Time.
A fascinating but mysterious concept.
Since ancient times philosophers and scientists from all over the world had tried to conceptualize time in countless ways.
It came to the conclusion that there were two types of time...
The objective time was one. It belonged to science and it was measured by a suitable instrument called "clock". The subdivision that the clock made of time in certain instants was an arbitrary subdivision and, once the unit of measurement was chosen, it was repeated cyclically by the clock.
However, there was also a subjective time... That time whose existence depended entirely on our mind... that time which was perceived in different ways from person to person, from situation to situation. That time that did not follow the ticking of the clock or the rules of science ...
Because of subjective time, often it happened that certain moments seemed to last so long that even just a few seconds could amplify and be perceived as hours.
And in that fateful moment, where Elena and her mate found themselves under the lens of Alpha Giacomo and Luna Elisa, there was a silence suspended in the air that seemed to last for eternity and not mere seconds...
Those moments in which the parents stared at her in silence seemed to last hours.
Or at least to Elena...
In contrast, Black Devil's Alpha was too busy with other chores to worry about the newcomers.
In fact, Mirko, who seemed calm as the owner of the world, was actually fighting one of the most furious battles he had ever had to face: the one against his own wolf ... against himself.
That animal instinct, that completely wild side that resided inside Mirko, and that had craved Elena for all this time and that was pushed back too many times for Elena's sake...now it was at its maximum power.
It did not matter at all that the future in-laws were right there, to witness Elena and Mirko's love for the first time ever.
Craken wanted to mark his companion and mate at that precise moment, regardless of everything and everyone.
In reality, Mirko cared even less that Elena's parents stood there.
As far as he was concerned, now that they knew about him, he could very well have placed Elena on one shoulder and carried her in the woods, where he would have spent days intent on making love to her, after having marked her forever as his.
However, there was an important factor that held Mirko, and so did Craken, from jumping on Elena .... this important factor was Elena herself.
Both Mirko and his inner beast were still holding back (barely) because they knew how important it was for her to introduce him as her true mate and be accepted by her parents... and how nervous she had been about it.
The fresh mark on the neck boiled and continually injected an aphrodisiac poison into his body and soul. He ached, bubbled for Elena, and for the first time ever he was unsure how he could resist any further.
Even a single touch of her would be enough to blow him up.
It was Aunt Diletta who broke the eternal silence that lingered, freeing Elena from the spell of time, and distracting Mirko from his inner struggle.
"Oh, have you met Mirko before?" The woman, all smiling and gruff, unaware of the delicacy of the circumstances, went to the table, resting on it the tea pot and the cake. "He's such a sweet and kind boy!"
After those words left her mouth, Elena felt her father scoffed, as if he had not agreed with what the aunt had just noted.
After all, with all the adjectives you could describe Alpha Black, kind and sweet were definitely the last that came to your mind.
Luna Elisa grabbed her sister's hand, busy cutting the cake.
"Diletta, my dear, come with me to the kitchen for a second." Unaware of the werewolves around her and that magical world so close to hers, Diletta nodded, winking at Mirko.
She probably thought that Mirko and Giacomo would have had the typical and feared chat that used to happen between a protective father and a new boyfriend.
Before leaving, Luna Elisa caressed her husband's arm and whispered something imperceptible in his ear. He rolled his eyes but sighed and kissed his wife's head.
When his eyes landed on his daughter's, Alpha Giacomo finally spoke.
"Elena, you can catch a fly if you don't close your mouth," he said casually, always with that famous poker face that he exhibited during political meetings with other Alpha.
Poor Elena, who hadn't even noticed that she had been gaping like a fish out of water, shut her mouth and blinked a few times.
"Dad, I-" She cleared her throat realizing how rough it was.
A small part of her mind whispered that her parents seemed too normal, too casual, not at all surprised. Another part, much bigger and more dominant, could only rethink the wonderful sensation of dipping her fangs in Mirko's neck.
The satisfaction of finally marking that fine specimen as hers was incredible. Unbelievable. Majestic.
A very deep bite mark was right there, visible on his neck. It was already starting to heal slowly. The taste of his blood still lingered on her lips while Titilas jumped with exultation. Mirko was finally theirs...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When his daughter remained silent, Alpha Giacomo shook his head, crossing his arms. His imposing figure stood out even more.
And what he said right after was like a knife slicing into Elena's heart.
"I must say that I am very embittered, Elena."
Disappointment was worse than bloody fights and punches. Often, there was no cure for disappointment while fighting wounds could eventually heal.
Mirko stiffened even more beside his mate and a snarl escaped his lips. Not because of the words of Alpha Giacomo. No. He couldn't care less about what he thought of him.
Nobody could minimally cause stress to his little mate, not even her own father.
Meanwhile Elena focused exclusively on the dad.
It was time for confrontation. With a deep breath, she began to explain before the scenes of her nightmare reproduced in reality.
"Dad, I know your opinion about Black Devil, but Mirko is my mate, chosen by Moon Goddess herself, and we--"
Shaking his head, Alpha Giacomo raised a finger suggesting that she should not continue.
"It is not the identity of your mate that saddens me." He declared, pursing his lips. A confused Elena waited for further explanation.
"I wished that my only daughter and the second love of my life would have informed me when she found her mate ... rather than sneak behind my back and keep him hidden."
Oh.
That was definitely the last thing Elena had expected.
A wave of relief hit her but soon after was followed by a wave of anger. Just when she was ready to tell them about her mate, her parents had saw them kissing.... Worst misfortune ever.
"Alpha Giacomo"
Mirko finally intervened, moving slightly to shield his companion's body. His posture seemed extremely rigid and his voice strangely altered. His eyes darkened every time they fell on Elena.
The latter had tried not to return his heated gaze, otherwise the situation would have deteriorated.... The air around the two mates buzzed with tension and repressed lust.
"We wanted to talk to you tonight" He scanned each word, as if he were under enormous effort. The body was shaking slightly and the hands clenched into fists. Elena thought he would jumped on her.
Giacomo's attention had shifted to Mirko since he started talking. His expression was indecipherable.
"Oh, you and I are sure to have a conversation very soon, Alpha Mirko." His voice seemed slightly threatening.
"Alone"
Everyone else would have flinched under that gaze. But Alpha Mirko was not "everyone else".
"Anyway, I didn't make myself understood here." Alpha Giacomo gave them both a sly look. Beginning to walk and looking at the sky, what he said next froze both the two newly discovered mates.
"You see Elena, your mother and I had known for a very long time that you had found your mate."
A terrible silence fell on the garden as Elena absorbed the news.
"S-since when exactly have you known?" she whispered, feeling dizzy.
Was this another dream? Would she wake up soon?
"Long time." He replied cryptically with a twinkle in his yellow eyes.
"From our meeting in Black Devil? When you took me there and we met Mirko on the border?" Elena felt Mirko's eyes burn holes in her face and she intentionally didn't look at him.
Alpha Giacomo grinned, remembering how his daughter and her mate had quarrelled in front of him and his men. He had secretly hoped that she would finally reveal her dirty secret and that was why he had brought her with him to Black Devil in the first place.
But no, Elena had not uttered a single word that day...
"No my dear. Your mother and I have known this from the first day our Alpha Mirko sneaked into my territory without asking for my permission." He glanced at Mirko, who seemed about to explode any minute now.
Unsure Elena had heard her father correctly, she had to replay his last sentence to herself a few times. It took her a few extra seconds to fully realize what her father had just revealed.
" Your mother and I have known this from the first day our Alpha Mirko sneaked into my territory ..."
From Chapter 14: "Fluffin"
~In their bubble of a newly-born timid love, Elena and Mirko hadn't noticed a certain bush observing them... studying them attentively... with a pair of very familiar yellow eyes...~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her father and mother had always known.
Since the first day she had played with Craken in the clearing and called him Fluffin. The day Elena and Mirko had cuddled for the first time.
It seemed like a whole life had passed since that day .... Elena's eyes almost leaped out of her orbits.
Her mother and father had always known.
~~~
AN / Remember the yellow eyes that observed Elena and Mirko in the clearing?? That was Alpha Giacomo !!! In Chapter 14 "Fluffin", when Mirko and Elena met in the clearing and Elena invented the famous nickname 'Fluffin'.
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