Chapter 38

"I didn't even really want a party, so I definitely don't want this massive pack extravaganza y'all are planning."

"Party, extravaganza. Same difference."

Ryker glanced over the top of his laptop at Lexi and Brett, who were going over party details with their father. They were all on the massive porch that spread out behind their house, hanging slightly over the edge of the hill. It gave an impressive, expansive mountainside view. Heat from the roaring outdoor fireplace kept them warm even as the sun set.

Malcolm Monroe frowned over Brett's shoulder at the legal pad his oldest son had in front of him. "It's a lot of people, Brett."

"It's an important party." His grin was bright and shameless. "My little bitty baby sister only gets to turn eighteen once, after all."

"Aw, shut up..." Lexi raked her fingers through her hair. "But that doesn't mean we have to invite people from the Buchanan pack. Small parties are cool, too."

"So's diplomacy," Malcolm grumbled.

"I wouldn't say diplomacy is cool," Ryker said, pretending to focus on his homework again. "It's just necessary. Especially right now, Lex."

They all knew that if Duncan's pack tried something right now, it would be best to have the Buchanan pack solidly on their side. They were on the other end of the Monroe pack's territory, far away from Duncan's crew, which already meant they were more amiable to the Monroe pack over Duncan's.

Their pack was led by an alpha female, Naomi, and she and Malcolm had been friends since they were kids. Still, inviting Naomi and her family and a few higher-up pack members to Lexi's party would remind them of the bond the families shared. And yeah, it did mean that Lexi's party was ever-increasing in numbers, whether she liked it or not.

"Isn't Cordy one of your friends, anyways?" Brett asked, tapping his pen on the edge of the paper. "So she'd be coming no matter what."

"That's one person out of, what, the fifteen you wrote down?" Lexi frowned. "Where's Aaliyah, she'd take my side."

"She and her dad went hiking with the kids," Brett said, "But yeah, she would. Then she would also tell you that you should do what's best for the pack."

Ryker typed a sentence of his paper, trying to stay out of this whole argument. Jo would've taken Lexi's side, too, but he didn't mention that. He didn't want to give Lexi any more ammunition.

"Ryker."

Nope, naw, he was focused. On homework. Ryker pretended he hadn't heard Lexi.

"It's still my party, right?" Lexi asked, guessing that he was actually listening.

"Mmm." Yeah, still her party.

"And I only turn 18 once."

"Mhmmm." Why. Why was he getting dragged into this?

"And Jo would feel more comfortable at a small party, right?" Lexi was too smart for her own good.

"Mmmm," Ryker threw his brother a desperate look, but Brett was too busy glaring at Lexi.

"Low, Lexi, low," Brett muttered.

But they'd also made the mistake of forgetting about their father's presence--and even though he was distracted for a moment by his smartphone, there was a reason he was still Alpha. He picked up on everything.

"Who's Jo?" Malcolm looked up, frowning at Ryker.

"Friend of Ryker's," Lexi said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. Even though she wanted her way with her party, Ryker guessed he should be glad that she was friends with Jo. She knew as much as he did the pressure Jo would face once their dad found out about her.

"Friend, hmm?" Malcolm folded his arms and gave Ryker a hard stare. "I thought you weren't dating until you found your mate." He wasn't. He didn't. But he hadn't been ready to share that with his dad yet. Ryker ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. It felt like the noose was closing in on him, only Jo was the one who was going to be suffering.

And he couldn't tolerate that.

"Or did you meet your mate?" Malcolm pressed, frowning as he now looked at his other children. "And am I the last to know?"

Well shit.

Well, guess he was going to be visiting Jo later. Not that he would ever complain about that. And not that he wasn't planning to already. But...there were other things he'd much rather be doing while visiting Jo. Things much better than discussing werewolf politics and what it meant to be mated to an alpha.

"Think of it this way, Dad," Brett said, clapping his dad on the shoulder. "You're the last to know out of us. But! You know before everyone else. Which is still a whole lot of people, really, if you consider everyone who will eventually know."

The steady, unyielding stare that Malcolm leveled at his eldest was fierce enough to make Brett lift his hand, pat his dad once on the back, and pretend to become extremely interested in the legal pad. His bright blue eyes found Ryker's for a moment, his gaze conveying that, whelp, he'd tried, before he focused on the paper again.

Beside him, Lexi sunk down in her own chair and stealthily pulled out her phone while their father rounded on Ryker. Yeah, sure, hide from the problem that she created. Cool.

Ryker squared his shoulders and closed the lid of his laptop. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" Malcolm said, heavy and expectant.

"Jo's my mate." He wasn't about to get fully scolded by his dad like he was some little kid caught stealing a candy bar from the corner store. Maybe if his dad had been paying more attention to everything, he would've already realized what was going on. Like the Duncan pack getting closer.

"And were you just not going to tell me?" Malcolm asked. His question was tinged with a growl, which pricked at Ryker's own quick temper.

"I was waiting."

"For what."

"When I felt like I wanted to tell you," Ryker said.

"You didn't think it was something I needed to know?" Malcolm's thick eyebrows knitted together. "And you believed that was a wise decision?"

"Do you guys want us to go?" Brett said, breaking into the tension with his signature wry tone. He gestured to himself and Lexi, who was practically curled up in her chair by this point. "Or do you need me to be on medical standby for some kind of alpha fight. Just wondering, 'cause it's getting a little awkward for us."

Ryker shot his brother a mildly disbelieving glance. Awkward for them? He was the one getting grilled about his mate. Plus, Lexi was the one who had started this. But then again, this wasn't really an argument he wanted them here for...

"Stay," Malcolm snapped.

Brett shrugged and leaned back in his chair, pulling the legal pad across the table toward him.

Malcolm turned his attention back on Ryker. With both of them standing well over six feet, the main thing that separated them was age and experience. Also, Malcolm had blue eyes and an impressive beard while Ryker usually went clean-shaven. "Well? Got anything to say for yourself?"

This was stupid. What Jo was to him was his business at this point, not his dad's. Ryker stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "She's human."

Malcolm nodded. "Sort of guessed that since you would've brought a werewolf here earlier."

He had assumed that bit of information would have thrown his dad for a loop. His lack of reaction unsettled Ryker, but he tried not to show it. "I haven't known for long. And they met her early, which is the only reason why they know."

"Well, now it's my turn to meet her," his dad said, meeting his eyes with an unwavering stare. "We can do a cookout tomorrow night and you can bring her here."

Ryker tensed. "Who all is we?" He didn't want her overwhelmed.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Just family for now. I know how to handle a pack member having a human mate, Ryker." Yeah, well, they both knew Ryker wasn't just another pack member. That was half the problem.

"I'll have to check and see if Jo is available," Ryker said, his voice steely. Malcolm was still Ryker's Alpha right now, but he wasn't Jo's. It was her choice if she wanted to come or not. And no way was he going to tell his brand new girlfriend/mate that she had to come meet his dad if she didn't want to.

"Okay then." Malcolm crossed his arms. "Text her."

A half growl escaped Ryker at being ordered around, but Malcolm returned it with a warning one of his own. Most of the time Ryker and his dad got along great. But every now and then, having two alphas in the same house...well, Ryker was looking forward to the day he moved into his own place with Jo.

Or, well, Jo's place bordered pack land anyway...

"Ryker," his dad said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Fine, I'll text her," he shot back, his voice still gruff with frustration as he grabbed his phone out of his pocket and quickly shot off a text to Jo. Actually, you know what? Scratch that.

"Nevermind, I'm going to go talk to her myself," he said, grabbing his stuff up from where he'd been sitting. "Don't wait up on me."

Lexi caught his eyes as he straightened up, mouthing an 'I'm sorry.' Ryker shrugged and offered her a half-smile--this conversation had to happen eventually, he supposed. It wasn't her fault their dad couldn't be more patient.

"Ryker..." Malcolm said with a sigh. Apparently Ryker's name was his dad's favorite word today.

"Later dad," Ryker said, tossing his hand up in a quick wave as he headed out. Before he said or did something he'd regret.

If he didn't have his schoolwork with him, he would've shifted and just run there, but he still made good time heading to Jo's in his truck. When he got there, he was met by a surprised-looking Jo, her dark hair thrown in a messy bun and a raggedy oversize sweatshirt draping off her frame. Ryker could also hear the guard he'd placed a little way into the woods moving farther away now that Ryker was here--however capable Jo was, he still wasn't going to risk her.

"Is everything ok?" Jo asked with a frown, taking in his appearance. He didn't know what he looked like, but he guessed it was somewhere between angry and upset. Plus Jo knew he wasn't supposed to be here for a few more hours.

Ryker didn't answer for a moment, tugging her close to him so that he could wrap his arms around her and bury his face against her neck. Her fingers seemed to automatically stroke through his hair, a movement that finally started to settle Ryker. He rumbled in contentment, placing a soft kiss against the spot of her neck where he would one day mark her.

"Did something happen with your family?" Jo pressed.

His woman was psychic. Who needed werewolf telepathy with a mate like her?

"Something like that," Ryker admitted, lifting his head to look at her.

"Anything to do with the weird half a text I got?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

The motion caused a dark curl to fall over the front of her face and, distracted, Ryker focused on tucking it back behind her ear.

"Ryker," Jo huffed, catching at his hand, "talk to me." She gave him a stern look, which probably didn't have the effect she intended--all it did was stir thoughts in his head that involved her bedroom upstairs and nothing to do with his family.

But she deserved answers since it was partially about her, so Ryker forced those distracting thoughts to the back of his mind for now. "I was strongarmed into inviting you to the cookout," Ryker sighed.

Jo frowned and let go of his hand. "You don't want me to meet your dad?" She glanced away, continuing before Ryker could explain. "I mean, that makes sense, we haven't been dating long, meeting parents is kind of big..."

"Jo." Ryker said firmly, turning her face to his and stopping her with a swift kiss. Mostly because it was just an excuse to kiss her, but also because he needed to correct her before she went too far. "I'm not worried about what he thinks. I'm worried he'll be...too much. For you."

Jo snorted. "Have a little faith, Ryker. You think I can't handle Papa Monroe?"

"Jo..."

"How about this?" There was a mischievous glint to her eyes. "If he gets to be too much, I'll send up a smoke signal."

A grin stole across Ryker's face. "What, by setting fire to a tree in the backyard?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of a bush, but sure, if your eyesight is that bad we can go bigger."

Ryker laughed and hugged her to him, suddenly feeling completely at ease. This woman. His dad had no idea what was coming.