Chapter Thirteen #3
Rick peered up from his plate, his fork suspended in mid-air, the pasta wrapped around it.
“Were you talking to me?” he kept his voice low.
There was no threat. Rick wasn’t that type of guy.
He didn’t threaten anyone. The glare he gave Winston spoke volumes.
“Focus on tending to your own mate,” he said evenly. “Leave me to mine.”
He deliberately took his mouthful and started chewing, all the while holding Winston’s eyes. It was Winston’s eyes that dropped first.
It didn’t take long for a group of shifters to finish their food.
Maisie insisted that her husband hold Alfie so she could eat her meal, because she couldn’t eat one-handed.
Rupert’s meal getting cold wasn’t an issue for her, clearly, and when Ian had finished eating, he took Alfie again, so that Rupert could eat.
Maisie didn’t even bother to say thank you.
All in all, it wasn’t the most fun meal Rick had ever had, but his mate was with him and the food was delicious, so Rick was taking that as a win.
By the time the plates were cleared and coffee had been served, Ian said quietly, “I brought you all here together today to meet my mate, Rick. Not one of you has asked about him, not one of you has talked about him, and that’s fine. I’m sure that you’ll get to know him over time.
“I’m the one making changes that suit me and my mate, and that does impact all of you. For example, if any of you want me to babysit for you again, we’ll require at least two weeks’ notice. Two weeks,” he stressed, as Maisie gasped.
“How can you make rules like that? Sometimes Rupert wants to take me out for an evening meal—a spontaneous decision to show how much he cares about me as his mate and mother of his son.”
“Then he can factor finding a babysitter into his spontaneity,” Ian said, “because it won’t be me.
It’s the same for you, William and Winston,” he added looking across at his brothers.
“I don’t mind having my nieces and nephews stay overnight now and then.
It’ll be at Rick’s house as I’m moving in there, and it will have to fit into our other plans, but again, I want two weeks’ notice because it’s likely Rick and I may have other plans if you want something any sooner.
“My mate comes first—our joint plans are my first consideration because that’s what mates do.
You’re the ones who have children, you’re the ones responsible for getting childcare for them, if you want to have your spontaneous dates, or your time out, or whatever else it is you’re calling it. You just can’t keep using me.”
“But—" Winston started, only Ian was on a roll. Best part of the lunch, Rick thought happily.
“Surely you must have thought about what would happen when I found my mate. Whether my mate was alpha or omega, or anything in between, doesn’t make any difference. I was still going to find my special person one day, and then my focus was always going to be on them.”
“Yes,” Ian’s mom said, “but if your mate had been an omega, then they wouldn’t have been mucking about with your life the way Rick clearly is…”
She’s a stubborn one. Rick went to say something, but Ian’s hand on his leg stopped him.
“Rick isn’t mucking up my life, Mom. I feel blessed to have him in my life. My priorities have shifted, and you should be proud of the son that you raised to be a good mate. Maybe think about that before you say anything else.”
The lunch broke up fairly quickly after that, and Rick was glad. Ian was quiet in the car drive home, and Rick wanted to say something to break the tension.
“That wasn’t bad, was it? Little Alfie’s quite cute, although as a baby, it’s not like they do much, is it?”
Ian looked at him and then laughed. “Really? You think that lunch went well?”
Rick shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter, does it?
We’ve done it now. And I’m really proud of you for sticking up for yourself.
I don’t mind us babysitting every now and again.
I don’t have an issue with kids. I just don’t think you and I have been together long enough to decide if we have any of our own yet.
We’ve got too much learning about each other to do first.”
“I know.” Ian let out a long breath and then he snuggled against Rick’s bicep, taking care not to disturb Rick’s driving. “They are who they are, and I know they love me dearly. They just have a bit of an issue with change. None of my siblings mated an alpha.” He looked up and winked.
“They’ll get used to me and us,” Rick said. “They won’t have any choice, because I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know they’ll come around. It just takes a bit of time.
Believe it or not, they did the same thing when Winston found his mate.
And they really weren’t pleased when Maisie found hers either, because her mate wasn’t an alpha and Mom thought he should be.
Mom really improved with Rupert. She only calls him useless behind his back now, instead of to his face, especially since Alfie was born. Poor guy. She just needs time.”
“Well, that’s one thing we have got, babe,” Rick said turning into their driveway. “We’ve certainly got plenty of time.”