BXBX NOVEL Chapter 199 - Family
Renato rang the bell of his parents' house after a month of absence.
He did feel a little guilty for avoiding them, but he had his reasons. Revealing his affair with Samantha even to them was too difficult for him, especially after she one-sidedly decided to stop it.
To his surprise, it wasn't his mother who opened the door. It was Amanda.
«Hey,» he greeted her, but he didn't have time to add anything else.
«Welcome home, Renato. We've been worrying about you... Were you kidnapped by a big bad wolf and couldn't come home to greet your family?»
«No big bad wolf,» he sighed. «I was just busy...»
«Busy doing what?»
She dragged him inside by the wrist, marching towards the living room without a break to peek inside the kitchen. He hated that: he was curious to find out what his mother had prepared!
«Busy doing business.»
«You're always so secretive... I wonder if the Alpha asks you to keep your secrets or if you're just too lazy to talk about it.»
«Both, Amanda. What's gotten into you today?»
«Nothing. I'm missing my brother. Is it forbidden?»
«Ah, you'll drive me crazy one day.»
«Come home more frequently, and I'll stop making a fuss like this every time.»
He rolled his eyes and sat on the sofa.
«Where are our parents?»
«Dad ran out to buy some eggs while mama is almost done cooking. She'll come here as soon as she has her hands free.»
«If you told me earlier, I could have bought eggs on the way.»
«Oh, no. I didn't want to delay you any further.»
«Fine. How's life?»
«Interesting. I was asked to hang out with Lucretia last week.»
«Really?» He sighed. He hadn't been clear enough, apparently. That brat had dragged his sister with her once again. «I'll talk to her and tell her to stop doing that. Has she crossed any line?»
«Oh, not at all. On the contrary, she was very friendly and helpful.»
«That is difficult to imagine.» Lucretia, helpful? Was the world rotating in the wrong direction?
«We'll talk about it later, won't we? I've bought a new painting for my room, and I need your help to hang it on the wall.»
«Sure.»
It was clear his sister just wanted to talk in private. He wasn't as necessary for hanging a painting, after all.
«What about mama and dad: how are they doing?»
«You'll ask them in person at dinner. They're doing fine, even though mama worries you'll stay alone for life with this temper of yours.»
«What temper? I'm very, very patient.»
«I see... There's also rumours about your new affair, so she's more curious than me about the woman who would cause so much gossip to circulate. The other times, people wouldn't discuss it so often.»
«Ah, that... People talk because they don't know who she is. But don't bother your mind, Amanda. It's over.»
«Over?» she sighed. What a pity... She wanted to hear more all the same. If saying it was over could cause her brother's eyes to turn dim, then there must have been a lot to listen to.
«Let's not talk about it, Amanda. There's nothing to say... It was fun while it lasted, but it was also short. Just the usual.»
The girl nodded, pretending to believe such a story. There was no sign of fun in his expression. It was as if she had insulted him, or as if she had told him some painful truth without warnings.
He was dejected, his shoulders droopy and his sighs heavy. The worst part was that Renato didn't seem to know how he looked from the outside. He seemed convinced he was doing a good job hiding his pain.
«You left her?» she asked. Then, she changed her mind and covered her mouth with her hands.
How unthoughtful of her! He was clearly displeased and reluctant to talk. At least, not in the living room.
«No, you're right,» she added before he could answer.
But the light in his eyes, the grimace that escaped his control for a second, and the way his fingers clenched on the armrest were clear enough for an answer. He wasn't the one leaving Samantha.
«Let's not talk about it,» Amanda said. «Let's go see mama. She should be done with the food by now. She'll scold you for not greeting her if you delay any further.»
«It's not that I want to keep it a secret from you, Amanda. It's just a little difficult,» he said before getting up.
She nodded, catching Samantha's scent entangled with Renato's. She had marked him, and then they parted ways. How could it not be painful?
However, she could not imagine her brother accepting to be marked after a few weeks, at most a couple of months, of dating. She couldn't even imagine Samantha forcing it on him.
No matter how hard she tried, her mind couldn't find an answer to her doubts. Something was going on, and she couldn't wait to hear her brother's version of the events.
They walked to the kitchen, and the woman cutting the beef looked up at her son and smiled.
«You remembered where we live!» she commented. She let go of all the cutlery and hugged her son. «We've missed you, Renato. Is this how you thank your mother for raising you? By disappearing to have fun alone?»
She then sniffed his scent entwined with that of a woman, and her face transformed into a frown.
«So, it's true,» she murmured. «You found yourself a woman and didn't think of telling your mother? You're becoming naughty. Does the rest of the pack have to know before me?»
«Mama, please don't ask me anything,» he sighed.
To his surprise, she didn't inquire any further. She just let go of him and tapped on his shoulder.
«You pups are growing up so fast,» she sighed. «I'm wondering when someone will take away Amanda as well.»
«It won't happen,» Renato said. «Not too soon, right? She's still a kid!»
«Hey!»
While they laughed together, something in his heart ached. He did feel pain for his cut link, but being with his family was helping him heal.. He should have come there sooner, after all.