Put a Ring On It
Put a Ring On It
Coit
I tell myself I shouldn’t be nervous. Other shifters will be able to smell it on me like blood in the water. There’s no real reason for the Nightstones to object to me marrying Lydia except for any lingering bad blood because of my father. Alpha Gerald doesn’t seem to be holding my father’s sins against me which assures me that he’ll be supportive toward the union.
Lydia’s brothers are loud and like to mess around, but they’re receptive to discussing guy stuff like cars and sports. They shouldn’t be hard to win over. It’s Lydia’s father I’m not sure about. Alcide seems not to like me, though he hasn’t been unwelcoming. He’s been more aloof than anything else. I’m hoping he won’t be an obstacle.
There’s a knock on my bedroom door. I’m in the middle of getting dressed, sliding a gray sweater over my head, but I call for whoever it is to come in. It may be summer, but I’ve learned that the weather is always colder over at Nightfall, so the sweater will be needed,
My mother enters the room, smiling when she sees me. “You’re still here,” she says. “I thought I might’ve missed you.”
“I’m on my way out,” I reply. “Did you need something?”
“Since you’re going to propose to Lydia, I couldn’t let you show up there without a ring.”
She moves closer to me and slides her engagement ring off her finger. The marquise cut emerald is set in between bouquets of small diamonds on a golden band. She hands it to me, and I stare at it apprehensively.
“Mom, I can’t,” I tell her. “That’s your ring.”
“My marriage might not have been the best match, but it’s not this ring’s fault,” she explains. “This was your Grandma Emory’s ring, and she and your Grandpa Colton were very happy together. Your great- grandmother owned this ring before her, and she also had a good marriage.” She takes my hand and places the ring in my palm, adding, “Your father and I might have been a fluke. I’m sure you and Lydia will have more luck with it.”
I stare down at my mother. I’ve been taller than her since I was sixteen, and she looks almost brittle to me. Her strength is something I’ve witnessed and admired for years, but the damage Bernard has done to her isn’t something she can hide completely. There must have been a time when she’d been young and hopeful about marrying her mate only for her to be bitterly disappointed.
“Are you sure?” I ask. “I can get Lydia a new ring.”
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“I’m sure, Coit. The ring should stay within the family.” She reaches up and kisses me on the cheek. “I just want you to be happy, my son.”
Her love for me almost feels like something physical, wrapping around me like a warm hug. Despite what my father has done, my mother’s love is a constant.
“I will be, Mom. Thank you.”
The drive to Nightfall feels longer than usual as I try to keep myself calm and focus on the task at hand. Lydia isn’t home, I know. She’s out hanging out with her friends celebrating passing an important test at
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Put a Ring On It
school. She’d been giddy when she’d informed me over the phone that she’d passed. I haven’t told her that I’m coming over to her place to talk to her family because, in the small chance this all goes badly, I’d rather she doesn’t know about it until she has to.
That, and I’d like to have her father’s permission before I surprise her with the ring.
The fortress of a house comes into view, and I park my vehicle in the driveway. I wave to the guards who I know are watching me from the tower as I make my way to the front door. A blonde woman that looks a lot like Lydia opens the door. She’s more plump and shorter, but the resemblance to my mage with the golden hair and full lips is unmistakable.
“You must be Coit,” she says. “I’m Amanda, Lydia’s mom.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Nightstone.”
“Call me Amanda.” She opens the door wider to let me in. “We’re going to be family soon enough.” She gives me a warm hug, and I like her already.
I follow her inside the house, listening for any other voices to gauge who else might be home. I mostly hear loud music from the second floor. It could be one of Lydia’s brothers. The lingering scents in the house make it hard to guess who is here now and who has been here recently.
“Lydia isn’t home. She’s out with her friends,” Amanda explains.
“I know. I’m actually here to talk to Alpha Gerald and Alcide, if they’re home.”
“Alcide is chopping wood in the back with Tyler and Georgie. I’ll go get him.”
“I don’t want to intrude. I can wait till he’s done.”
“He can leave the wood chopping to the boys. He always complains about how sore his back gets after doing that chore anyway, but don’t tell him I told you that.”
I mime zipping my mouth, and she smiles. She leads me to a room on the first floor which turns out to be a study.
“Gerald is just taking a nap in his office. We have to peel him from his chair for dinner each night.”
“I heard that, Amanda!” Gerald calls out as she opens the door. He doesn’t look mad when we enter the study, his gaze alight with amusement. He’s seated in front of the fireplace in a large leather chair. A huge fur blanket covers his lap. He does look very comfortable.
When he sees me, he adds, “And you caught yourself a young one. Where did you find him?”
“Outside. He wants to speak to you and Al.”
“This should be interesting.” Gerald gets up from the huge chair and goes to his desk to take a seat.” What do you want, Coit?”
I probably should’ve called ahead of time so they were expecting me. Lesson learned.
Amanda has left us, closing the study door behind her. I cautiously step forward so I’m standing across the room from the Alpha. “I would rather wait for Alcide to be here for this conversation.”
Gerald raises his dark eyebrows at me. “This must be something serious then.”
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I can’t deny that, so I nod, not trusting my mouth not to betray me and show how nervous I feel. We don’t have to wait long for Alcide who enters the study wearing a flannel shirt stained with sweat. He glances at me warily before moving to stand beside the chair, forming a united front with his father. My heart begins to beat faster despite my attempts at trying to remain calm. We remain pleasantries, but my hands are shaking.
“Go on then,” Gerald urges. “What’s your important business?”
