Chapter 18 - Austin

Literally, one of the worst possible outcomes for tonight came true. I was praying to the Goddess after the shit show of Denise’s crazy showing that nothing else goes wrong. 

I didn’t think Denise would go off the deep end like that. It was a causal relationship. Until recently, she made no hints, I picked up on, of wanting something super serious. 

I’m fucking pissed she just made a huge scene in front of Suzie’s parents. And fuck trying to use that birthday present I got her as a symbol of my love? That woman needs help.  

The last thing I need is for Maxton and Edith, or much worse for Suzie, to question how serious I am about the mate bond. And it’s not just the mate bond that makes me want to be with her. 

I started liking and seeing Suzie as more than the annoying kid sister of Stephen while I was her physical therapist. I didn’t make a move because I don’t mess with she-wolves or patients.  

But all those things don’t matter now. Suzie’s not my patient, and we are mates. There isn’t anything to stand in the way of us being together. 

Thankfully dinner was going smoothly. We all seemed to forget the whole Denise debacle. She wasn’t mentioned once while we were eating.  

Dad acted as a good buffer as he has a long-standing friendship with Maxton and Edith. I haven’t seen dad this full of life since I started making changes in my life and found my direction. It was a nice change. 

Too bad his presence wasn’t enough to keep this dinner from turning into a job interview. I didn’t realize I would have to interview to be with my fucking mate. It was annoying to be asked question after question about my life goals. It’s not like they can stop us from being together. 

“So, are you at a point in your career you’re happy with?” 

“Do you have plans to move out or continue living with Hale?” 

“How would that work with you being with Suzie?” 

It was a barrage of questions, most from Edith, but Maxton had his concerns too. Joy. 

“While I am happy with my job, it isn’t my end goal.” I sighed. 

“I plan to continue my education to move up a tier in physical therapy. Someday I want to open my own office closer to the pack that could be more specialized for injuries sustained by pack members before and after their wolf awakens.” I shrugged. 

“Austin has big dreams. And I think the pack could do with a physical therapist.” Dad nodded with a proud smile on his face. 

“As for moving out.” I shrugged, glancing at dad. 

“I have saved up to get my own place, but I also don’t want to leave dad here alone.” I explained. 

“Son, you don’t have to stay here for me. I’ll be fine.” Dad forced a smile as he reassured me. 

I know him too well. I know he’s lying and saying what he thinks I want to hear. But I don’t want to hear anything fake. I want the truth. 

“I don’t mind if we live with Mr. Shelton. It isn’t unheard of. I mean, for a couple to live with a parent. Or a parent to live with a couple. However, you want to view it. There are such things as in-law suites for a reason.” Suzie chimed in. 

I smiled, reaching under the table to squeeze her leg. I’m glad she, at least to some degree, understands why I want to keep dad close. I wouldn’t want to leave him here alone with memories of mom. 

“Oh, I wouldn’t want you two to think you need to care for me. I’m a grown man, and I can live independently.” Dad sighed. 

“Oh, a real grown man who can’t invite his parents to dinner or bother to tell them their grandson has a mate.” Grandfather snorted as he stood scowling for the doorway of the dining room. 

My jaw ticked, and I saw dad fold in on himself. The last person I wanted to see. I would rather have had Denise come back. 

“Looks like we need to change the locks, dad. Might keep undesirable and unwanted people from just showing up.” I snorted. 

“Don’t you talk to me like that, Clement.” Grandfather sneered, leaning hard into saying the name he knows I hate. 

“And I see our family has sunk even further if you’re mated to these dirty, low-born farmers.” He wrinkled his nose as he looked at Suzie and her parents. 

I growled, getting to my feet, but I wasn’t the only one to stand up. Suzie and her mother were both on their feet. Suzie held a hand out to her mother, motioning her to sit. 

“I’ve got this.” Suzie assured, stepping into my grandfather’s space. 

“You have a problem with the pack and the county’s largest cherry growers? You got a problem with me being AUSTIN’s mate?” Suzie demanded, shoving my grandfather, making him stumble back at the force. 

“Remind me what you do? You know that isn’t putting other people down? That isn’t treating your son and grandson like shit?” Suzie kept the heat on him as she kept shoving him. 

We had all gotten up and were following. Because so help me if my grandfather raises a hand against her, I’ll kill him. 

‘Damn fucking straight; we kill him. No one touches our mate.’ Jax growled, ready and eager to rip my grandfather’s throat out. 

“How dare you! You ignorant little bitch!” He shouted. 

“How could the Goddess continue to disgrace our family, mating our males to females below our bloodline.” Grandfather was trying to maintain some control.  

I don’t think he’s used to a woman talking back. Grandmother certainly never does. Case in point, she stood to the side whimpering softly, worried something will happen but knowing not to do anything or she’ll get hit by him. 

“Don’t you fucking talk to Suzie like that! You’re the only disgrace in the Shelton family!” I growled, ready to deck him, but Suzie held her arm to stop me. 

“I’ve got this, Austin.” Suzie smiled. 

“My apologies in advance, Hale. And I’m sorry this is your first impression of me, Mrs. Shelton.” Suzie apologized to my dad and grandmother. 

I had a few ideas of what she might do that she’d have to apologize for. But she’s unpredictable. 

I watched in shock but mostly awe as she pulled back and put her full power behind a right hook sending my grandfather flying through our front door into the snow. Yep, never pissing my mate off. She’ll send me to the Goddess. 

“You weren’t invited tonight and won’t be ever again. At least until you magically stop being an old piece of shit.” Suzie growled, stepping outside.   

“If you ever disrespect my mate, father, or family again, I will put you in the hospital. Now get your wrinkly ass out of here.” Suzie warned him. 

I don’t think it was a threat. No, Suzie looked deadly serious. Putting my grandfather in the hospital is a legit promise. And given how dazed he looked as he ground trying to get up, he knows it. 

Grandma hurried past us all to help him. Grandfather, of course, didn’t want her help slapping her hand away. 

“Leave me alone, woman. I don’t need your help.” He scoffed at her trying to help him. 

What a piece of shit. It broke my heart to see my grandmother whimpering and starting to cry. 

“Stop whimpering, you bitch.” Grandfather growled, smacking her. 

Oh, that was enough. I was not going to let my grandfather abuse my grandmother in front of me. I wasn’t the only one to think so as dad got there first and shoved grandfather back, using his arm to put grandma behind him. 

“You will NOT touch my mother! She can stay for dessert, but you need to leave, or I call pack patrol to make you.” Dad stood up to his father. 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him stand up to grandfather. But then again, I don’t think we’ve ever seen grandfather hit my grandma. 

“Michele, get in the car. Now. We are leaving and never coming back. They are dead to us.” Grandfather growled. 

Grandma looked so torn between obeying her mate and staying with her son. But the mate bond, when used to control the other, is a twisted thing. I watched with anger and sadness as she lowered her head and went silently to their car. 

My dad’s shoulders sank almost in time with mine, watching her leave with him. She’s been under his dictatorship for too many years to take a stand. 

“Hale?” Maxton questioned, putting his hand on dad’s shoulder. 

“Austin?” Suzie spoke my name softly, taking my hand in hers. 

“We can’t make her leave him, and they’ve been together so long she’s too weak to take a stand.” I closed my eyes for a moment letting out a heavy sigh. 

“I’ll be alright. Don’t worry.” Dad forced a smile. 

“Now then, we should go back inside. We have another reason to celebrate. Dillon Shelton said he won’t ever come back. That’s at least good news.” He waved for us all to go inside. 

“We’ll be inside shortly.” I nodded, leading Suzie around the side of the house.  

I need to breathe and maybe hit something since I didn’t get to hit my grandfather. Suzie said nothing, just followed me around to the back of the house. 

I let her hand go walking to the nearest tree and punching it. I didn’t have her strength, but the tree still shook some snow falling from the branches. 

I let out a howl of anger and pain before leaning my head on the tree. I hate him. I hate my grandfather, but there isn’t a damn thing I can do. I can’t force grandma to reject him. 

“It’ll be okay.” Suzie assured me as I felt her arms wrap around my waist, leaning her head on my back. 

“No, it won’t. I can’t force my grandma to leave him. They’ve been together too long for her to dare leave.” I sighed. 

“I know. I understand feeling like you are helpless. But there are things we can do. We can report the abuse. Alpha Logan and Luna Aurelia will not be idle about mate abuse.” Suzie pointed out. 

I sighed because leave it to her to be the first to throw a punch but also the one to think logically.  

“I should. Not like Alpha has a great love loss for my grandfather. There’s a reason Alpha John didn’t choose him.” I smiled. 

“Because he knew he was an asshole?” Suzie questioned, making me chuckle. 

“Probably. Come on. There was a reason I brought you out here, and it wasn’t to hit a tree or talk about my grandfather.” I sighed.  

“Oh? What was it then?” She questioned, letting her arms drop and stepping away so I could move away from the tree. 

I sighed, retaking her hand, bringing her to the back deck. She seemed confused as I leaned into the kitchen door to turn on the outside lights. I smiled as I heard a barely audible gasp. 

I’d hung up some string lights to give the deck a soft glow. I hoped Suzie would like it over just the generic harsh flood light. 

I reached into my pocket, finding the little octagon black box. I still can’t believe how sappy this is about to be. 

“Is this your attempt to make a move on me? Mood lighting?” Suzie arched her brow at me. 

“I dunno. Is it working?” I smirked. 

“You’ll have to do better than that.” Suzie scoffed, rolling her eyes with a smile tugging at her lips. 

“Maybe this will tip the scales in my favor.” I shrugged, holding out the box and opening it. 

I don’t think she prepared for this. Inside was one of my mother’s rings. I think it was her favorite as in every picture of her and in the few memories I have of her, she was wearing it.  

It was a delicate gold band with four small diamonds spaced out over the band and a round moonstone as the solitary stone. I hope it will fit Suzie’s finger. 

“Austin…it’s beautiful.” Suzie whispered. 

“It was my mother’s. It’s the only piece of jewelry I can remember her wearing. I asked dad if I could take it and if he’d tell me about it.” I sighed, taking the ring out. 

“It is a James family heirloom. Generations of my mother’s family would pass the ring down when the firstborn found their mate. Dad had been holding on to it for the day I would find my mate. So he was more than happy to let me take it.” I explained, slipping the ring on her finger.  

It just managed to fit. It was a significant relief because I didn’t want to have to alter it if I could help it. 

“That is just the sweetest thing ever.” Suzie’s eyes were brimming with tears as she looked from the ring to me. 

I wasn’t sure what she would do, but I noticed a slight shift in her expression. It was still soft, but I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone look at me like that before. Before I could question it, her arms were around my neck, and her lips were on mine.