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"We agreed you'd check in regularly, didn't we? What if a hunter had gotten to you? How would we ever know?"
She's such a worrier. The worst part is that she's right. If someone had come after me, they wouldn't have had a clue. But I'm doing everything I can to keep myself safe. I have my security systems and my wolf to protect me. Besides, I'm always super careful not to do anything to give myself away.
"I'll try to call more often, Mom.”
She sighs loudly. "We worry about you, Jordan. You're our son. We want you to be happy. To find a mate and settle down."
She's silent for a long moment, as if she's waiting for some response. I know what she wants to hear, but I'm not gonna say it. I'm tired of saying it. Tired of telling her that I'm looking for a mate when I'm not. Tired of pretending to be even remotely interested in settling down and starting a family.
I've got too much on my plate, especially now that my app has gone viral. I spend all day, every day talking to potential users, answering questions, or helping them solve problems. There are so many things I want to do to improve the app. So many ways I can expand its functionality. I've got a lot of ideas and not nearly enough time to implement them all.
"It's okay, Mom," I finally reply. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Because your father and I just want what’s best for you."
"I know. I’ve got to go right now, but I'll call you soon. I promise." I hang up the phone before she can say anything else and lean against the wall. My head feels much better now that the pressure's off. Maybe I should go home for a while. It'll make Mom happy, and I wouldn't say no to some of Mom's cooking either.
I twist my fingers together in my lap as I stare down at the phone in my hand. My app is doing really well these days. I'm making money hand over fist, and my investors are ecstatic.
Maybe taking a few days off will give me the inspiration I need to solve the last of the UX issues that have been plaguing the app for the last few days.
With that thought in mind, I send a text to let my mom know I'll be spending the weekend at home with them.
She immediately responds with a heart emoji.
Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll make her famous roast beef for dinner tonight. Just thinking about that savory dish makes my mouth water.
But the daydream doesn't last long. Mom's next text follows the first one almost immediately.I'm glad you're coming home. We've got something really important to talk to you about.
That's unsettlingly ominous. I know better than to try and get details out of my mom over text, though. Not because she's particularly good at keeping secrets, but because she's really bad at texting.
Okay. I'm going to need way more caffeine before I'm able to deal with my family and whatever the hell they want to talk about.
I make a mental note to swing by the coffee shop down the street before I drive back. With my laptop safely stowed in my messenger bag, I sling it over my shoulder. There's no cell service out at my family’s cabin, and the internet connection is...subpar at best. I definitely won't be able to provide any tech support while I'm out there.
But I might be able to get some work done offline. That's if my parents leave me alone for more than five minutes at a time. I know my mom's going to fuss over me incessantly as soon as I walk through the door. Which is embarrassing for an alpha, to say the least.
I love my parents, but they're more than a little overbearing at times. They mean well, but they want me to fill a very specific role within the pack. One that I don't have any interest in. At least, not right now. I don't feel like cashing in the rest of my youth to settle down with some omega, pop out a bunch of kids, and spend the rest of my life tending to pack duties like all the silver-muzzled elders.
My little office is on the fifth floor of a building in one of the cheaper parts of Seattle. It's only a few hundred square feet, but it's more than enough space for my purposes. Having access to a quiet workspace, good internet, and a business address that isn't anywhere near my home is more than worth the inconvenience of having such a long commute.
By the time I get to my car, I'm feeling a little more optimistic about heading home for the weekend. Even if my parents decide to rehash the old arguments about finding a mate and settling down, it'll be nice to see them. I miss sleeping in my old bed, eating my mom's food, and their shower. In short, I'm looking forward to a break.
As I pull out into traffic, I realize this will be the first time my mom and I have spent any extended amount of time together since I started working on my app.
I'm still smiling an hour later as I turn onto my parents' private road. But the grin fades when I spot their truck parked in front of the cabin. Dad's already home. As one of the elders of the pack, he usually spends most of his time roaming the woods and patrolling the land around the scattered cabins of the pack members.
My pack resides on a piece of property consisting of several miles of heavily wooded forest. Clusters of cabins dot the forest, each one belonging to a different pack member and their family.
The cabin my parents live in is one of the more centrally located areas. It's the closest to the private drive that leads back to the main highway, and that makes it the most exposed. My father's name is on the title to the land, and before him, his father held the deed.
Most modern packs have done away with the concept of a singular alpha ruling the entire pack, but if we still had one alpha in charge, my father would be him. As it is, my family's role is the most pivotal to the survival of the pack. If hunters ever tracked us back here, my family would be the first line of defense.
From an early age, I was memorizing paths through the woods to the nearest cabins so I could warn the rest of the pack in case of danger. I spent countless nights running blind through the darkness until I could trace the trails with or without my wolf.
I'm glad I never had to make use of that knowledge.
But as I pull my car into place beside my dad's truck, I catch myself wistfully looking toward the woods. I wouldn't mind a nice long run before facing my parents. My wolf has been cooped up in the city for too long and would love the exercise as well.
