Chapter 37: Just The Way You Are

I could get used to this.

It goes without saying that the events of last Friday - the attempted kidnapping of my son - keep me awake at night. I know from experience that Richard will come back at me with a vengeance next time.

He does not give up, he gets psycho. That's it.

I am merely waiting for the bomb to drop at my feet at any moment now, I just know it is coming.

Unfortunately, there is nothing for me to do now except worry and trust that my genius mate has it handled. If I solely focus my attention on what possible threats could come my way, I will waste my life wondering. I always have to do what's best for my son and mate, but that has to come in the form of being present for them.

Life is for the living and I am here for it. Goddess knows I can't run away now...

Being away from your bonded mate for too long will weaken your wolf and subsequently you. To the point that you will get sick from the separation. So no, I can not live apart from my mate. I didn't have to live in the same house as him, but my bags were already packed at that point.

I figured we were already bonded, so what is the holdup? I have nothing to gain from playing coy with my mate. He already had a house ready for my son and me to move into. It's perfect if you think about it. Stephano really is my dream mate.

I could not have chosen better myself. Honest to Goddess, he even makes it bearable that I had to wait eleven years to discover him as my mate. He makes it worth my while. He does everything to put me at ease and to make me comfortable.

There are not enough compliments in the English language for what Stephano has meant to my life since the short time that we have known each other. Now we are living together and things just got better.

Granted, I never had a life like this before. My house was not big like this one, it was all that I could afford at the time - with the help from my parents - but now that budget is no longer an issue, I am stepping into my new role as half of a power couple.

On Tuesday, November 26th I went to the mall to say goodbye to my former coworkers and explain things better to my old boss. I had told him that I was skipping town, so I owed him a better explanation. Naturally, everybody heard of my son's attempted kidnapping, so they were very nice to me. They are all fathers like me.

Speaking of which, each time I stopped by a shop or a booth people would come up to me to express their sympathies about what happened to my son. I guess I am famous now, just not the way that I would ever have envisioned.

Not only that, but they know who my mate is so I was pampered by store clerks like I was Julia Roberts in that "Pretty Woman" scene. By the time I showed anyone his black card, they would go:

'Oh.'

It was as if they could hear Stephano's voice telling them:

'I am going to spend an exorbitant amount of money here.'

Well, since I was in the Mall anyway, I might as well shop for the necessities. My son needs clothes but he doesn't like it when I buy him stuff absently, so instead I bought what I knew he would need or want regardless of my personal taste. Who said parenting was easy?

I would do a grocery run, but Lupe already does that and I wouldn't want to seem to usurp her job. It is so weird for me to not have to worry about cooking and going to the supermarket. It was strange when I was at the pack house and it still is now.

But I could get used to this. Whoever said that life should be hard?

No, the difficult part is going to be when I reveal to be pregnant again. By reveal, I meant to confirm. I don't need to reveal anything about it because most people know about my heat episode and what that means for an Omega like me.

There is no escaping a pregnancy while I am in heat, which is why I have Charlie, not that I want to bring up his conception ever again. He is my blessing and it is all that matters. Speaking of my son, I did not want to leave him alone in the house but since Lupe was there anyway, she said she would keep an eye on him.

Since we moved to Stephano's house - and without school this week - Charlie has been so glued to his new PlayStation that I had to put down some limitations. That cannot be his whole life. Clarissa has invited him to her house tomorrow, so I'll drop him off over there.

I am not a fan of her characterization as my son's mate but I have no power to stop them from thinking of themselves this way. Thankfully, they are both the same age so it is not like this is a subterfuge for inappropriate behavior. By all means, it's great that he has a friend.

I could use someone right about now.

After I returned home from the Mall, Charlie - who was in the living room - jumped at me to see if any of the bags I had were presents for him. I told him that we were going to the mall later this week to shop for him, but of course I bought him something. I know my son.

During the week, Stephano has lunch with the Alpha couple at the pack house so I do not see him until late in the afternoon. I kept myself busy planning what I was going to do for Thanksgiving now that my mate's parents had invited us to have dinner at their house.

I guess it is time to meet the Cortez family. It was bound to happen sooner or later, the holiday offered the perfect excuse for it. I look forward to it, though I am just a little nervous. First time jitters or something of that nature.

Dinner tonight was amazing with Lupe's cooking. That woman knows her way around the kitchen, my son and I won't even miss the pack house. It is practically the same here, but more private.

Now that I am probably pregnant, I have demanded my mate to fulfill me sexually just like when I was in heat. I know I said I wanted to top him and I will, but it's not my fault the sex with him is so good. I love us together.

We connect so well. He fills me up with all his nature and I ride his length until kingdom come. I love being so close to him, but especially this way. I feel so fulfilled. Damn you Omega biology! Why did we have to be such good bottoms? *lol*

It's Thanksgiving. Stephano took my son and me to his parents' house.

We were greeted by his mom, a blonde, beautiful Omega in her early 50's. She had a kind smile and immediately was enchanted by my son, engaging in conversation with him. This is all new to Charlie, but he was excited for Thanksgiving dinner.

Simon, Stephano's father, was the next to greet us. He hugged his son tenderly and paid us attention next. Inside the house, we met Stephano's brother, his mate and their son. The whole Cortez family was present tonight, as I had already expected them to be.

"So, you are the prodigy boy who found his mate at 11 years old?" Harlan asked my son, curiously. He is Stephano's brother. Charlie blushed at first, but quickly stood his ground.

"Yes, Clary and I are Bound by Moon Mates. We were born for each other. That is why we were born on the same day." He replied, staking his claim.

The Cortez family was gobsmacked to hear Charlie's theory about his alleged mating with his classmate. At this point, nothing would surprise me but I neither encourage nor discourage my son on this matter. He can think whatever he prefers.

"You are a special boy." Olivia spoke, admiring him. Charlie nodded along, a bit embarrassed before the small crowd.

"Can I just say, I need to congratulate you on raising a wonderful man, Mrs. Cortez. I have never met a person quite like your son in my life. He made it well worth the decade I spent looking for him." I told Olvia, taken by my mate. If he has any flaws, I haven't seen them so far.

She was caught off guard by my declaration and smiled at me.

"It was a joint effort, to be honest. Simon deserves just as much credit as me. He is an excellent mate and father, so my boys had a formidable role model to look up to." She commented on her mate, who was flustered by the compliment.

"I am sure he must be an amazing man if my mate is any indication. I could never expect someone to accept me so openly in his life. But from the moment we've met, Stephano has dazzled me every step of the way. He is so perfect for me that sometimes I think I am dreaming..." I gushed, enchanted by my mate. Stephano blushed at my compliment.

"I am not surprised by hearing you say that. He waited for so long for his mate that I was sure he would treat you like a prince when he discovered you. He was so happy that day." She spoke, reminiscing.

"I agree. I don't think I have ever seen my brother so happy as the day he met you." Harlan chimed in from the sofa next to his son and mate.

"And yet, I am way happier now." Stephano declared, proudly.

"I would too if I had just spent three hours–"

"Dad!" He cut him off, embarrassed about it.

"There's children here!" He interrupted his father who was just about to comment on our bond completion last Saturday. I am glad we dodged a bullet...

My son is aware of what happened because he knows about completing the bond. I told him everything there is to know about mates, but we have not discussed the event in itself for obvious - and embarrassing - reasons.

"It wasn't three hours..." I muttered, feeling embarrassed about the fact that everybody knew about this.

Rita - Harlan's mate - engaged in a different topic of conversation, sensing how flustered Stephano and I were at this point. She asked me about my son and how the adaptation was in a new State, let alone pack.

We got to talking and soon enough we would be sharing a glass of wine while Charlie kept her son company. He is only five years old, but he is such a cutie pie. This is a perfect age. I miss Charlie at that age...

Olivia offered soft drinks to my son as the adults opened an expensive bottle of wine. I had forgotten how good their taste is with wines. It reminded me of my first date with Stephano when he took me to the wine bar. I am guessing this bottle comes from that same place.

Rita and I related to each other by being mated to wealthy Cortez men. Though there are some clear differences between the two of us, we are both parents and currently live off our mates. It was nice to have somebody to talk to here.

Sometime later...

"When I got pregnant, I was still in college finishing my Masters degree. I figured I was young and healthy, so I didn't need to see a doctor right away. But I kept an appointment with the University's clinic." Olivia was telling us during dinner. All of us were at the table by now.

"After I concluded my courses, I returned to Regency Falls and went to see the obstetrician with Simon. I wanted him to be present when we saw our child for the first time. I knew how much this mattered to him, so I didn't have any ultrasound before that day." She continued, causing her son to be embarrassed in anticipation of the story.

"Then the doctor showed us the baby on the screen, he asked us if we wanted to know the gender, we said yes and then he told us we were going to have a daughter." She informed me, gearing up for something. I did not expect this twist...

"Wait, did you just say 'daughter'?" I double-checked, perplexed by this story.

"YES!" Simon and Olivia replied at the same time, enthusiastically.

"I cannot believe you are going to tell that story to my mate!" Stephano pouted, incredibly embarrassed by it.

"It's funny!" Harlan interjected, already laughing at the tale he certainly had heard before.

"Anyway, we decorated the nursery and bought baby clothes. Elliott [her best friend and former Luna of the pack] even threw me a baby shower. All this time, we were expecting I would be having a girl. I talked it over with Simon and we were going to name her Stephanie." She told me and I gasped in shock.

"OH!" I guess now we know where the name comes from... Charlie was wide-eyed at this surprising tale.

"Exactly." She breathed out a sigh.

"Then I had another ultrasound done when I was eight months pregnant, the doctor told us... Oops. It seems I was misguided last time. It happens sometimes, the baby's penis was hiding from view." She continued, raising the stakes at the rather obvious conclusion.

"Simon and I were like... did you just say penis?" She gasped in shock as if this was yesterday.

"At that point, we were so disappointed by the news that we weren't going to have a girl that we kept the name and just adapted to a boy. That's why his name is Stephano, which actually is on par with my Mexican heritage." Simon concluded, looking at his son - whose face was red with shame right about now.

Harlan was laughing at his brother, teasingly.

"His baby penis was too small to show in that ultrasound." He poked fun at his brother, who was mad at him for that.

"I am glad you were born a boy. You are absolutely perfect just the way you are." I told my mate, enamored by him. He kissed my cheek and thanked me.

"Steph, when we say disappointed it was because of the initial shock. Of course, you are our pride and joy. I could not be any prouder to be your father. I mean that. Not only are you a better Beta than me, but you are also a great man and amazing partner. There are no words to express how much your mother and I are proud of you, son." Simon assured him, twinkling his eyes with pride for his son. Olivia nodded her head in agreement.

"I am not a better Beta than you, dad." He rebuked him, bashfully.

"Yes, you are! I would never have the foresight to plant sharpshooters outside of a school. The way you showed up to protect your mate's son. That was the stuff of legend! You are way better than me..." His father reiterated, catching Charlie's attention inadvertently.

I could feel exactly what his father meant. My mate is absolutely perfect just the way he is.

And I thank Goddess every day that I found him. He is unquestionably the man for me. He deserves all the praises for being an outstanding protector of the pack - and my son. I could not have put my son's life in the hands of a better man. He is the one that I trust with my life and I have no doubt that he can protect us.

A|N: Raise your hand if (any of) your parents ever embarrassed you. o/

I loved this chapter just to be able to visit my beloved characters from "Topping the Alpha", Simon and Liv. If you read it, you know it.

The twist is coming to knock your socks off. #BePrepared

OFF: This is my first ever song from this artist. Who doesn't love a classic?

There is also a song of that name in "The Orphan's Mate", but it's a different tune by Bruno Mars.

For some reason, I had that storyline about Stephano's name in my mind since the start of the novel. I initially had a different idea of conveying that message, but this is much better.

Love,

Léo.