Lycan's unexpected mate

Bonding with my mother

Atalanta

When I wake up, I am alone in my bed and my father's scent is faded. He smells like pinewood to me but my mother claims that he smells of the forest after a rain. No specific tree or animal or decaying leaves. I wonder how my own mate will smell like. I mean, your mate's scent is something you can't live without. I do hope he won't smell like fruits or vegetables. Really, who would like a mate smelling like an eggplant?

Diana chuckles in my head. 'Finally awake, my dear sleepy-head?'

'Yes,' I answer with a smile. 'What time is it?'

'Oh, it's almost three in the afternoon. Looks like you were more exhausted than I thought.'

'What?' I cry out. 'It's so late already?! I need to get up and take care of Johann. Gosh, and the investigation.'

Diana stops my rant with a shout of her own: 'Hush, will you shut up?!'

I blink at her mental image in surprise and she licks my face. 'Everything is alright, OK. Your father has taken care of everything. We don't need to rush things. I have healed your head, you won't even know that the boy hit you.'

I hum and rub my head. And I really don't feel anything. But how come I have slept for so long?

Diana rubs her big body against mine and advises me: 'Do get up and find something to eat. Your last meal was yesterday and you need more energy. Then we will go to your father as you have promised, OK?'

I nod and leave our mind space. I untangle the covers from my body and change my leggings and vest for more comfortable trousers and a T-shirt. My eyes are still full of sleep as I brush my hair again. I decide not to re-apply the make-up thanks to Diana healing my body.

When I look presentable enough, I leave my room and walk straight to the kitchen. I doubt that there is anything left from the lunch because it's so late. Maybe I could prepare a sandwich or an omelette. I enter the kitchen only to be greeted by Telette. "Princess," she addresses me with a bow.

"Telette, how are you?" I ask. "And why are you still here in the kitchen? I mean, lunch ended almost two hours ago." I don't add that she normally gets three hours of free time between the end of lunch and the preparations for dinner. I wonder what has kept her.

"Oh, don't worry, Princess. The Alpha King asked me to stay here and warm lunch for you. You are actually a little early. I've just put it in the heater," she explains with a smile. Now, I know what is going on. I'm surprised my father thought that I'd be out for so long. I should thank them both.

"Thank you very much, Telette," I say to which she just waves her hand as if it were nothing. "So, what is for lunch?" I wonder eagerly right afterwards.

"Well, today it's ratatouille with the mystery meat. I hope you don't mind but if you want something else, I can cut some sausages in it for you."

I turn my head no. "There's no need, I'm fine. I just wonder if the portion won't be too big . . .?"

She grins at me knowingly. "No, I've kept enough to feed two people." Just when she finishes the sentence, my stomach growls in hunger and my cheeks turn pink. She laughs heartily. "Even if you are famished, I have enough to calm your starving stomach. You should take better care of yourself. How are you going to bring up healthy children in the future if your eating habits are this bad, hm?"

I shrug. There she goes again. She is imagining me with a family ever since I told her about my wish to have a huge family when I was about 100 years old. Many things have changed since then, even my understanding and wishes for my own family. I would be happy to have two children at most and a supportive mate. Despite all those things that I have ever learnt and thought concerning the crown and being the first-born daughter of the Lycan King. Despite me not wanting to become an obedient housewife.

The ping from the heater brings me back to the present and the hot air full of vegetable smells makes me salivate. I sit down by the kitchen island and when Telette presents the plate, I dig in hungrily. She laughs gently and lets me devour the food while she leaves the room and goes somewhere else, I don't know where.

I am half-through the late lunch when I feel another presence behind me. I turn around to see my mother with an amused smile gracing her lips. She walks closer to me and confesses: "You give the verb of wolfing down food a relatable image, darling."

"Sorry, Mum, but I'm famished," I try to defend myself.

"Oh, I know that, I know. Your father has told me what happened during the training."

Oh, well, here goes. I lower my gaze embarrassed. I am going to be a laughing stock - Alpha's experienced daughter beaten by a newly-turned Lycan. I am wallowing in self-pity, therefore, I don't see my mother come closer. I can only feel her finger on my chin when she forces my head up to meet her eyes.

"I honestly thought that you wouldn't last this long," she admits with a proud smile on her face.

"What?!" I exclaim in astonishment, my mouth hanging open.

My mother laughs at my expression before she turns serious. "You have barely slept over the past three days. I know that you don't have breakfast, that you train on an empty stomach. I have caught you either looking after Johann which isn't an easy feat at all, or doing research on the rogue attacks." She sighs in the end.

I can't bear looking into her eyes, but her hand is firm on my chin. "Tali, I know you try to prove to everyone that you are strong, but sometimes even the strongest need help."

Diana chimes in: 'Remember what the Moon Goddess told us? She said that you are strong and that you can overcome everything. Even your mother agrees. And it's very true that even the strongest and bravest of all kinds need help once in a while.'

I blink back and bite my lower lip. My mother has released my chin and is looking at me fondly. "I guess Diana agrees with me?"

I nod quickly and then my eyes glide back to my unfinished plate. My mother understands and sits down next to me. "Go on eating, I will just keep you company."

I smile at her thankfully and take another forkful of the meal into my mouth. I chew thoroughly so that I don't look like an animal. My mother grins and says: "So, I've been thinking. You need to learn how to balance life with a baby. I know it's easier said than done but I've been in your position before."

I swallow. "Really? You managed everything so well when Oceanus and Helia were born that I can't imagine you had been any different."

She laughs and I smile at her. I enjoy the time we spend together even more now that I go on missions to help werewolf packs and I see all the torn families and lost lives. I would never wish for my mother to watch me die sooner than herself. And I wouldn't manage if I were to lose her due to an attack either. Granted, she used to be an exceptional fighter. Eating my lunch, I have to think how it was possible that she wasn't such a calm and collected person who always knows what to do and how long before it tires you out.

"Tali, I was much like you are now when you were born. I tried to keep everything together and running and you weren't helping at all," she admits and I choke on a bite.

"Excuse me, Mum? Was I really that bad?" My mood dampens slightly. I never knew that I was such a burden when I was young. "I'm sorry," I whisper with my head down and my eyes cast to the plate.

My mother feels my discomfort and explains immediately: "I didn't want to say that you were something bad. Just that I tried to keep the routine of my life as if it were still just me and your father. And somehow I totally forgot that you would wake up at impossible hours and that you would love to be held all the time." She laughs gently. "You always fussed around when I or Triton didn't hold you."

I blink at her, digesting all she has just said. She rubs my shoulder and adds: "But why I am telling you this . . . Well, let's just say that I have been in a similar possition to yours before. Shortly after you were born, there was a meeting with delegations of Sorcerers and Vampires arriving for a gathering." She shakes her head. "It was something about the changes in the ruling family of Coven Masters, I think. And I had to carry you everywhere because there was no-one to babysit you." She grins at me. "And I made a complete fool of myself when I mixed the races. Let me tell you, never ever offer blood drinks to sorcerers. It's a huge insult. Thankfully, one of them I didn't know then thought that I was just a servant here in the castle who didn't know who she was looking after. Therefore, he shielded me from their wrath and even offered to hold you while I run around."

"No way," I look at her startled. This was my very own mother?

"Oh yeah. Anyway, I accepted and finished my duties even though I was so worn out that I could barely keep my eyes open. I collected you just before the meeting was supposed to start but your scent was all over Maurice because apparently, you seemed to have liked him. This triggered Triton as he thought that Maurice wanted to steal our baby. He even hit Maurice and I knew I had to stop the fight before it got worse."

I lift my hand to ask about how that was possible and if she means Maurice, like the current Master King. However, my mother ignored me. "And so I walked between the two of them, pulling Triton away just when Maurice created a shield spell that send us crashing in the wall. Needless to say, I blacked out for a few hours due to the strain of the previous hours and days, and during that time, Triton made up with Maurice and they formed a friendship."

I can't hold still anymore and ask: "Is Maurice the current head of Sorcerers?"

My mother nods and I gape at her. "And they have been friends ever since. As for me, I have received some tips on time management with a baby from all the ruling families, including Maurice's parents and his parents-in-law and Donovan and his wife. Everybody forgave me for the lunch and they even tried to sneak you out of my reach and entertain you. I let them and managed to fall asleep during the meeting in the evening. I woke up in our room after midnight, you were sleeping peacefully beside me and Triton told me that the meeting happened in complete calmness with no-one raising their voice so that I could sleep. And you spent the evening in the arms of Maurice and his wife Inaven."

She keeps smiling at me as she adds: "As far as I can tell, you were the best thing to happen at that time because they had a civilised conversation, everyone was heard out and there weren't any complaints coming during or after the meeting. Triton sometimes jokes that you were born just in the right time and you ascending the throne is also going to be an unforgetable event."

I shrug and flash her my huge real smile. Every time I speak to her, I find out something new. "Why haven't you told me about this earlier? I have had no idea . . ."

"Because it wasn't the right time," she explains to me. "And it would have waited for your firstborn if you didn't bring Johann from your mission."

I hug her tearing up and she keeps me in her arms fiercefully.

"Oh gosh, what has happened?" I can hear from the door. I turn around and see Helia standing astride in the doorway. "Dad is waiting for everyone in the car with Oceanos and Flora. Why are you two still here?" she wonders.

"Car?" I frown at her. What is going on? Are we going somewhere?

My mother pulls me up. "Oh, so the picnic is on?"

Helia nods excitedly and we all run outside to enjoy the time with our whole family in our secluded spot near the waterfall. Dad wouldn't choose a different place to unwind for years.