The Runt novel Chapter 8

"Father, this is my mate, Penelope Andrews. Penelope, this is my father, retired Alpha Michael Hawthorne," I say strongly as I introduce them. Father politely shakes her hand but I can tell by his body language that he is repulsed by her – he was the minute she walked in. I know my father, I know his tells and as soon as he laid eyes on her, his face dissolved in disgust before the mask was firmly back in place.

As soon as he saw her, he hated her based on appearance alone.

"A pleasure to meet you Ms. Andrews," my father says politely as he shakes her hand limply. Penelope agrees just as politely, neither of them making any effort to sound sincere. We all take our seats at the table and the Omegas begin bringing the dishes out. Unlike where Penelope is from, our pack has a very designated order of rank with Omegas being at the bottom. They do the jobs like kitchen work, laundry and other chores that the majority of the wolves don't want to do normally which is why a pack like the Blue Moon Pack blows my mind. I truly don't understand how they make it work.

Dad asks me about the summit and I fill him in on different things that interest him, all the while trying to turn the conversation back to Penelope. Each time he ignores my effort and her entirely, scarcely looking her way let alone speaking with her. Penelope sits quietly, staring everywhere but at the two of us and just eats her meal. When she finishes, she stays in her chair, saying nothing.

"If you're done you can go," my father snaps at her. Shocked, I don't say anything to her in apology for his rudeness or to address it – I simply sit there and watch her leave the room without saying a word. Finally, coming to my senses, I turn to him.

If you do this to our mate, you will lose me forever, Phoenix growls at me before turning his back on me mentally and going silent. Stunned, I remain silent as I watch my father now leave the diningroom, contemplating both his plan and Phoenix's words. I hate my father's idea and want nothing to do with it but I also don't know if I can go up against it. Choose wisely, Phoenix adds on before going silent again.

Choose wisely, indeed.