Chapter 16: Wonderful Husband

Emma chose not to argue with Lucien. It was one day. She could clench her jaw and get through it.
She followed him to the main hotel. In the lobby, she found her parents.
“Emma,” her mother, Barbara, said and hugged her.
Lucien shook her father’s hand. “Jeff.”
“Lucien, my boy. You are looking good,” Jeff said, slapping him on the back.
“You as well.”
Lucien only turned on this charm for Emma’s parents. It chafed her, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. It’s most likely why they liked Lucien so much. They never realized he was cold and distant.
“Shall we get some breakfast?” Jeff asked.
“It smells good,” Barbara said.
“My parents are in there already if you’d like to join us,” Lucien said.
“We wouldn’t want to intrude on family time,” Barbara said.
“Nonsense. I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you,” Lucien said.
He put his hand on Emma’s lower back and directed her into the dining room where a spread of food was laid out. Silverware clinked and the smell of coffee hit Emma’s nose. She needed it today.
“Emma,” Leyton said from her table.
She sat with Dex and a few others that Emma didn’t recognize. Emma waved back.
“Is that who you were out with last night?” Lucien growled into her ear.
“One of the people. I need to introduce her to my parents at some point this morning.”
“Why?”
“Because she is the Beta’s mate and the closest thing the pack has to a Luna. She asked me questions about homeschooling.”
Lucien studied her for a moment but didn’t say anything. When they reached the table, he said, “I’m sitting on the side with my parents.”
Lucien should have sat with her. She was his Luna whether he liked it or not. He flashed a smile at her mother.
Emma sat on the side with her parents. The place was noisy enough that she couldn’t hear the conversation between Lucien and his parents.
That was just as well because her mother chose to bring up Dex and Lucien didn’t need to know that she’d once been with him.
“Was that Dex?” Barbara asked.
The waitress came and poured coffee. Irma and George had already filled their plates.
“Shall we get some food?”
“You’re avoiding the question, Emma.”
“Yes, that was Dex. He’s Alpha of a new pack.”
Barbara frowned. “He had to create a pack to be an Alpha.”
In Emma’s mind that was more impressive than taking over an existing pack, but she kept her mouth shut. They moved through the buffet line as Barbara went on.
“Now Lucien is a natural born leader.”
If Dex wasn’t a leader his pack wouldn’t follow him. He would have had challenges to his leadership by now.
Lucien was a natural-born jerk as far as Emma was concerned. Too bad she knew her mother was not interested in hearing the truth. She’d made her mind up about Lucien a long time ago.
“Dex hasn’t had any challenges to his leadership.”
Barbara waved off her comment. “That band of misfits. What was he thinking? There are rules to packs and they are in place for a reason.”
“You talking about Dex?” Jeff said beside Emma.
They filled their plates as they went down the line. Emma was hungrier than usual and the little caffeine she’d had before they reached the buffet line hadn’t hit her system yet. She’d need a lot more before the day was over.
“Yes,” Barbara said.
“I was talking to our Alpha and that Dex has got some strange ideas. I’m glad you’re with Lucien. He’s more traditional. He understands how packs are supposed to work.”
Her parents wouldn’t be interested in anything new and if it was Dex bringing up the idea then it must be a bad one. Emma was intrigued by Dex’s ideas and wanted to know more. She’d have to get the information from one of the other Lunas.
“What’s wrong with new ideas?” Emma asked.
Her mother scoffed. “The packs are run how they are run for a reason. It works. No need to fix something that isn’t broken.”
“But what if the new idea does work?”
“Emma, that isn’t your place to be thinking about those matters. You are Lucien’s Luna and you support him and his ideas,” her father said.
“You should thank us, Emma for steering you to Lucien. He knows the traditions and why we keep them,” Barbara said.
“We did right by you by getting you away from Dex,” Jeff said.
Emma wanted to roll her eyes. She was in a difficult position. Her parents didn’t know how unhappy she was and they might not care. She was with an Alpha. That had been their goal for her. They’d conditioned her from an early age to expect that she would marry an Alpha.
She wished now that she’d gone with her heart instead of what her parents wanted.
“Lucien is a good wolf. A strong Alpha,” Jeff said. “You just need to give him an heir and then your life is complete.”
Great. They acted as if her only purpose was to make a baby. She wanted one, but not with Lucien. “We’ve tried.”
“Try harder,” Barbara said.
Emma sighed. She wasn’t going to win any arguments with her parents so she clamped her mouth shut.
“Lucien is making sure our traditions last. Someone like Dex is an upstart. No good can come from changing things,” Jeff said. “Lucien and the Alphas like him will prevail at this council.”
They returned to the table. Lucien and his parents had already left.
“I guess we’ll catch up with them later,” Barbara said.
Emma dug into her food. “I have someone to introduce you to.”
“Oh?” Jeff said.
“Leyton is Beta’s mate in Dex’s pack.”
Her father held up his hand. “We are not interested.”
“She wants to ask you questions about homeschooling, how it was handled in our pack. I’d shared that you homeschooled me.”
“She isn’t even a Luna,” Barbara said.
“She’s acting like one,” Emma argued. “She has some questions.”
“No, Emma. It just isn’t done. We don’t want anything to do with Dex’s pack and it’s unusual that a she-wolf who isn’t a Luna would be allowed here,” Barbara said.
She looked as if she’d smelled something awful. In her mother’s mind, there were rigid rules to follow. Emma didn’t understand it all. Leyton still wanted to do what was best for her pack. She would step aside when Dex had a Luna.
As if Emma had conjured her up, Leyton appeared at the table and sat down in the chair that Lucien’s mother had occupied. “Are these your parents?”
“This is Barbara and Jeff.”
Emma’s parents nodded politely at Leyton but didn’t smile or say anything. Leyton had a puzzled look on her face.
“I’d love to speak with you about homeschooling.”
Jeff and Barbara exchanged a look. Emma held her breath. They were going to embarrass her.
“When your pack has a Luna, then maybe we’ll share our knowledge.”
Leyton flinched. Emma mouthed, “I’m sorry.”
“Okay,” Leyton said and left them at the table.
“That was rude,” Emma said.
“Yes, she never should have assumed we would help her,” Barbara said.
The lack of self-awareness took away Emma’s breath. There was no reason to argue. Her parents were never going to get it. Barbara shuddered as she watched Leyton walk away.
“The nerve,” Jeff said.
“I know. No good will come of that pack,” Barbara said. She turned to Emma. “Aren’t you glad you’re with Lucien?”
Emma sipped her coffee, refusing to reply.