Once the doors closed, I immediately stomp away from the room. I can’t believe it! They set me up! How dare they?! What didn’t they understand when I told them that I won’t mate him the first and second time I saw him!

When I reached my parents’ flat, my father is sitting at the table reading a book. In front of him, my dad is typing on his laptop. They both look up when I entered the room but I don’t acknowledge any of them them while I crossed the living to go straight to my bedroom. In a heartbeat. Obviously slamming the door. 

How can they be so peaceful when they were setting me up on a date with a guy the pack want me to mate because of some packs’ relationships bullshit?

Did you hear that?

That the pack want me to mate.

That they want me to mate.

I sat up on my bed when there is a knock on my door.

 I groaned internally and said in the most neutral way to avoid trouble “What do you want?”

“Come sweetie, dinner is ready” my dad only said.

I got up knowing that locking myself in my room will only bring me more problems. I sat at the table in the living room where everything was already set. It took me no time to notice the food on the table: avocado toasts with fried onions served with sweet potatoes fries. Some of favourites. They clearly want to calm my nerves. At least, they’re aware they upset me. Not that it was difficult.

I waited until my parents were also seated in their respective chairs, then began eating silently. I didn’t have to look up to know they were  glancing at each other wondering how to break the awkwardness.

“Uhm..” my dad started, “How was your date?”

I stopped eating and looked up offended at my dad. Well, it wasn’t the best way to ease the tension. My dad realised it quickly and spoke again “Okay sweetie, we’re sorry but we knew you would have never go, would we have said the truth.”

“At least, with meeting him more you get to know him better” my father spoke up. He, too, had stopped eating.

“Right” I scoffed “because I so told him more than ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and was so friendly”

“Don’t forget to be respectful towards high ranks” my dad said locking is eyes with mine.

“According to?” I challenged.

“The…werewolves’ hierarchy” my father responded choosing his words carefully.

I just hummed in response. Yes, I was an omega, so what? I needed to kiss up high ranks? No way. They are respectful, I will be. They aren’t? You will see. Just because of some fur’s colours they think they are above anyone else and it was supposed to be common sense? Didn’t they learn genetics in school?

“Why aren’t you making any effort Remini?” my dad asked, exasperated. He massaged dramatically his temple.

“Efforts to mate with someone I don’t want to mate with? No, thanks” I mumble sarcastically, already exhausted by our conversation. It’s always the same.

“You can meet other high ranks werewolves, as much as you want but you need to hurry. The alpha won’t wait for you to choose eternally.” My father explained. Not that it was any comfort.

“And if I don’t want to mate a high rank? Or if I don’t want to mate soon?” I questionned again, poking randomly the food in my plate to distract me.

“You need to!” my dad raised his voice. He, then sighed and steadied himself “Look, you are the beta’s son and an omega, you need to find a mate for the pack, it’s your responsibility as a member.”

After a long silence as my response my father continued “It’s for yourself too, you will see it’s great to have a mate." He looked briefly at my dad "I don’t know why we have this conversation over and over, you’ve known all that since you were a kid.”

I was looking at my plate, arms crossed. Me either. I didn't know why we always had this conversation, maybe because we failed to understand each other. Each time.

I stood up, taking the avocado toast in my hands and leaving the rest in the plate “I will eat in my room to do my homework”. I left the living room with a bitterness that avocados weren’t supposed to have.