My fingers tighten around the phone 128

Ethan’s POV
“Someone get that for me?” I called out, rummaging through my closet for a suitable shirt. Despite the afternoon hour, my to-do list remained daunting after stealing a brief nap to recharge. I still needed to meet with the core team about
training camp improvements, and I was eager to update them on our successful werewolf training program.
Thoughts of Aria would have to wait—if I allowed myself to sink into memories of her, tonight’s tasks would never get
done. I pulled on a white undershirt, hesitating between formal button-downs as the phone continued its persistent ring.
“David?”
“No can do, Alpha. It’s Madam Luna calling,” David answered.
I rolled my eyes. David had been intimidated by my mother since childhood, and that fear hadn’t diminished with age.
Leo snickered beside him, “Seriously? You’re still afraid of Ethan’s mother?”
“Damn right I am. Madam Luna terrifies me. When we were kids and got into trouble, she’d pinch the tip of my nose in
this particular way—I’ll never forget that feeling as long as I live.” David shifted uncomfortably, scratching his head. I
couldn’t help but shudder, my nose tingling with phantom pain as well.
My phone finally stopped ringing. I fastened the last button on my shirt with slightly trembling fingers, deliberately
skipped the ties hanging like colorful prisoners in my closet, and snatched up my suit jacket. Stepping out of the walk-in, I
found both Leo and David frozen in place, watching me with those annoying amused expressions plastered across their
faces.
“What?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at them.
I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of my mouth as I slid my arms into my jacket sleeves. “Your fear of my
mother is honestly laughable.”
“Right,” David snorted, crossing his arms over his broad chest. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned against the
wall. “And I suppose you’re completely immune to her disappointed sighs and that look she gives when she’s not
pleased?”
My neck heated slightly at the accuracy of his observation. “That’s different. I respect my mother’s authority. Respect isn’t
fear.”
I patted my pockets, methodically checking that I had everything—watch securely fastened, wallet in left inside jacket
pocket, phone… My hand froze as I felt the device vibrate against my palm, a familiar ringtone suddenly filling the room.
Pulling it out slowly, my mother’s face lit up the screen, her professional headshot staring back at me.
The phone continued its persistent ring. Once. Twice. Three times.
I watched the screen flash for the fourth ring, sweat beading at my hairline. One more and it would transfer to voicemail.
My thumb hovered indecisively over the screen as both men watched with undisguised amusement.
“Oh for—” I swiped to answer at the last possible second, pressing the phone to my ear. “Hi, Mom!”
I winced at the unnaturally cheerful pitch of my voice. Behind me, I could hear muffled laughter.
“Ethan?” My mother’s voice held that mix of warmth and authority that only she could master. “Is this a good time to
talk? You sound… strange.”
I strode quickly toward the kitchen, my free hand clenching and unclenching at my side. If I was going to survive this
conversation with those two idiots in the background, I needed caffeine—immediately.
“Strange? No, not strange at all. Perfect timing, actually,” I lied, shooting a warning glare at David, who was now doubled
over silently laughing. “Just got out of the shower. The background noise is just Leo and David being immature as usual.”
I could practically hear her raised eyebrow through the phone. “I see,” she sighed in that gentle way that somehow still
conveyed disappointment. “Well, I was hoping you might help me with something small, if you’re not too busy?”
“For you, Mom? Anything,” I said, trying to sound casual while frantically searching for clean mugs. “What’s up?”
“I’d like you to arrange for us to see Aria again,” my mother said with that gentle persistence. “Perhaps lunch, or tea. Your
grandmother hasn’t stopped talking about her since we met, and your godmother is quite eager to meet this young woman we arranged for you.”
I gripped the phone tightly, pressing it closer to my ear as if that could somehow make this conversation less dangerous.
“Um, Mom,” I started, my throat suddenly dry. I ran a hand through my still-damp hair, pacing a small circle in my kitchen.
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”
“Why not?”
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I leaned against the counter, pinching the bridge of my nose. How could I possibly explain the tangled mess that was my
relationship with Aria?
“Aria is…” I swallowed hard, searching for words that wouldn’t betray too much. “She’s extremely busy with the training
camp and her son. Asking her to spend time with my family would just add pressure when we’re really just professional
colleagues.”
The silence on the other end stretched painfully before my mother spoke again. “Just colleagues?”
My reflection stared back at me from the stainless steel refrigerator, distorted but clearly showing the guilt written across my features. I turned away, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.
“Yes, Mom. We work together at the camp. That’s it.” Each word felt like a betrayal, my wolf prowling restlessly beneath
my skin at the lie. “So please ask Grandmother to stop with the matchmaking. I don’t want Aria feeling awkward or
pressured.”
“Ethan,” she said, using my full name like a weapon. “Don’t lie to me. Olivia was one of my dearest friends. That makes
her family, regardless of whatever mess you two have created.” Her voice softened slightly, tinged with something that
might have been sadness. “Your father and I respected Marcus’s wish for distance all these years while they rebuilt their
lives, but circumstances have changed. Aria needs family support now, and I intend to provide it. So tell me the real
reason, young man. Now.”
My fingers tightened around the phone until I heard the plastic creak in protest.
“Because we had a fight!” The words burst out of me, hot and raw. “She doesn’t want to see me right now, okay? And
forcing her to sit through family dinner with me would be cruel.” I pressed my forehead against the cool cabinet door, the
fight draining out of me. “She needs space from me, Mom. I’m trying to respect that. But she’s not alone—she has people
looking out for her.”
The silence that followed was broken only by my mother’s soft sigh. “Heaven help me, you two will be the death of me
yet.”
“We’ll revisit this later,” she continued with calm determination. “I’m currently in the elevator heading up to your house.”
My entire body went rigid. “My house? What house?”
“Your house, Ethan,” she repeated slowly. “The one you spent a small fortune renovating. The one with that ridiculous
infinity pool you insisted on installing. You’re being unusually slow today.”
Ice crystallized in my veins as realization dawned. My old house—the one I’d effectively gifted to Emma. The place I
hadn’t set foot in since that night she… My stomach churned at the memory.
“Mom, stop! I don’t live there anymore,” I blurted out, panic rising in my chest. “I moved into the pack apartments months ago.”
“You sold it?” Confusion colored her voice. “That seems unlike you, especially after all the work you put into making it
perfect.”
My free hand curled into a fist, nails digging into my palm. “No, I… lent it to someone.” Shame heated my cheeks at the
admission—at my own weakness in not fully cutting ties. “I’ve been thinking about transferring ownership since they
need it more than I do. Please, just go back to the lobby. I’ll come pick you up—”
My plea was cut short by a sudden explosion of bass-heavy music blasting through the phone, so loud it made me wince
and hold the device away from my ear.
When my mother’s voice returned, it had transformed completely—gone was the warmth, replaced by a steely command
that made my spine straighten automatically.
“You need to come here immediately.” Each syllable was clipped, precise.
A cold knot of dread formed in my stomach. “What’s happening? What’s going on?” I spun around, frantically scanning
the room for my car keys. My mind raced with possibilities, each worse than the last.
“Now, Ethan. Right now.” The line went dead.
I whirled around to find David and Leo standing on the opposite side of the kitchen island, their expressions shifting from
amusement to concern as they registered the tension radiating from me.
“Grab your jackets,” I ordered, my voice dropping to that alpha register that brooked no argument. “My mother’s at
Emma’s house, and something’s wrong.”
David’s face darkened immediately. “What’s that snake up to now?”
“Nothing good,” Leo snarled, a flash of gold illuminating his eyes as his wolf responded to my distress. “That woman’s a walking disaster. I’m with you.”
“Count me in too,” David added, already moving toward the door.