Chapter Twelve
Abel
My parents had texted a number of times since I arrived, and I’d given them a standard answer in return.
Maybe it was time to change that.
“My parents are worried,” I said, showing Denali my phone.
“Mine are as well. They insist on me giving them proof of life every day I’m gone.”
I let that settle between us for a few minutes. Denali was resting, watching the fire, and I was trying to read but with him next to me, it was hard to concentrate. The honeymoon phase was in full swing.
“Do you want to tell them?”
He turned to me. “Do you?”
I laughed. “I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I understand if you—” I didn’t even get to finish my sentence before he got on his phone and I heard the beeps of an outgoing video call. “Good thing I’m dressed,” I joked.
“Not really.”
In seconds, I heard his mom’s familiar voice. “Hey, Son. I’m glad you checked in. Everything okay?”
He sat up and put me in the frame. “Everything is more than okay, Mom. Is Dad around? I’d like to tell you both something.”
“Sure. One sec.”
After a bit of rattling and bustling around, she came back with Denali’s dad in the background. For most of my life, these people had been my secondary parents. I loved them, and they’d always treated me as one of their own.
“Abel? Is that you? H-how did you two…” His mom stuttered over the words, but her grin told me everything. Parents had a sixth sense about these things.
“I got here and this cabin was double-booked and it was Abel who had booked it. We got caught up and well, we’re mated, Mom and Dad. Abel is my omega now and he’s marked.”
Denali’s dad grumbled. “It’s about damned time you two got your heads out of your asses.”
Not the reaction I expected. Not at all.
“What?” Denali choked out. “You’ve never said that before, Dad.” Denali looked more shocked than I was, and that was saying something.
“I believe in Fate, my son. She always finds a way. You two have always shared a bond that couldn’t be broken. You thought running away and going to college could shatter a connection that took eighteen years to build?”
His mom nodded. “I’m so happy for you both. Welcome to the family, Abel. I mean, you always were family but it’s official now. Is it too soon to start asking about grandchildren?”
“Mom! Yes. No. I don’t know. We’ve only been mated a couple of days.”
Denali’s dad shook his head. “It only takes one time, D. Only one.”
“Well, we just called to tell you. We’re going to call Abel’s parents now. Go back to whatever you were doing.”
Denali’s dad waved, and his mom made us promise to come over for dinner once we were back.
After we disconnected, I wanted to call my folks, but first, I had to talk to my alpha about something. Something important. “Denali, we haven’t used protection.”
“Are you worried?” He hugged me to him. “If you aren’t ready to have a family… Goddess, we should’ve talked about this. It all happened so fast.”
“I’m ready. Are you?”
He cocked his head to the side. “I want everything with you, Abel. Everything. But it’s your body who has to go through the carrying of the baby and birth and then chest feeding. It’s always going to be your choice.”
“I want kids,” I blurted. “With you. I…I hoped that maybe I would get pregnant here. It would make this whole season even more magical.”
“Then we’ll do that. Let nature take its course. I have to admit, I hope you are already as well. I can’t wait to have a little wolf pup running around.”
“Or a bear cub.”
“Or both.”
I laughed and my stomach swirled a bit. Denali would be an incredible father. “Let’s call my parents so we can get back to our vacation.”
My parents didn’t answer, and I left a voice mail without any extra information. They took about an hour to call me back. They were surprised to hear from me. They never did during the holidays.
I told them the whole story and then Denali got into the frame.
Mom beamed. “Denali! It’s so nice to see you. I’m so glad you two caught up.”
“We’re mated,” I announced. “Mated and marked.”
My dad sighed and shook his head. “I already know. I missed your call because I was on the phone with Denali’s dad.
That man can’t hold water on his stomach.
Called to tell me immediately. I’m happy for you two.
We are. We really are. Who cares about the scent thing anyway.
You couldn’t smell a strawberry from a watermelon when you were little. ”
“What?” I asked.
“Yeah. You don’t remember that? Your sense of smell has always been off. We just thought once you shifted, it would be different.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. We just wanted to tell you.”
“Next Christmas, maybe you can go back to spending your holidays with your family instead of sulking in the woods.”
Denali and I got off the phone and he turned to me. “It seems that everyone knew we would work out but us two.”
“I really expected them to be surprised. It’s like they were waiting for us to get our stuff worked out.”
We went back to reading, and soon it was time for dinner. “Grilled cheese and soup?” I asked from the kitchen.
“That sounds perfect. We can watch a movie while we eat.”
We watched a Christmas movie and ate our simple supper, and I realized that I’d been in survival mode for so long that I’d forgotten how to relax.
I’d brought books and carbs here to have a relaxing time, but if Denali hadn’t been here, I would’ve spent the days pretending to be okay but really lamenting, pining, and regretting him.
My body was relaxed. No more keeping my jaw clenched. My shoulders weren’t tight.
“Are you okay?” he asked, running his hand up my thigh as the credits rolled.
“I am. Are you?”
He nodded and took the plate from me, putting it on the table beside me. “I wasn’t watching the movie at all. I was thinking about something very specific, omega.”
“And what would that be?” I knew that look in his eyes. He wanted me, again. Not that I was complaining.
“I was thinking about how beautiful you would be lying naked in front of the fire while I suck your cock.”
I choked on my own spit. “The whole movie you were thinking about that?”
He nodded. “Well, that and other things. But yes, mainly that.”
“There’s one way to find out.”
We made love twice in front of the fire before my alpha took me to bed. He claimed to still be making up for lost time and I hoped he would always be this hungry for me.