My niece Eva was the last to give me a hug. I quickly introduced her to Dominic, but she didn’t move on right away. She stepped closer to Dominic and sniffed before staring up at him and asking as only a child could ask. “What are you?”
The room fell silent. I crouched beside her and said gently, “Eva, Dominic is what the paranormal world calls an ‘other.’ He’s a demon.”
The word 'demon' hung in the air, heavy with implications. Instantly, Olivia, Eva’s mom, pulled her daughter back protectively while my brothers and father formed a subtle barrier around us.
“What the hell are you thinking, Lucas? How can you invite a demon into our home? There are kids here,” my father hissed, his tone laced with barely controlled anger.
I stood, positioning myself protectively in front of Dominic. “Dominic would never hurt you, any of you, and especially not a child.”
“How can you be so sure?” my brother Noah asked, his tone more curious than confrontational.
“Because he’s my mate,” I stated firmly, my voice carrying a conviction that I hoped would convey both the seriousness and the sanctity of our bond.
As I declared Dominic as my mate, the room exploded into chaos. Voices overlapped in a cacophony of shock, confusion, and disbelief.
"No way, Lucas, tell me you're joking!" Emma exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked between me and Dominic.
"This has to be some kind of mistake," Gabe muttered, shaking his head as if hoping what I said wasn’t true.
Amid the uproar, Noah stepped forward, his demeanor calm and grounding. "Everyone, just calm down," he interjected, his gaze fixed on me before shifting to Dominic. "Lucas has never given us reason to doubt his judgment. Let’s hear him out."
Jane, beside him, nodded in agreement, her voice gentle but firm. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We're family. We should talk this through, not fight."
“But he’s a demon!” Olivia yelled, her protective grip on Eva tightening.
Ben, Olivia's husband, rubbed his temples, clearly overwhelmed, while Alice quietly moved to stand beside Jane, her posture suggesting she was open to listening.
“I will not stand for this!” my father boomed, his voice thundering over the others.
The chatter continued, with everyone talking over each other, trying to get their points across, creating a whirlwind of noise that made it nearly impossible to think. Amid the uproar, I caught Dom’s eye, his expression calm but firm, reassuring me we could face anything together.
“What the hell is going on? What’s gotten into everyone?”
I released a sigh of relief, thankful at hearing my nana’s voice. She was the one I’d hoped would be here when I revealed Dom’s nature and my relation to him. The room instantly quieted as she entered.
I took a deep breath and explained, “I told them that my fated mate is an ‘other,’ and they don’t like that—”
“He’s brought a demon into the house, Nana, a demon!” Olivia interjected hysterically.
Nana dismissed her with a wave of her hand and focused on me. “Are you sure he’s your mate? Everyone thought it was that lion you’ve been mooning over. Talon or something like that.”
“Yeah, we all thought you were avoiding the predator. What gives?” Emma chimed in her confusion evident.
I glanced at Dominic, gathering strength from his presence, before facing my nana. “I’m sure Dominic’s my mate, just as sure as Talon’s also my mate.”
This revelation sparked a fresh round of murmurs, but Nana waved her hand again, silencing the room. “Schatje, I’m old and have been around a long time, but I’ve never heard of anyone having two mates.”
“There, you must be mistaken,” my mother added, desperation creeping into her voice.
Before I could respond, Dominic spoke up. “Miss Nana, you are by no means old; you’re what? In your late fifties.”
My nana blushed. “Oh, I like you. You know how to put on the charm. I’m eighty-three.”
“Young as ever. And I’m a bit older than that,” Dominic said with a wink, eliciting a chuckle from Nana. “While shifters normally don’t have more than one mate, demons can and do have more fragments to their soul. And that’s what Talon and Lucas are to me—my soul. There’s no mistake.”
Dom’s smile was reassuring, and I couldn’t help but return it. Although I wanted to kiss him right then, I turned back to Nana. “It’s true, Nana. In fact, we’re already bonded. All three of us. Can’t you sense it? There’s no denying the mate bond.”
Nana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her smile was wide and genuine. “You’re very right, Lucas. I’m so happy for you, Schatje.” She stepped forward and pulled me into a warm hug. After a moment, she released me and embraced Dominic. “Welcome to the family.”
