The Dining hall
As usual, Virgo was up at dawn, having been for a ride on his horse around the estate, to help clear his mind of the troubles concerning his son. He knew he was going to have to face his son about the issues, but then again, his wife had been there as a rock of support for the older Alpha.
Coming back in, and taking off his leather riding gloves and hat, he gave them to the butler, before heading into the dining room, where the maids were busy getting the breakfast buffet ready for the Marulo family. The three maids all stopped on seeing the proud Virgo strut in and each curtseied before hurrying to get his paper and coffee.
“Good morning Count.’ they all chimed at different intervals, as the Count took his seat at the head of the table.
“Any of you see my son as yet? Has he gotten out of bed?’ he asked, taking up the paper and putting on his spectacles. One of the maids looked worried, then shot a look at another who was brave enough to say the truth.
“Sir, your son did not return home last night.”
“What?”
“Sorry…but his room was open and bed has not been slept in.”
Virgo slammed down the paper and rose to his feet.
“ELVIRA!’ He roared loudly.
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Elvira was late in waking and was in a somewhat grumpy mood herself as her burgeoning stomach would only allow her to move at a certain speed. Rather than calling for Sally to help her, she made a mental note to herself to start sleeping in a reclining position so it would be easier to get out of bed.
Shuffling into the bathroom, as her bladder was screaming out its need to be emptied, she began her morning rituals.
“ELVIRA!”
She was slipping into her day coat when she heard her husband’s roar echoing across the entire estate, startling birds from the trees and the horses in the stables to whinny in fright.
“Devil’s teeth!” she snapped, slamming her hairbrush down upon her table. “What is that man’s problem this morning?”
“My thoughts exactly.” Dominique stated, standing in the doorway as she watched her mother getting ready for the day.
“Good morning, darling.” Elvira smiled at her daughter, ignoring Virgo for the moment.
“Morning, mum. How are you feeling?”
“Tired and grumpy.” Elvira admitted. “My ankles are swollen, my back aches and I’m perspiring in places I never thought possible. Other than that, I’m just dandy.” Elvira snorted. Dominique giggled and moved to her mother’s side, rubbing circles at the base of her mother’s spine. Elvira sighed with relief at how good that felt. She was used to Virgo doing the same thing for her when she was pregnant with the twins.
“How does that feel?” Dominique asked after a few quiet moments.
“Better, love. Thank you.” Elvira smiled. “We better go see what has your father in a mood this morning.” She linked her arm through her daughter’s and together they headed to the dining room.
Dining Room
The ladies of the house stepped together into the dining room to see Virgo pacing back and forth in front of the window, a frown on his face.
“You bellowed, Your Lordship?” Elvira couldn’t help but ask as Dominique escorted her mother to her place at the table. Elvira eased her bulk into the chair with a pleased sigh as Dominique moved to the other side of the table.
The servants moved about to ensure the ladies had food and drink. Elvira thanked them with a smile, skipping her usual cup of tea in favor of a glass of orange juice.
“Yes, Daddy. We could hear you on the other side of the house. What’s going on?” Dominique asked as she cut into her pancakes.
Little did anyone know aside from Elvira, that Doctor Bianchi had been requested to see to Elvira as she had sent him a telegram the day before. As luck would have it, the Good doctor was between commitments, and had the time to call in on the very pregnant Elvira at her family estate. The black car that he had been driven up in was parked, and he stood at the front door, medical bag in hand and hat on his head. He rang the door bell, then stepped back and admired the fine statues that lined the walls of the structure.
“How nice.” He mused to himself, as the door opened and a young maid had answered.
“Yes, may I help you?” The maid asked, as Johnathon took off his hat and smile broadly.
“Doctor Bianchi…Johnathon..Bianchi. I was asked to attend to the Countess, and I thought I would stop in early.” His voice was cheerful and he could hear the buzz of voices coming from the dining hall. The maid nodded and stepped back, allowing Johnathon to enter, which he did.
“Thank you ever so much.”
Dining Hall.
Yes…the Count was pacing, clapping his hands together behind him, back of hand to palm, like some angry school professor, as his wife and daughter entered together.
“You bellowed, Your Lordship?”
“Hmmph! I did not bellow.”
“Yes, Daddy. We could hear you on the other side of the house. What’s going on?”
Virgo stopped pacing and looked at them both, then he pointed to the vacant seat where Damion used to sit.
“HE..never came home last night. HE…was probably with his…his…that.” Virgo said with a snort and then looked at Elvira. “Your son…has work commitments. And…he should have been home before ten pm.”
Oh boy…
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“Darling…you bellowed. Birds scattered from the trees and I could hear the horses in the stables.” Elvira stated. “Now what is the problem?”
Virgo stopped pacing and pointed to Damion’s vacant seat. “HE..never came home last night. HE…was probably with his…his…that.” He snorted and looked at his wife as she nibbled on a slice of toast. “Your son…has work commitments. And…he should have been home before ten pm.”
Elvira set down her toast and looked at her husband. She was becoming tired of his attitude about their son and his mate. She was going to make him see reason, even if she had to kick him in the arse to do it.
“Virgo, honestly! He is our son’s Alpha and mate and you can no longer deny it. And Damion knows his responisbilities to the company. He would not shove them off in any way, shape or form. You mean too much to him for him to do something like that to you.” Elvira stated with absolute conviction. Despite whatever was going in their son’s personal life, he had a dedicated work ethic. He would no more shirk his duties to his job then she would shirk her duties as Beta to their pack and Virgo knew it. “He is an adult and as such, I think assigning him a curfew is a bit childish, even for you.” She knew her husband was being irrational and was determined to make him see reason.
“You are going to accept our son’s choices, Virgo Marulo.” Elvira scowled, the pregnancy hormones now raging through her, made worse by the fact she was a tempermental succubus as well. “Or you will find yourself sleeping alone for the foreseeable future.”
Oh..it was on. The hormonal wife of an Alpha male, and she was not about to put up with Virgo’s whining over their son and his love. The mother of all showdowns was about to commence, and if you could have built a trench and hopped into it, now was a good time. Virgo stood his ground, arms folded as his wife…let rip.
“Virgo, honestly! He is our son’s Alpha and mate and you can no longer deny it. And Damion knows his responsibilities to the company. He would not shove them off in any way, shape or form. You mean too much to him for him to do something like that to you.”
“Be that as it may, we have not met him, not seen he is doing right by our son. What if..he is using the poor boy as some….toy, play thing. A Marulo is a proud name, and I will not have it scorned or looked down on, cause of our son’s misadventures.”
THEN
“Hello…Hello? Ah, there you are Elvira. Oh..crumpets and jam! Hello Virgo, you sound fit as a fiddle. Your wife sent for me to check her out…being pregnant and all. Hello Dominique..remember me? Doctor Bianchi. it is a pleasure.”The Doctor said all this, as he offered his hand to Dom to shake.
Virgo was just dumbfounded. That angel’s timing..was impeccable.
“Johnathon…we having a family….meeting.”
“Looks more like breakfast. Smells good to. Mind if I sit down, and have a coffee? Don’t mind me, you won’t even know I am here.” With that the Doctor sat down and let the hired help fuss over him, as Virgo blinked then looked at Elvira again.
“You are going to accept our son’s choices, Virgo Marulo.” Elvira scowled, the pregnancy hormones now raging through her, made worse by the fact she was a temperamental succubus as well. ”Or you will find yourself sleeping alone for the foreseeable future.”
“Ho ho ho…steady on Elvira, you might do yourself damage. High blood pressure is not good at this stage of the pregnancy. Oops. sorry…carry on.”
Virgo now sat down and frowned, since he really couldn’t argue with his wife, especially since now she was threatening to throw him out, and the Doctor was sitting there, munching on a crumpet, oblivious to the mess he had walked into. All he was doing was smiling at everyone….such an angel.
Virgo grumbled to himself, like he had just been sent to the kennel.
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“Hello…Hello? Ah, there you are Elvira. Oh..crumpets and jam! Hello Virgo, you sound fit as a fiddle. Your wife sent for me to check her out…being pregnant and all. Hello Dominique..remember me? Doctor Bianchi. it is a pleasure.”
Dominique, having been watching her parents argue, smiled upon seeing her mother’s doctor. “Of course I remember you, sir. Pleasure to see you again.” she stated.
Elvira was still glaring at her husband as he finally resumed his seat, muttering under his breath.
“Darling.” Elvira smiled, her voice tinged with a small amount of anger. “Accept it.” It was not a request. It was an order, one Virgo would listen to if he didn’t want to find himself sleeping in the stables.
Marulo Estate – Garage
Damion pulled his car in and killed the engine. He was nervous and scared and worried all at the same time and he turned to look at Sam sitting beside him.
“I don’t want to go in there.” Damion mumbled. “My father is going to flip. I just know it.” He dropped his head to the steering wheel and began to bang his head against the leather. Maybe if he knocked himself out, his family would take pity on him. He would rather face a herd of rampaging lions then face his own father at that moment.
This was turning into a circus, depeneding on which way you looked at it. The wild and highly hormone charged succubus, berating her were wolf husband for being a sook, their daughter watching on and wishing she wasn’t…and the angelic doctor, who was now on his second helping of waffles, and in heaven…food wise.
“My compliments to the cook!” Johnathon said with a cheery tone, then salivated as the tray of bacon was brought in. The angel licked his lips and then smiled at Dominique. “You know, you are almost as beautiful as your mother, course she is radiant due to the new baby. Pregnant women are like that. One day, you might get pregnant too.” He said with a wink, helping himself to a large pile of bacon rashes.
Up the other end of the table, Virgo was frowning.
“Darling.” Elvira smiled, her voice tinged with a small amount of anger. “Accept it.”
“Fine…fine.” Virgo said, grumbling some more, and not liking this situation at all. Like a mean old junk yard dog. Really, what had gotten into him?
Marulo Estate – Garage
Damion was banging his head on the steering wheel and Sam was watching him incredulously. The poor guy was scared out of his mind. Sam wouldn’t have a bar of it, and placed his hand under Damion’s chin to turn his face towards him.
“I made a promise. To you. Remember? I love you. I want to do this right. For you, for us. Come on.” Sam said, his eyes showing concern, but he was also being incredibly brave.
“You can stand behind me, how does that sound. Your father tries something, he will have to get passed me.”
With that, Sam opened his car door, and then waited for Damion to follow.
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Before Damion could do further harm to his nogging, Sam grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look up.
“I made a promise. To you. Remember? I love you. I want to do this right. For you, for us. Come on.” Damion sighed and nodded. He was being rather silly.
“I know, Sam…but my father isn’t the most easiest man to get along with.” Damion stated.
“You can stand behind me, how does that sound? Your father tries something, he will have to get passed me.”
Damion looked at his mate, eyes wide. He would put himself in his father’s path? For him? It was a shocker to say the least. But Damion gathered his courage. “No need for that, love. And you’re correct…we need to do this right if I’m going to respect myself and our relationship.” Damion climbed from the car and took Sam’s hand in his own before leaning upward to bless his mate with a gentle kiss. “Thank you for being here with me. I don’t think I could have done this without you.”
So saying, Damion took a deep breath and turned to head into the house, moving straight to the dining room, as he knew that would be where his family would be gathered at this time of day.
Dining Room
“You know, you are almost as beautiful as your mother, course she is radiant due to the new baby. Pregnant women are like that. One day, you might get pregnant too.” Jonathon was saying to Dominique. Dominique, who’d just taken a sip of coffee, spat it back out and stared at the good doctor incredulous.
“I beg your pardon?” she scowled. The last thing she ever wanted to be was pregnant or mated. And her temper was more volatile then her mother’s when she was offended. “You must have me mistaken for some brood mare!” she snapped back at him. “I would no more allow some man to impregnate me then I would allow a man to kiss me in the first bloody place! And I will thank you to keep your opinions of such things to your bloody self!”
Elvira went from scowling at her husband to looking at Jonathon in amusement as Dominique went at him.
“What is with these men today?” Elvira sighed, throwing up her hands.
“Um…have we come at a bad time?” came a familiar voice from the doorway. All eyes swung toward Damion and Sam, standing hand-in-hand and Elvira could smell a consummated bond between them. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she eased herself from her seat and made her way to their side. She took Damion in her arms and hugged him.
“Congratulations, my darling.” she whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek as she drew back. She looked at Sam and gave him the same treatment. “Harm my son in any way, and there won’t be a hole deep enough to hide you from my wrath.” she warned.
If this were a TV show, a sitcom or a broadway play, you would be on the edge of your seat. Who was going to get knocked out first? Who was going to suddenly go into labour? And poor Virgo…yes, we can hear the thud thud thud of his head hitting the table behind that newspaper. But….on with the show.
Johnathon could only roar with laughter.
“Oh Dominique, you certainly have your mother’s temper. Tell me, how many corpses does your maid have to clean out of your room each morning…four…five?” You wouldn’t believe he was saying such a thing, but he knew the Marulos pretty darn well.
But of course it was that moment, when Damion showed up hand in hand with the gorgeous Sam, that the whole room stopped.
“I smell sex.” Johnathon said, following that with a crunch from eating a piece of bacon. The maids all gasped, half at what he said, and the other at how good looking Sam was. Elvira headed over and congratulated her son, with a kiss and a hug, then turned on Sam and gave him a good warning that if he harmed her son, she was going to bury him…in a really big hole.
“Thank you, Countess, I will keep that in mind.” Sam could only be polite of course, and then…you know what he did…I’ll tell you what he did…He swept up Damion in his arms and gave him the most passionate kiss he ever had done. Oh, it was all tongues, and then as he broke it, he slapped his ass for good measure. He then looked up at the head of the table, ie Virgo and announced.
“Count Virgo Marulo. My name is Sam Malone, and I am in love with your son.”
You could hear the cutlery at the table drop, and then Johnathon said.
“Wow!”
Virgo rose to standing and placed his napkin on his plate. Then…he started to walk towards the young Alpha….who reeked of his son’s scent…and sex.
“Do you now?”
“Yes Sir…I do.”
The two men faced off….and you could almost cut the tension with a knife, as the young alpha and the older faced off.
“I love him….and I am prepared to fight for him. I am his Alpha…his soul mate. Only death will separate me from him…not you.”
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