The Unexpected Mate

Part 26

Renee was waiting for us at my locker when we got there. "Hey there Tuna."

"Renee!!" I scolded her but Troy thought it was hilarious.

"Hey there mutt." He said nodding in her direction. I looked at Renee to see how she would respond to that, usually calling a werewolf a mutt was an insult. Renee wasn't offended, she was actually laughing.

Renee looked at me, "I like him." Okay, apparently insulting each other is going to be their thing.

"Me to" I responded shaking my head. I had a feeling Renee and Troy would get a long great and would get in trouble together.

"So, I've been thinking." Renee leaned against the locker next to mine, "Since Troy's family doesn't keep secrets like a certain pack that we know, we should go to them and start asking questions. They've got to know something that can help or at least know someone who may know something." Troy looked at me with a smirk and raised eyebrow, we had said we were going to keep our relationship a secret for now. I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a sheepish grin before glaring at Renee for spilling the beans about me spilling the beans to her.

"Oh he had to know you were going to tell, I'm your best friend!" Renee said as she turned to Troy. "Get used to it now, her and I have no secrets."

"Well I hope she doesn't tell you certain, private things." Troy looked at me and winked, I could feel my cheeks instantly going red.

"Wait!" Renee stuck her finger in my face. "Did you, you know? And you didn't tell me? How could you not tell me that? That's a big deal! How could you not tell me about your first time?" She looked generally hurt and I could have punched Troy for giving her the idea we did anything other than kiss.

"Whoa, calm down. Nothing like that happened!" I glared at Troy who was too busy trying to hold in his laugh.

"Good. You better tell me when it does and I want every detail. Promise?" She gave me her serious look and I nodded that I promised. I hoped she would forget this promise, I couldn't even tell her about us kissing let alone when we do something else.

"So back to asking Troy's parents for information." I said trying to steer the conversation away from my love life.

"Oh yes! Do you think they would tell you if they know anything? Maybe they know more than they've told you over the years." Renee directed the question to Troy.

"I thought about that to, what do you think little fish? Want to come to my house after school and we can talk to them together?" Troy and Renee looked at me for my response. I gulped and felt my eyes widen, meet his parents? They already freaked out when they found out that Troy had the pull towards me, what would they say once they knew he was my mate? Would they be okay with having a werewolf in their home?

"I already told them about us if that's what you're worried about." Troy answered the question he must have known I was thinking.

"What if they don't like me? What if they don't like that I'm a werewolf?" I whispered.

"What if they don't like you? Seriously? Their son is the mates with the daughter one of the strongest Alphas, how could they not be impressed?" Renee questioned.

"It will be fine little fish, besides, we need to find answers. I want everyone to know we are together, but until we figure out a plan it has to stay a secret. It's not just us involved in this." Troy was right, this involved more than just the two of us. It involved a whole pack.

The bell rang signaling home room, "Meet me for lunch?" Troy asked.

"Of course." I smiled at him. He looked around to make sure no one was watching before quickly kissing the side of my head. "See ya mutt." He nodded at Renee as he headed for his homeroom.

"He's great Annie, I'm so happy you found him and he's not a jerk." Renee told me as we headed towards our homeroom. Once morning announcements were done, we were free to sit and talk quietly or do homework. I pulled out my Chemistry homework that I hadn't gotten done last night and started doing the reading.

Renee scooted her chair over close to mine and leaned in. "Don't be mad but I told Scarlet about your 'issue'."

"Renee!" I said a little too loud and earned a stern look for our teacher. I mouthed sorry to her and lowered my voice. "No one can know about this! It has to be a secret, it's not just me and Troy that are involved!"

"Shhhh calm down. You know we can trust Scarlet, and her parents are on the research team. The research team that has information about certain fishes that we need to know about." Renee gave me the wink wink as if I didn't know who she was talking about. "I know I should have asked you first before I said anything to her but I'm worried about you and what will happen. I've seen the way you look at Troy, there's no way you will reject him. Meaning we need to figure something out or you're going to disappear on me. I can't lose you." She whispered the last part and I could see tears forming in her eyes.

I reached across our desks and squeezed her hand. "You will never lose me, and you're stuck with me for life." I smiled at her reassuringly. Deep down I worried too, there may come a time when I will lose her, my family, and Troy. The bell rang ending homeroom just then so I didn't share my concerns with her.

"It will all work out Annie, just you wait and see." Renee gave me a reassuring smile as we parted ways outside of homeroom. I really hoped she was right.

I was trying very hard to pay attention in Math but all I could think about was lunch with Troy afterwards. My teacher didn't notice that I was distracted thankfully, I usually missed stuff anyways so my getting a question wrong didn't raise suspicion. Finally the bell rang and I quickly threw my book into my bag and raced for the door. My steps faltered a little bit as I saw Troy leaning against wall waiting for me. If every math class ended with Troy standing outside the door waiting for me I think I could learn to enjoy it. No, that's a lie, I don't think anything could make me enjoy math.

"Are you ready?" Troy asked.

"Yes." I noticed he had a big brown paper sack in his arms and I motioned to it. "What's that?"

"I made us a picnic lunch." He smiled with pride.

"If he's trying to earn brownie points he is succeeding." Nan said making me laugh.

"What's so funny?" Troy asked as we headed out one of the side doors and went into the woods.

"You scored brownie points with Nan by making lunch." I told him.

"Is that your wolfs name? I was so in awe by the site of her I didn't even introduce myself, how rude of me." Troy stopped in the middle of the trail and faced me. "Hello Nan, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, and might I say you are one beautiful creature." He said as he bowed.

"Oh my lanta, can we PLEASE mark him now! I just want to-"

"WHOA! Okay! Enough of that!" I interrupted her in my head, Nan was getting excited and not the 'yay mom made pancakes!' kind of excitement.

"I'm guessing by the beat red color in your cheeks Nan approves?" Troy asked chuckling.

"I more than approve." Nan gave him a wolf whistle, and it's times like these I'm glad he can't hear her!

"So, what did you make us for lunch?" I asked trying to change the subject. We reached the clearing and sat down on the same log as yesterday.

"Nice subject change, but I made us PB&J's, macaroni and cheese, applesauce, and for dessert...." He pulled out six chocolate covered strawberries, my mouth instantly watered.

"I know it's a weird combo but it's all I know how to make." He shrugged his shoulders.

I leaned over and kissed him, "It's perfect." It honestly was, I loved everything he had made!

As I reached for a strawberry I asked Troy about his family, "I should probably know something about them before I meet them, what are they like? Oh, do they prefer to be called Mr. and Mrs. Alexander? Or do I call them by their first names?"

Troy cleared his throat, "Umm, actually you should probably start off with calling them Your Highness's."