Chapter Thirty Eight - What's Wrong Victoria?
Lincoln's P.O.V -
I closed the door behind me stepping into my house. I kicked off my shoes not bothering to put them in the right place.
"You're home late." My dad's voice made me jump.
I looked at him and shrugged. "Yeah."
"Where were you? With Milo?" He crossed his arms staring at me intently.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Are you going to say anything other than yeah?" He clenched his jaw. "I haven't seen you all week, no one has."
"Wyatt has." I mumbled.
"I meant no one from the family." He gritted out. "Have you even thought about your mother? How she's recovering?"
"Of course I do." I huffed.
"But you still don't bother to see her, when was the last time you spoke to your mother? Or even your sister?" He questioned.
"I was just about to go see Vic." I spoke honestly.
"Oh really?" He raised a brow. "What's the occasion?"
I glared at him. "Maybe because I just spent the night with my mate while he was mourning his dead sister."
My dad scoffed. "So your mate is still the reason why you're doing it, not because you genuinely want to see her."
"What is this about?" I spoke defensively. "Do you not like Milo?"
"I wouldn't know, I've hardly met him." He retorted. "You hardly ever bring him around here."
I didn't say anything because that was true.
"You used to love spending time with us and the pack but now you are never around." He spoke full of disappointment. "What kind of Alpha is that?"
"Don't you dare." I growled out. "I am a good fucking alpha."
"No." He shook his head. "What you are is an absent fucking alpha."
I bit my lip pulling my eyes away from him. "How about I have dinner with all of you tomorrow, I'll even cook. I will invite Milo, but i'm not sure if he'll come."
"Good." He replied shortly before turning and walking away.
***
"So you're cooking dinner for Lincoln's family?" Wyatt spoke from the passenger seat of the car.
"I'm not cooking anything." Milo chuckled, he was in a much better mood than yesterday. "Lincoln is doing it all."
"You're not going to help?" I glanced in the mirror to look at him in the back seat.
"I've got a broken leg." He gestured to where it was spread across two seats. "I'll just get in the way."
"Then what are you going to do?" I asked him.
"Watch you cook." He shrugged.
I smiled focusing on the road. "Fine by me."
"So can I come and try whatever shit you make?" Wyatt asked.
Milo said he wanted to sit in the back to stretch his leg so Wyatt sat in the front which he was happy with.
"No, this is a family only thing." I told him.
"But Milo's going." Wyatt whined.
I rolled my eyes. "Milo is family."
"You've only known him a few months, you've known me your whole life." He argued. "I must be closer to family."
"You do not want to know the answer to that." I mumbled to myself continuing the drive home.
***
Milo's P.O.V -
We soon arrived at Lincoln's house, well the pack house technically, but to me it was Lincoln's house. As soon as we entered the building Lincoln's family were all stood staring at us.
Victoria was focused on Lincoln with an excited smile as she shifted on her feet, Bella was stood slightly further away with a nervous expression while Lincoln's dad had his arms crossed staring at his son in slight annoyance.
Lincoln hadn't actually told me why we're having this dinner but now I could assume it was something to do with his father.
"I'll be in my room if anyone needs me." Wyatt said before quickly leaving.
There was silence as everyone stared at each other and I began to wonder what had happened between Lincoln and his family. I was about to speak but Victoria did it before I could.
"Hey Milo." She smiled at me. "We were going to watch a movie while Lincoln cooks, do you want to help me pick one?"
"Yeah sure." I nodded looking over at Lincoln's parents. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner."
Lincoln's dad raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. "It was Lincoln's idea to have this dinner."
I nodded awkwardly before following Victoria to the living room, I sat down on the couch while she pulled out a box of movies placing it on the seat beside me.
"Oh wow." I mumbled looking in the box.
"What?" She laughed at me.
"I can't believe you actually have the discs." I pulled out a handful flicking through them.
"Yeah, dad doesn't know how to use Netflix." She began to look through the movies herself.
"Ha ha, I'm old. Get over it." Lincoln's dad responded sarcastically as he walked into the room sitting in an armchair.
Bella slowly walked over and stood behind where Lincoln's dad was sat. He turned his head looking up at her with a smile.
"Do you want to sit here?" He spoke quietly to her.
Bella stared at him for a moment with a hesitant and slightly scared look as if she was worried she would upset him, she eventually gave a small nod. He stood up instantly but slightly too fast making Bella jump back.
Lincoln's dad froze for a moment before stepping back, Bella watched him with wide eyes before eventually sitting in the chair. However, she was still tense.
Watching her made me look down at my lap with guilt rising in my chest. How was I so okay with everything while she was like this, she still didn't trust her husband.
Arms loosely wrapped around my neck as Lincoln rested his head on top of mine. I felt my guilt diminish almost instantly.
"I'm going to start cooking now." He whispered. "Will you be alright with my family?"
"He'll be fine." Victoria answered with a laugh. "All we're going to do is watch a movie."
"I wasn't talking to you Vic." Lincoln muttered lifting his head off me.
She rolled her eyes slumping into the couch her smile gone.
"As Victoria said, I'll be fine." I turned to look at him with a reassuring smile.
"Okay." He nodded.
I was watched as he walked away before turning to Victoria.
"You can pick the movie, I trust your choice." I told her.
She smiled at me quickly searching through the movies.
***
"Dinner's ready." Lincoln announced as the credits entered the screen.
Everyone stood from their seat making their way to the dining room while I turned to look at Lincoln with a smile.
"Have fun cooking?" I asked reaching for my crutches.
Lincoln laughed lightly. "I would have had more fun with you."
I stood up with a small laugh. "Come on let's go eat, your family will be waiting."
Lincoln walked towards me shaking his head for a moment. "I want a hug first."
I rolled my eyes before wrapping my arms around him, which was difficult with the crutches in my hands, he buried his head into my neck kissing it quickly.
"Maybe we should just go up to my room and watch a movie or something." Lincoln mumbled making the skin on my neck tingle.
"I just watched a movie with your family." I said leaning into him.
"We don't have to watch a movie, we could do something else." He slid his hands down my back.
I scoffed pulling away from him. "I'm hungry, so we are going to have dinner with your family."
Lincoln closed his eyes for a moment. "Fine."
"Are you okay?" I frowned at him reaching for his hand balancing on one crutch. "Is it your family? Has there been an argument?"
"No. I'm just -" He stopped himself taking a deep breath. "I'm fine, don't worry."
He forced a smile before following after his family leaving me alone in the room. I stood there for a moment wondering what was wrong, what he was hiding, before making my way to the dining room where everyone was already sat.
"Finally." Victoria smiled at me. "I knew you were slow on crutches but not that slow."
I laughed sitting in the only spare seat beside Lincoln and opposite Victoria.
"So, am I right in assuming that you're going to Italy with Lincoln in a few days?" His father asked taking a bite of his food.
"Uh yeah." I spoke surprised that Lincoln hadn't spoken about the trip more to his family. "I am going to a wedding there, that's why we're going in the first place."
"You have family in Italy?" Victoria asked me suddenly interested.
"My mum's from there." I answered. "A lot of my family live there."
"You're Italian? Italians are hot." Victoria spoke with wide eyes. "Like Timothee Chalamet."
"I don't think he's actually Italian." I pointed out.
She frowned in confusion. "Oh isn't he?"
I shook my head. "I don't think so."
Lincoln smiled at our conversation but didn't contribute and instead just continued to eat.
"So what about your dad where's he from? Italy too?" Victoria asked sipping her drink.
Lincoln tensed beside me and gripped his knife in a tight fist I quickly placed my hand over his to reassure him before taking it away when I remembered we were around his family. Bella's breath began to speed up and her hands shook forcing her to drop her cutlery.
"Victoria." Andrew released a warning growl glaring at his daughter.
Her eyes widened in realization and she gasped loudly. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."
I shook my head with a small smile. "No it's fine, he's from here. He's never moved house, he still lives in my grandparents house."
"Are your grandparents still alive?" She asked me.
"You're trying to make this conversation really personal aren't you Vic?" Lincoln glared at her.
She frowned to herself but remained quiet.
"No they're not alive." I answered her. "But my grandparents on my mum's side are and I get to see them in a few days so I'm looking forward to it."
She smiled at the fact that I was replying to her.
"What about you?" I continued the conversation.
"We still have our grandmas." She grinned at the thought of them. "They get along really well so they live together now."
"That's nice." I looked around the table realizing that everyone had relaxed. Bella even had the smallest of smiles on her face.
"They haven't visited in a while." Lincoln pointed out.
"I know, you haven't even told them about Milo yet." Andrew told him with a pointed look.
"Yeah." Lincoln nodded. "I haven't got round to it."
Victoria looked to me again. "Have you told your family about Lincoln? Or that you're gay?"
"Some of them." I nodded. "My parents, uncles and one of my cousins. My sister knew too."
"Your sister?" Victoria frowned in confusion. "I didn't know you have a sister."
My smiled fell slightly but I maintained eye contact. "Uh yeah, I did."
Victoria's face dropped when she realized what I meant. "Oh."
I shifted in my seat pulling my eyes away from Victoria's sympathetic ones.
Andrew seemed to notice my discomfort and straightened in his chair before speaking. "So Lincoln how has school been?"
Lincoln reached to grab my hand which was rested on the table but I pulled it away quickly out of instinct. If this were my house my mum would get mad at that type of affection.
Lincoln didn't let this effect him seemingly used to my reaction. "Uh it's been fine, it's nice having Milo there though."
"I bet." Andrew chuckled. "You two are inseparable, we hardly see you anymore."
Lincoln clenched his jaw but forced out a laugh anyway.
"Where in Italy are you going?" Victoria asked me obviously not interested in their conversation.
"An hour or two away from Rome, it's a small village you wouldn't have heard of it." I started eating my food faster noticing that I was behind everyone else.
"There's no rush." Andrew stared at me amused. "We're wolves Milo we eat faster than humans."
I blushed lightly looking down at my half eaten plate while everyone else was almost finished.
"You're going on a very long flight for only three days in Italy." Victoria said looking between me and Lincoln.
I glanced over to him wondering if he would say anything since he's been unusually quiet during dinner but he still didn't talk.
"Well I'm going for a week, Lincoln is joining me for the last couple days." I explained.
"Oh." Victoria nodded in understanding before turning to Lincoln with a smirk. "Is loverboy here going to be able to cope without you for a couple days."
Lincoln finally lifted his head to stare at his sister with a glare. "Shut the fuck up Victoria."
"Lincoln!" Bella snapped before clasping her hand over her mouth in shock, she sunk into her chair watching everyone cautiously.
"Do not swear or be rude to your sister." Andrew growled.
"What was that about?" I whispered to Lincoln a few moments later.
He dropped his knife and fork standing quickly knocking his chair down before leaving before anyone could question him.
"How does every dinner you have with us result in Lincoln storming out?" Victoria mused.
I sighed standing up and leaving to look for him. He wasn't in his bedroom of any other room in the house. I stepped outside and spotted a wolf darting into the line of trees. Although I hadn't met Lincoln's wolf properly I still vaguely recognized it.
I sat down on the steps of the porch knowing that there was no way I could catch up to him with my crutches, well it's not as though I would be able to catch up even if my leg wasn't broken.
Someone stepped out of the house sitting down beside me I glanced at the person quickly before looking back to the trees.
"I don't know what his problem is." I told Victoria. "Do you?"
She scoffed. "How would I know I haven't seen him all week?"
"What?" I frowned looking at her.
"He's been with you the entire time." She shrugged. "It makes sense I guess, you're his mate and you're injured so of course he wants to be with you. Anyways who wants to hang out with their little sister."
"I don't know about little sisters." I started, taking a deep breath. "But I loved hanging out with my sister, she was my best friend but don't tell Lucy that."
I laughed but Victoria didn't. She looked down sadly.
"What's wrong Victoria?" I asked placing an arm over her shoulders as a tear fell from her eye.
"I'm just jealous I guess." She leaned into me.
"Trust me there's nothing to be jealous of." I spoke sincerely. "The good thing about you and Lincoln is that you two can resolve the issues between you two, I don't have that luxury."
"You're right." She agreed. "The only problem with that is that it is Lincoln who isn't willing to spend time with me not the other way round."
"I'll talk to him." I offered. "He'll listen to me."
"Thank you." She smiled standing up. "I should probably go look for him since you can't."
She pulled her top over her head standing in front of me in her bra.
"What are you doing?" I asked her confused.
"Shifting." She answered me. "I don't want to rip my clothes."
"Oh right." I nodded. "That makes sense, I guess I never really thought about that."
"Have you not seen Lincoln shift?" It was her turn to be confused.
"No." I said. "Well maybe, I can't really remember. I've only seen it three times I think, once when I first found out, then when he was running to look for Bella, and then just now when he was running away."
"But why?" She spoke as she pulled off her skirt. "Is it you that doesn't want to meet his wolf, are you still scared of the whole werewolf thing?"
"No." I looked away as she pulled off her underwear. "It's him I guess. No, it's not him. I don't know what the issue is."
"Maybe that's something you should ask him." Victoria suggested. "Why are you looking over there?"
"You're, um, naked." I stuttered.
"Human's are so weird about being naked." She laughed. "You're gay anyway, you won't be looking at me in that way so it's fine."
"I know." I nodded. "I just didn't know your feelings about me seeing you, uh, naked."
"It's fine." She said and I finally looked up to her. "You can watch me shift, since it seems like Lincoln has never shown you."
"Okay." I nodded. "Does it hurt?"
"At first." I jumped at a new voice joining the conversation. Lincoln was approaching us but neither of us had noticed. "But then you get used to it."
"How long have you been here?" Victoria asked with slight fear in her eyes she obviously didn't want him to have heard our conversation.
"I only just got here. Why? Keeping secrets?" He crossed his arms and it was only then that I realized that he was also naked.
"Fucking hell." I mumbled looking down.
"I get being embarrassed seeing me naked but Lincoln? Seriously?" She laughed.
"I don't want to get turned on while you're here so not looking at Lincoln is probably a good idea." I blushed.
"I'll put some clothes on then, no doubt you want to talk to me about dinner." Lincoln huffed. "I'd advise you to do the same Vic."
"Fine." She mumbled picking up her pile of clothes and walking back into the house.
"Come on, let's go to my room. It's too cold out here for you." Lincoln mumbled not waiting for me as he made his way inside.
I could already tell that we were going to have an argument.