“Yes, Papa.”
Dad turned to Seth. “Yet you’re the heir of the shimmer?”
“Yes, sir,” Seth said, voice low.
“How is that going to work? Does your father know?”
Papa interrupted. “I think congratulations are in order first. Before logistics.” He held up his mug of tea. “To a long and happy life together.”
Dad lifted his mug and nodded, his eyes softening. We all made the toast.
“Thank you both,” I said.
When things had relaxed, I said to Dad, “And yes, to answer your last question. Seth’s father knows.”
“We’re very happy for you,” Papa said. “We’ve been waiting to hear such good news from you. When you didn’t respond while you were in San Diego, of course we worried it might be bad news. But this is wonderful.” He turned to Bram and Seth. “You are both welcome in this family.”
“Thank you,” Bram and Seth spoke in unison.
Dad leaned forward with a small smile. “I’m very happy for you, Indy.”
“I-I wasn’t sure.”
“About what?” he asked.
“If you would be, uh, happy.”
“Of course I am. You found your rightful mates. That’s a very lucky thing. Did you meet in San Diego?”
“Bram. Yes. We met Bram.”
His gaze traveled between me and Seth. “How long have you two been together?”
I bit my lower lip. “A long time. Years.”
“I see.”
I lowered my gaze.
“It’s wonderful,” Papa said. “A very rare thing. Your dad and I found each other in a quite magical way. A rainstorm. An accidental fender bender. It’s a long story for another time.” He waved his hand through the air then directed his next sentence toward Seth and Bram. “We’re fated, too, you know.”
“It’s a fantastical thing when it happens,” Dad said.
I looked up at him. His smile had widened. “Please tell us about your trip,” he said. “Leave no detail out.”
We talked for hours. My parents laughed through a lot of our conversation. Happy. Approving. I wasn’t a disappointment. I hadn’t let them down. Instead, they were ecstatic. For me and Bram and Seth. The best news of all, Dad insisted my fated mates did not affect my inheritance. I was still the alpha apparent. Even better news, Dad invited us to live with our herd. He even offered to build us a big home nearby.
“As a wolf shifter, do you need any special accommodations?” he asked Bram. “Or for the pregnancy?” They or their animals had already discerned that.
Stunned, Bram merely shook his head. His eyes were bright, as if he’d never experienced such acceptance in his life except from his mates.
“I know you’re probably still in the planning stages of your future together. Please let us know what you decide,” Papa said. “We’d love to have you live here on these lands.”
Dad and Papa hugged me tight before we left and drove the six miles to my cabin. I’d been wanting to show it to my mates since we’d arrived. Seth had only been there once and that was before I’d fixed it up so pretty.
“I think that went well,” Seth commented as we drove. “No more nerves?” he asked me.
“No more nerves,” I said. “They surprised me. That’s all.”
