Page 9

Chapter Nine

Xochil

T he more time I spent with my mate, the more I fell in love with her humor, her work ethic, and her little nuances. I’d been watching her like a love-sick pup for the last hour and a half.

I was worried, though. Someone wanted my mate stressed and desperate. That’s what this “mischief,” as Dad was calling it, was doing. Her ranting at two practical strangers yesterday about her luck over the past two months was proof enough of that.

‘Hey, we should check to see if there are more sigils here,’ I mind-linked Miguel as soon as the thought popped into my head. I already told him everything Dad had said.

‘Shit, good point. Call my phone. I’ll pretend I need to take it and I’ll go check.’

I did as he asked, and moments after the phone started ringing, he stood.

“I have to take this. I’ll be back in a bit,” he told Aline, who nodded and continued her work.

It was the lunch rush, so she didn’t have too much time to chat right now. I wanted to help. I wasn’t totally clueless in the kitchen, but she was a stickler for rules, and considering she could be shut down if she was caught violating health codes, I couldn’t begrudge her for it. You could see from how hard she worked that she loved this place.

It posed a possible issue, though: a three-hour commute to the city every day was going to be exhausting for her. It wasn’t going to work. Not only would my wolf and I be anxious that she was so far away all day, but it left her vulnerable at odd times of the day. At the moment, we were at peace. The people who’d declared Dad his enemy were gone, for now, but they wouldn’t always be. There was a war coming, and I couldn’t put her at risk. It had already cost us so much.

So, how was I supposed to convince her that I was worth her giving up her restaurant? How would that work? Being a luna was a lot of work, too. Mom took it in stride, but there were days while growing up that she would still be dealing with an emergency or two in the middle of the night or past my bedtime. How was that going to work with my mate having a full-time job? I was going to need to find someone to do her luna duties, because there was no fucking way in this world that I would make her give up something she loved so bad, and there was no way I was giving her up. I would rather pass the role of alpha to one of my brothers.

“You’re thinking awfully hard, and it doesn’t look pleasant,” Aline brought me out of my thoughts.

“Huh?” I asked, looking up at her eyes and feeling their warmth directed at me.

“Are you bored? You were frowning.”

“Not possible. I love watching you cook,” I told her. “I was just thinking of a meeting that I have in a few weeks. An important one.” The one where I’d probably have to break my old man’s heart and tell him he’s going to have to wait to retire until Damian or Santiago were ready.

“Oh? You could always bring your laptop in here if you have to work,” she mentioned.

I shook my head, but smirked at my mate.

“Are you inviting me to come back here and spend more time with you anytime I want?”

“Wel-well, I—”

I’ve seen Mom get this kind of flustered sometimes with Dad, and now I understood why Dad liked catching her off guard so much. It was fucking adorable, especially the way she almost dropped her spatula as she tried to glare at her employees, who were snickering at her reaction.

‘There are another three sigils around the restaurant,’ Miguel mind-linked me.

‘Someone’s trying to drive my mate insane,’ I growled through the mind-link.

‘We’ll get them. We should probably hasten the meet-the-parents, though.’

‘I hate this! How am I supposed to explain I want her to meet Dad after one day?’

‘Maybe you tell her he came out to drop something off and wants to try the food?’

‘Oooh, that could work! And if I happen to bring up the sigils during conversation, it gives him the opening to mention he knows how to remove that kind of magic.’

‘I am a genius,’ he responded, and I could just imagine how he was puffing his chest out proudly wherever he was.

‘Hey, genius, I’ve got a fresh order of coxhinas in front of me, while you’re busy peacocking a good idea.’

‘You better not eat them all!’ he growled and cut off the mind-link, making me chuckle and pop one in my mouth.

“Fuck, these are so good,” I moaned, causing Aline to chuckle.

“I wouldn’t have known you liked them,” she started, making me frown, about to correct her, but then she got a little mischievous smile and continued. “I mean, you and Miguel only ate like ten pounds worth of potatoes in the form of coxhinas yesterday.”

I felt my cheeks heat as I narrowed my eyes at my mate.

"It’s your fault for making them so good,” I finally said, and popped another bite of it in my mouth to prove my point.

Moments later, Miguel walked in, narrowing his eyes at the plate.

“There better be some left, cousin,” he warned, stalking over to the table.

Aline grinned at him and shook her head before she dropped another batch into the fryer.

“At least you love the stuff that’s cheap to make. If you ate that weight in steak, I’d be bankrupt by the end of the week,” she teased.

“I can pay whatever you want. Just keep it coming,” Miguel answered, pulling the plate away from me.

“Hey, you have to share,” I told him, pulling the plate back to the middle of the table, but not before Miguel grabbed three and held them close to his chest.

We ate starters until the lunch rush passed, and then Aline wanted to cook lunch for us. I was trying to convince her to sit down with us to eat when two new people burst into the kitchen. Aline stopped talking and ran over to the woman, embracing her in a hug that had Erinda trying to push forward as jealousy filled my entire body.

‘Easy, Alpha. I’m sure there’s an explanation,’ Miguel said when he saw me clutching the side of the table, the wood creaking a little from the force of my grip.

“I’m so happy you’re back. Don’t ever do that again! I barely survived without you two!” Aline chastised when she pulled back.

“Sorry, boss. We’ll try not to get Covid again,” the man chuckled when he was also embraced by Aline.

Oh, the two chefs who were out sick. The two chefs who were married. I relaxed back in my seat, and I heard Miguel chuckling beside me.

‘You alright there, Alpha?’ he teased.

‘I’ll be sure to remind you of this moment when you meet your mate and another man touches her,’ I growled at him, and I guess that image made him sober up.

“Well, if you’re sure, I’m going to put some rodizios on the grill and take lunch,” Aline’s voice grabbed my attention again, making me realized I’d missed part of the conversation.

“You? Take lunch? What kind of miracle happened to make you take lunch?” the woman asked, and then she spotted us. “Oh, hello. I’m Rory and this is my husband Guillermo,” she said, coming straight for us with an outstretched hand.

“I’m Xochil. This is my cousin Miguel,” I replied.

“These are some... friends I made yesterday. They’re my guests today,” Aline mumbled.

“Uh, huh,” Rory replied with a knowing smile on her face as we both watched Aline fumbling with her skewer.

My mate was cute when she was flustered.

“Go change!” Aline shooed them off.

Rory snickered and winked at me, grabbing her husband and heading toward the back hall. After a few minutes, Aline put a few plates of sides on the table, then she went back and brought out a giant plate of meat.

“She knows us so well already,” Miguel wagged his eyebrows at us, rubbing his hands together.

We talked and ate while Rory and Guillermo took over the kitchen. They were whipping out plate after plate and it was clear to see how well they worked together.

“You should call your grandma,” I reminded Aline.

“Oh, right,” she mentioned and pulled out her phone. She dialed her grandmother, and I heard an older woman answer.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t understand what they were saying as both of them were speaking Portuguese. From the frown on her face as she talked and hearing the way her heart rate sped up the longer they talked, I knew her grandmother was confirming it wasn’t her.

Aline ended the call fifteen minutes later, and she didn’t say a single word as she stared off into space. While I waited for her to be ready to share, I texted Chris, Cory and Jacob for help. Chris and Jacob to help me guard her, Cory to help me break the news of what we were. He was a face she knew. One she trusted.

“Everything okay? Was your grandma’s friend responsible for the new sigils?” I finally asked my mate.

Aline picked at her food absentmindedly, and I thought maybe she didn’t hear me, but then she shook her head and looked up at me, trying to smile.

“No. She didn’t ask her to put anything new, but she’s going to call her and confirm.”

“Well, I’ll stay at your place again tonight. Just to make sure.”

Aline looked unsure, and I could read the hesitation on her face at my suggestion, and my heart began to sink until she said, “I don’t want you getting hurt. If I have a stalker, won’t seeing me with people around set them off?”

“I don’t want you getting hurt,” I assured her, grabbing her hand and giving her a squeeze. “I work security. I’m a tough cookie.”

She still didn’t look convinced. I knew it was because of my small frame, which made me wish I could show her Erinda, so she could feel safe with me. There would be time to show her we could protect her after she knew what we were.

‘Hey, honey. I’m going to call you. Play along, okay?’

‘Dad? What ar—’

I didn’t have time to say more, because my phone began ringing.

Dad’s contact photo, a selfie I took with him a few years ago, flashed on the screen of my phone. I shot a look at Miguel, who was trying very hard not to look at me.

“Aren’t you going to answer?” Aline asked, looking at Dad’s picture flashing on the screen.

I sighed, knowing things were getting out of my control, and Dad being near would only help. His power, his experience and, honestly, just him being my dad, would help settle my anxiety against all of these unknowns.

“Hey, Dad. What’s Up?”

“Hey, mija. I came into the city to tie up some business. Want to meet up for lunch? I was recommended this steakhouse that’s supposed to be amazing, and thought maybe you’d like to try it with me.”

‘Really, Dad? That’s your move?’

‘What better way to get an introduction?’ he countered sheepishly.

“I’m actually already at one with Miguel for lunch, Dad,” I answered out loud.

“Oh, which one is it? I’ll join you.”

I looked at Aline and covered the speaker, even though I knew Dad could hear.

“Do you mind if my dad joins us for lunch?”

“Not at all. There’s plenty for everyone.”

“We’re at a steakhouse called Oxente. I’ll send you the pin.”

“Not necessary. That’s the place I wanted us to try. I’ve heard nothing but great things about it.”

‘Smooth,’ I told him via mind-link, looking at the pleased look on Aline’s face.

‘I’ve got some game,’ Dad replied smugly.

‘Gross,’ I gagged, making him laugh.

“Alright. Call me when you get here. We’re at the chef’s table,” I said aloud.

“Sounds good. I’m about five minutes away.”

‘I’ll wait out here in the parking lot for a few minutes, then call you back,’ he added.

‘Thanks, Dad.’

“What does your dad do?” Aline asked, then snapped her fingers. “Wait, never mind. He runs a security company, right?”

“Yes and no,” I answered. “He’s a partner in a security company. He runs a separate division where we provide security to low-income people in danger.” It was as good an explanation as I could give her.

In truth, part of Guardian Moon’s mission was to help packs in danger who didn’t have the funds to pay for their own security. When Dad became a shifter, he partnered with Uncle Markus to use his security company and reputation to set up this side branch of the company. The werewolf council, Uncle Markus and Dad funded the branch. And we didn’t just help shifters, we helped any supernatural pack, coven or person in need of help. We even helped the occasional human who came across our website.

“Oh, that’s very nice of him. You must be so proud.”

“I am,” I answered with all the sincerity in me.

I was very proud of my father. Mom told me the story of what happened to my dad over the years; the courage it took for him to accept he’d made a mistake and remedy it, made me proud to be his daughter.

We talked a little bit longer, and then my phone began ringing. I stood up and answered as I headed toward the kitchen door.

I met Dad at the hostess table. I had to give him credit. He was really selling the whole ‘in the city for a business meeting’. He was all decked out in a suit and looking very handsome.

I started guiding him toward the back, and when we passed by the bar, I heard Alex take a sharp breath behind the bar and mumble, “Where can I get me one of those?”

I stopped and grinned, before I turned to Alex.

“I’m afraid this one’s taken. Alex, this is my dad, Helios. Dad, this is my new friend, Alex.”

Alex’s eyes widened comically when he realized we heard him, and his face flushed beet red.

“I didn’ — I wasn’ — I’m going to go walk in front of a car now,” he finally stuttered, and I threw my head back, laughing.

It wasn’t abnormal for people to ogle my dad. It used to make me mad when I was little, but over time, I learned to take it in stride. Dad was a handsome man.

“It’s nice to meet you, Alex. Thanks for the confidence boost,” Dad chuckled.

‘That wasn’t very nice to the poor guy, Xochil,’ Dad chided.

‘That’s what he gets for ogling my dad,’ I chuckled, and we continued to walk to the back.

Dad almost stumbled when he caught sight of Aline, and I worked very hard not to show my frown.

“Hello. I’m Aline,” my mate stood, and stretched her hand out.

“I’m Helios, Xochil’s dad. It’s very nice to meet you, Aline.”

We took our seats, and Dad caught my eye.

‘There’s definitely more to your mate than meets the eye,’ he mind-linked ominously.