Page 111 of Wanted

The bell?Chance asks.

I nod at him.Yes, Mother says it’s rude, even for her children, to enter a home without prior knowledge. According to her, we should always knock.

He doesn’t respond aside from a short nod. But I think over my response. I never thought about how…cold it sounded.

My mind floods with memories of how the pack members constantly wander in and out of Chael and Reese’s home. Especially during mealtimes. It’s as if they have a strict open-door policy, aside from late nights and early mornings.

In fact, most of the homes in the commune are the same way. Doors are hardly ever locked.

I shake off those thoughts, reminding me we’re not in New Mexico anymore. We’re in New York. While my parents’ home isin a very wealthy community, the locked doors are still a form of needed protection from possible invaders.

“Emery,” my mother says as she opens the door.

A smile widens on my face as I take in her slim figure. My mother is a few shades lighter than me, her hair, as always is perfectly straightened and parted on the right side. The silk light-colored button-up blouse she wears beautifully accents the golden undertones of her skin.

All of this is undermined by the frown she’s wearing as she looks at me. I get the urge to clamp my free hand over my hair and almost apologize for the change. But then Chance squeezes my hand and I look up at him.

The sparkle in his eyes reminds me of the way he sees me. The way he can tell me without words that he believes I’m perfect and beautiful just the way I am, is uncanny.

I push out a breath and turn to face my mother.

“Hello, Mother. This is Chance,” I introduce, gesturing with my free hand—because Chance hasn’t let go of my other hand—in his direction.

I’m taken by surprise when it seems that my mother finally notices the man beside me. Her eyes nearly bug out of her head. She quickly schools her features as she runs her hands down the sides of her shirt and looks between the two of us.

“Well, come in.” She steps to the side to allow us to enter. It’s not that I expected her to embrace me in a hug when she first saw me, but it would’ve been nice. I’m forced to remind myself that my family is not a touchy-feely one.

“Is Ashley home?” I ask, looking up the marble stairs toward where Ashley and my childhood bedrooms reside.

“She’s out,” my mother answers, still looking over Chance.

My shoulder slump. “Out with who? Will she be home soon?”

My mother pins me with a sharp gaze. “Emery, you know how I feel about so many questions. It’s inconsiderate.”

“I’m sorry, Mother.” I clear my throat. “You’re right. I’m just excited to see her. We haven’t spoken in weeks and it’s been even longer since I saw her in person.”

“And who’s fault is that?” Her tone is sharper than I expected. She’s still upset about the internship I took. “After months in the wild among animals and rocks, have you lost all of your manners?”

I uncontrollably flinch at her tone. My mother has always had a bit of a biting tone. This was especially true when it came to talking about my hobbies or interests such as anthropology.

It seems to cut even deeper now.

Though, I don’t have much time to think about it when I feel a strong arm link around my waist. Chance pulls me into his firm body as he stares down at my mother.

“Emery was doing excellent work,” he says with a bite of his own in his voice. “And she’s just spent days in a car to return home to see her sister.”

My mother presses a hand to her chest, appearing flustered for the first time in almost ever. She blinks a couple of times and takes a step back. If I’m not mistaken, I see a look of fear invade her eyes, but she quickly covers it.

“A-are you one of her coworkers?” She looks him up and down.

My wolf rises inside of me from the way my mother’s nose wrinkles in disapproval. I’m used to her looking down her nose at me.

It’s not something I even gave much thought to until recently, but to have her look at my mate that way, causes heat to rise in my belly.

“I’m more than that,” Chance answers, his hand around my waist stroking up and down.

My mother doesn’t miss the movement either. Her eyes move from Chance to his hand then up to me.