glitch

chapter six - the preparation

I can't believe my ears. They're going to what?

To send us to fucking live together?

As if that will solve anything! Forcing us into a space together is only going to drive us both up a wall; we can barely stand to be within twenty feet of one another, for heaven's sake!

We must look panicked, because Ma speaks up. "I think that's a wonderful idea," she says, and while I love her and Dad more than anything, I really don't appreciate her comment.

Because no, Ma, it is not a wonderful idea. Like, at all.

"Mom," Lucas breathes, his eyes wide and angry. "Why would that ever work?"

Jordan, seeming thoroughly fed up with everything by now, sighs and clasps his hands under his chin. "It worked with your mother and I," he mutters, and when Lucas looks over at him, his expression pinches.

"We weren't exactly... fond of one another when we first met," Jordan continues, casting a quick glance to my parents. They were listening intently. "We'd been, ah... seeing other people when we met. Pretty seriously, too."

Now, this is a new revelation. It was normal for werewolves to explore relationships on their search for their mate, but everyone was heavily discouraged from getting into a long-term, serious relationship. Wolves can't develop proper romantic feelings for someone who isn't their mate, but attachments can form, and that's the issue.

Hurt feelings are very much guaranteed if a wolf finds their mate while attached to someone else.

The room is silent as we wait for Jordan to continue, and after getting a gentle squeeze from Selena's hand in his, he does. "Once we were parted from our previous relationships, it felt... awkward, I suppose. We both felt bad, like we were forcing each other away from our exes.

"So our parents arranged for us to have a vacation, just the two of us. We got to know each other, and after some time, we fell in love. We got to build our bond as mates from the ground up, and it made us..." He trails off for a moment, looking to the side, and Selena graciously takes over.

"It made us who we are—as Alphas, as a couple... as people," she smiles, interlacing her and Jordan's fingers. Even though I'm upset about everything, I can't deny that their story is touching. I had no idea, before today, that they struggled at first.

Quietly, I glance over at Lucas, who looks as if he's also hearing this for the first time. When he notices me, though, he frowns. "Don't get your hopes up, idiot. They're actually supposed to be together."

Well, fuck him too, then. Crossing my arms, I turn away from him once more. If I just don't react, everyone will know he's the unreasonable one.

Selena gives her son a gentle smile. "You two are also supposed to be together, Darling. The Gods don't make mistakes," she says, as cool and collected as ever. Even though I want to agree with her just to piss Lucas off some more, I also want to hurl at the idea that we're genuinely "destined to be."

We'll find a way out of it. Somehow, someday, we will; I just know it.

I refuse to condemn myself to a life tied to someone who will never love me.

———

The rest of the meeting, or whatever it was, went by fairly quickly. We got details about where we'd be sent to stay, when we'd leave, and how long we'd be there.

Discounting the fact that it's with Lucas of all people, it honestly sounds pretty nice. Who wouldn't want to go on a two-month vacation to some beautiful, secluded lake house surrounded by mountains and evergreens?