"Jude, calm down."
"I CAN'T."
"Yes you can, just breathe. In, out, in, out, in, out."
He was breathing way too fast. I grabbed him and shook him a little, looking in his scared, huge blue eyes. "Repeat after me. I am Jude."
"I am Jude."
"I am an alpha."
"I am an alpha."
"I will be your husband soon."
"I will be your husband soon."
"And I am NOT afraid of your father."
"And I am NOT--wait. What if I am, then do I still have to say it?"
I scowled at him. "It'll be fine, I promise. Now let's go before my mom starts peeking through the curtains."
He got out and walked around, walking over to my door and opening it for me. I smiled at him and we walked up to the door. It flew open. I let go of Jude's and squealed, practically jumping into his arms. "DADDY!"
"DYLAN!" He said, hugging me tight. "I missed you so much!" He said, hugging me tighter. I wiped away a few tears.
"Fine, fine, forget about me," my mother said dramatically.
"Hold on."
"Gasp! Young lady, if you don't come here right now and give your mother a hug--"
"I'm just kidding, mom." I said, smiling as she hugged me tightly to her chest. She whispered in my ear, "Is that stud in the driveway yours?"
"Mom!" I said, stepping back and thwacking her on the arm. She shrugged. "What? It's a logical question."
"It's a question that supposed to be asked in a different way."
"Fine. I'm just warning you though, you might want to save him, your dad's on the prowl."
My head whipped around to see dad and Jude having a major stare down. I walked over and grabbed my dad's arm. "Dad, this is Jude, Jude, my dad."
"It's really nice to meet you sir." He said, extending a hand. My mom walked up and nudged my dad, who was staring at it as if it were a gun. She smiled at Jude and he smiled back. My dad, snapping out of it, shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too...I think."
This was actually going sort of well.
The door opened and my aunt, beaming looked toward us. Not toward us, I realized after a pause, but to the driveway where Dalton was pulling up. He was wearing shades that made him look incredibly hot, his brown skin gleaming against the sun as he shut the door to his truck and walked toward us. My aunt stepped out and he wrapped an arm around her waist, tilting his head down to kiss her.
I felt my dad tense beside me. I looked at him. "Dad. What's wrong?"
They stopped kissing and my aunt blushed as Dalton hugged her closer, their bodies molding into one shape full of curves. My mom, ignoring my dad's somewhat furious expression, smiled coyly at my aunt. "Kaitlin, oh my goodness, you never told me you had a--"
"Fiance'."
"You're getting married!?!"
"Yep. In the spring." Dalton said, looking loving at my aunt. Jude and I grinned at each other.
