Chapter 174: Who Is Your Soul Bond?

Chapter 175: Who Is Your Soul Bond?
Zephyra's POV

I took a steadying breath before answering Percival's question. The threat note upstairs still lingered in the back of my mind, but I needed to focus on making a good impression with Noah's parents.

"I'm from Northern Ridge Pack," I explained, carefully selecting my words. "My father is Emrys."

I noticed Lavender's expression immediately sour at the mention of my parents. She exchanged a quick glance with Percival, something unspoken passing between them.

"I see," Lavender said, her voice tight.

I sighed inwardly. "I know my parents don't have the best reputation," I admitted. "That's partly why I moved away."

The tension in the room was palpable. Noah reached under the table and squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"Are you the Alpha's daughter?" Percival asked, his tone neutral but curious.

I nodded. "Yes, I am."

Percival smiled warmly. "Well, please call me Percival, or dad if you're comfortable with that."

"Thank you," I replied with a genuine smile, though I knew I couldn't call him dad just yet. Still, I appreciated his kindness. Unlike his mate, Percival seemed willing to accept me despite my family background.

Lavender cleared her throat. "Have you met your Soul Bond?" she asked bluntly.

The question caught me off guard. I felt Noah stiffen beside me, and I realized he probably didn't know about Dominic. I'd never told him.

"I have," I answered honestly. "But we rejected each other. He was in love with someone else, and I wasn't in the right headspace at the time."

Noah turned to look at me, surprise evident in his expression. I could feel his confusion through our bond, but this wasn't the time to explain everything.

"And what happens if one day you decide you want him back?" Lavender pressed, her eyes narrowing. "What then?"

I met her gaze steadily. "That won't happen. He's very much in love with his mate, and he's content with his life, as am I. Maybe we could have worked, maybe not, but I believe the people we chose are our true mates." I looked at Noah as I said this last part, hoping he understood how much he meant to me.

The truth was, what I felt for Noah was deeper than what I'd ever felt during that first meeting with Dominic. I wouldn't trade my connection with Noah for anything, and I knew Dominic felt the same about Elise. We were both exactly where we were meant to be.

The conversation gradually shifted to lighter topics. Percival and Lavender began sharing stories about Noah's childhood, and I found myself laughing at the antics of a young Noah.

"He once decided to paint the entire living room with mud because he thought the color was boring," Percival recalled, chuckling.

"And don't forget the time he released all the frogs from his science class into the house because he thought they needed 'freedom,'" Lavender added, a genuine smile finally gracing her features.

Noah groaned, but I could tell he was enjoying the reminiscing. Watching them interact, I could see that despite their reservations about me, they had given Noah a happy childhood filled with love. It made me feel even more determined to prove myself worthy of their son.

After dinner, Noah, Percival, and Ophelia moved to the living room while I began clearing the table. To my surprise, Lavender offered to help.

"I'll give you a hand," she said, though it sounded more like a demand than an offer.

As soon as we were alone in the kitchen, Lavender spoke. "You know, I'm still not sure about you."

I remained silent, waiting for her to continue as I loaded dishes into the dishwasher.

"You seem like a lovely woman," she admitted reluctantly. "And the fact that you're friends with Elise counts in your favor. I've known her for over a decade. She doesn't make friends easily."

I nodded, still saying nothing. I sensed Lavender was building up to something important, and I didn't want to interrupt. I also noted how she mentioned Elise with fondness—she must have considered Elise the daughter-in-law she always wanted.

"I'm just concerned that you might not be stable enough to be what my son needs right now," she finally said.

I understood her implication. She thought I was mentally unstable because of my past. While it stung, I couldn't entirely blame her for her concern.

"I won't lie to you and say I'm completely fine," I replied carefully. "I have my struggles. I have good days and bad days. But I can assure you that I'm getting the help I need, and I have more good days than bad now. It's a long process, but I'm healing, slowly but surely."

Lavender studied me for a moment before asking, "And what about your mate? Are you certain you'll never go back to him?"

"Noah is my mate," I stated firmly. "As for my Soul Bond, he's deeply in love with his mate—loves her to the point of near blindness to all else. He would never leave the woman he loves, and even if he did, I wouldn't want him. We weren't meant to be."

Lavender seemed skeptical but appeared to accept my answer for now.

"Well," she said, her voice taking on a threatening edge, "I suppose I'll have to wait and see if you're being honest. But remember this—if you hurt my son, there will be nowhere for you to hide. Understood?"

A chill ran down my spine. This woman was terrifying. "Yes," I answered simply.

We stared at each other for a long moment, some unspoken agreement passing between us. Then, surprisingly, we both smiled. The rest of the evening progressed smoothly.

About an hour and a half later, Percival and Lavender prepared to leave. Ophelia had fallen asleep, clutching the doll Lavender had given her, a small smile on her face.

After they left, Noah and I headed to our bedroom. "That went better than I expected," he said, loosening his tie.

"Your mom is scary," I replied, slipping out of my dress.

I was about to put on my nightgown when I realized Noah had gone silent. Turning around, I found him staring at something in his hand, his expression darkening.

"Noah?" I called out.

"What the hell is this, Zephyra?" he growled, holding up a piece of paper.

I froze as I recognized what he was holding. The threatening note. I'd completely forgotten to hide it.

My heart sank. "Shit," I thought. "I forgot to put that away, and now it's in his hands."