Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 328: Not Normal People

Knock, knock.

"Come in," Zara’s voice called from inside.

Alaric Storm turned the knob and stepped in.

It wasn’t hard to spot Zara Storm. She was seated by the window, a cigarette in hand, deep in conversation with someone on the other end of her call. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and she smiled, quickly stubbing out the cigarette and pulling the phone away from her mouth to whisper, "Just a minute. I’ll be done soon, son."

Alaric knew how that went. A minute would probably turn into an hour. He didn’t bother waiting. Instead, he left to look for his father.

He glanced around the room his parents had been given for their brief stay today, and it had been completely transformed. What was supposed to be a guest room looked more like a home office. Scratch that. Their "real" home, which was basically their office. If you knew his parents, you’d get it.

Papers and documents were strewn everywhere. Prototypes and design sheets cluttered every surface. Alaric’s frown deepened. They brought work to Parents’ Week?

He shouldn’t have been surprised. This was who they were. He’d always known that. And yet, for some reason, today it pissed him off. Was it too much to ask for one day? One day when they put everything else aside and focused on him? Wasn’t he worth that?

Maybe it was his own fault. He’d set them up in a fully functional room, complete with all the equipment they needed to keep working. Deep down, he’d always known this was exactly how it would turn out, even if he hadn’t wanted to admit it.

It didn’t take long to find Alpha Caspian. His father was in the adjoining room, a phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder, holding a report up to the light as he scrutinized it.

"Alaric! You’re here!" Caspian called out happily, moving to hug him only to realize both his hands were full.

"Oops, sorry about that," he apologized awkwardly, fumbling to set something down but hesitating, clearly torn between the phone and the report in his hands. He chose the report, but since he was still on the call, he got distracted and started stuttering his replies. The report must have been important too, because he hesitated, glancing around, clearly unsure where to put it.

Alaric didn’t bother responding. He just shook his head in exasperation, his eyes scanning the room and noticing all the new setups that hadn’t been there before.

"You shouldn’t have bothered coming if you were this busy," he said bitterly.

on the sharp edge in his tone and the way Alaric’s eyes lingered on the work-filled room. He ended

mother and I thought we’d get a

Obviously." Alaric’s voice dripped with

off guard by the anger simmering in his son’s tone. "Alaric, what’s wrong? Do you want to talk? I swear, just say the word and your mother will drop everything and give you her full

wanted to snap—grudgingly—that it wasn’t worth bothering, but then Violet was important. This was a conversation he actually needed to have, and for once, he wanted his parents

need

more than when Alaric said he "needed to talk." He stiffened, then lifted his head and

his face as the familiar dread hit him. They still used that ridiculous system to classify his problems.

from the other room, her hurried footsteps echoing as

glared at her as she arrived. "I didn’t electrocute anybody, okay? I just

exchanged

Zara said, her voice taking on that

stool and gestured. "Alright, honey, talk. We are all

Caspian added, smiling dotingly at his wife, one hand massaging her back as he stood beside

a deep

rang, cutting him

on. This

heart fluttered a little. For once, his mother was putting him first,

opened his mouth again. "Elsie

The phone rang again.

feet, only to quickly apologize. "Fuck! Sorry for the language, but it’s the president!" She gave him a helpless look. "Alaric, darling, I

have

Alaric sighed. "Fine. Go."

an air kiss

was just Alaric and Caspian. The silence between them felt... awkward, to say the

at offering solutions as your mother," Caspian said, puffing out his chest