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Unfortunately, that plan is dashed to pieces when I catch sight of Dad peering through the screen door of the front porch.
I guess it's time to get this over with.
3
CALEB
Early-morning light streams between the slats of the blinds. It probably would've woken me up if I'd actually been asleep. I was exhausted after work yesterday, and by the time everyone went home last night, I was practically dead on my feet.
But once I was finally alone in my bed, my thoughts started to spin, and they refused to stop.
On my nightstand is the small box containing the necklace my parents gave me. Every time I close my eyes, I see the brilliant cut ruby, swinging on the pendant in front of me. I imagine it sparkling in the sunlight as I run my fingers over the smooth chain.
Then I picture myself wearing it.
The thought of it resting around my throat makes my chest ache, and I can’t help wondering why my parents gave it to me. What did they expect it to accomplish? Why couldn't they just give me a hug and tell me that everything would be alright?
I feel abandoned. Alone.
And I hate it.
I sit up in bed and reach for the box. When I lift the lid, the silky red cloth falls away and the ruby catches the light from outside my room. It sparkles like a star shining in the depths of space.
"Why?" I whisper to the ruby. "What am I supposed to do with this? I'm tired of all the expectations. I'm sick of feeling like I'm fighting something inevitable."
It takes me a moment to realize I’m not talking to the necklace. I’m talking to myself. It’s a habit I fall into whenever I need to clear my head.
But then I hear another voice. A familiar one.
"Because it's tradition."
My mother's voice is low and hushed. She’s speaking softly so she doesn’t wake up my father. I don't bother lifting my gaze to look at her. Instead, I continue to stare at the ruby in its box.
"Tradition is important. It's what keeps our family safe and secure. Your father and I love you. You know that. We don't want you to feel forced into anything. We want you to feel happy and loved and fulfilled."
I finally look over at her. "Does this mean you're going to let me decide for myself whether or not to mate?"
My mother falls silent and refuses to look me in the eye for a long moment. She exhales heavily and sits beside me on the bed. "You know I love your father, right?"
"It's kinda obvious." The two of them are always doting on each other. Always smiling, holding hands, stealing a quick kiss or a fond hug. Even a complete stranger could see that they're deeply in love. "That's what I want. I want a mate I love as much as you and Dad love each other."
She tilts her head and sighs. "But it didn't start like that."
"What do you mean?"
"When your father and I met, it was not quite love at first sight. We were like oil and water." She shakes her head with a soft smile. "We didn't get along, but we had a duty to fulfill. As the alpha son of an elder, your father was expected to continue the bloodline. I was the daughter of the last surviving member of a pack that was destroyed by hunters. We knew we had to put our differences aside and do what was best for the future of our people."
Her words are quiet but firm. There's a weight behind them that makes me sit up straighter. She's never told me about the start of their relationship.
"Our first meeting was less than pleasant. For both of us. I remember thinking how much I hated him. Everything about him repulsed me, but we had to pretend otherwise. We had to put on a brave face and pretend we liked each other because appearances matter.”
I reach for her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. If I didn’t know how things turned out for her, I’d feel very sad for her right now.
"Your father tried to make conversation with me, but I didn't want to talk to him at all. I was angry and scared. I didn't want to marry someone I hated." She pauses there, staring at the ruby on my nightstand. Her eyes are wide, her mouth turned down in sadness. I can only imagine how difficult it must've been for her to admit something like that. "But he persisted."
Shocked, I wait for her to continue. "What did he do?"
"He kept talking to me. Politely pressuring me to respond. I didn't want to hear it, but he kept at it. Eventually, I got so frustrated that I snapped at him and stormed off. Later, he apologized and told me he was just trying to make me feel welcome in the pack. He didn't like seeing me so miserable."
