Chapter 41: What is that Feeling

Chapter 41: What is that feeling
Silas
“I’m not ready,” Syd yells out; she has this deer in the headlights look on her face as she stares at Dad and me.
The room is quiet for a moment, and Syd quickly turns a lovely shade of red. Dad lets me out of the headlock. I can tell mom and dad are linking each other because mom shrugged. I’m about to link Syd when mom strikes first.
“Sydney dear, what are you not ready for?” Again, we all look at Syd, and I didn’t think she could get this red.
“Ummm… ahhh…Ummm.” Syd looks at me in a panic.
I link her, “You, OK? What’s going on?”
“No.” She snaps back.
“Well, answer her?” I’m not a mind reader, and if she wasn’t going to tell me what was going on, I could help. Her emotions are all over the place; there’s confusion, panic, and embarrassment, but I have no clue why.
“Ummm… I’m not ready for you both to leave in a few days.” I feel a sense of relief coming off of Syd. I honestly didn’t believe a word she just said. I know she doesn’t hate my parents, but I also know she’s nervous as hell around them. How will she react when she finds out they are staying to help us?
I’m about to bond-link her when dad cuts me off. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that! Alpha John and Alpha Gideon have asked us to stay and help out till things are settled.”
Syd looks at me with wide eyes and a forced smile. “Oh. I was not informed. I’m so glad you are staying for a while, but won’t your pack need you?”
I quickly link her, “Syd, I just found out too.”
“What the hell Si. I’m blindsided here.” A new emotion started flooding the bond, annoyance.
Dad’s booming voice cut in. “I asked the Alphas not to say anything to you. I wanted to give you the news myself. We wanted to take this chance to get to know our new daughter more. Don’t worry about the Amaris Pack Davy and Cody have things covered there. I have to make sure my youngest isn’t slacking off.” He ends with a booming laugh and slaps me on the back, making me stumble forward slightly.
How was this going to work out? It’s one thing for my parents to visit, but now they are here in an official capacity from the Alpha Council. It takes on a whole new dynamic. Also, Syd was going to be hell to deal with. She is already walking on eggshells around my parents because of the shit Cody started, but now they will be looking over her shoulder and advising us both. Will she be able to convey her true feelings on matters, or will she smile awkwardly and nod to not upset my parents. This was bound to be a complete disaster, and I have no way of stopping it, and I’m stuck in the middle.
“Syd, this was not my idea. I promise I knew nothing about it till just a few minutes ago.” I link her in desperation. We had made so much progress I couldn’t let it go up in flames.
“It’s fine.” Her cold answer back said it all. She was anything but fine. Again, her emotions coming through the bond were a mix of anxiety, frustration, and, surprisingly, fear. That was the strongest. I could only guess how much she didn’t want to disappoint my parents or the Alpha Council.
Dad cut in again; I never noticed how domineering he could be in a conversation. “Chrissy, what’s for lunch. You know training always makes me hungry.”
“I was just about to pull out a shepherd’s pie.” Mom gave me a little wink.
“You spoil that boy too much. He’s an adult now with a mate and a pack.” Dad crossed his arms and scowled at me.
“Don’t be jealous because your mate loves me so much.” I quickly take a step back. It’s a know fact in our family that dad gets super jealous when mom spoils any of us over him. He’s a giant baby when it comes to mom’s attention.
“You little brat. You might outrank me now, but I am still your dad and can kick your ass.” Dad tries to catch me, but I’m a half step faster.
“You have to catch me, old man.” The best way to ease tension is to play around. Get the focus off Syd. If it takes poking at my dad a little, it’s okay.
“Both of you, stop it. You’ll break something. No roughhousing in the packhouse. Now everyone sits down.” We all sit at the table in the corner of the kitchen. This kitchen is not really for pack use. It’s for the ranked members, so theirs a small family table.
I look over at Syd, and she’s as stiff as a board. She’s got to loosen up. My parents were not going to eat her. I reach over and take her hand under the table. She turns and looks at me. Her jaw is visibly clenched.
I bond-link her. “Hey, relax. My parents want to get to know you better, is all. They have experience running a pack. I’m with you now, no matter what.”
“I don’t want them to hate me.” I can feel the fear rising in her again.
“What I’ve noticed is that the ones who take the time to get to know you end up loving you. Like me.” I squeeze her hand and smile at her.
Syd’s eyes are as big as a dinner plate, and her once clenched jaw is open. She says out loud, “You love me?”
Wait, did I just say I loved you to Syd? I mean, she’s my mate, so of course, I care for her but am I at the love stage yet? Did I just blurt something out without thinking? I wanted the day we said I love you to be memorable, not over lunch with my parents. What have I done?
“Well, of course, he does, Sydney. He’s your mate. You were fated to love each other before you were born.” Mom giggles as she kisses dad on the cheek.
I’m speechless, and my mind is racing. I quickly mutter out a “Yeah” and shovel in food so no one will ask me anything.
Out of the corner of my eye, I look over at Syd, and she’s blushing red with a shy smile on her face. A stray curl falls to her cheek. I reach over and tuck it behind her ear. She whispers, “Thanks,” and I see her smile widen. She is the most beautiful in these hidden moments when only I am watching. I get the secret Sydney, the one who suddenly becomes a chatterbox, the shy giggly ball of messy curls. The Sydney that cries and lets me support her. Maybe I did fall in love in this short time and didn’t even realize it.
I watched her for a moment, and I could feel the flood of emotions coming from her. They drastically changed from moments ago. I felt hope, acceptance, and surprisingly a tiny string of trust and something I’ve felt only for a brief moment on the night of my Lumiere ceremony. Was it love then? Is it now?