Ellis stood on his feet, mouth pursed in a tight line, when Claire excused herself with the most pathetic excuse. He expected his dear aunt to pull something like this at the very last moment. Anna did not meet their standards; it was evident in his aunt's eyes the moment she shattered the vase on the table. The Alpha let it go, fully aware that the omega was nervous about meeting his uncle and aunt. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he expected them to understand as well.
“You could do better, Ellis” Claire twisted her lips as he escorted her to the door, hand dropping at sides. Now that they were out of Anna’s vision, she didn’t have to continue clutching her head anymore.
His jaw ticked at those words, fingers curling into his palms as he squared his shoulders. For some reason, Elli
