Chapter 17

Introductions

-Horatio-

Knocking on my mum and sister’s door, I wait outside anxiously. Harli pulls the door open, smiling at me before closing her eyes and sniffing.

“Huh, that’s weird. You smell like Xabien,” she muses, and I walk past her to hide my blush. “Oh it’s because uh, I’m wearing his clothes,” I say, sitting down on the bed. The two women look at me for a moment, before a light bulb goes off in Harli’s eyes, and she strides over, pulling down the jumper on the left side slightly to reveal a certain mating mark.

“Holy shit…oh my God Rat, did he- he didn’t- he didn’t make you-“ I quickly take Harli’s hands in mine, pulling her to me for a hug. “No- Harli, he didn’t force me. We both wanted this,” I say firmly. My mother comes over to us, inspecting my neck.

I can feel her gaze on me, and I go a little pink, knowing that Xabien left a lot of other marks which have nothing to do with us being mates on there. “Someone was busy last night,” she says with a chuckle.

“Mum!” I swat her hands away, moving back from them both and readjusting the neck of the sweater so they can’t see anything.

“I thought you hated alphas though?” Harli asks after a moment, and I shrug. “I hate one alpha. I’m rather a fan of this one,” I say with a small smile as my hand automatically goes up to my mark.

“Is he…your fated one?” My mother asks, and I nod. “Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner- we figured it out a while ago, but Xabi knew I had a big problem with alphas, so we decided to just get to know each other. He said I could reject him if I wanted, but that if I would give him a chance…so, I gave him a chance. We got to know each other, and decided we wanted to be together.”

Harli squeals, throwing her arms around me whilst my mother ruffles my hair fondly. “If you’re happy, then we’re happy. I’m glad he was so understanding,” my mum says, and I reach up to kiss her cheek.

“Thank you, your support means a lot.” Before mum and I can exchange any more words, Harli slaps my shoulder playfully. “Forget all that, I have to know- that was your- you know, first time, so, was it good?!”

My mother gasps, before sitting down next to me and nodding. “Oh yes, I’m curious too actually.” I stare at my family, trying to cover my burning cheeks in embarrassment. “I’m not telling you about any sex I may or may not have had last night,” I say resolutely, but Harli only rolls her eyes.

“Well, if it was terrible or you hated it, you’d be down here complaining, so I’m guessing it’s all good,” she says with a smirk, and I stand up, turning my back on them. “I’m never talking to you again if you keep pestering me about this.”

Harli huffs whilst my mother gives me a back hug. “Alright sweetie, I’m sorry, we’re just curious - I can’t believe my little boy is all grown up!” I sigh, turning around in the hug to embrace her back. “Me neither, honestly…also, there’s something else we should talk about,” I begin slowly.

When we’re all sitting down again, I explain to them about the possibility of moving between this pack and another. I also tell them that I wouldn’t be coming too. “Oh…do you not feel the itch like we do?” Harli asks at the end, and I shrug.

“I feel it slightly, like a tingling in my instincts. But I’m also feeling very…attached to this place. To Xabien. And I want to get to know the rest of the pack too,” I say gently.

“Well, I think it’s nice that when we come back, you’ll be here waiting for us,” my mum says fondly. Hugging her tightly, I kiss her cheek again. “Xabien’s going over to the pack tomorrow, and then this pack is coming here in a few weeks. If they’ll take you, you’ll go back with them then.”

Harli and my mum nod, grateful for the chance to stay on the move, but whilst trying to settle down.

—————

-Xabien-

“Mother, father, this is my mate,” I say calmly, my hand resting on Rat’s lower back. He looks calm- he almost always looks calm, but now, all those feelings he was so good at hiding before are as clear as day to me through the bond.

“I’m Horatio, it’s nice to finally meet you,” he says politely, shaking my mother’s hand and then my father’s. They both look him over once, before beaming. “Aw you’re so sweet!” My mother says enthusiastically, and I can see the surprise on Rat’s face.

I don’t think he gets called ‘sweet’ often, other than his mum calling him ‘sweetie’ and me calling him ‘sweetheart’.

“Oh. Um, thank you,” he says, smiling almost quizzically as my dad pulls him into a hug. Once everyone has exchanged hugs (including Sebbie, he showed up when he heard I’d be introducing my mate), we all sit down in my parents’ little living room area.

“So…we’re not entirely sure how to tell the pack,” I say awkwardly. My mother nods, crossing one knee over the other. “Well, you could tell them that you found your mate, but that other than your relationship status, everything is staying the same. Because it is,” she says matter of factly, and I nod.

Rat chews on his lip for a moment, before sighing. “You don’t think they’d be angry that I’m a rogue?” He asks quietly, and I give his hand a squeeze. “Some won’t be thrilled, but many just haven’t had the chance to get to know you yet anyway. Start getting out there, making friends, and I’m sure everything will be fine,” my father reassures us.

We move between topics, ending up on Harriet and Harli. “Oh Harriet is simply charming, we’re firm friends already!” My mother enthuses, and Rat raises his eyebrows in happy surprise. “She’s really cool, it’s nice that she’s finally able to make friends again, it’s been a while,” Rat says nostalgically.

Eventually, we decide that the sooner we tell the pack about Rat and me, the better it is. Plus, I’ll be away tomorrow, so if anyone has a problem with it, it gives them a prime chance to say something to Rat.

Obviously, I don’t like this idea. I don’t want to put my mate in a position where people can easily be rude to him, but he’s adamant that we do it this way.

So, here we are, with me about to tell my pack that I found my mate, and we’re a happy couple. And also, that he’s a rogue and won’t become our luna. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?