Page 111 of Brutal Reign
“Ace, grab her legs!”
“What the hell is going on in here?” my mom’s voice demands, and I snap my head in the direction of the sound, freezing like a deer in the headlights as she comes around the corner into the living room. She also stops in her tracks when her eyes land on us, widening in surprise. “Seb,” she breathes, brow furrowing. “What are you doing home?”
“Nice welcome,” I snort as I lower River back down to her feet.
“Don’t even give me that shit,” Mom scoffs, waving a hand. “You know I’m glad to see you, I just wasn’t expecting it.” She narrows her gaze suspiciously, wrinkling her nose. “Why do the three of you smell like bad decisions?”
River cringes with embarrassment, but this isn’t the first time I’ve been busted by my mom’s enhanced sense of smell. Having a tracker as a parent was a real pain in the ass when I was trying to get away with shit growing up. And since I couldn’t get away with anything, it just resulted in me being painfully honest with my mom and dad, even when it was awkward as fuck.
“Tell that to fate,” I grumble, waving her off.
“Wait, what?” Mom blurts, her eyes popping wide.
River slaps my chest with the back of a hand, whipping a glare at me over her shoulder. “What the fuck, Seb?” she hisses under her breath.
Shit, did I just say that out loud?My mouth has been known to move faster than my brain, and by the scowl on River’s face and the stunned look on my Mom’s, I just royally fucked up.
“You’remates?” my mom gasps, her wide eyes pinging between me and Riv.
Oh shit.
“Hey, what’d I miss?” my dad’s voice booms as he saunters in from the hall, coming up beside my mom and tossing an arm over her shoulders.
She spins toward him, pressing a hand to his chest and beaming a smile up at him. “They’re mates!” she announces excitedly.
Dad’s eyes light up, his lips splitting into a wide grin as he swings his gaze on me. “Hey, congrats!” he remarks.
I shake my head, grappling for some way to backpedal. “N-no,” I stammer. “We’re…”
“You’re not?” Mom questions, brows pinching together in confusion.
My wolf shoves forward angrily as I scramble for what to say, clearly not on board with my denial of our mate bond.
Ace swoops in with the save like always, but rather than explaining my comment away, he shocks me by coming right out with the truth. “We are,” he states calmly.
Dad flinches back in surprise, now looking between River and Ace. “Well shit, Miles owes me a hundred bucks,” he muses, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk. “Cal, get in here!” he calls out, glancing over his shoulder toward the hall behind him.
River jerks her head toward Ace. “What are you doing?” she whispers shrilly, hazel eyes widened in panic.
He heaves a sigh, scrubbing a hand over his skull. “It’s time to come clean, babygirl,” Ace murmurs, dropping his arm to his side and reaching over to link his fingers with hers. “Just trust me.”
“So wait, you’re mated to Ace?” Mom asks Riv, still trying to put the pieces together since allthreeof us clearly reek of sex.
River throws her head back with a groan, smoothing her hair over her shoulders as she tips it forward again. “Yeah, I am,” she declares, throwing a thumb in my direction. “And Seb, too.”
My parents both flinch, blinking at us in stunned surprise while seemingly at a loss for words.
“How?” Dad finally manages.
I just shrug, stepping up beside Riv and sliding an arm around her waist. “Ask fate.”
“You have two bonds?” Mom questions, staring at River dumbfoundedly. “Or are all three of you…?”
“What? No!” I snap, flinching back with a grimace. “We’re each bonded to Riv.”
“Trust me, we were just as confused as you guys,” River sighs. “But… it kinda makes sense, doesn’t it?” She lifts her chin, swinging her gaze between me and Ace as a soft smile graces her lips.
“The fuck do you want, Walker?” Cal mutters as he enters the room with his trademark scowl. His entire demeanor shiftswhen he lays eyes on his son, though. He lights up, grinning at Ace as he remarks, “Hey, this is a surprise.”