#Chapter 17 – His Mate

“So when will you get married?” Ian asks, digging into the huge pile of pancakes that Ian’s private chef places in front of him. The chef smiles at the boys, thrilled to be cooking something besides rare steak and salad.

I fall silent, looking between the boys, suspicious. Victor, less prepared, blushes.

“We,” he says, gesturing between the two of us, “are not going to be married. In fact, there’s someone very special I want you to meet – my mate. Her name is Amelia. I’m going to marry her.”

Alvin’s fork clatters to his plate of eggs and his eyes fill with tears, his little lip starting to tremble.

“No, no,” Victor says, and I can see his heart in his eyes, devastated to have made his son cry. “It’s a good thing – it’s all very good –“

“Silly rabbits,” I say, smiling warmly at my boys and trying to get them to laugh. “No one ever said daddy and I were going to be married – and it will be so fun to have an Amelia in your life! She is a Luna,” I say, trying to make the word sound exotic and special.

“What is a Luna,” Ian asks, his pancakes abandoned.

“Well, every wolf has a mate,” Victor explains, slowly and carefully. “But, not every wolf is lucky enough to meet them. If an Alpha finds his mate, she’s very special, so they call her his Luna, the moon to which he turns. They fall in love and are destined to get married.”

The boys stare at him, unimpressed. “You two have your own mates,” Victor says, trying to sweeten the deal, “and if you’re lucky enough, one day you will find…your own…Lunas…” He gives up.

Alvin’s eyes well further with tears. “Why isn’t mama your Luna, she should be your mate.”

Victor huffs a laugh, awkward, and looks to me for help. I casually pick at my own eggs, letting him handle this one.

“You don’t get to choose-“

“But you and mama had BABIES! You are MARRIED!” Ian shouts, not caring that his logic is not sound.

“No, you don’t have to be married to have babies, though it is preferable,” at this, he shoots me a bit of a dirty look. I shrug. Marriage didn’t work out so great for me, why should I back him up on that?

“You are bad! You have abandoned our mother!” Ian begins to cry then, and Alvin matches him, finally letting his tears flow.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Victor mumbles, amazed at the irony of the accusation. “Now, boys,” he says sternly, but they ignore him. “BOYS.” He booms out, using his alpha tone. Remembering yesterday in the pool, the boys gather themselves.

“You boys are not being fair here,” Victor says. “I did not know you were born – you were an accident,”

say, my voice low and just a tiny bit threatening on

surprise,” Victor concedes, narrowing

stupid

finishes Ian’s thought seamlessly, mirroring his brother’s devastated expression. “And

got our dad,” Ian says, desolate. “And now we’re gonna lose him. And they’ll probably have a GIRL!” He wails the last word, and both boys collapse again into

to clear plates. There’s no use talking to the boys while they’re like this – it’s best to wait until they get

he bangs his fist on the table,

I put the

when you’re an Alpha?” Alvin

it clangs. Victor looks at me and reads my meaning on my face, in every line of my body: don’t teach my

turning back to the boys. “No, Alphas don’t cry. They have a responsibility, and

to cry,” I interject. “Crying is totally

to roll his

enough! Time to go home! Up boys,

let me take the lead. Victor stands up. “Evelyn, you said you wanted me to

Victor,” I say, crossing to him and working to be as kind as I can. “But it’s been a lot for them. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I put a reassuring hand on his arm, “You were great. Just…let them go to their home, let them return to normal for

me a moment and then breaks my gaze, nodding. “Thank you,” I whisper, and move out of

I slip into my office, seeking my own sanctuary. I click on my

Ev, are you free? That new client just called – he would

big sigh and think for

I’m around. Tell him

system of boxes and wires. The green light is

right? I can feel myself getting closer with Victor, with the boys. Hell, this morning I woke up in his

rings. Well. Now or never.

“Hello?”

know it was him, now. He’s starting to become familiar to me; his

glad to hear from you,” I say. “We were scheduled for a call tomorrow. Is there a reason

bit of a crisis,” he says. I can hear him moving around, like he is cooking or working something as he talks. So Alpha, needing something physical to do while he deals

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