Page 2 of My Pleasure

Hunter gulped as his father level a hardened gaze at him. “Well son?”

“I kinda met my mate?” he said, leaving the words tenuous.

His father blinked, the same way his mother had, before a huge grin overtook his face. He abandoned his wheezing mate and came over to pull him out of his chair, before pounding him on the back. “What wonderful news! Where is she?”

Hunter took the back pounding and felt himself begin to grin, his father’s excitement was contagious. “I technically haven’t actually met her yet, she’s out of town, but I recognized her from the mate dreams the warriors are getting.”

His father frowned. “I wasn’t a huge fan of that spell, but damn me if it doesn’t seem to be working to get you boys mates.”

His mother came around the counter. “What about the children?”

“Children?” his father asked. “What children?”

Hunter rubbed the back of his neck. “She has two small siblings, a boy and a girl, who their uncle is watching over. Overall, I think they’re safe, but they don’t look happy,” he explained.

“Well, bring them here,” his father ordered.

“Johann, you know he can’t do that, not yet anyway,” his mother fussed, before she started pacing. “Have you tried talking to them?”

He nodded, then steered his mother over to his chair, gently easing her to sit down. Only after she sat, did both he and his father join her at the table. “I think I scare them. They always shy away from me.” He paused. “Am I scary?”

His mother snorted. "Of course not.”

His father sat back. “All you boys take after your mother, thank the gods. You got her kindness and light.”

Hunter kept quiet. Growing up, he was more afraid of his mother, than his father when he messed up. Kindness and light, yes. But, she also had a motherly fury that kept him line more than any other form of punishment.

His mother tapped her fingers on the table. “Maybe I could take some muffins over later. Just to see if they want a few.”

Hunter exhaled in relief. No one could say no to his Ma. “I’d really appreciate it, Ma. I feel responsible for them and hate seeing them so skittish. I want to them to be running around causing trouble, the way Amelia did when she was little.”

His mother’s eyes widened. “You feel responsible for them because you will be a father to them once you claim your mate.” She sniffled. “Oh Johann, we have grandchildren, finally.”

Hunter winced at the way she stressed that last word. Then his heart began to race. “I’m gonna be a dad?” The reality smacked him in the face, as a smoldering anger began to burn in his chest. A low rumble crawled up his throat. “Why are they unhappy?”

His father reached over and clasped his shoulder. “We’ll find out and then bring them home as soon as we can. In the meantime, we’ll do whatever is needed to ensure their health and safety.”

His mother wiped at her eyes. “I’ll grab yesterday’s muffins. Once you meet your mate, we’ll get them fed.” She stood and walked over to the cabinet. “Hunter, when do you think your mate will be home?”

Hunter felt his bear calm as he watched his mother begin to pack food. “Soon. The dreams are happening every night now. In my dreams this week, she was packing to come home. Her siblings are at the Sorrel estate, outside the Academy. Her uncle is in charge of the proctors there.”

She placed one muffin after another into a basket. “I haven’t heard much about Ellar Sorrel. Not sure how I feel with him working at the Academy, not after what happened with Caiden.”

Hunter watched in amusement as she managed to get over a dozen muffins in the basket before covering it with a towel. “Ma, I don’t think they can eat that much.”

“Hush. Kids eat more than you realize. You boys would no sooner finish breakfast before you were bellowing for lunch.”

Hunter had to agree. Growing up, he had always been hungry.

Once she crammed the basket to her satisfaction, she started bringing out her large stock pots. “I’m going to start on some soups now. The longer they simmer, the better they’ll be. After the soups cook, I’ll head to the city and see if I can get them to talk to me.”

His father smiled. “You’ve made your Ma a very happy woman.”

“I guess. I haven’t really done much yet.”

His mother looked at the assorted ingredients and nodded to herself. “I’m going to the garden, they deserve fresh vegetables.” She grabbed her light shawl, another basket and walked out their back door.

His father waited and in the distance they both heard the gate close behind his mother. “How bad are the dreams, son?”