Taboo: Her Married Mate

The Awkward Breakfast

The smell of breakfast met the girls at the top of the stairs. They both hurried down towards the kitchen to see the spread that Charles had prepared for the family. Everything Annie and Aurora could think when it came to breakfast was there.

Sherri and Marcus came in from the back patio. They both looked surprised to see everyone up and in the kitchen, let alone that magnificent food. Sherri looked at Marcus and went to lead him towards the front.

“Oh no need to send him off,” Charles said from the back end of the kitchen, “Marcus, grab a plate and eat. Come on now everyone, get it while it is hot,” he said, gesturing to everyone to go towards the food.

Aurora tried to hide herself from Charles as much as possible. Her heart raced hard in her chest the second she left Annie’s room. Charles could tell Aurora was hiding. Was it because Sherri had come in with Marcus, and she was waiting for the room to pop off, or perhaps she had the same dream he had the night before? Either way, he thought it was ridiculously cute. Just seeing Aurora made him feel better, even with his wife, displaying her affair for the whole house to see, could not hurt him with Aurora near him.

“Come on everyone, eat!” Charles said. He started handing out plates, saving Aurora for last.

Handing her a plate was harder than Charles thought it would be. He wanted to kiss her so badly. To embrace her in his arms like he had done in his dream.

Everyone loaded their plates with food and sat around the kitchen dinette and ate in silence. It was a very awkward breakfast. Sherri and Marcus were sitting together at one end of the table while Charles was at the other end. Annie and Aurora were sitting across from each other.

Annie was fidgeting in her seat, waiting for the moment to break the silence. The smell of her mate got closer and closer, until she could smell him outside her home. “So last night had many unforgettable moments, it seems.” She said, making everyone even more uncomfortable around her. Aurora looked over at Charles. He already had his eyes on her. “Um. Anyway”, Annie continued. She had noticed Charles and Aurora staring. “Last night while I was out… I found my mate!” Annie announced. Her mom gasped.

“Already!? Oh, my dear, how blessed you are! Did he accept you as his mate? Oh, what am I asking? Look at you, of course he did, you are glowing!!” Sherri could not handle her excitement. “So, who is my future son-in-law?”

Everyone turned their heads towards the hallway. Declan was suddenly standing there with two bouquets of flowers. “Mom, Charles…, um Marcus… this is Declan Sharp, my mate. Aurora already knows him from school. Declan, this is my mother, Sherri, and her husband, Charles, and this is my mom’s.” Annie paused and looked at her mom and then back to Declan. “Chef? Evening chef,” she continued. Still unsure as to what happened last night while she was gone.

“It’s very nice to meet you all,” Declan said. He had a certain charm about him that made him the most likable person in the room. Walking towards Sherri, Declan stopped by Annie to give her a kiss on the cheek and one of the bouquets. It was filled with white and pink roses, Annie’s favorite. After gifting Annie with hers, he handed Sherri another bouquet of flowers that contained white daisies.

“So, I am going to go out with Declan. I will be back later tonight to get ready before my party,” Annie said, hopping up from the table. “Aurora, you can stay if you want, but I’ll understand if you’re not here when I get back.” Without waiting for anyone to respond, Annie and Declan disappeared down the hallway. Leaving everyone else behind.

Aurora could not believe what had just happened. Annie just ditched her. Not even twenty-four hours after the transition and it has already begun. Their friendship was going to be very different from this point on.

“If you want to stay, I can make sure you get lunch. If you want to go, I can drive you,” Charles said to Aurora. He could tell that Annie’s departure stung Aurora. “Rore?” Charles looked at Aurora with concern.

“Um, well I don’t know just yet, that sort of happened fast.” Aurora looked up at Charles. Before falling into his gaze, Aurora turned toward Sherri and Marcus. “So, Annie found her mate. I bet you are so proud. Just think after this party you will have a wedding to plan.” She was nervous to speak to Sherri, especially after her dream and then the longing looks had with her husband. Had she noticed? Did she care?

“I am incredibly happy for Annie. After her father, this is all I have wanted for her. After all, what are we women without our mate? Hell, what kind of wolves are we if we do not provide the pack with cubs?” The last part of what Sherri said annoyed Aurora. Sherri looked at Marcus and then at Charles. “Charles, I will be heading out as well. I have some last-minute things to handle before tonight.”

“What do you mean you are heading out?” Charles said loudly. “I think there are some things we need to discuss first. Don’t you? After all, didn't we discuss that this was to stay a secret until after Annie had left the house?” Charles stood up, putting both hands on the table, he shifted his weight into them. He was looking down at the table at Sherri. His wolf was angry. Charles did not know if he was going to toss the table or attack Marcus.

Aurora could not help but feel herself getting hot looking at Charles this way. What she would do to be lying on the table in front of him, with those dark eyes looking down on her.

Charles could hear Auroras' heartbeat increase; he had not noticed how angry he had gotten. He let out a sigh, “You know what, Sherri, it is fine. Go. We can talk tomorrow if you can find the time,” he said, sitting back down. Trying not to feel defeated, he looked over at Aurora and noticed her staring at him. “Eat, I’ll take you home when you're done”, he said.

Sherri did not say another word. She stood up and collected both her and Marcus’ plates and headed towards the sink. Marcus, following her lead, said nothing as well and quietly got up and left the kitchen. Sherri looked at Charles for a moment and then followed behind Marcus.

Charles and Aurora sat at the table, now all alone. Trying to avoid conversation, Aurora did as she was told and ate her food.

“Rore, I think we also need to talk,” Charles said, putting his hands in his lap. He eased himself back into the chair, sinking into it.

“Talk?” Aurora muttered; she could feel her stomach start to knot.

Charles looked at her, the smile on his face growing. She was adorable when she was nervous. It made him love her even more. He could feel warmth inside him spreading, making him forget about his anger moments before. Aurora had that power over him.

“Yes baby, we need to talk about last night.”