Beta Bully (M/M) - Chapter 29 (Early Access) (Patreon)

The Talk

Darcy accidentally pulled an all-nighter on the Thursday. It was the nerves, the packing and repacking his bag, fretting over Luca’s words and whether to trust them, last-minute denial over Plan A.

By the early hours of Friday morning he was scrunched up in a ball on his bedroom floor surrounded by pyjamas. The only items that had successfully made it into his backpack were the Saturday outfit and swimming trunks that Luca had bought him. Everything else he had yet to make a choice on. There was so much he was unclear on. It was way too late to be texting Luca and asking silly questions like “Should I be expecting to stay over one night, or were you serious that I’d be staying after the party, too?”. Luca teased and hinted things too much, and he wanted to be prepared. Darcy also needed to fit everything into one normal-sized bag so it didn’t look like he was rolling up with a suitcase, ready to move into the pack.

Even if he knew how many pairs of underwear he needed, it was then the choice of which ones to pack. Which of his pyjama sets were the least childish? Did he want to look sexy? So many questions swirling in his mind. Luca was going to open his eyes in twenty-four hours and see his as his soul-mate, he just wanted to look nice.

His dad knocked on his bedroom door when he didn’t react to his alarm. Darcy was still sat on the floor with his head rested on his bed.

“What’s going on, Darcy? Did a hurricane hit?” he joked awkwardly. As fathers tended to do when they didn’t know how to deal with their emotional teenage children.

Darcy groaned into his bedding.

“Okay. I’m making a nice breakfast downstairs when you’re ready.” ‘Nice breakfast’ by his dad meant lots of toast with different spreads and cut up fruit. Usually he made his own breakfasts and lunches, so he appreciated it any time his dad did the ‘nice breakfast’. Even if it usually accompanied a stressful day like exams or a jab. He hesitated in the doorway and Darcy gave him a tearful pout. “I know it’s a big day for you tomorrow, so try to enjoy it, okay?”

Darcy sniffed and scrubbed his hands over his face, his cheeks were red-hot. When he lifted his hands, his dad was gone. He was right, though. Mate maturity was supposed to be exciting. His own mate maturity birthday had been a disaster, but things were different now.

Darcy shoved some toiletries, a selection of underwear, and a t-shirt-and-shorts pyjama set into his backpack and left it at that. He had run out of time to over-think things any more. Once he was washed and dressed, he loped down the stairs to nibble on the toast selection.

At the table his parents were sat stiffly. The room was silent. Darcy greeted them with a mumbled ‘morning’ and sat down. Darcy had no appetite, but he filled his plate with the pre-made toast anyway. His dad pushed bowls of fruit under his nose and he took a piece here and there to appease him. His effort really was appreciated, Darcy just couldn’t enjoy his hard work when the stress was creeping over his skin.

His mate was going to find out he was a liar.

As soon as the clock reached eight he shot out of his seat for the front door, calling his gratitude over his shoulder.

His father gave chase. “Slow down, Darcy!” he shouted after him. “I’m driving you to school today.”

Darcy eyed his father suspiciously.

“Why?” Last time he offered Darcy a lift to school he had driven him to the dentist first.

“That bag looks heavy, and you seem a bit stressed out. Not having to worry about that old bus seems like it might help.”

For a moment, he hovered in the doorway. His dad smiled awkwardly at him and he knew he couldn’t say no. His dad was just trying to make his day easier.

“Thank you,” he mumbled and let his bag hit the ground wearily.

They returned to the table for another half-hour of his mother’s small talk.

The first few minutes of the drive were silent. Darcy usually found it easy to chat to his dad, but he seemed to be waiting for something, so Darcy did too.

“About tonight,” he suddenly said.

“You said it was okay for me to sleep over at The Pearl Claw,” Darcy reminded him with just a hint of his stress slipping into his tone.

“Yes, that’s fine. He’s your soul-mate. This is… expected.” His hands squeezed and released the wheel a few times. “I just feel that if I had- if your mother and I had known about him sooner, we could have talked about some things.”

“Oh my god.” Darcy pulled his shirt up over his face. This was worse than the dentist. “Dad. Please, no. I don’t need a sex talk - we’re not even doing that tonight!”

“You never know-”

“We already agreed-”

“Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, these things happen-”

“Please stop! Mum already gave me ‘the talk’ years ago.”

“I just want you to be able to ask anything you need before I drop you off.”

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

“And if you feel pressured, or he changes his mind about your agreement, you call me, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, dad.”

“You always have the right to leave another pack’s grounds, you only need permission to enter. He can’t stop you.”

“Got it.”

“Just because you’re his mate doesn’t mean you owe him anything, not even a kiss.”

“Yes, dad.”

“And just because you’re an omega and he’s a beta doesn’t mean he can order you about. You’re still a member of The Charred Crescent.”

“Understood.”

“Your mother and I are always here for you. We love you so much.”

“I love you too, dad. So much.”

A curly-topped beta was waiting at the drop-off area when his dad pulled over. Luca’s golden face had never been such a relief to see. His stress over seeing him had been completely overshadowed by the horror of his car journey. Darcy would take awkward young love over awkward parental units any day.

“That him?” his dad asked with an unfamiliar edge to his voice.

“Yep.” Darcy tried to open the door but his dad kept the child lock on. Darcy gave him a look of mortified exasperation.

“I love you. Call me if you need me,” he repeated.

“I love you, too.” Darcy hugged him with one and a half arms crammed over his seat and he laughed and squeezed him tight.

As soon as he heard the door lock click, Darcy flew out of the car and into another big hug. Luca lifted him off the ground a few inches simply by standing up straighter with his arms around him.

“Mornin’,” he whispered into Luca’s chest. Darcy felt it rumble under his face and his mate swung him back and forth a little.

“Morning beautiful,” Luca cooed. The sunny bubble holding them tightly together popped suddenly when he added, “Is that your dad?”

Darcy felt his eye twitch. He had assumed his dad had driven away after he got out. Luca let go and he dropped to his feet. Behind him, the car was idling in the drop-off lane. His father’s arms were crossed over his chest.

“Let’s go do some introductions while he’s here.”

Darcy groaned quietly and Luca gave him a quizzical look but kept moving towards the passenger window. His dad waited a few seconds after Luca stopped next to it before pressing the button to lower the glass.

“Hello, sir. I’m Luca Sha-”

“I know who you are, beta,” his dad grumbled.

“Dad!” Darcy hissed. “Please don’t be rude.”

Luca hesitated, possibly waiting for his dad to air his grievances, but the older man said nothing.

“I hope that we can get to know each other better, what with Darcy being my soul-mate,” Luca said carefully. “It would mean a lot to me to be able to get along well with his family.”

Darcy’s dad huffed. “I agree,” he replied, but he refused to look Luca in the face. “I need to know a lot more about you, beta. I don’t know if I like you, yet. You’re not exactly starting off with a blank sheet.”

“I understand.”

“Well, understand this as well - he does not belong to you. Darcy is a blessing upon you.” Darcy flushed to the tips of his ears, but his father was not finished. “There is always an old council law for everything. Nothing is set in stone and if he wants to stay with his family, then there will always be a way we can make that happen.” Darcy had never heard him speak like this, he looked furious. It was so unlike his goofy and laid-back parent. His mum was the loud and bossy one. “Don’t think you have secured him like some prize.”

“I understand, sir. Thank you for giving me this second chance to prove myself.”

His dad grunted and pulled away jerkily. Darcy watched the car until it disappeared off school grounds.

“I’m so sweaty,” Luca laughed nervously. He rubbed his hands on his jeans.

“You did well,” Darcy assured him. “He’s really nice normally.”

Luca mumbled, “I haven’t earned nice from your family or friends.”

Darcy shrugged. It wasn’t the day for this discussion.

“Tell me about the pre-midnight snacks I have all day to look forward to,” he suggested.

Luca laughed and took his hand. “Is that the only reason you’re coming over?”

“What other reason would I have?” he asked, deadpan.

Luca laughed again.