taking a break, going home for a bit to rest and stay put. It was by luck I came close enough to your father to know."

This part, I'm familiar with.

"He had just earned the Beta position for Alpha Orrick as Alpha Orrick took over for his father. He was so nervous for his first day officially on the job, that he got sick in the middle of the night and ran out for fresh air. You see, I was feeling homesick and snuck away from the other girls to watch the stars. It was dead quiet except for the crickets. We were both shifted. Both caught each other's scent. Both knew, in a sense. He came out of the bushes and all we could do was stare at each other." She smiles and shakes her head. "Obviously, we couldn't shift back and have our first meeting be stark naked. So we spent our first hour together as wolves until we separated to dress. It was so special."

She places her hand in my father's and squeezes. He nods-as he does-and gives her that look that says, we are one.

"My father didn't want me to find my mate then," she continues, again sharing information unknown to me. "He wanted me to stay with him and help him work. We were moving to England soon, and he had many plans for us there-trips and adventures. But he knew he couldn't ask me to leave your father behind, and it broke his heart to see me go. I always thought that's where you got your love of the world, Brigie-from my father. I saw him in you so many times. When he passed, I knew a part of him would live on through you." The table falls silent. I know everyone is waiting for me to say something sweet in response, but I...

David reaches under the table and touches my leg. I look to him as my chest rises. "Sorry," I mutter and collect myself, facing our guests, our family. "I just-I never knew that."

"I thought now we be a nice time," my mother tells me with speckles of motherly wisdom in the color of her eyes.