Page 92 of A Female Alpha for the Lycan Prince
He chuckles. “Is that your witchcraft talking, or did you actually discover another gift? Cooking.”
“Neither,” I smile. “It’s called common sense,” I tease.
He smiles in amusement. “The moment they become alphas, they lose all their respect towards their elders.”
I laugh a bit. “Come, my well-respected elder, sit down. I shall help you.” When he makes space for me in front of the stove with a relieved smile, I give him a curious glance. “Who are you planning on wooing with your cooking, Dad?”
He looks like a deer caught in the headlights. “No one,” he mutters.
“Is it the lady at the bar?” I ask him. “The one who always flirts with you?”
“No, you’re getting things wrong. I—”
“The owner of the little café!” I exclaim.
His cheeks flush red. I can’t remember the last time I saw my father embarrassed. “It’s not like that,” he mutters.
“But it’s fantastic, Dad!” I exclaim. “You deserve to be happy! Her name is Mona, right?”
He looks at me surprised and a bit relieved. “You don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” I say excitedly. “It would make me happy if you found a second love.”
“Her mate was human,” he explains to me quietly. “She lost him to sickness. She’s a bit older than I am, but I don’t mind. We’ve sort of bonded over our mutual experiences, and well… she’s not my second chance mate or anything, Celine, but she makes me happy.”
I switch off the stove and turn to him. “Dad. Mom passed many years ago. You held it together back then for the pack and for me. You don’t owe any of us an explanation over who you want to date. If Mona makes you happy, and you make her happy, who am I to judge?”
Dad smiles at me, and for the first time in a long while, his smile reaches his eyes. If Mona is really able to heal him and help him overcome his grief, then it would make me one heck of a happy daughter. “Now, if only I could cook for real,” he chuckles. “Maybe I should have our kitchen staff prepare—”
“No!” I blurt out. “She is going to love you cooking for her. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it’s just the gesture and the kind thought that’s going to woo her. You can make your spaghetti and add a salad to it, and some ice cream… or strawberries with whipped cream, that always gets them,” I point out, not questioning why I’m giving my father tips about how to seduce his love interest.
I just want this to work out for him. Mona is a nice woman, a little shy, and also very kind. She’s only ranked omega, and I love that my father—the former alpha—doesn’t mind that about her. In a way, this makes me feel so proud to be his daughter.
“Ok. You’ve convinced me,” Dad says with a smile. “Show me how to make spaghetti carbonara,” he tilts his head. “It’s one of Mona’s favorites.”
We spent the best part of an hour trying to find the best recipe, trying out a few that Dad thought he could make. I’m not a particularly good cook myself, but seeing how Dad is giving his best, I kinda want to learn some basics too. I doubt I’ll ever cook for Marius… but… you never know.
He should cook for us,Danica grumbles.If he doesn’t want to be our mate, maybe he can be our servant.
I have to suppress a laugh at her words. It’s rare for her to joke about our fucked-up mate bond. However, last time I met Marius, our conversation was so civilized, it surprised me. I only know him angry and dismissive, arrogant even, but to talk to him normally was new.
I sigh inwardly. Goddess, what am I going to do about this mate of mine!?
After Dad and I wrap our cooking lesson up, it’s time to set my original plan into motion, the actual reason why I’m visiting him tonight.
“Dad,” I start, deciding to approach the topic head-on. “Aren’t you shocked?”
“About what?” he asks.
“About me being a hybrid.”
He shrugs. “To me, you will always be my wonderful and clever daughter. The one person who kept me sane when I lost your mother and brother. You could be a full-fledged witch, and I wouldn’t mind.”
Relief washes over me. “And are you ready for a family reunion?”
“As ready as I can be,” he chuckles.
“Then please come with me,” I say.
