Page 123 of Trick Knot Treat

I don’t blame him at all.

Chapter 29

Jace

Clint throws a tea towel across the room and storms towards the front door. I get up and follow, worried about the fury that is suddenly pouring off him. I’m about to ask what’s wrong when he rips open the door and steps out, forcing our parents to step back.

“Clint,” his dad acknowledges.

“Here to ruin my life at the expense of yours again?” Clint asks conversationally.

I wince, but then wish I hadn’t when I find my mother glaring at me. Her eyes are flinty, and her lips are pinched into a horrible twist.

“Hey, Mum.”

“You’re here.”

I look back over my shoulder, hoping Zaire and Felix have gotten Khione out of here. To my dismay, she is making her way towards us.

I turn and walk out, pulling the door shut behind me. I’d rather deal with her upset than hurt by whatever bullshit my mother spouts.

“You need to go home. You can’t stay here, it's not seemly,” Mum says with a sniff.

I snort a laugh, exchanging a look with Clint.

“Go home,” he says in exasperation. “You are embarrassing yourselves.”

“Don’t speak to your mother like-”

“Not my mother. My mother is dead. This is a woman you started dating when I didn’t need a mother anymore. And he sure as fuck didn’t need a father, he’s got one, and you know what? Pat is great. We love Pat, he accepts us for who we are.”

Mum narrows her eyes. “You can’t do this. The whole town is talking about it. It is a child’s job, your duty to help improve our family name.”

“What family name?” I ask tiredly. “We don’t have one. We are simply people who exist in Sunshine Cove. You will never dethrone the Sols, Mother. It’s time to stop.”

They decide to change tactics. “Are you still leaving to take that job?”

Clint frowns. “How did you know about that?”

They smile triumphantly.

“You have a job waiting for you. Take it. Leave town and explore. It will be amazing for you.”

Clint’s lips press together in a white line.

“And your firefighter. He’s not who he says he is. Did you know that he almost killed a couple of children? He was stood down.”

I snarl, stepping towards my parents, but Clint hauls me back.

“Forget them,” I whisper urgently.

“The Sol’s will never accept you, either of you,” my mum says with cutting cruelty. “Your date will be waiting for you. We can arrange it the day you call this farce off.”

“I’m not calling it off.”

“So, you’re fine with the fact that your omega has an alpha waiting for her to go back and bond with?”

My stomach drops out from under me. Wait? What?