Tiger's Mate

Chapter 46

•Ethan•

I never thought I would feel so unnerved sitting in my own home. Then again, I never thought I would be as terrified by my mother as I was then; sitting on the plush seat across from her, doing anything to keep myself from physically shrinking under her piercing gaze. She sat like an empress, all taunt relaxation and commanding aura. Even in her casual business clothes, she looked as regal as ever. This was the woman that made our pack's fearsome alpha kneel — both in hand and in spirit. No wonder my father used to threaten me with her temper as a child if I did something bad. I had almost forgotten this; the look she bore down on me, sharper than any words. Not anger. Not disgust. Dissapointment. And it stung worse than any other emotion could.

"Ethan." Her voice was quiet, and yet in cut through the silence like a knife. "Your father will be here soon. Now, I wish for you to explain to me, just us. Make me understand what was going through your head."

It had all happened so fast the way I remembered it. I could barely find the words to describe the relief that had coursed through me when I saw Katski, unharmed, running towards me like I was the last human on earth. The way he had clung to me had sent joy unlike any other through my body. And then It had all come apart. My mother's patrol had caught up to me. There had been no time to hide him. No time to do anything other than stand in front of him as members of my family circled around us like we were prey.

My mother had been at the lead. Other wolves may not have been able to tell what Katski's scent was, but she could. She knew. And the way her fur bristled and her eyes glowed with anger had made ever core instinct in myself to protect falter. I couldn't fight her. Not my mother, not my packmates. I was useless.

And now I was here; sitting in my parents office like I had done as a child, Katski locked in my bedroom (as per my only demand that no one hurt him). I knew Maia and Sage would get wind of this, and when they did, they would guard him. For now, it still left me unsettled that a pair of guys from the patrol had been left to guard my room — to make sure Katski didn't get out.

I messed up big time. I could only imagine what was going through his head right now, and how terrifying this was for him. If it was up to me, I would have never let them separate us. But it wasn't. And for once, I decided that fighting my way out was not the option here, not if I wanted to keep my mate safe.

"I..." Where did I even start? What would make my mother understand that he wasn't a threat?

I started at the beginning. That first day when he walked into history class.

"How could you not come to us with this?" My mother questioned after I had finished my story, though while I had been expecting anger, there was none.

"Because...I couldn't lose him," I answered weakly. "I didn't know how to tell you. Father had already made that deal. I know I'm a screw up as it is I just...didn't want you and father to be even more dissapointed in me than you already are."

And there it was. I said it.

"Son."

I straightened as the voice rang out from behind me. My father was standing in the open door, his eyes dark and his face solemn as he walked into the room, took a stand in front of my chair, and kneeled in front of me until we were at eye level with one another. "Ethan, we are your parents," he said. "Despite the brash things you do and the numerous principal notes I get..." his eyes seemed to shine with a touch of mischief at that, "we could never think of you as a dissapointment to us. Never."

"How about now?" I asked. "I claimed the 'rogue' werecat you've been hunting as my mate and have been lying to you and the pack for months now. Even as your son, I broke pack law."