Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Fox

I had to hang up on my mother after I invited her over for lunch. She was screaming so loudly I was getting a headache. I couldn’t believe Marigold’s reaction to meeting my parents, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. My little mate is amazing. Of course she’s excited about meeting my mother, she hasn’t had a mother in so long, not that mine could ever replace hers.

Hunter was pacing in my head, eager to go for a run. I had to shut him down. I knew Marigold was out in the training fields so I couldn’t risk her seeing me. Hunter was angry at that, he hated that I wasn’t ready to show Marigold my wolf yet. I wasn’t really sure why I was on the fence about it, but something was holding me back. I thought that it might’ve had something to do with the fact that we haven’t completed the mating bond yet.

Before long it was finally time to get ready for lunch. I closed up my computer and rode the elevator to the top floor. As I neared my room, a familiar scent swirled through the air. Hunter growled in approval. We knew our mate was already in the room. I slowly opened the door so I wouldn’t startle her, but found the bedroom empty. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. I heard the shower running inside the bathroom.

I was overjoyed when Marigold decided to move into my room after only a few short days apart. Zoey and Tori were a big help in organizing my room and bathroom so all of our things would fit. Honestly, I would have thrown everything I owned away just to have her in my bed.

I knocked on the bathroom door but there was no answer. I decided to take my chances. I slowly opened the door and cleared my throat,

“Marigold?” I said into the steam filled bathroom.

“Finn?”

“My parents will be here soon, I was just coming up to get ready.” I explained, already moving towards the closest. I pulled off my shirt and was in the process of unzipping my jeans when she replied,

“Oh. Do you need a shower?” She asked innocently.

“Is that an invitation?” My voice turned husky as I imagined showering with Marigold. Silence.

Then,

“Do you want it to be?” At my mates words, I tripped over my jeans which I couldn’t get off fast enough. It was my turn to be stunned speechless. I quickly had to regain composure,

“Yes, yes I do.” I was trying not to sound too eager. More silence.

“Okay.” Her tiny, sweet voice came from inside shower curtain. I had to make sure I was understanding her correctly,

“You want me to come in?” I braced myself for a rejection.

“Yes.” If I wasn’t a werewolf, I wouldn’t have heard her voice. I nearly ripped the shower curtain off the rod trying to get it open.

Marigold’s back was to me as I stepped into the scalding hot shower. I didn’t even care that the water was giving me second degree burns. I was too busy admiring my beautiful mate. It was the first time that she allowed me to see her completely exposed.

I never realized a back could be so sexy. Her shoulder blades were strong and defined, the arch in her back was so dramatic it immediately turned me on. Her tiny, round behind was already one of my favorite things about her but, like this, my knees were weak.

I carefully touched her arms, tugging at her to face me. She slowly turned in the shower, the water running down her body, creating a fog around us. I kept my eyes locked with hers to make her feel less embarrassed. Her face was bright red, her eyes wide, and I could feel her whole body trembling.

“You’re so beautiful.” I whispered, leaning in for a kiss. Her shaky lips met mine and I felt her coming undone.

Her body relaxed, her hands finding my bare arms. I wrapped my arms around her, running my hands up and down her back until I had touched every inch of her. I felt her breasts against my chest as she pressed herself against me. My breathing accelerated at the feeling of her nakedness against mine. Her hands found their way to my hair and she gently started tugging, making a low growling sound build in my chest.

She broke the kiss, gasping for air, but I wasn’t done with her yet. I buried my face in her neck, trailing kisses across her warm skin. I heard her moan under my mouth as I neared her chest. I felt her hands go to my face as she pulled me back up to her,

“Your parents will be here soon.” She reminded me, breathless.

“I don’t care.” I growled. Marigold smiled sheepishly,

“I do.” I could tell that she was reaching her comfort limit for the day, and I had to pull myself back together. Marigold gave me one last kiss before stepping out of the shower and leaving me alone.

I made the shower as cold as it would go and stood under the water for as long as it took to settle down. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into my little mate to allow me to test her, but I wasn’t complaining and I knew I couldn’t push her. My patience was paying off.

After about 20 minutes, I stepped out of the shower and found myself alone in the bathroom. I quickly got dressed and met Marigold in the bedroom.

“Are you okay?” I asked her gently, taking her hand.

“Better than okay.” She sighed blissfully, leaning towards me for another kiss.

“I love you.” I told her.

“I love you, too.” She replied.

I tucked Marigold’s hand in my elbow and escorted her to the elevator and down to the ground floor. I suspected that my parents were already waiting for us in the dining hall, and I was correct. My mother was sitting at the table with my father standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders, likely keeping her from pacing the room

At the sound of our entrance, my mother bolted from her chair and scurried across the room. My father grabbed her arm and forced her to slow down. If I wasn’t so worried about how this was going to go, I would have found it funny.

“This must be Marigold!” My mother gushed, smiling from ear to ear.

“Hello, Mrs. Oxford.” Marigold smiled politely.

“Oh nonsense dear, call me mom! Or Genny if it makes you feel more comfortable.” My mother pulled Marigold away from me, hugging her tightly. I shared a look with my father.

“Genevieve, darling, let the girl breathe.” My father chuckled, placing a hand on Marigold’s back as she stepped away from my mother.

“I’m Conrad, dear, it’s nice to finally meet you.” My father held out his hand towards Marigold and she took it. He pressed his lips to her knuckles in greeting.

“Shall we find our seats?” My father suggested, motioning for the ladies to go first. He pulled out a chair for my mate and helped her in it, doing the same for my mother. I sat at the head of the table.

“I asked the kitchen staff to prepare and serve us a special meal for lunch today.” I informed the room.

“How nice.” My mother said, patting my hand.

“My son tells me that you prefer Marigold to Luna?” My mother directed her question towards my mate.

“Mari’s fine, too.” Marigold shrugged.

“Lovely. I’m so glad to finally get the opportunity to meet you, Mari.” I smiled as my parents and Marigold dived into conversation. All of the awkwardness I feared was gone. They loved her and she loved them.

The kitchen served a large salad for the appetizer, then steak and potatoes with a wide variety of vegetables for the main course.

“This is a big lunch, son.” My father teased as the staff cleared our entree plates and prepared dessert.

“Nothing helps an awkward situation more than food.” I chuckled.

“Who’s awkward?” My mother asked.

“No one, but a good Alpha is always prepared.” I said. Marigold rolled her eyes at me, earning a laugh from my parents. The kitchen staff served delicious, homemade cheesecake for the last course. After more than an hour, we were all stuffed and stretching our legs.

“I think that I owe you both an apology.” Marigold said suddenly, addressing my parents. I moved closer to her, wondering what had upset her.

“For what, dear?” My father asked.

“I put your son in harm’s way.” She said, unable to look my parents in the eyes.

“Oh, no, dear. You had to figure things out for yourself, on your own time.” My mother shook her head, patting Marigold’s arm.

“Everyone keeps saying that, but I have no good excuse as to why it took me so long to see that my place is with him.”

This was the first time since the hospital that Marigold was expressing guilt over leaving me at the beginning. I hadn’t realized that it was still upsetting her. wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close to my side,

“That’s old news, baby.” I whispered in her ear.

“Maybe. But I still owe your parents an apology. I mean, you almost died because of me.” Marigold said, looking up at me.

“The bond is a strange thing, Mari, it makes us feel all sorts of strong emotions.” My mother said, comforting her.

“He never would have been attacked if it weren’t for me. I put his life at risk by weakening our bond.” Marigold’s eyes were shaking with unshed tears. I was so focused on her pain that I wasn’t processing her words until I felt my mother’s glare burning a hole in the side of my head.

Uh-oh.

“Attacked?” My mother was using her calm voice.

“Uh….” I stammered. My father was just standing there shaking his head. Marigold looked between me and my mother,

“They didn’t know?” Marigold looked at me accusingly than at my mother,

“You didn’t know?” She said again. My father grabbed Marigold’s shoulders and pulled her gently away from me.

“Best to stay out of this one.” He said with a smirk. I didn’t even complain about her absence, knowing she was safer away from my mother.

“He didn’t tell you?” I heard Marigold say to my father.

“What happened?” My mother snapped.

“It’s not a big deal, Ma.” I sighed. I saw the anger rising in my mother,

“I’m fine now. Just drop it.” I insisted.

“Geneviere, he’s right, he’s fine, that’s all that matters.” My father spoke calmly to my mother. I observed them and thought how Marigold and I must’ve looked like that whenever she was calming me down.

“Finn Oxford, you are not too old to get a spanking from your mother, but because Marigold is here, I’ll give you a pass this one time.” My mother threatened me with her hands on her hips. I could see Marigold struggling to hold back a laugh.

“Yes, mom.” I whined like a teenager who had just been scolded. My parents stepped off to the side to talk with each other and I took my chance to escape with my mate.

I pulled Marigold out into the hallway and pushed her against the wall. I pinched her chin in between my fingers and crashed my lips to hers. She gasped at my advancement and I took the opportunity to sneak my tongue inside her mouth. She moaned softly against me as our tongues fought for dominance. I wasn’t over our showertime earlier, I wanted more.

Marigold pulled away eventually, breathless. I brought my lips to her neck.

“Finn!” She gasped, giggling and squirming against me,

“Your parents.” She tried to get away but I was firmly pressed against her, keeping her still.

“You’re killing me.” I complained, catching her eyes and seeing that they were wild and alive with excitement.

“I have a little work left to do.” I said, releasing her from the wall.

“Don’t be too long.” She said in a flirtatious voice. I nipped at her lips causing her to squeal and playfully run away. I caught her with ease, giving her one last kiss before disappearing towards my office.