The whole family sat around the large dining table.
It had been about three weeks since they had all managed to sit down together like this.
With the recent pack meetings and trouble, Raquelle’s schedule had been completely packed.
Raquelle looked around the table, taking in the familiar faces she rarely got to see all at once anymore.
Her father sat at the head of the table, his posture straight and calm.
Her mother sat opposite him, pouring water into glasses and keeping an eye on everyone.
Stacy was sitting right beside their mother, already busy talking very fast about something that had apparently happened at the main pack house earlier that day.
Vanessa sat beside Raquelle, leaning her chin on her hand and listening to Stacy with an amused expression.
Raquelle picked up her fork and quietly began eating her dinner, glad to just be a listener for once.
“So,” Stacy began suddenly, shifting her attention and pointing her fork directly toward Raquelle, “are you actually going to stay until dessert this time?” Raquelle blinked and looked up from her plate.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means you usually leave before the food is even fully cleared,” Stacy said, waving her fork.
“You miss the best part.” “I have work, Stacy,” Raquelle said gently.
“You always have work.” Vanessa laughed softly from beside Raquelle.
“She’s actually right, Raquelle.
You are a bit of a ghost around here lately.” Raquelle narrowed her eyes at both of her sisters.
“Oh, I see.
You two are ganging up on me now?” “Yes,” Stacy answered immediately, without even a second of hesitation.
Their mother shook her head, though she was laughing as she passed a bowl of vegetables.
“Girls, leave your sister alone.
She has a lot on her plate right now.” “I’m not doing anything bad,” Stacy protested, putting her hands up.
“I’m just saying that our Alpha is almost impossible to get hold of these days.
If I want to talk to my own sister, I have to go through three different assistants.” Raquelle sighed dramatically and rested her fork on the edge of her plate.
“I’m sitting right here in front of you.” “Exactly.
It’s a miracle.
We should mark it on the calendar.” Vanessa covered her mouth, trying to hide her laughter behind her napkin.
Raquelle pointed her fork back at Stacy, using her best bossy sister voice.
“You are eighteen years old now.
Behave yourself at the table.” Stacy just grinned, totally unafraid.
“I am behaving.
I’m being a very good dinner companion.” Their father finally spoke up from the end of the table, his deep voice calm and steady.
“She has been waiting all evening to say that to you, Raquelle.” The entire table erupted into laughter at that.
Raquelle couldn’t help but smile too.
She looked down at her food, realizing just how much she had actually missed this loud, normal family noise.
At headquarters, everything was always about strategy, borders, and danger.
Here, she could just be herself.
Her mother reached across the table and placed a large extra helping of food onto Raquelle’s plate.
“Eat properly.
You need to finish all of that.” “Mom, I can serve myself,” Raquelle said, staring at the pile of food.
“I know you can.” “Then why?” “Because you look too thin,” her mother said firmly, using that tone that meant the conversation was over.
“You are running around too much and not eating enough.” Raquelle rolled her eyes but didn’t argue further.
“I’m perfectly fine, Mom.” “You’re always saying you’re fine,” Vanessa chimed in, checking her phone quickly before putting it away.
“She also says she’s not tired whenever she’s obviously completely exhausted.
We all know your secret language, Raquelle.” Raquelle turned her head to stare at Vanessa.
“Whose side are you actually on tonight?” Vanessa shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.
“Mom’s side, obviously.
She makes the food.” “Traitor,” Raquelle muttered.
Stacy laughed loudly, clapping her hands together.
“See?
This is exactly why we need to have family dinners every single week.
It keeps Raquelle humble.” Raquelle shook her head, but the smile remained on her face as she took another bite of dinner.
For the next few minutes, the heavy tension from the office really did begin to melt away.
They simply ate and talked about totally normal things.
Vanessa eventually started telling them all about her classes at the university.
She spent several minutes complaining about one of her strict lecturers and the massive amount of reading she had been given for the upcoming week.
“And then, right before the class ended, he gave us another huge assignment due by Friday,” Vanessa finished, throwing her hands up in the air.
Stacy groaned loudly, slumping back into her chair.
“Ugh.
University sounds completely terrible.” “You haven’t even gone yet,” Vanessa pointed out.
“I know.
That’s exactly why it sounds terrible.” Their mother laughed softly, reaching over to pat Stacy’s arm.
“Stacy, you still have plenty of time to decide what you want to study.
Don’t let your sister scare you.” “I know,” Stacy said.
She looked across the table at Vanessa, a thoughtful look on her face.
“Maybe I’ll do something completely different from what everyone expects.” “Like what?” Vanessa asked, raising an eyebrow.
Stacy thought for a long moment, staring up at the ceiling.
“I don’t know yet.
But something cool.” Raquelle listened quietly to the back-and-forth, occasionally adding a small comment or a quick laugh.
It felt nice to just let the conversation wash over her.
But then, she felt a familiar weight on her.
She looked up and realized her mother was looking directly at her.
“And what about you, Raquelle?” her mother asked softly.
Raquelle cleared her throat.
“What about me?” “You’ve barely said anything since you walked through the front door.” “I’m eating, Mom.
Like you told me to.” “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” Raquelle paused, her fork hovering over her plate.
Her mother studied her face very carefully, noticing the small shadows under her eyes.
“You really do look tired, sweetheart.
Is everything okay?” Raquelle glanced down at her plate, keeping her voice completely level.
“I’m fine, Mom.
Just a busy week.” Her father looked at her from across the long table.
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately, Raquelle.” Raquelle’s eyes lifted toward him.
He already knew a lot of what was happening behind the scenes.
He knew about the rising Evergreen threat along the borders.
He knew about the forged corporate documents in the city.
He even knew about the rogue werewolf and the swift execution that followed it.
He had been sitting right there in the council chamber when they discussed the initial security reports.
He simply knew there were deeper emotional things Raquelle wasn’t saying out loud.
“I’ve got things completely under control,” Raquelle said, her voice firm but reassuring.
She wanted him to know she could handle the weight of the title.
Her father watched her for another moment, then nodded slowly.
“I know you do, Alpha.” There was no judgment or accusation in his voice.
There was just a quiet, steady understanding between two leaders.
Raquelle felt her shoulders drop a fraction of an inch, relaxing slightly under his approval.
Stacy suddenly leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table with a huge, mischievous grin.
“So, Alpha…” Raquelle instantly groaned, knowing exactly what happened whenever Stacy got that specific look in her eye.
“Oh no.
Stop right there.” Stacy’s grin only grew wider.
“When are you actually going to get married?
The pack wants to know.” Vanessa immediately burst out laughing, nearly choking on her drink.
Their mother sighed deeply, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
“Stacy, don’t start.” “What?
I’m just curious,” Stacy said, looking totally innocent.
“She’s always working.
I want to know if there’s any room for romance.” Raquelle stared flatly at her younger sister.
“You have clearly been watching far too many cheesy romance movies lately.” “I’m being totally serious.” “Then go be serious somewhere else, preferably away from this table.” Vanessa laughed even harder, holding her stomach.
“Stacy, just leave her alone before she gives you extra pack chores.” “No way,” Stacy said, leaning in further.
“She’s our Alpha.
She should be setting a good example for the rest of us.” Raquelle raised an eyebrow, her inner leader taking over the playful argument.
“An example of what, exactly?” Stacy opened her mouth to answer, then paused.
She blinked, trying to think of a good response, and then slowly closed it.
“I…
don’t actually know.” Raquelle smiled triumphantly, picking up her water glass.
“Exactly.
Case closed.” Their father shook his head in amusement while their mother laughed softly at Stacy’s sudden defeat.
The conversation moved on to lighter topics, the voices swirling around the room, but Raquelle’s smile slowly began to fade as the minutes ticked by.
For just a split second, her mind slipped away from the warm dining room and traveled straight back down into the dark, cold dungeon.
The rogue.
The exact, crushing moment that connection had completely disappeared into nothingness.
A cold chill ran down her spine, but she caught herself instantly.
She pushed the dark thought away deep into her mind before anyone around the table could notice the sudden shift in her energy.
She reached for her glass and took a slow sip of water.
She had promised herself she wasn’t going to ruin this dinner with the horrors of her job.
Not tonight.
Tonight, she was just going to be with the people who loved her.
**** i love Raquelle’s family.