Patrick’s complexion gradually returned to normal. “You didn’t tell anyone at home that you were going out overnight last night, and then this morning March came to tell me that your room was empty. May opened your room and found you were not there.”
Emma didn’t reply. She felt a bit guilty. She had thought that if something like that had happened, no one would notice where she had gone. But now Patrick was standing right in front of her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t find you last night. I was supposed to say something.” She didn’t mention her encounter with Jennifer, nor did she mention Jennifer’s long mockery.
Emma quickly admitted her mistake, leaving Patrick unable to erupt at her. He turned to Rory, “Did you take my sister yesterday?”
Rory shrugged, “You can’t-”
“No! Patrick!” Emma screamed. Patrick had suddenly gone mad and grabbed Rory’s collar. Emma could feel his wolf stirring, Rory had provoked his wolf again.
“I am your Alpha. You do not challenge my authority!” Patrick’s lips receded, baring his teeth. Emma was certain he would tear Rory apart.
Rory was also defiant, his eyes changing. “It was just a damn bonfire party! Please, Patrick!” Emma hoped Rory wouldn’t provoke him further.
“I need to talk to Rory first. Then it will be your turn,” Patrick’s wolf disappeared, he released Rory and spoke sternly.
Emma looked at him in panic, “Please don’t do anything excessive to Rory. I didn’t apply to go out overnight beforehand for another reason.”
Her voice grew smaller as she spoke and she rarely used honorific language.
Patrick felt himself getting angrier: she wanted to hide the fact that she spent the night outside, and yet she wanted to speak up for Rory! She’s not even of legal drinking age!
He felt himself starting to get angry at Emma. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t get angry at Emma.
Patrick could only suppress his anger and walk towards Rory. “You should have informed me in advance, no matter what.”
Rory already disliked Patrick, and now he despised him to the extreme.
“I thought she had told you. She didn’t mention your family to me, and I thought maybe she was unwilling to do so. So, you should reflect on yourself, rather than looking for reasons with others.”
Patrick frowned, “You are an adult. You should know better than her what to do and what not to do. And sometimes you should help her bear some of the risks that her ignorance may bring, rather than letting her act on her own!”
Rory found this statement absurd. “Alpha Patrick. I need to remind you that Emma is a member of your family. This should have been your responsibility, I am just her boss, paying her on time, not giving her excessive work, and occasionally inviting her to socialize with people of her age. That’s what I should do.”
Patrick wanted to argue, but the words stuck in his throat.
“If you care so much about her, why did you only realize she was missing this morning? She told me that you were supposed to have dinner together on Friday, which is your family’s regular activity. But she later said the dinner was canceled, so I invited her to the bonfire party. Where were you at that time?”
Patrick’s face turned cold, “I don’t need to explain to you.”
Rory sneered, “You indeed don’t need to explain to me. Because the person who needs your explanation is Emma. I like her because she is smart and understanding. Even if she doesn’t like me, I don’t want her to be hurt.”
“What are you saying?” Patrick looked at him, his eyes flashing fiercely.
“It’s your mating season. I think almost everyone knows about it, especially after Jennifer let Shirley come and go from your place so openly. Emma never mentions her time in the new house, because it makes her feel miserable. As an Alpha, why can’t you alleviate her pain?”
The two men confronted each other, deadlocked. Several times, Rory felt Patrick would pounce on him and tear his throat out. He broke out in a cold sweat. He was also prepared to fight back, he didn’t know how much chance he had against an Alpha, but this was a war between men, and he didn’t want to give in before it started.
But in the end, Patrick didn’t act.
He just asked, “Has she ever told you that she feels miserable at home?”
“I didn’t ask her, and she didn’t say it voluntarily. But I can feel it.”
Now Patrick had nothing to say. He felt like a fool, not being able to sense an iota of Emma’s pain, yet boldly questioning everyone. He felt his face heating up.
“Thank you,” he muttered. “And thank you for taking care of her. But next time, remember not to let her drink again.”
Rory now felt that Patrickwas not as detestable as before, but only for now. He shrugged, “I won’t let this kind of thing happen again.”
Emma was waiting for him under a tree. Seeing him coming, she hurriedly approached, worried, “Did you guys fight?”
For some reason, she felt that when the two entered, the atmosphere was very tense, as if there was a feeling of impending conflict.
Patrick’s face was no longer as cold as it was when he first arrived, now he looked more like a thawing lake in spring. Emma, seeing the change in his expression, felt relieved, knowing that there probably hadn’t been any significant conflict.
“No, we just talked briefly,” Patrick reverted to his gentle tone. “Did you meet Jennifer last night?”
Emma didn’t expect him to ask about Jennifer directly, “Did Rory tell you?”
“Rory didn’t mention your situation, he just accused me of not caring enough about you. I guess he said that because he felt you were wronged, and he thought about what happened last night. I think Jennifer is closest to the answer.”
For two seconds, Emma pondered how to respond. She didn’t like Jennifer because Jennifer never respected her or her mother, but Jennifer was Patrick’s mother. She didn’t want to speak ill of someone’s mother in front of anyone, even if that person and she had always been at odds.
“It’s nothing, really,” she decided to lie. “I just ran into Jennifer when I went back. I didn’t want to run into Nelson. So after returning to my room, I left from somewhere else. The bonfire party was fun, and I forgot to tell you that I was going out. I’m sorry.”
Patrick stared intently at her face, not willing to let go for even a second.
Emma felt a little guilty, “What’s wrong?”
“Shirley also came last night. I know, my mother brought her, and I was worried you would meet them. I wanted to tell you in advance to come back later, but something came up. In the end, you still met them.”
Patrick didn’t avoid the topic, but instead brought it up himself, surprising Emma.
“And then? Jennifer said your mating season had come, and Shirley was there to help you through it.”
Patrick said very seriously, “Nothing happened between us, Emma.”
Emma was shocked, “What do you mean? Isn’t it your mating season? How could nothing happen?”
“Because I delayed my mating season,” Patrick said.