Midfield Academy: Book 3

Chapter 134: The Deal (19 years, 6 months)

Raven entered the dining room with his stomach turning. There were so many dominants in this family. He did a quick check to make sure his clothes weren't twisted around him. They had gotten a little carried away upstairs.

"Everyone this is Raven," said Josh. He put his arm around the sub.

"Hi." Raven gave a slight wave.

"This is my grandpa, Carlos, and my grandma, Maria. My uncle, Dean, he is the beta and this is my aunt, Lindsey. They have two girls." He motioned to the gathering of teens and pre-teens who were sitting at the table.

"It's so good to meet you." Maria stepped forward and hugged the sub. "You look just like your mother."

"It's good to meet you, too." Raven tucked his hair behind his ear.

"Well, let's sit down and eat," said David.

The group moved to the long table. Raven stuck to Josh's side and waited for him to tell the sub where to sit. They were placed in the very middle. Swallowing hard, Raven hid his hands under the table. This was nothing like a dinner in Northern Ridge. Every place setting had been laid out exactly the same and only bread rolls were placed on the table. A side door opened and lower ranks carried in plates of food. This was very different compared to back home.

Raven waited until someone else started eating before picking up his fork and knife. The food smelled great and was helping him focus on something else than impressing this family.

"So Raven," said Carlos, "what's it like growing up with that brother of yours? He's a very spirited young man."

"Interesting" breathed the sub. "He's pretty stubborn but I think he gets that from my dad."

"It's the red fur," chuckled the beta.

Raven smiled to himself. "We have plenty of red fur in my family."

"You didn't get any of that, though?" asked Maria.

He shook his head. "I'm pure white. My mom says it was to counterbalance my brother," he said with a chuckle.

"Pure white werewolves are so pretty," said Josh's grandma. "Asher is pure white, too."

The two subs smiled at each other.

"So where do you see this going?" asked Carlos.

Josh choked on his water. "Grandpa," he said under his breath. "Can we not?"

The retired alpha shrugged. "You're of the proper age. I don't see what the problem is."

"We're taking it slow," stated Josh. "We're not rushing into anything."

"Should I have a word with Darius?" Carlos leaned over his plate with his hands clasped over it.

Raven felt his chest tightened. Trevor hadn't told them about the deal. They had been holding back that bit of information so Raven would have the chance to break it to Josh.

"No." Josh shook his head. "Just let us figure this out."

"I could call Xavier. He's the one that knows how to get things done. The generation leading today is too lenient."

"Grandpa," groaned Josh. "Please."

Carlos finished off his glass and held it up. A lower rank came over and filled it. Raven watched the exchange and felt unsettled by it. That werewolf out-ranked him. Without a mate, in any other pack than Northern Ridge, Raven would have to be a servant to a dominant family.

"He has a good blood—"

"Stop," stated Josh. "We're not doing this. Raven and I understand that we come from strong families." He clasped the sub's hand. "But I'm not going to base our relationship on that."