The Mating Rules
Book 2 – Chapter 13

After blatant threats from my mother, Caden, Hadley and I are all sat uncomfortably at my mother’s table as she busies herself finishing off the meal she’s prepared.

Isaac is next to Caden with a huge smirk on his face, my brother is enjoying watching his best friend squirm under the gaze of my parents. Bailee is staring blatantly at Hadley from his right side, I swear that’s a bit of drool on her chin! That girl needs to put her tongue back in her mouth, this warrior is mine!

Next to Bailee is Philip who has his head buried in his phone, engrossed in a game as far as anyone can see but I’ve spotted his gaze flicking to Hadley more than once, seems Bails is not the only Sparks kid that’s a bit in awe of our visitor.

Between Philip and my father is Lauren who hasn’t said more than three words to me since I got here, I have a feeling that I have some a*s kissing to do to my baby sister.

‘Have you been doing colouring today Lauren?’ I call out over the table, trying to engage her in conversation. The little girl shrugs as she fiddles with her fork, avoiding my gaze.

‘What have you been colouring?’ Caden joins in, leaning forward so he can rest his elbows on the table. My sister’s face lights up as she focuses on my mate, seems only I am in trouble for not coming over these last few weeks.

‘I’ve got a new book’ she rushes out excitedly, ‘the Gamma gave it to me! Do you want to colour with me?’ she adds hopefully.

Caden grins, ‘uhh, yes!’ he replies enthusiastically, ‘how could you think I’d want to do anything else?’

Lauren giggles, smiling brightly as I silently sulk that my mate can get my sister to smile and talk and I’m sat here like a damn outcast in her world.

‘Here we go’ mum chimes, placing a plate in front of Caden and then Hadley as I try not to roll my eyes. It seems now that Caden is here as my mate rather than just Isaac’s best friend, he needs to be treated to mum’s important visitor manners.

The two men sit and wait as mum places food in front of the rest of us and takes her seat next to dad.

‘this look amazing Mrs Sparks’ Hadley says in appreciation as he unfolds his napkin and lays it across his lap.

‘Oh call me Lorna’ my mum replies happily, ‘and thank you, it’s my grandma’s recipe.’

Hadley takes a bite of the cottage pie and m***s his appreciation, ‘I hope this isn’t a family secret’ he g****s, ‘I would love to make this for Jamie-Lee sometime.’

‘Oh hush’ my mum gushes, waving her hand, ‘you are family, so you get all the recipes you want.’ She eyes my mate curiously, ‘you cook Hadley?’ she questions.

Hadley nods as he swallows another mouthful, ‘I do’ he replies, ‘my father taught me, it was kind of our bonding thing when we weren’t training.’

Mum nods, the corners of her lips tipping down slightly, ‘your parents were fine people’ she sighs, ‘it was a shock when they were taken from us.’

Hadley’s Adam’s apple bobs as he nods his head curtly, I can feel through the bond that even after all this time, their death is hard for him to talk about.

‘I wish they could have been here to meet Jamie-Lee’ he finally replies softly, ‘my mum always talked about the day I would meet my mate. I can guarantee that she never thought I’d be mated to someone as amazing as your daughter but I know she would have loved her as much as I do.’

‘Oh you are a charmer’ my mum murmurs, ‘it was certainly a surprise when Jamie-Lee came home and told me she had two mates, but seeing you both with her, I for one am glad you found a way to be together.’

My gaze flicks to my mother’s in surprise, she’s never given me the impression that she approved of me claiming both men before.

‘So are we’ Caden cuts in, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer so he can k**s my temple. ‘I firmly believe that the Goddess would not have gifted us both to Leeway if she wasn’t meant to keep us both.’

My mum nods in agreement as my father plays with his food, ‘don’t you agree dad?’ I ask pointedly, drawing everyone’s attention to my father as he jumps slightly.

‘I am glad you are happy JJ’ he replies carefully, side eyeing my mother who is openly glaring at him.

‘But’ I prod forcefully.

‘This is a dinner welcoming our new members to our family remember’ my mother growls warningly, her gaze flitting from me to my dad and back again.

‘I just worry about the future JJ’ my dad replies with a sad sigh, ‘I’m your dad, it’s built into me to worry about my children.’

Caden squeezes me as he answers, ‘I can respect that Greg’ he replies, ‘I will no doubt be the same over our children when the time comes, as will Hadley.’

Mum’s gaze snaps to the Alpha, her body literally vibrating at the mention of kids. ‘You think this will be sooner rather than later?’ she asks with fake innocence, ‘it’s never to early to be thinking about an heir.’

‘Mum!’ I hiss, my cheeks colouring as I close my eyes to my own embarrassment.

Beside me Caden laughs, taking my hand in his and raising it to his lips, ‘we are in no rush Lorna’ he chuckles, ‘but when we have news I’ll make sure that you are the first to know.’

‘So how is it going to work then?’ my brother Philip suddenly pipes up, ‘how will you know who’s kid it is? I assume you are all doing it together, do you have like a designated ho. . ‘

‘PHILIP!’ My mother snarls, cutting my younger brother off as Lauren looks around the silent table. ‘What?’ she demands, ‘they are doing what? What does designamarated mean?’

‘Nothing baby’ mum sing songs, ‘eat your dinner.’

My little sister pouts as she shoves her fork into the mashed potato, ‘no one tells me anything’ she grumbles under her breath.

‘Eat up, don’t let your food get cold’ mum says loudly as I hunch over my food, shoveling it into my mouth. Please Goddess, get me out of here before I replace out if it really is possible to die of mortification.

The meal finishes in silence and I jump up as soon as the last mouthful pushes between my lips, ‘well it’s been wonderful to see you all, but we really must . . ‘

‘Caden! You ready to colour?’ Lauren pipes up, glaring at me with barely concealed animosity.

‘Sure am pipsqueak’ Caden replies, standing up and picking up my plate along with his own, moving them to the kitchen unit ready for rinsing. ‘Let me just help wash up and I’ll be right in.’

Mum scrambles to her feet, shooing him away, ‘no no, you go ahead sweetie’ she coos, ‘Jamie-Lee and Bailee will rinse the plates and load them in the dishwasher.’

I gape at my mother, what? I don’t even live here!

Isaac stands up and pats my shoulder, ‘yeah sis, you and Bails can clear up for mum, show your appreciation for her hard work on this dinner’ he adds with a wink.

‘Philip, you can clear the table’ mum continues, ‘an Isaac, my flower bed is looking a little untidy, if you wouldn’t mind going out for half hour and doing a little weeding, you know, to thank your mother for all her hard work.’ She smiles sweetly up at my brother as Bailee and I snigger into our hands. I watch him stomp outside, muttering under his breath, serves him right, he shouldn’t have gloated!

‘What would you like me to do Mrs Spa . . uh Lorna?’ Hadley asks, picking up his own plate and carrying it to the sink.

‘Oh it’s fine dear’ my mum gushes, ‘you are a guest, you go into the living room with Greg and I’ll bring in some coffee for everyone.’

I roll my eyes behind the woman’s back, sheesh, she just said that my mates are family and now there is work to be done, they are guests.

Hadley smiles down at my mother, shaking his head, ‘I’ll go and help Isaac with the weeding’ he offers, ‘we can get a lot more done for you with two pairs of hands.’

He gives me a chaste k**s on the cheek before heading outside, closing the door behind him. My sister and I moved to the sink, where Philip has already dumped all the plates before running away in the fear that our mother will replace him another job to do. I turn on the water and rinse each plate before handing them to Bailee to load into the dishwasher rack.

Behind us, mum makes a tray full of coffee, carrying it into the living room as I wipe down the sides and my sister plays dishwasher tetris with the cooking dishes.

‘So?’ my sister asks as she glances over her shoulder at the door, ‘do they?’

I turn toward her, raising an eyebrow, ‘does who, what?’ I reply.

‘Do they have designated holes?’ Bailee prods, a grin spreading across her face. ‘do they tag team you? Oh my Goddess, do they top and tail you?’

I smother a shriek as my eyes widen at my sister, ‘that is none of your business!’ I hiss back, seriously! Does none of my family own a filter for their thoughts?!

‘Come onnnn’ Bailee whines, ‘curious minds want to know! Plus there is a pool going about what you three get up too and if I’m right about the top and tail, I’m in to win sixty bucks from the girls.’

Ignoring my sister, I wipe my hands on a tea towel and stomp out of the room, entering the living room to replace my parents sat on the sofa whilst Caden is sat cross legged on the floor next to Lauren. The Alpha has his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrates, carefully colouring in a princess dress with a blue crayon.

‘Rapunzel is my favourite, but I also like Moana’ Lauren is saying excitedly beside him as she colours her own princess picture in. ‘What about you? Which is your favourite princess?’

‘Uhh, I don’t really have a favourite’ Caden replies awkwardly, glancing back to replace me watching him in amusement.

Lauren nods sagely, ‘yeah, it’s hard to pick just one’ she agrees, ‘they are all really great but Rapunzel has super long hair that’s really strong and magic but Moana sails across an ocean all by herself!’

‘Can I join in?’ I ask, moving into the room and dropping down beside my sister who eyes me suspiciously.

‘I don’t know’ she replies, ‘I don’t want to get in the way of your important stuff.’

I give her a small pout, ‘I’m sorry I missed our dates this last month’ I murmur sadly, ‘I really did want to come, I missed you terribly. I had to make a really important decision and it took me a long time.’

Lauren tilts her head to the side studying me, ‘did you make it?’ she asks finally.

‘I nod, ‘yeah’ I reply, ‘it was a really big decision but I finally found what I was supposed to do.’

My sister nods, turning back to her picture and flipping the page to a new one and pulling it out before handing it to me. ‘You can colour this one’ she says simply and goes back to her princess. Smiling, I run my hand over her hair softly before grabbing a crayon and bending my head over the coffee table, starting to colour in my picture next to her.