Page 91 of The Hunger
“You have?”
“Oh yes.” She beamed at me. “Adira called as soon as she left you.”
I wrinkled my nose and glanced at Dad as I quickly explained. “She was being impossible and attempting to force me to do things I didn’t want to do. I did my best to keep my tone respectful, but I was pretty upset.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple.
“You’re a good person, Eliana, to give respect when so little is given in return. But I have a feeling that’s going to change for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come sit, baby,” Mom said.
Knowing that Dad wouldn’t answer my question, I went to join her. However, the feel of her uninhibited joy as I drew near worried me.
“The last time you felt this happy was when you talked me into wearing that see-through dress,” I said.
She laughed and waved her hand.
“Please don’t hold that against me. We were still learning about each other. I can see now how blind I was then, and I won’t make that mistake again.”
She patted the chair, and I reluctantly took the seat.
“We both know that today’s show of disrespect to Adira isn’t going to change her attitude toward me, Mom. If anything, she’ll have taken it as a challenge and will push even harder. I couldn’t have picked a worse time to attempt to put my foot down.”
“Why’s that?”
I launched into an explanation of last night’s Council meeting and how Megan’s revelation that a god was awake devolved into a tense discussion about how Raiden didn’t believe I was Fenris’s mate and pretty much forbade us from spending time together.
“Megan was smart to put Fenris in your room. I don’t like that you don’t have access to food, though. Is there any chance you’d consider a different meal?”
I wrinkled my nose at just the thought of feeding from Mrs. Quill.
“I’m fine waiting until I see him again.”
“I’m not. I don’t want you falling back into bad habits. If you don’t mind, I’d like to invite Fenris and Raiden over for dinner tonight.”
I gave Mom a questioning look. Since she’d told Adira about the dryad incident, Mom had been great about asking me before talking to other people about me. But she’d never before asked so respectfully.
“I don’t mind.”
She smiled at me and immediately dialed a number but didn’t put it on speaker phone this time.
“I’m surprised you picked up.” She paused to listen. “You’d be correct in thinking that after the way you’ve treated Eliana. She tells me that you don’t believe that she’s Fenris’s mate.” A hard look entered Mom’s eyes. “What if the kids are telling the truth, Raiden? Is this how you want to start your relationship with Eliana, the future mother of your grandchildren?” Mom exhaled slowly as she paused to listen. “I’d like you and Fenris to come over for dinner. A chance for all of us to meet formally. I promise I’ll eat beforehand so you’ll be safe.”
She was quiet for another moment then hung up.
“Did he accept?” Dad asked.
“He did.”
“Then I better get to work.”
He left Mom and me at the table and pulled a roast from the freezer. Mom’s hand covered mine to get my attention.
“I’m glad Megan’s focusing on finding the answers to the woken god. The faster he’s appeased and forgets we exist, the better.” She didn’t release my hand, and I could feel her hesitation.
“What aren’t you saying?”
