Hidden Strength

Chapter eight

I was so worried things would go badly tonight, the first thing Tony whispered to me was "I can't believe that ass is my future Alpha and brother in law."

I couldn't help laughing, "you know we completed the mating process right?" I whispered back.

His deep scowl was his answer and I cracked up laughing all over again. "Don't give me that look," I laugh.

"If he hurts you again I'm going to kill him, or at the very least I'm going to RIP off his junk and stick it strait up his ass!" He grumbles.

But before I can reply back mom, dad, and Derek come over, but mom and dad go to get the food.

I can feel the tension between Derek and Tony, it's making me nervous. But they work it out even with Tony threatening Derek he doesn't seem to mind.

Mom and dad break the tension with food and my mouth waters at the smell.

"Tonight we have brussel sprouts with bacon, we have some rib eye steaks grilled and seasoned to perfection!

Your mother's famous mashed potatoes with all the fixings, the best rolls in the universe and the worlds best macaroni and cheese!

And for dessert we will be having Fresh apple pie with French vanilla ice cream." Dad says in his best announcer voice making me giggle, Tony rolls his eyes and Derek has a smile on his face.

"Food Glorious Food!" I quote Sid from Ice Age 2, making Tony roll his eyes again.

"Ok Sid pass me the mac n cheese.." he says while handing me the sprouts.

I stick out my tongue and pass the food, Derek quietly loads his plate passing food back and forth while watching us.

I get the feeling he still thinks we are a "thing" other than what we are. I mean eww and I hope not but yeah he's giving those vibes.

Or was till he licks some bacon grease off my thumb, then I'm blushing. Holy crap that came out of nowhere.

Mom and Dad laugh, "aww we don't get to see her blush often." Making me blush more and Tony laughs at me.

"Someone's a tomato," Tony says and I glared but then I smirk and he gets a worried look.

"Just wait till you're in my position we'll see what happens," I say and he rolls his eyes at me.

Tony privately links me, "do you really think I'll get a second chance mate?"

"Absolutely, you're too awesome to stay single forever. The Moon Goddess wouldn't let that happen to you." I say and he gets a small smile.

Derek looks at us but doesn't comment on it, instead he starts talking with mom and dad Rush about their day. Genuinely interested about their work and how things are going. Derek and Dad discuss Tony's future as a Gamma which makes him tense and extremely annoyed.

During dessert I end up eating two slices of pie with four scoops of icecream. That's right no shame, my first love has always been food, thank the Goddess for my fast metabolism.

By the end of dinner Tony and Derek were actually talking like normal people. The subject sports, ofcourse typical male bonding. I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they would fall out, making mom laugh.

I decided to help with washing the dishes since the guys appeared to be able to get along now.

"So are you happy Jess?" Mom asks with a pointed look, how does she know?

Before I ask she says that she knows what had happened before, Derek told them and vowed to never hurt me like that again.

Wow, saying I'm shocked is an understatement, he's lucky they didn't hurt him, again reading my reaction mom laughs.

"Oh I did threaten to take away his manhood if he ever does that again and dad said if he hurts you he would give him "to the pain" as punishment," mom says.

(For those who don't know what "to the pain" means watch The Princess Bride)

I couldn't help it I started giggling just imagining that conversation. "Omg does he even know what that means?" I say between giggles.

Smiling mom shook her head, "if the confused look on his face is anything to go by then no he doesn't have any idea," she says with mirth dancing in her eyes.

Well I know what we're doing when we go back to my house.

We continue talking and washing dishes occasionally hearing the guys debating on which football teams are better. I'm happy that tonight has been going so well. It feels like I'm complete, I'm not alone, this is how it should always be.

"Your mom called yesterday she was asking how you're doing, I guess her wolf sensed something so she was checking up on things," mom says side glancing at me.

"What did you say?" I ask.

"I told her you found your mate," she says while passing a dish to me.

"And?" I look at her.

"They will be home in two days," she says looking at me.

I look at mom surprised then without saying anything just go back to rinsing. Knowing that I need to process this we finish in silence.

I wonder what they think? Do they really care? Will they be happy for me? Will they want me to leave the house?

All this and more keep circling around in my head, even after we leave.

"What's wrong you've been really quiet since earlier, did something happen?" Derek asks worried.

"Mom said my parents are coming back in two days," I say plopping on the couch when we get inside my house.

"Is that bad? Do you not want them to meet me?" He sounds a little angry at the end.

"That's not it," I say reaching for him and he sits next to me pulling me into a sideways hug.

"Then what's wrong? Is there anything you need me to do?" He asks with his lips against my head.

"Just hold me," I say not really wanting to get into this right now. But seriously though I've never been important enough to keep them here, why are they coming back now ahead of schedule?