Welcome back,
In the last chapter, Mari turned eighteen and discovered her mate. In this chapter, Javon and Thaddeus talk with BJ. But fate has twist and turns that no one expects. Someone new arrives on the scene.
Happy reading. IR2R
*****
Fireworks exploded deep inside Zeke as he feasted upon the lips of his lover. When she capitulated, his heart sang. He wanted more. He wanted to lift her and mold his body into her frame. But, he had to pull back.
Ending the kiss was sheer torture, but had to be done. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to just kiss you like this." He whispered.
Marisol didn't respond because she was trying to remember how to breathe. Her heart was racing and she was annoyed that he stopped kissing her.
Zeke grinned, and she stared at him opened mouth. Slowly, he let go and she stepped back, but she wanted to be back in his embrace.
"Wait, when? How?" she asked. She knew that every Were had a mate. She knew she'd find her mate one day, but she never thought it would be the one guy she never thought she stood a chance with.
Zeke chuckled. She was simply adorable. "Over two years now." She looked surprised, "I know shocked me too. After all you didn't even see me. So I had to make you know me. I teased you. I'd annoy you to break your calm façade. It never happened. You were always so proper, so composed. You fascinated me. No one knew how I felt until Alpha Levin figured it out on your last visit, the other Alphas were clueless as well."
Marisol walked across the room; she started to speak then she remembered her party. Her father would become worried if he lost sight of her. Zeke smiled, "Marisol, you look amazing. This dress is, Wow!" he added admiring her body. Marisol blushed. She was pleased that he liked her dress.
"I'm glad you like it." Marisol whispered. She actually blushed because she bought this dress with him in mind.
"I wanted to kick the ass of every boy that talked to you. I want you to dress like this only for me." He teased.
Marisol was speechless.
Zeke Abraham is mine.
her wolf chanted over and over again. She blushed and was suddenly self-conscious about her outfit. She was confused. A part of her was excited and happy, yet another part was apprehensive.
How is poppa going to react to this?
she wondered.
Zeke could see the concern on her face. He decided to try and alleviate her concerns. "Marisol, we have time. You have college and I will wait until you are ready. I know that your Dad might not react well to this, so if you want to keep it secret..." Her eyes flew to his. He was willing to remain secret to protect her from having to deal with her father.
She smiled. "Zeke, I do need time. Thank you for understanding." She whispered.
"Hey, birthday girl, you need to get back." He suggested. "Besides, I'm supposed to be working. I'll walk you back out." They went back into the community center. BJ had just realized Marisol was missing when she entered the room with Zeke. He noticed how the beta had his hand placed possessively on his daughter's waist. His posture was that of a man with his woman. He also noticed how close Marisol stood to the beta, smiling and not pushing him away.
Hell no!
he thought, as he stood to approach them.
"BJ, what's wrong?" Kyra asked. She too saw her niece and her mate reenter the room.
"I have to rescue my daughter. That guy might try something." BJ explained right before Celia blocked him.
"No you don't. You will not embarrass that girl." Celia told her brother standing between him and the walk space, effectively blocking him from approaching his daughter and her beau.. "You need to calm down. She is beautiful and men will notice her. BJ, you have to let her grow up."
"She is a baby." BJ insisted. "That guy is older. He can take advantage of her. I will not stand here and let some guy do anything to my daughter." He insisted, drawing attention to the three of them. Marisol saw that her aunts were talking with her father and knew he was upset.
"Zeke, what time are you all leaving tomorrow?" she asked.
"We'll leave after lunch." He replied.
Marisol smiled. "I'll come to your apartment later. If I can't make it, we can talk in the morning, ok?" she suggested.
Zeke wanted to kiss her once more, but he noticed that people were looking. Particularly her father was looking and he was barely containing himself. He wouldn't ruin her night, so he smiled and said "Let me get back to my post. See you later sweetness."
Marisol stepped away from him and took some deep breathes. She then returned to her party.
"Marisol, what happened with tall, blond, and gorgeous?" Desda asked. You were gone for a while and I was just wondering. Look one question, can he kiss?" she asked.
Marisol blushed, "He is a great kisser." She answered cheekily. The girls laughed. By now, BJ had managed to get away from his sisters and walked over.
"Marisol, are you alright? I saw the Beta bring you back in. Did he try..." he asked. If that guy tried anything with is baby.
"Daddy, Zeke was upset and I wanted to see if he was OK. He was a perfect gentleman," she fudged. She wasn't ready to tell her father the truth that Zeke Abraham was her mate. He was the one man she was destined to spend her life with."
"OK, well my lovely young lady. How about a dance with your old man? " BJ asked.
Marisol smiled, "Of course Poppa." Soon they were joined on the dance floor by Desda and her father. The DJ took that moment to play an rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely." BJ held his daughter close as he recalled meeting her for the first time fourteen years ago. He remembered how the frightened four year old grasped his hand as they loaded her into the ambulance with her brother and sister. He closed his eyes as he relived the hellish wait for her and then her brother and sister to go through surgery. She was so small, so fragile.
He remembered social services coming to take them and Alpha Javon stepping in. She was his baby from the moment he laid eyes on her and she'd be his baby until he could breathe no more..
"Poppa, you can let go now. The song is over." Marisol whispered. She was slightly embarrassed because her Dad wasn't letting go.
BJ laughed, "Guess I have to let go in more ways than one, right?" he teased. Both grinned.
"Daddy, I maybe eighteen now, but I will still count on you to take care of me." Marisol replied, bringing a big grin to her father's face. Zeke watched BJ dance with his daughter, and his respect for him grew. He knew he could never force her to choose. This man loved her unconditionally. He smiled, for he knew that he'd be the same way when they had a daughter.
Finally, he let go and looked at his daughter. She was not a baby anymore. He had to accept it. He hugged her once more and whispered. "I love you, Mari. Go on and enjoy your night. We'll see you when you get home."
Marisol returned her father's embrace. Soon the DJ played an upbeat song and everyone flooded the dance floor. Marisol laughed and joined her friends. BJ stood on the side and watched. He was proud of her. She was amazing. She had overcome so much in her young life, and now she was an adult. In two months she'd be going to Louisiana for school, and from the look of things, she'd find more than an education in Louisiana. He then looked over at the Gaines Beta. He was at his post, clearly doing his job.
There was something about that guy. He knew he was interested in his daughter. However, that wasn't what concerned him. He had never seen Marisol so unguarded before tonight. When she walked in with the young man holding her, her face and body language were both serene, peaceful. She was not nervous, jittery, or even slightly stressed. She was relaxed for once. In fact that the only time she smiled was with the beta. BJ had to face the truth; his baby was interested in a male. That was a big deal to him, but he was okay with it. It was the interest that the male showed in his daughter. For some reason, he kept thinking back to when he first laid eyes on Jules. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. The way the beta watched Marisol reminded him of how besotted he was with his mate.
He gasped as he recognized,
The Gaines beta was his daughter's mate.
He started to rant, but then he saw him watching her once again. The look of sheer adoration on the man's face stopped him in his tracks. Jules walked over and circled her arms around his waist. "Baby, she's an adult now. We raised her well and now we have to let her be free." She whispered.
BJ's wolf calmed down at the soothing tone of his mate's voice. His wolf accepted this. All he ever wanted was for his kids to be safe and happy. As a male were, he knew a man would die to protect what was his. He saw how the young man watched his daughter. Who was he to deny her a chance at happiness? Finally he admitted to himself that Marisol was an adult now and he had to let her go. This man was his daughter's mate. Everyone else had to have figured it out because he then realized that they all tiptoed around him. Even the Alphas walked on egg shells around him. What did they think would happen?
