The Quiet One

16

After dinner, Regal watched his mate show his mom pictures of the girls she did the monthly tea parties with, and explained George had left her enough money to make it a weekly event. It hadn't surprised him when his mother insisted on donating money to help pay for books and even suggested a few ways to get the boy orphanage interested in a weekly story hour.

"You have a good mate Regal." His father handed him a second glass of scotch to drink, he saw the softness in his father's eyes for his mother and he felt the same about Harper.

"She is the best, I am worried about what inheriting George's book collection will do for her safety. She already had her car ruined, by my guess, some wolf shifters and now George has given her a house, money and books," Regal shared his concerns, they were standing in the kitchen watching their mates.

"I spoke with Jace, he said John has been the most vocal about his objection to Harper getting anything. He thinks shifter law should be higher than human law. Jace disagrees, but I could tell George's need to give away his things to a human confused him."

"Do you think she is in danger?"

"Possibly, I wouldn't let her be alone in that big house if I were you. Your mom and I might live across the lake but even shifted, I wouldn't be able to get to her fast enough should something go wrong."

"I was thinking the same thing; I only have another month on my lease. I want us to live in that house together, but she is human and might feel we are going too fast if I move in with her after only twenty-four hours together." Regal sipped his scotch and caught Harper's gaze, he winked at her and smiled when she blushed.

"True, but the way she looks at you is the way your mom looked at me when we were first courting. Take your time and court her, make her see how amazing you can be together and then broach the subject of moving in together." His dad sipped his scotch and watched as Harper laughed over a picture in a photo album.

"Thanks Dad." Regal drained his glass and walked over to where Harper was looking at a naked baby picture of Regal. He was standing hands on his hips happy as a clam in the middle of a flower field.

"Aww, mom. This is the first time she is meeting you and you are showing her my naked baby pictures." Regal reached to take the photo album, but Harper was faster and tucked it out of reach.

"I think it is cute, she says this was right after you shifted." Harper gave him a sweet smile and he couldn't help but feel his insides soften.

"Not fair," he growled and leaned down to kiss her senseless. He managed a swipe of his tongue across her lips before his mom butted in.

"Let her go Regal, I want to spend time with your mate and you are hogging her." His mom pushed him away from Harper and laughed when he growled at her.

"Regal Emerson Murphy, don't you growl at me. You can have your mate later, right now we are getting to know our future daughter-in-law." She brushed off his growl, while Harper had stared at him in shock.

"Regal, you can't go growling at your mom, that is rude," she reprimanded him and he felt like a cub after a set down. He slinked back into the kitchen where his dad was laughing his ass off.

"Boy, she is perfect for you. Are you going to introduce her to the other alphas?"

"I will introduce her to Hunter, Max, and Anders. If she accepts being my mate, I will make a formal announcement to the others."

"Smart, you'll want your friends support choosing a human mate." Regal looked at his father in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, not all shifters approve of human mates. Jace being one of them, and she has inherited what his pack thinks is rightfully theirs."

"I thought you said Jace was agreeing with the will?" Regal felt a cold shiver go up his back, Harper was in danger and he knew it.

"I did, doesn't mean he is happy about it and I don't think he would stop any of his pack from going after Harper," Luke warned. Regal looked over at her and growled, no one would touch his mate! Never!

"Thanks Dad, I'll call up Hunter, Anders, and Max tonight after I see her home." Regal nodded, his dad clapped him on the back and the two went back over to their mates ready to join in on the fun.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur of talking and board games, Harper soundly defeating everyone in a game of Monopoly.

"Hainsley was right, you cheat," Regal joked and Harper glared at him.

"Not my fault you have no strategy for the game, even your mom did better than you," she pointed out and he shook his head, she was perfect. 

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