I popped her back into our room. I noted that I could pop with her, but not to her. How obnoxious and annoying. Oden scoffed, “You never promised not to pop WITH her, just to her.” I retorted, “It wasn’t her specifically. It was the McAlister’s in general.” He growled “I remember.” He’d been just as pissed off about that entire ordeal as I had been. I got back into bed and fell asleep holding my mate.
When I woke up again, the same thing had happened. Oden and I both sighed. I’d have to tell her I wanted to wake up with her. Also, was she some type of ninja?! I was not a heavy sleeper. This time, I could hear her in the kitchen.
I snapped sweats on and walked downstairs. She was cooking up a storm. I couldn’t help but smile watching her. Oden purred, “She’s perfect. She does everything.” I replied, “I agree wholeheartedly.” Neither of us would care if she couldn’t cook. She was perfect to us no matter what.
She had bacon, biscuits, eggs, pancakes, waffles, and fruit all cut up and presented beautifully on a platter. Phil walked in sniffing the air. He linked me, “She made all this? Does she sleep?” I snorted, “No she gets up to dance first. I took her to back to bed, then she got up to fix this.” She was dancing around the kitchen, not paying attention to us.
I took in her appearance loving that she was wearing my hoodie from this morning. I instantly got hard. She casually saidover her shoulder, “Help yourselves. I wasn’t sure what everyone liked... so I made a little bit of everything. The muffins will be done in a few minutes.” So, she did know we were here.
She added, “I wasn't sure what time everyone woke up… so I wanted to space everything out. I made chocolate and blueberry muffins. There are chocolate pancakes too. Those are for Samantha. They are her favorite.”
“Well… if you guys like them, I could make more… that’s a thing I could do. Sorry about the mess… I had to search for everything. Your kitchen is really well stocked though…” Phil linked me, “It’s too early for her to be using so many words.” I popped beside the refrigerator and kissed her.
When I pulled back Melanie bit her lip. She added, “There’s coffee too.” Phil brightened, “Coffee. I love coffee!” Oden snorted, “As if everyone didn’t know that.” Melanie laughed. I asked, “How much coffee have you had, mate of mine?” She blushed and her heartbeat caught when I referred to her as my mate. Her eyes shone with happiness.
She shrugged, “Some.” I laughed clarifying, “How much does some mean?” Sierra came in wearing Phil’s clothes. She snorted, “Some is either one or two pots.” Melanie stuck out her tongue at her. She declared, “Just the one pot… AND I made more. Plus, I made your favorite pancakes which I regret since you’re being mean to me.”
Sierra laughed, “But I love you, and your cooking so much. I also love you on coffee. Just not too much coffee. For example,” Melanie gasped, “DON’T YOU DARE!” Phil’s eyes brightened, “Dare Sugar Lips, please do dare.”
Sierra laughed, “The first time Alexander emailed her. You have no idea how much coffee she drank. You might have to pay Hendrick and Mason a chunk of change for all the coffee she went through. ALL NIGHT long!”
A wet dish towel flew at Sierra’s arm. Melanie was near tears. Oden demanded, “Fix it, Alexander.” I instantly took her in my arms. I told her, “Would it make you feel better to know that I drafted my email to you at least twenty times?” She blinked up at me.
Phil cleared his throat. I added, “I also made Phil read each and every one of them.” Phil snorted, “It’s true. He was VERY obnoxious about the first email he sent you. Then he just locked me out of the exchanges as if I didn’t have to read a billion drafts of the email that started it all before he sent it.”
He dramatically gestured between us saying, “Now, I get nothing. I just know you email each other. It’s maddening I tell you. Sometimes my Alpha and cousin is so very mean. Watch out for that.” I growled at him.
He smirked, “These eggs are amazing, Ashley. So fluffy. Where did you learn how to cook?” Melanie answered, “Hendrick and Mason King taught me how to cook. I work in the kitchen at the diner sometimes. They cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mason’s burgers are the best, but Hendrick is the breakfast master.” She looked sad.
Phil linked, “Sierra, who you are calling Samantha because if I call her that she growls, told me that Mason and Hendrick are like family to Melanie.” I cleared my throat saying, “I’m sure we could find the perfect spot for them to open a diner in Black Mountain. I could conjure it for them even. I’ve heard they are impressive Warriors. They are more than welcome to come with you when you move.”
Melanie’s eyes shot to mine. Hope danced through them. She whispered, “Really?” I nodded, “Of course. If they want to come, they are welcome. We can even find a way to keep the diner they have now open and open a new one where we live. I have no problem with them joining you two in our pack.”
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. I deepened the kiss sliding my tongue into her mouth. Sierra laughed, which had Melanie pulling away. She whispered in my ear, “Thank you.” Her timer on the oven went off.
She ran over to the oven mitts and pulled out muffins. I got two plates and handed one to her. She looked startled and stared at it like it was a bomb, not a plate. I laughed, “You know that you have to eat with us.” She seemed stunned for several seconds but nodded.
She checked everything then came to sit by me. I snapped us mimosas and pitchers of more to drink later. Except for Melanie, I snapped her a cranmosa with a separate pitcher. Sierra laughed, “He’s got your number, Ash.” She smiled and we all ate.
Suddenly Melanie jumped up, “Oh gosh... I need to clean everything. I left your kitchen such a mess!” I replied, “I got it. You cooked.” She wasn't listening though because she was already running into the kitchen. She seemed panicked and her heart rate told me she was nearly having a panic attack.
I frowned asking, “What just happened?” Sierra sighed, “It’s complicated.” She raised her voice, “Ash, we are on vacation. It’s ok.” I walked into the kitchen and found my mate scrubbing a pan as if her life depended on it.
I snapped everything clean then conjured it all back to the original spots. Sierra raised her eyebrows muttering, “How handy.” Melanie turned around apologizing, “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have left everything out like that. Some of that needed to soak, and I just left it all out. I shouldn’t have done that… I can’t believe I didn't at least soak everything.”
I walked over and wrapped my arms around her. I told her, “It’s just dishes. It’s fine. As someone whose family owns the place, I promise it’s fine. I’m impressed that you can cook. Either Mrs. Blanch or Zoe cooks my food or someone snaps it. Thereis an Omega who makes killer cookies, but that’s it. I really appreciate you making us breakfast. Ok?” She slowly nodded.
Phil linked me, “Hey golden eyes, cut it the fuck out before she thinks you’re mad she didn’t wash the dishes.” I closed my eyes and replied, “Why the FUCK would she be afraid over the fact that she didn’t wash the dishes? I can promise you it’s not anything the McAlister’s did.”
I paused adding, “Hell, I know it’s not. Jase left dirty dishes in the sink for a week. Sam just let them pile up until he did them. Then she made him buy her a new cooking pan when he couldn't get all the stains off of it. Dirty dishes don’t really bother them.”
Phil sighed, “I’m sure Black Path has some weird thing about the kitchen being clean.” I raised an eyebrow retorting, “Why would a Beta’s daughter work in the kitchen? Or be yelled at for not cleaning a pan?”
Phil sighed, “That I do not know. She clearly likes to cook though, so I’m sure that’s why she was in the kitchen.” I snorted, “Black Path gives zero shits about people’s passions.” He admitted, “Ok, that’s a valid point and true, but I was aiming for you being calmer.”
Sierra said, “Let’s just go sit out on the deck and have some more of these Fairy snapped alcoholic beverages and take in the scenery.” I nodded saying, “We will be right there. You guys head out.” They left quickly, holding hands.
I turned Melanie around. I studied her from head to toe. I asked, “Are you ok?” She shook herself, “Yes... I just….” I finished, “Panicked about dirty dishes. That you probably would’ve cleaned while we ate, but I insisted you come eat with us.”
