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“You didn’t mate with your stepbrothers?” Mom asks gently.
I glance at the ceiling for guidance. “I did, but it wasn’t on purpose. At least, not exactly.”
“And how long did you plan on hiding this from us?” Lock asks, voice deceptively calm.
Trenton still hasn’t moved. I study him as I answer. “We were going to tell you Friday.” My voice is strained, so I clear my throat before continuing. “I knew they were my scent match the first day we met, but I never intended to claim them since, you know, we’re family, but”—I laugh nervously—“clearly, that failed.”
No one speaks.
“Uh, what did Mr. Mosley tell you?” I ask Mom, the safest of options. She doesn’t seem pissed, but I can’t get a read on what she’s thinking.
“He told us about this...development,” Wyatt begins. “Then he proceeded to blackmail us.”
“Blackmail?” I ask with a gasp.
“He’d keep your dirty secret, so long as we paid him a set amount. Indefinitely.” Lock scowls at the wall. “I don’t know who the prick thinks he is coming into our house and threatening?—”
“The point is,” Mom cuts in. “The point is that there shouldn’t be secrets between family. At least, not secrets like this, sweetie.”
“So, you guys aren’t...grossed out? Mad? Ashamed?” I can’t help asking. I have to know, or I’ll always worry.
“Of course not,” Lock says with a scoff. “I suspected there were feelings. Had I known you all were scent matches, we would have had a talk with you.”
“And scent matches are a beautiful thing, Quinn.” Mom stands and walks toward me.
“But my dads?—”
“Fuck them,” she says.
I laugh. She just cussed. “They left you,” I begin again. “For their scent match.”
“And what does that have to do with you, honey?” She stops in front of me and searches my face.
My eyes bounce between hers. “I just worried this would destroy the happy family you found. It’s not normal.”
Her features soften, and she wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tight. “Everything about this is normal. They’re your alphas. Your destiny. I’m so sorry you thought you had to hide it from me. I wish”—she chokes up—“I wish I’d handledyour fathers’ leaving a little better. Seen a doctor sooner to help me deal with the depression.”
“Mom.”
“No, Quinn.” She leans back and cups my face, eyes watery. “My sweet girl. I had no idea how much I hurt you because I was hurting. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’m all right.”
“But you weren’t. For a long time. Please don’t try to protect me, okay? I’m the parent. I should protect you.”
A tear slips down my cheek. “Okay.”
She smiles. “Okay.”
I glance at Trenton, who is watching us. “Are you okay with this?”
He raises his eyebrows. “Yes. What I’m not okay with is that fuck face threatening my family, and I can’t help wondering how he knew. Why was he so interested in your relationships?”
Wyatt clenches his jaw. “Does this have to do with why you left the internship?”
Lock leans forward in his seat. “What did he do?”
Sighing, I pat Mom’s hands before pulling away. “Yeah. It’s a long story.”
