Page 43 of Bullied Mate

“Do you think you can be quiet? My dad has good hearing. He will hear any movement. You’d have to be completely still.”

“So he could hear me now?” Poppy asked.

Klaus groaned. “I don’t … probably.”

“This is insane.”

“Look, we can go down there and tell him right now.”

Poppy looked toward the door.

Did he want to tell his father now? He liked having Poppy all to himself, without his overbearing family ruining it. Poppy would be expected to spend time with his mother. To train, and— No, he didn’t want to share Poppy.

“I’ll sneak out, but I’m going to need clothes,” Poppy said.

He moved to his drawers, handing her a pair of sweatpants and his shirt. She slid them on, and he quickly got dressed.

Sneaking her out wasn’t going to be easy. He was going to have to take her to the kitchen, and if his dad was there, then he’d see. It was a risk he was going to have to take.

They made their way downstairs, and as he got to the bottom step, his father called out to him. “I’m in the dining room, son. Your breakfast is on the counter. Bring it in,” George said.

This had to be pure fucking luck.

He walked Poppy to the kitchen, opened the back door, and before she left, he pulled her against him, kissing her.

She smiled at him and then ran out of his yard.

He couldn’t believe he had snuck her out.

Grabbing his breakfast from the counter, he made his way into the dining room. “Where is everyone this morning?”

“Lionel has a breakfast date with Anna. Your mother took the girls to the shop before she’ll drop them off at school. How was it sneaking Poppy out of my house?” George asked.

Klaus choked on the piece of toast in his mouth. He grabbed the water and swallowed quickly, a little taken aback by his father’s words.

“Dad, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Son, for years, I’ve come home and at night, I make it a habit to check on all of my children. If I hadn’t looked in on you last night, I’m sure Poppy’s dress would have been a big indicator. It’s dried and pressed. You can take it to her later.”

“Oh,” Klaus said.

“Klaus, why didn’t you tell me that you had found your mate? Don’t even think of lying to me or giving me any kind of bullshit.”

“Dad, it’s not … don’t.”

“Your mother is going to be delighted. She has been hoping you would be lucky enough to find a mate. We can start her training immediately. We’ll have her move in. I know Bethany adores her, and she is a good woman.”

“No, you can’t do that,” Klaus said, panic rising up inside him. He’d never told his fathernobefore.

“Excuse me?”

Klaus gritted his teeth.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Poppy and I, she, we, I…” He didn’t want to disappoint his father, but there was no way around it. “I bullied Poppy in high school, and yes, we’ve known that we’re mates since her first transition, but last night was the first time we had … been close.”

He stopped talking. The room was silent. He was a little afraid to look at his father.

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