Chapter 5
Ford
I fidgeted with my buttons as I walked in my parents’ house. I wanted to sit down and explain with them what was happening, before they heard it from anyone else.
Both my parents were home, which was a bit of a rarity. When them each working two jobs, their schedules were always a bit insane. Over the years, I had tried my best to convince them to let me help out, but they never let me. It wasn’t until my stubborn sister, Violet, showed up and paid off their house, that they finally started listening to us.
When I took over the clan from Nixon, my parents were worried. They knew all the problems I would face, and they didn’t want me to have to deal with that burden. I tried to explain to them that it wasn’t a burden. That the clan was my family, but they never wanted to hear it. They like the idea of the clan being near for help, but they never actually wanted to help the clan. Which is why we had grown so distant over the years.
When I walked in the door, both my parents were sitting in the living room. My mom jumped up to greet me.
“Ford!” she said. “It’s so good of you to come home.”
“Hi mom and dad,” I smiled as I hugged her.
Dad stood up from the couch and eyed me. I knew he could tell that I wanted to talk to them about something. I never really just stopped by the house. Once mom released me I turned to look at him, and he gave me a quick hug.
“Alright, out with it,” he said as he motioned for me to sit down on the couch. My mother looked at me with a confused look as she sank down into her chair. I cleared my throat awkwardly.
How the hell do you tell your parents that you are doing an arranged marriage?
“As you both know, I’m Alpha of the clan.” They both nodded slowly. “As Alpha, I have to take on a lot of different responsibilities and my top priority has always been to keep our entire clan safe.”
“Is there something new going on with the coyotes?” my mother asked.
“No, we are still fighting with them. But my fear is that it is going to get worse.” My father shook his head.
“This is why we always stayed out of the clan business,” he said.
I clenched my jaw. There was no use in arguing with them over this. We had this fight too many times already when I took over for Nixon.
“I know how you feel about the clan,” I stated. “But it is my duty to protect the clan. And after a lot of thought, I have concluded that in order to keep our clan safe from the coyotes, we need help.”
“What kind of help?” my mother asked.
“We need help from the wolf pack.”
Both of my parents were shocked into silence. The wolf pack and our clan had been friendly over the years, however, the pack had mainly stayed to themselves.
“How are you going to get their help?” my mother asked.
“I’m going to marry the Alpha’s daughter.”
The silence in the room was enough to hear pin drop. I looked over at my mother and she looked as though she was on the verge of tears.
“Look,” I said breaking the silence. “I know it’s not ideal. I don’t know the girl at all. But this is something I am willing to for the clan. If it keeps us and our future generations safe, then I am more than happy to make the sacrifice.”
My mother stood up and walked out of the room. I let out a sigh, and looked over at my father. I tried to speak but he quickly stopped me.
“I think you should go,” he said.
“But,” I started as he stood up.
“I will deal with your mother,” he said.
I reached out for him as he started to walk out of the room.
“Dad, just try and hear me out on this,” I said.
He reached the door to the kitchen and stopped. Then he slowly turned to me.
“Ford, you know our feelings on the clan. We appreciate that they are there to help, but we have never agreed with the demands that they place. Especially on you as the Alpha. Your mother and I wished you would find happiness. To find your true mate. Not be married off to the daughter of the wolf pack.”
“I know, it’s not ideal, but it is what is right for the clan.”
“But is it right for you?” he asked and then he walked out of the room.
***
I left my parents place shortly after. I knew they would be disappointed that I was doing this, however, I knew that this was the best thing for the clan.
Besides, I never really thought about finding my true mate. It wasn’t really on the top of my priorities. So, it wasn’t like I losing out on my chance of finding true love, or something silly like that.
Whoever this woman was, I would be a loyal husband to I knew what was expected of me and I knew how to treat a woman. Whoever she was, and no matter what she looked like, she would always have my respect. I had no idea if I was ever going to love her, but I knew I was going to respect her. She’d be the woman that stood by my side as I led the clan. She’d be the woman to bear me children.
Any woman like that deserved respect from men, even if they were never loved.
Since Grant was still healing, I brought Lincoln along with me to the meeting. We pulled into the Evans driveway and the land they lived on was grand. Beautiful landscaping of flowers and trees decorated their front and back lawns. There were rolling hills with the house encased on three sides by thickly-wooded areas.
We got out of the car and I saw the front door already being opened. A man in a suit stepped out onto the porch, holding the door for us as we walked up. I buttoned my suit jacket and smoothed it down, grinning at my all-black choice. It was a signature of mine. I wore it whenever I meant business.
And today, I meant a great deal of business.
“The family is in the sitting room,” the wolf at the door said. “Down the hall to the right, first entrance on the left.”
“Thank you,” I said. Lincoln let out a low whistle. I knew the wolf pack had some money behind them. I just didn’t realize how much money they truly had.
Our shoes clicked along the marble floors as we strode down the right hallway. The ceilings were vaulted and the colors that plastered the walls were deep and dark. I looked at my Lincoln as we came to the entrance on the left, and I paused just before the door to take a deep breath.
I felt Lincoln pat me on the back before we rounded into the room.
“Ford!” Mr. Evans exclaimed. “So glad you could make it tonight.”
“James. It is good to see you,” I said.
We were talking as a movement in the corner of the room caught my eye. I looked up to see what was going on as Lincoln introduced himself, but the pair of eyes staring back at me were wide. Wide and brown and incredibly familiar.
“Lincoln, it is good to see you again,” James said.
“Mr. Evans,” He said. “Thank you for having us this evening.”
I turned my eyes back to the woman in the corner as the Alpha began talking to me. I knew I needed to be paying attention. But as those familiar brown eyes raked up and down my body, I could see the anger growing in them.
“Something in here smells wonderful,” I said. “Is Mrs. Evans hard at work in the kitchen?”
“She always is. I can never pull that woman out of there to save my life,” James said. “Tonight’s menu is her homemade lasagna with fresh garlic bread, freshly-brewed tea, and a pointless salad.”
“The salad isn’t pointless, James. You need to eat something other than meat.”
I turned my head and watched as Mrs. Evans came around the corner. She was wearing a red-splattered apron and a large smile, and I saw her in her eyes. The woman in the corner who I knew was growing angrier by the second at me. The two of them looked exactly alike, and I took in Mrs. Evans as she shook my hand.
“You are a very handsome young man, Mr. Pearce. You will treat my daughter with respect, I’m sure,” she said.
“I owe her nothing less,” I said with a smile.
“Speaking of our daughter, come come! Amelia! Come meet Ford,” James said.
My eyes whipped back over to the corner as she stepped from the shadows. Her long brown hair was piled high on top of her head and those lewd and lustrous curves were covered in a teasing little dress. It fluttered just below her knees and covered her in light lace all the way up to her neck. Conservative, just like her family. But still clinging to all the places I’d had my lips on last night.
Her eyes were filled with shock and disgust as she stepped up beside her father.
“Ford, meet Amelia. Our daughter,” James said.
I held out my hand, palm up and waiting for her to slip hers within mine.
“Amelia,” her mother said. “Take the man’s hand.”
She slumped her hand into mine before I brought it to my lips for a kiss. I kept my eyes locked with hers, trying to paint the picture that we had never met before. But as my lips connected with her hand, her eyes left mine and attached to the wall at her side.
“Please excuse our daughter,” James said. “She seems to have forgotten her manners.”
“She is meeting her husband for the first time. Allow her some time to adjust,” I said.
“Already sticking up for her,” Mrs. Evans said. “I like him.”
I grinned at her mother before my eyes turned back to her, but all she did was nod.
This was going to be a very long dinner.