The Lycan King's Hybrid Mate

Chapter Nine

When mom told me about Willow, I had no idea that she had snuck a boy into the house. " Is that why you were always so hard on Willow?" I asked.

" Yeah it was, when she first came to live with us she was so angry with her parents and I believe that she was acting out to get their attention. I told her mother and she just said it was a phase that all girls were doing and she was darn sure Willow wouldn't be the last one who did. I'm glad that you made your own choices. I was a lot like Willow growing up. I didn't want a mate. I saw what happened when a mate was killed and I saw what happened when a rejection happened. I swore to my mother that I was fine on my own. So much so that I actually dated a human for a while. I was young and in love, or at least so I thought, until I saw your dad. Our attraction was so strong that I actually ended up cheating on my own boyfriend for the sake of a mate bond. I fought my feelings for your father for about a month and I told the human man the truth or at least a version of the truth and that was so hard, I broke his heart that day. It was about a week later I ran into his sister and she told me that he was planning to propose to me after he graduated with his final degree. By listening to my fear and denying the mate bond, my actions alone caused pain to someone who mattered to me and they didn't deserve what I had done. Neither did your father, but he forgave me and the rest, you know. My advice to you is don't let fear be the reason you put off getting closer to your mate. I will let you get ready and I will see you downstairs." Said mom.

"Thank you, I will ask him. Thank you for telling me that. I'm not sure fear is my reasoning, it's more like embarrassment. Yet I've only been a wolf for such a short time that I need to stop being so hard on myself when I don't know some basic information. " I said.

" Good communication is the best way to start your relationship. I love you and everything will work out the way it's supposed to." said mom as she left the room.

Climbing out of bed and walking to my closest, I pulled out a pair of black leggings and oversized off the shoulder shirt, i dressed and grabbed socks and shoes. I decided to text Dimitri now to see what he would say.

ME: I have a question. I know from what my mom has told me in the last few days that wolves can mark each other without actually mating. Can Lycans mark their mates like wolves?

I slipped my phone into my legging pocket and walked downstairs. I could hear voices the closer I got to the main floor. It was my mom and another woman and they were laughing. I pushed through the swinging door and found the two women sitting on the bar stools. " Scarlett, I would like you to meet Lila. We grew up together. It turns out her mate is a warrior here in this pack," said mom.

" Hello, Its nice to meet you. Is there any coffee left?" I asked. " I just made a fresh pot, your father stocked up on everything that you like. Lila's mate was one of the warriors that was injured yesterday. " Said mom. "I'm sorry about your mate. How is he doing today?" I asked. " He is doing about the same. The doctor is hopeful, as am I. Thank you for asking." said Lila.

I poured my coffee and added my creamer and said " Mom, when your ready I will be out waiting on the porch." I didn't wait for a response cause I knew she was in Luna mode right now and Lila clearly needed her more right now. I noticed her swollen belly and couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. I wonder if Arianna would be willing to talk with Lila. Maybe she could offer a bit of comfort after what she has gone through. It was a beautiful but brisk day out. I sat on the basket chair swing and sipped my coffee. My phone vibrated. I pulled it from my pocket.

D: To answer your question. Yes, Lycan's can mark their mates just like a wolf can. Why do you ask?

ME: I should be telling you this in person.

I could smell him before he said anything. " So tell me love." He slipped onto the swing with me and wrapped his arms around me. I snuggled in closer to him. He was warm and, apparently, I had a bit of a chill.

" I asked because I know how hard things have been for you and your Lycan. I also know that this party isn't going to make things any easier. Also, I love you and this is the one thing I can give right now, the rest we can work up to." I said.

"I know things haven't been easy. I felt your anger and jealously last night with those two girls. I would love for us to mark each other, but only if it's what you want. I don't want you to feel like you need to just because things are hard for me. It is hard to control Dane sometimes, but it's not impossible." Said Dimitri.

" This isn't out of obligation, I really truly want this, I want all of it. s*x is just something we have to work towards, plus I don't want to have my first time in my parents' house." I said.

" I'm happy to hear you say that we can do it tonight. That works for me because I don't need a reason for your dad to kill me. So your dad let it slip that your mom is planning a welcome home dinner for my dad tonight." said Dimitri.

" That is true, your mom knows about it and we are actually supposed to be opening up the portal for your grandparents and brother and sister. Your mom said you told them all about me and sent a picture to your grandma so they would be comfortable when they came through. Off topic, but there is a women that is pregnant and her mate was injured yesterday and the doctors are looking on the bright side. Your mom was kinda in a similar situation. Do you think she would talk to this woman if my mom was cool with it?" I asked.

" I don't see why she wouldn't if it helped another person. I did tell them all about you and all three of them can't wait to meet you. Dad has been released. He has regained his strength a lot faster having my mother here and they are out and about. They told me I was cramping their style. So I took the hint and decided to come help you guys, also no magic for you for a few days, remember." Said Dimitri.

" I will ask and then I will talk to your Mom when they are done acting like horny teenagers! I wasn't planning to not until we have more information, I never want what happened yesterday to happen again. I wish my dad wasn't throwing a party tomorrow. I feel extremely out of place. I don't know any of these people and they don't know me at all, but if I say anything it would hurt his feelings I know this is his way of making up for missed birthdays." I said.

"

" I told her to call before they came here. I don't want it to happen again either. I knew something was bothering you. This will be good practice for when we get to the palace. My mother is already making a list of everything that we are taking care of until my dad is fully recovered. She has also already sent out announcements about us being mates. The doctor is thinking at least a few more weeks. Don't worry, she has already hired a teacher to help you out. She was planning to herself but she isn't going to leave my dad until they can come home together." Said Dimitri.

" Wow, she didn't waste any time setting things in motion, did she." I laughed. " Since my uncle doesn't have my father anymore, we kinda have to keep up appearances, but as soon as he is cleared they are both coming back. We don't have to worry about taking over anytime soon. Now that I have a mate she can spend more time with Dominic and Daniela," Said Dimitri. Dimitri took my cup inside to get me more and to grab a mug himself. He came out smiling. " What are you smiling about?" I asked. " The lady your mom is talking to almost fell out of her chair when I walked in. She apparently didn't realize your mate is the future Lycan king." said Dimitri.

" Oh, are they even close to being finished?" I asked. " Your mom was walking her back to the hospital and then she would be back." said Dimitri.

We stayed snuggled up on the basket chair, drank our coffee and just enjoyed the morning. I drained my cup and sat it on the railing.

BUZZ BUZZ

Willow: Hey girl, I just wanted to check in. I didn't hear from you yesterday. Is everything OK?

Me: Hey, I was planning on calling you tonight. I'm sorry about yesterday, so much has happened. I will tell you in person, so pack a bag and I will have my mom portal you in today if you want. My dad is throwing me a party tomorrow night and I need my best friend with me. Dimitri's mom and dad and siblings will be moving into the house the day after the party.

Willow: OK, I can be packed in like 30. I'll see you soon. We had better get time to talk!

Me: I promise we will talk. I will see you soon.

" I'm so sorry that it took so long, Lila is having a really rough time. I wish there was more to be done for her. Are you ready? I figured the family room was a big safe place to open a portal." Said Mom." Actually, since you said that what about Arianna, she was pregnant with her twins when Declan was taken. Maybe she could offer some advice to help Lila. And yep we are ready." I said.

"That is a wonderful idea. Why don't you ask her and see what she says? Alright, let's get this welcome home train back on track." Said mom. " Oh, can you portal Willow in?I would like it if she was here and could come to the party." I said. She must have agreed because she didn't say anything and when we got to the family room, the first portal she opened was for Willow. Willow quickly stepped through and next was Dimitri's family. The woman who walked through looked just like her daughter, accept she had gray hair. The twins followed and they were so cute, they were a mix of both parents, their faces lit up in big smiles when they saw their brother. " Dimitri, we missed you and Mommy." Said Daniela." I missed you both too, and so did mommy. She should be here anytime. Dominic, Daniela, Grandma Gabby. I would like to introduce my mate Scarlett, mother Everly, and Willow. She is Scarlett's best friend." Said Dimitri. I knelt down to look at the twins and said " It's so nice to finally meet you, your brother has told me so much about you, and I can't wait to get to know you." I said. I wanted to talk to his grandma but she didn't come off as very friendly towards me. I planned to ask him about it later or even tonight. We showed everyone their rooms and then my mom told me it was time for me to go rest again, and that she would have lunch sent up. Dimitri, Willow and I went to my room, " Okay, something is going on." said Willow." D, we have to tell her, I've kept it away from her for a lot longer." He nodded and I told her my whole story. " Wait, I thought you just found out you had a wolf and now you have some extreme power. How did that work?" Asked Willow. " So, apparently, the power has always been with me, even before. Doing magic always came really easy for me, you remember? When my mom was teaching us spells and I never once struggled, that was why my parents thought I wouldn't ever have a wolf. Getting my wolf just enhanced it basically and yesterday, I cast a protection spell. It was only supposed to protect the hospital. But when I heard that pack members were hurt, I cast a spell big enough to protect the whole pack. It almost killed me. The Moon Goddess gave us clues about my magic, but that's it. So you're pretty much caught up, enough about me. Did you call your parents about going home?" I asked.

" Wow, I always knew you were special. Yeah, I did and it didn't go well at all. They told me that I couldn't go home, that having a witch in the pack was just too dangerous. I was hoping to talk to your mom sometime and see if she could get them to change their minds. I even told them that things were changing and that you were mated to the future King and they honestly didn't believe me at all. I personally feel like when they found out I would never have a wolf, that they just didn't love me enough or even want me." Said Willow. I pulled her into a hug and she started to cry. "Hey D, would you see if my mom could come up here?" I asked. " Sure, I will come back later." he said, kissing my forehead before he left. Five minutes or less, there was a soft knock on the door, and mom opened it up and walked in. She took in Willow's crying form and asked " What happened". I explained everything and you could definitely tell that her mom mode kicked in. " Willow, please look at me?" asked mom. Willow pulled away and looked at her. My mom cupped her face and wiped her tears and said " It's going to be alright, I'm going to have a talk with your parents and no matter what happens you will always be my daughter as well. I have raised you since you were 6 years old and I love you. Scarlett loves you. You have a home here in this pack or you have a home with Scarlett. The choice is yours. Don't waste anymore tears on them right now." It was true everything she said, Willow wasn't just my best friend, she was my sister. After a few minutes, Willow pulled away and thanked my mom and with that she went back to her party planning. " I actually wanted to ask you before we left yesterday but didn't get the chance and then everything went pear shaped. Would you like to come to the palace with us? I would love to have my sister with me." I asked." You really want me to come with you?" asked Willow. " I wouldn't have asked if I didn't, plus you may have a mate out there and living in the palace definitely gives you a bigger chance of finding mate." I said. " I don't have a wolf and if I did have a mate out there he wouldn't want me I'm just a witch and not even a very powerful one at that. But, yes I would love to come live with you. Plus, I can help you with your royal wear." said Willow.

We sat and she showed me her sketchbook, and her designs were fit for royalty. And that gave me a wonderful idea. I snapped a few pictures and sent the to D.

Me: 2 Imagies. What do you think of these two dresses?

Dimitri: I really like them. I think you would look beautiful in them. Why?

Me: Willow designed them and I got to thinking. If she is already going to be living in the palace, could I hire her to make my clothes? Her dream is to design a fashion line. What if we gave her her start? She does means clothes to.

Dimitri: We already have someone that does that, but technically you are the crowned princess, so you can choose your own designer. I fully support your choice to hire her.

Me: I LOVE YOU THANK YOU!!!

That was truly the best news. Not only was my sister going to be with me, but hopefully she would agree to do this for me. I was determined to help her dreams come true. " Willow, I have a job offer for you and it's because you have pure talent and the world needs to see that. How would you like to be the royal designer for the crowned prince and princess?" I asked. She looked at me like I had two heads." Are you serious?" asked Willow. " Yes, one hundred percent sure I love your clothes and I would be honored to wear them and if this gets you closer to your dreams, then I will do anything to help you achieve that. I also just cleared it with Dimitri. That means you need to get with Arianna and find out what events are coming up and start planning." I said. " Thank you so much, I don't know what to say. I love you Scarlett. I'm glad you're my sister." Said Willow. BUZZ BUZZ

Dimitri: My mom and dad are here. I would like for you to be with me when the twins get to meet our dad.

Me: Okay, i will be right down.

" Hey, will I have to go meet Dimitri. His parents just got here and he wants me to be there when the twins meet their dad. I will see you at dinner." I said. She followed me out and went to her own room. I found D waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs for me. " The twins are waiting for us in the family room." said Dimitri. " Is your Grandma going to be there too?" I asked.

" Nope, she is in her room. I'm not sure what's going on with her. She isn't usually that rude."said Dimitri. We walked hand in hand and found the twins coloring. " Those are great pictures guys!" I said. " Thank you." said the twins in unison." So we need to talk, can I have you put the crayons down. You remember how you used to ask mommy about your daddy. Do you remember what she told you?" asked Dimitri. It was Dominic who spoke up first " I remember she used to tell us that he was a spy and he was on a mission to track down the bad guys. And once he had enough information, he would come home to us."

"That's right. What if I told you that dad has come home from his mission and is here ready to see you both." said Dimitri

Both kids looked up and they had tears in their eyes and said " You really mean it. We get to see our daddy." Dimitri didn't even get a chance to respond when Arianna and Declan walked in. Both kids screamed " MOMMY!" as they ran into her arms. She was crying as she hugged them both. "Oh my babies I have missed you so much." cried Arianna.

Tears stung the backs of my eyes as I watched a man kneel down and look at his two youngest children and then he looked at his oldest and you could see the love and pride he had for his family. The twins hugged their father for the first time and he cried like a baby. In this moment this was everything. This is what we are trying to protect families from being torn apart of reason other than power or greed or even jealously. Today, this family, my family would start their healing process and they would rebuild what was lost. The wrongs would be righted as best as they could and the guilty would hopefully be held accountable for their crimes. I was no longer afraid of what was to come because we had an army of people that were willing to fight for what was right. I excused myself to let them have a moment alone while I checked on dinner. " Hey mom it smells great! Can I help with anything?" I asked.

" If you could set the table, that would be great." she replied. I grabbed the plates and silverware and placed them in their proper places. Next, I grabbed the glasses and placed them next to each plate. Back in the kitchen, mom had finished the sides and had me take them to the table. " I just need to pull the steaks and everything is ready please let everyone know." said mom. I did as I was told and we all sat down and it was nice. I went from having just a mom, to having a family that is double that now, my heart was full. My mom came in with a serving tray filled with lots of steaks, she sat them down in the center of the table and then sat down herself. " Please dig in and enjoy." said mom. Once everyone's plates were full and glasses were filled, my father stood up and said" I want to say thank you to my wife for this wonderful meal we are about to have. I also want to welcome the Petrova family into the Mason family. You have a wonderful son. You both should be very proud. We are so thankful that Scarlett was blessed with such a wonderful mate." Declan stood next and said " Thank you Noah, I'm so proud of the man Dimitri has become. I also want to say a very big thank you to you and your family for risking your lives to save mine. You gave me back the family I never thought I would see again and for that I can never thank you enough." We waited a few minutes to see if anyone else was going to speak. When no one did, we all started to dig into our food. Arianna stood up and spoke" Scarlett, I owe you my thanks and so much more,, I know that night of the gala your father was very unsure of us and, given the circumstances, I understood if the rolls had been reversed I would have felt the same way. When our daughter Isabella asked you point blank if you could help us, you didn't see the bad parts that surrounded our name. You could have said no but you didn't and for that I thank you. You helped my son and you've also made him so happy. I also know what you did for us yesterday, actually, for the whole pack, and I think you will make a fine queen one day. Thank you." said Arianna." Your welcome. I'm glad that I was able to help. And thank you, hearing you say that means so much to me." I said. After all the toast and thanks, we all finally got to eat our dinner, Willow talked to Arianna about her new job and they had plans to sit down before we left. I loved listening to all the coversations that were happening, even Grandma Gabby was having a good time finally. After dinner we ate dessert and the adults decided to have a night cap. The twins were fast asleep in there father's arm so he carried them off to bed.

We said our goodnights. We got to our room and once inside " I think we need to have a big family dinner like that once a week." I said." That would be nice.I bet they would agree. You do realize its only have 8pm right" Said Dimtri. " I wanted an excuse to leave the adults so we could spend time alone and talk.Do you think its possible that Will has a mate out there? I mean both her parents are wolves and her mom has a witch background." I asked." It's very possible that she does, would she feel the mate bond that im not sure of." said Dimitri." If her mate say happened to be a Lycan would se change like I am?" I asked. " Yes she would but only after they completed the mating, techinally since she has no wolf she is still just a human, her mate would have to mark her, and his bite would alter her DNA to chance and then she would live as long as we do. Why?" asked Dimitri. " I don't know I just feel like something big is going to happen for her, other than making clothes for us. By the way your mom seemed to take it well." I said. I walked intio my closest and kicked my shoes off and grabbed some clean pj's and went to the bathroom I turned on the shower and stripped out of my clothes, not bothering to shut the door. I stepped in the water and closed the shower door. Dimitri came to stand in the door way of the bathroom so I could hear him " Is the feeing you have good or bad?" he asked. " Good,which after today she could use all the good news. The twins sure ajusted well to having you dad back, that was a good story that your mom told them, and in a way not to far from the truth." I said. He grabbed a towel and put it in the warmer, " That was my story that I told my mom after the block was placed. I would have dreams about him fighting the bad guys. When the twins got older and they started asking questions i told her to tell them he was spy. At first they said kings couldn't be spy's, I helped her with the stoires and for along time I believed them cause I couldn't remember what actually happened. I'm just so glad that he is acually here now, but I wish I hadn't lost out on all that time with him as a little boy." said Dimitri.

"That's a validated reason, you built him up so much to be this super hero and then your block gets removed and everything that you imagined isn't what happened in reality. You are going to miss that time you lost, but that doesn't mean there won't be other highlight moments in your life. He will be there when we get married, he will be there for our future children and birthdays and so much more. You will get to share things in a different way and that's ok. It will mean just as much in the end." I said, turning the water off, Dimitri grabbed my towel, and when I stepped out he wrapped it around me. " Thank You." I said. " I never looked at it that way, and your right there are other things to look forward to, and for that I'm grateful. I can't say that in some ways I'm not a little jealous that he will be here to watch the twins grow up, when he wasn't there, when I needed him." said Dimitri." I can understand how your feeling I grew up without a fathers influence and I know there are things that I missed out on, but I also know my mom did the best she could given the circumstances. Your father didn't choose to be away from you, he was taken by force and that was the last thing he wanted. He may not have been there to watch you grow up but he's here now to see the man you are becoming," I said while I dried off, I grabbed an over-sized t-shirt and shorts. " I know I've told you this so many times, but it's your voice of reason that is going to make you a damn good princess and queen. Thank you for listening to me, I love you." said Dimitri. " Your welcome, I love you too. So have you thought anymore about what I asked you about earlier today, about marking each other?" I asked.

" Are you sure that's what you want to do? I know earlier I said it was possible to mark without mating, but it's really not that easy." said Dimitri." What do you mean?" I asked. " When Lycans mark their mates, both are in a state of euphoria. On rare occasions, some males will mark there mates out of jealously and that isn't what the mark was meant for. I want you to enjoy the moment we mark each other. I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't figure you wanted others to hear our private talk." said Dimitri. " Wow, yeah, that definitely doesn't sound pleasant at all." I said.