Jimmy tapped the red button on his phone, ending the call. His head buzzed, and his stomach rolled. What the hell was he going to do? His parents were coming to town. They hadn’t given him any warning. They’d decided to drive across the country to visit relatives in Seattle, and they'd be stopping in Lyons.

Today.

His stomach twisted so hard he thought he was going to throw up. Why couldn’t they be like the rest of the world and take a plane? It was over two thousand miles and hours and hours on the road. And normal people called before they showed up. Only the Laughton family could push boundaries like this. It’s one of the reasons Jimmy had moved away from New Orleans. He hadn’t been able to hack his interfering parents any longer.

“Hey, I’m headed to the grocery store. I’m going to pick up…some…What’s wrong?” Francis asked as his brows bunched, his gaze probing.

“My parents are coming to visit.”

Francis’ face went pale as his hands started to shake. “They’re coming here?”

“Yeah. They called to say they’d just taken the exit for Lyons.”

“What?” Francis’ voice went high as his eyes grew wide. He pulled his keys from his pocket and headed to the door. “I’m going to go.”

“No.” Jimmy’s voice was stern, his Alpha coming out because all his protective instincts were firing. He didn’t want Francis to ever doubt his commitment.

“No?” Francis lifted his brows and Jimmy could tell his hackles were up.

“You’re my mate.”

“We haven’t mated yet,” Francis spit back fast.

“Not officially, but we will be soon.”

Francis opened his mouth, then closed it. “You’re ready to bite me?”

“Yes, I am.”

“So you’re really prepared to be with a Zeta forever?”

“Haven’t these last two months shown you I’m ready?” He studied Francis’ face, looking for any sign he needed to work harder to convince the man he loved he was prepared.

“I just…I know you’ve stuck with me and love me, but I feel like I don’t deserve you.”

“Francis, we’ve talked about this. I’m not like those other idiots you’ve dated. I’m not going to run out on you.”

Francis bit his lip, not saying anything.

Jimmy continued, ‘Trust me, you deserve me. It’s me who doesn’t deserve you,” Jimmy said.

“No babe, you’re amaz—”

The sound of the car door slamming out front made them both freeze. Francis’ eyes went wide, and he gave his head a short shake.

“I should have left.”

Jimmy moved to his man and pulled him into a hug, pressing his lips against Francis’. No question, his scent would be all over Francis. He wanted to claim Francis right then, but he didn’t have time. Bonding would take a while, and since his parents were here for a surprise visit, they had no time at all.

At the rap of knuckles on the front wood door, Francis jumped back like he’d been shocked. Jimmy let it go because he didn’t want his parents to hear him say anything that might sound like disappointment where Francis was concerned. They had to buy into the idea he was fully committed to Francis and wouldn’t budge.

He tugged the door open and pasted on a smile. “Mom, Dad, it’s good to see you.”

“James, I can’t believe it’s been so long.” His mom moved in for a hug and paused. “What’s that smell?”

He knew exactly what she was talking about, but he wouldn’t acknowledge her bigotry. His mother had probably never even met a Zeta wolf. They were too rare, and he’d never heard of one in any of the nearby Louisiana packs he’d grown up around.

After a quick hug from her, he reached back and grabbed Francis’ hand, tugging him close. “Mom, Dad, this is Francis Kirby. He’s with me.”

His dad stepped closer and took a long sniff. His nose wrinkled, and his brows bunched as his lips turned down in a frown. He’d expected them to be angry, but no way would he allow them to disrespect Francis.

“With you?” his dad asked.

He put his arm around Francis’ shoulder and squeezed. “Francis is going to be my mate.”

“What?” his mother screeched.

Jimmy pulled Francis closer and stood taller. “He will be my mate.”

“Over my dead body,” his dad yelled, moving closer to his mother. The two made a very foreboding team. He'd seen them do this his entire childhood, browbeating his brother and him into submission by their sheer power as a mated Alpha-Omega couple.

That wasn’t happening this time. “You don’t have a say in this. I’ll mate with whomever I choose, and I choose Francis.”

Francis cleared his throat. A shiver ripped through his body. “I think if we—”

“Silence,” his dad roared. “You’ll do as we say, James. And this thing. He’s…he’s…” His father stepped closer, menace evident on his face as he crowded Francis’ space. Jimmy saw red.

He didn’t allow one more word to be said before he moved, grabbing both his parents by the arm and pushing them outside. He reached back and pulled the door shut before Francis could come outside. No way would he allow his mate to be hurt by their words or their attitude. Francis would be angry because he’d shut him inside the house and out of this conversation, but he could deal with that later. His parents had been bigots for years, long before he’d ever met Francis, and he knew how disgusting they could be with their bigotry.

“You will never speak about my mate in that manner,” Jimmy said through gritted teeth.

His mom huffed and wiped a hand down the front of her dress. “Well, I never—”

Jimmy cut his mother off. “You will not disrespect my mate.”

His father curled his hands into fists and puffed out his chest. “He’s one of those defectives, not even a Beta or an Omega. He shouldn’t be allowed to bond.”

As soon as his father finished, his mother chimed in, “And what about children, James? He can’t give you a pup.”

The door opened behind Jimmy, and he glanced back, seeing the angry slant of Francis’ eyes before a smirk flashed over his lover's face.

“You both are cruising real fast over the bridge, catching it on fire. Are you sure you want to burn this one?” Francis said.

Jimmy's heart soared. Did Francis really believe he would stay with him? Was the doubt finally put to rest? He reached for Francis’ hand, noticing his man was shaking. The bravado might have been an act, but at least Francis hadn't slunk off, trying to hide because he believed another relationship had been destroyed because of his Zeta status.

Jimmy’s heart swelled with love. No question, this sweet, smart, and sexy Zeta was the perfect man for him. He’d spend his life making sure Francis knew exactly how much he loved him. He turned to face his parents, knowing this would be the end of his relationship with them but not caring.

“Mom, Dad, this is my mate. You can accept us, or you will have no part in our lives. I know this has come as a shock, and if you had called me first before you just showed up, I would have told you I’m seeing someone.” Jimmy paused, catching his breath. “But know this, nothing you could say will make me change my mind about bonding with Francis.”

His parents didn’t say anything for a long moment. He was bigger than his father now, his muscles stronger, and his agility better. No question, if his father shifted and attacked, he could take him down. He knew Francis had extensive training at the FBI Academy and could defend himself in a battle situation. While some Omegas, like Jamie Gaines, were aggressive when threatened, most Omegas wouldn’t fight an Alpha. For his mom’s sake, he prayed she didn’t even attempt to engage in a fight. Francis was too important to take his parents side, even if it got physical.

Now, he’d be worried if they were in New Orleans or if his parents had brought reinforcements, but it was just the four of them. His father wasn't getting any younger, and Jimmy had friends in Lyons who would come to their aid if need be.

For a few tense moments, he worried the attack would come, but his dad grabbed his mother’s hand and took off to their car, the silence deafening as they left. Jimmy waited for them to drive off before he breathed easier.

When he turned and met Francis’ gaze, the questions were obvious. Jimmy leaned in, their lips brushing gently together. He sighed and stepped closer, weaving their fingers together, reveling in their shared connection. Jimmy had no doubt he’d made the best decision of his life.

The kiss ended, and Francis took a step back. "You really chose me over them."

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I? You’re the best man I’ve ever known.”

“But your family, your pack, that’s all gone now.”

Jimmy shook his head. “No, it isn’t. My pack is here. We have Jamie and Max and their little one. Then there’s Debbie and the rest of the crew at the station. Your neighbor, Mrs. Flora.”

Francis snorted. “Mrs. Flora can barely open a can with an electric can opener.”

“But she’s on our side. There are so many people—Oh, and the people at First Watch. Brook Winters likes us.”

“Brook likes everyone.”

“Nope, she hates Mac Davidson,” Jimmy said.

“Okay, so you’re saying we have a pack here, but those people are your parents.”

“Francis, I moved away from them for a reason. They obviously don’t care about me if all they want is me bonding with some Omega and not the man I love. All they want is status. Dollars to donuts, if you had a rich and powerful family who would get them more wealth and control, they’d be throwing you at me, Zeta or not.”

Francis rolled his eyes before he turned and headed into their house. Jimmy sighed and followed, contentment filling him.

“You do know we’re bonding tonight, right?”

Francis stopped walking and glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, how caveman of you. Not even asking, just taking. Why don’t you throw me down now and just do the deed?”

"Jesus, Kirby, quit busting my balls. We're bonding. I want it to be tonight, so if they make any noise, we'll have the bond on our side. They won't be able to raise any objections."

Francis turned to him and cupped his cheek. “Babe, even if they tried to object, what would anyone else be able to do? The old laws are gone.”

"I know. I just don't want to be blindsided. I need you safe, and that means I need the bonding bite to happen and all the other stuff that goes on with bonding."

Francis’ lips quirked up. “Sounds like I need to shower and wash my hair since you’ll be getting intimate with me again.”

Jimmy shook his head. “You’re too funny. I need to do something. If my parents show up, please run, don’t fight.”

“I’m not running,” Francis quipped.

Jimmy held Francis’ shoulders and stared into his eyes, pleading with him. “Please, for me? I don’t want you hurt.”

Francis rolled his eyes. “Gosh, Jimmy, it’s not like I haven’t learned how to fight. Trained ex-FBI agent here.”

“I know. But…I can’t explain it well enough.”

Francis chuckled. “It’s your Alpha, isn’t it?”

A surge of emotions hit so strong he actually growled. Jimmy nodded and rolled his eyes thinking his Alpha was being very possessive. He tugged Francis to him, holding him close. “I want you to be safe.”

“Safety is my middle name,” Francis said with a wink and a smile.

Jimmy snorted and laughed, then popped Francis on the butt. This night would be fantastic, and he knew exactly how to make that happen, but first, he had to prepare.