[That in and of itself is a misunderstanding, then, because she's speaking in a purely romantic context - that there were some people who found their mates and didn't need to open their intimate relationships further. Obviously people needed outside stimuli such as family and even enemies. But he was definitely right that she did put Alphas a little higher than she should - it goes back to her issues with authority figures and such.
His question, though-]
Because that's her legal name.
[Her shoulders lift and fall.] You have three kids, multiple cars, and a house together but she's still kept her maiden name. If she wanted to change her name to yours she could have by now, common law marriage is a thing. But she hasn't, so it feels a little weird, and maybe too familiar, to use your name when it's only that until she decides it isn't.
[In other words, Audrey did it out of a sense of respect: Obviously Nariko and Masaomi were mates but for the woman to not take her mate's name after this long set off some alarms with the girl. To her it just made more sense and seemed better all around.]
no subject
His question, though-]
Because that's her legal name.
[Her shoulders lift and fall.] You have three kids, multiple cars, and a house together but she's still kept her maiden name. If she wanted to change her name to yours she could have by now, common law marriage is a thing. But she hasn't, so it feels a little weird, and maybe too familiar, to use your name when it's only that until she decides it isn't.
[In other words, Audrey did it out of a sense of respect: Obviously Nariko and Masaomi were mates but for the woman to not take her mate's name after this long set off some alarms with the girl. To her it just made more sense and seemed better all around.]