Minnette's POV
"Baby, Domitian is at the door", Max whispered in my ear making me open my eyes and meet his glowing light blue ones. "What time is it?", I asked while stretching. "It's 7 am babe", he said kissing my lips. I kissed him back almost deepening the kiss when I remembered Dad was at the door. I got up and got dressed in Max's jogging pants and my top then washed my face.
"Good morning Dad", i said when I found him in the kitchen prepping stuff. "Good morning baby girl", he said then pulled me in a hug. "What are you making?", I asked when I saw all-purpose flour on the counter. "Croissants, I figured it's the easiest to pull off for the type of crowd you have", he said and I agreed. I loved cooking with my Dad, it was easy. We didn't need to talk much. We just synched.
Two hours later breakfast was ready. I made a fruit cocktail and switched on the coffee machine while Dad put all the mugs, plates, and bowls for eating the last-minute edition of soup. I may have heard Xaria say that she loved chicken soup in the morning and wanted to make it for her and everyone else despite Dad saying I was a kiss-ass. "It smells amazing in here", Royce said walking in the kitchen without a shirt. "Son, if I had abs like those I would have been a supermodel by now", Dad said making us laugh. "Well, I tried and they couldn't afford me", he joked then disappeared into our bedroom, no doubt going for the bathroom.
"Minnette, is everything ok?", Dad asked making me smile. "Yes, Dad. Everything is fine and I'm sorry for disappearing on you like that", I said honestly making him look at me like he was studying my face. "Your mother said you were crying when you called her. You'd tell me if something was wrong right?", he asked and I nodded.
We went to sit in the living room where Amika was still sleeping on the couch. We were enjoying a comfortable silence until Jasmine walked in looking lively. I guess a good night's sleep can make one feel better. "Good morning guys", she said then woke Amika up.
"Good morning Jasmine, feeling better?", I asked and she smiled. "Yes, I really needed that sleep. I feel like a new person", she said then stretched herself. "I definitely don't like the new person in you. Why did you wake me up?", Amika complained while pulling herself in a sitting position. "OK then. I was just looking out for you. When your brothers see those croissants you know how they'll get", Jasmine said making her eyes go wide.
"Did you say croissants?", she asked making Jasmine smirk. She got up in a rush and went to knock on her parent's door until they woke up. I didn't get it. "She likes them?", Dad asked Jasmine whose smile was even bigger. "It's a family favorite. I advise you to put some aside for Nayeli", she said making me nod and do as I was told.
"These are ridiculous", Zadock said while Xaria added the soup to his bowl. He was on the third croissant and second bowl of soup. "I'm in heaven with this soup", Xaria said then smiled at me. I leaned into Max who had been by his side with one arm on my shoulder while the other held his coffee. "Kiss ass", he whispered making me elbow him.
I went to take a shower while Max and Colton washed the dishes when I got out I found Amika sitting on our bed looking at the wedding photos. "You guys looked great", she said making me smile. "Thank you, Amika. It was the best day of my life", I said recalling how amazing it felt. Being in love and finally marrying the love of my life.
"I bet it was. A mate really changes someone. I can't remember the last time I saw my brother this happy", she said.
I sat beside her and started telling her who the people in the photos were. Then we came across the Alpha King's photo. "It was nice of him to come. It seems he has a soft spot for you huh?", she asked surprising me. "Why would you say that?", I answered with a question. "Minnette, I've never heard the Alpha King attend a wedding in the human world for his warrior let alone give them a million-dollar house as a present and allow a human free pass to and from the Royal Pack. Never", she insisted.
"Too bad all that became irrelevant when he put Max in a cell without a second thought", I said feeling angry. "Hey, it was his mate that got kidnapped. It's not so simple Minnette. You think if it was Max then he would have done things differently?", she asked and it made me think for a while. Somehow the anger disappeared. "No. I guess you're right. Sometimes I think the mate bond is both a blessing and a curse", I said making her chuckle.
"That's definitely true. I hated my brother for leaving us. I held on to the anger for so long. I even hated you and I hadn't even met you and then I did and you're the best sister I could ever wish for. Now I get it. Now I know why he had to do what he had to do. You're his world and it's hard to ignore that fact", she said making me smile. "You're alright too", i said making her laugh and hug me.
"Hey guys, Domitian and Nayeli are leaving", Max said. We stood up and went to say goodbye to Mum and Dad. He invited Zadock and Xaria for dinner at the restaurant and they promised to go.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted the first time we met. It was out of line and I had no right to judge you the way I did", Zadock said making me turn to look at him. I was in the kitchen making lunch. "Oh, uh... that's ok. I don't hold grudges", I said making him sit by the counter and watch me cook.
"Want a drink?", I asked and he nodded. I gave him a beer and he drank slowly. He was asking me questions about what I was making. I made him taste it a couple of times. It put a smile on his face. Someone cleared their throat making us turn to the kitchen entrance and it was Colton and Max. "Where's the rest of you?", I asked taking beers from the fridge and giving them.
"They're watching some lame movie", Colton said making me chuckle. "I take it you're not a movies person?", I asked and he nodded. Max kissed the top of my head then went and sat next to his brother as I finished up with the pan-fried steaks and steamed basmati rice. "You had to come and ruin our quiet moment huh?", Zadock teased making his sons roll their eyes at him. It was a nice view.