“Don’t know. They just became engaged so give them a little time and, besides, knowing Kieran, he’ll have everything planned down to the second. I don’t envy Logan because his mate will be talking weddings, weddings, weddings, until it happens.”
“Somehow, I don’t think Logan will mind.”
“You’re probably right,” Dakota said chuckling.
“By the way, how’s Slate doing?”
“Good, really good. He is the best mate ever. Did you know he arranged for us to spend a day at five-hour Thai Cookery Masterclass?”
“No, but I can see why you think he is the best mate ever,” Jackson laughed. “Are Thai dishes in my future?”
“Maybe…probably. I’m dying to get back in the kitchen to try some of the recipes I learned. Oops, my mate just walked in. I’m sure he’ll have some ideas. Talk to you later, okay?”
“Sure. Say hello to Slate from me. Bye.”
“What will I have some ideas on, babe?” asked Slate, scooping Dakota up into his arms and sitting down with his mate on his lap.
Grinning, Dakota replied, “Jackson and I agreed none of my classmates will do as my sous chef because how do you explain a pregnant alpha? We need someone who doesn’t know me, and I thought in all of your travels you might have crossed paths with some chefs who might be able to take on a few months’ work.”
Burying his nose in Dakota’s curls, Slate inhaled the scent he loved while thinking about possibilities before saying, “Maybe. I’ll have my secretary forward the resumes of several chefs who work for Dire Enterprises for you to review. All of them are good…not as good as you, my love…but are good enough to keep everyone from complaining.”
“Perfecto!”
“Oh fuck, not you, too!”
Giggling, Dakota nestled against his mate’s broad chest, loving every minute in Slate’s arms. “Perfecto!” he said again, as Slate groaned.
~/~/~/~/~
“Do you want to bite me first?” David asked, hoping his mate would because then he’d know what to do when it was his turn.
“Yes, but before I do, there’s something else…well, a couple of things…I need to tell you.” Zane led his mate back to the fireplace where he sat down, pulling David onto his lap. Making sure his mate was comfortable, Zane began. “Remember when I told you about Jackson’s gift?”
“Yes. I think it’s amazing.”
“I do too…at least now I do.”
“What do you mean?”
Zane’s cheeks turned red, embarrassed as he remembered his initial reaction, but wanting his mate to know all his failings. “When Jackson first told us, I didn’t react very well. I told my brother he was an abomination.” Pausing when he heard David’s gasp, he nevertheless continued. “I know what you’re thinking…how could I say that? I’ve been trying to figure that out from the moment it left my mouth. It’s hard to talk about it but here goes.
“The year leading up to the massacre was a tough one. All of my older brothers were away at school, even Kota, so I became the eldest at home. Suddenly all of my father’s attention was on me…for the first time in my life…so I guess he decided to make me an alpha he could be proud of. Every day, I spent hours with him as he taught me about how to be the Alpha of a pack.
“At first, I reveled in his interest in me, something I never had before. Now mind you, I knew I’d never lead a pack because it just wasn’t me; I’m too much of a loner, content to stay in my room, by myself, typing away, writing new programs. But the attention of a parent who never gave me any before was too great a lure for me, even though I knew he wouldn’t give a shit about me if he knew I was gay. I just ignored that red flag and charged full speed ahead.
“But that changed when my brothers came home for the Long Night Moon Festival. Even with everyone at home my father didn’t stop his lessons. One day, after a long intense session, when my father told me gay wolves in a pack should have fewer privileges than normal ones, I followed him into the kitchen where Kota was decorating cookies while my younger brothers and sisters helped him. I never thought much about it since he’d been baking cookies ever since I could remember. Anyway, after eating a cookie one of my sisters gave him, my father told her she should be proud of her cooking skills…that she’d make a good mate for some alpha wolf.
“I looked at Kota and saw the pain in his face. I knew just how he felt because my father never passed up an opportunity to disparage my computer skills as worthless. In a split second, I realized I was contributing to Kota’s pain by pretending to be someone I wasn’t. I told my father Kota made those cookies and he should get the compliments.”
“Did your father then praise him?” David asked, fascinated by the story.
Zane closed his eyes. “No, he said I was wrong because Kota was an alpha and alphas don’t cook.”
David could see the distress on his mate’s face. Placing his long slender hand on Zane’s cheek, he said, “Don’t tell me anymore, Zane. I don’t need to know any more.”
Rubbing his cheek against the soft hand offering him comfort, Zane said, “No babe, you need to know all of it. After my father’s comment, all the anger I had repressed for the last few months came roaring forward and I snapped back at him, keen to show him he didn’t know everything about being an alpha…that alphas did, indeed, cook because Kota was a student in culinary school.”
“What happened then?” David asked, his voice quiet and small.
