Destined for Greatness ✔️

Chapter 42

After they returned to the castle, Aaron couldn't keep his hands off Jade, and she felt much the same way. If he even so much as looked her way, her entire body caught fire. They had spent the entire day in the woods, and came back only in time for dinner. Jade wasn't sure how she could face his parents with so much glee and lust rushing through her, but they were expecting to see them, so they had to show up.

Aaron's hand was firmly in hers when they entered the dining room. He hadn't stopped smiling since that morning, and she didn't think she had either.

"There they are!" Corinne said. "Fashionably late. Dinner's already served, but we were nice enough to wait for you. What are you grinning about?"

Jade shot Aaron a look, which he returned. She brought her hand to her lips, forcing back a juvenile giggle. Aaron reached up behind her, gathering her hair and drawing it away from her shoulder, revealing his mark. Then he tugged his collar to the side, revealing hers.

Corinne's jaw dropped, and even Alder was staring at them with wide eyes. For a few seconds, they were too stunned to speak. Then Corinne jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around Jade, squealing. Such a wave of exclamations followed, that Jade could hardly follow her. "Finally!", "Good Goddess!", "I can't believe this!", "And without telling us, too!", "At last!", were among the ejaculations.

Jade laughed and hugged Corinne back. So this was it, she thought. Happiness.

Alder rose from his seat as well, hugging his son and patting him on the back. He was smiling – unrestrainedly and genuine. It heartened Jade to see. She had been slightly worried about his reaction. She knew that Corinne would be overjoyed, but things were more complicated with Alder.

Corinne released her and moved onto Aaron, squeezing the air out of him too, and treating him to another pouring out of "Congratulations!", "How wonderful!", "I'm so happy for you!"

Alder, in turn, moved onto her. He extended her his hand, and she shook it.

"Congratulations," he said. "I am sure you will make my son very happy, and I am sure he will return the favour."

She smiled, and it didn't even bother her that her hand stayed in his for a little too long. In fact, if he had hugged her, she would've let him. The realisation put a small dent in her happiness. She wasn't supposed to like him.

"I knew this was going to happen," Corinne said, once she had regained enough of her composure to string together full sentences. They sat down at the table. Jade was wiggling her legs, too much energy coursing through her to sit still. She wasn't even hungry – except if being hungry for Aaron counted. "I told Al last night that I wouldn't be surprised if you were to mate soon, and here you are!"

"Yes, you win," Alder said. "I thought it would take longer, but I am glad it did not."

"So," Corinne said, slapping her hands together and letting her eyes flit between Aaron and Jade. "I suppose this means you'll be sharing a bedroom now, which just leaves one question: when can I expect my first grandchild?"

Jade nearly chocked on her wine.

"Mother!" Aaron said.

"I suppose I know where Aaron got his impatience from now," Jade said, waving a hand in front of her face.

"I'm just saying," Corinne said, "once you start sleeping together, it's only a matter of time. You better be ready."

Jade felt ready to faint. Mating Aaron was already a big change. Having a child was more than a few steps down the line. She was not ready for that.

"See what you did?" Aaron asked, gesturing towards Jade with his glass. "Now you have overwhelmed her again. Thank you."

"Why, it was an innocent question. But alas, you won't hear me about it. You might be like your father and me. I didn't get pregnant for a couple of years after mating him, and you may rest assured it wasn't for a lack of trying."