Chapter 12 The Talk

Kiaria

"That's my Auntie Yumi, Io. Aunt Yumi, please don't embarrass me. He's a guest." When my father said his name a while ago, it took me a second to process who he was. Io Hemming, the playboy millionaire. Every week his new girlfriend would be the face of the tabloid newspapers. I should know. My mom has a subscription of a tabloid paper for their crossword puzzle in the back. She leaves her paper on the countertop every morning which I read while I drink my morning cup of coffee. You had to wonder what did all these women see in Io Hemming anyway. Well, now that he's infront of me looking at me like I'm the love of his life, I know why these women would fall for him. He was handsome, smooth, rich and the look in his eyes could make any woman feel special.

"I heard he's your boyfriend from your mom. When your grandmother hears about this, she'll scold you," my Aunt Yumi warns me.

"Aunt Yumi, you guys know I'm a pretty good judge of character. Io, tell my aunt who I am to you. Go on." I look at Io and nudge my head towards my aunt.

"Kiaria is my mate. To me, there is no other woman before her." Io looked at my aunt with such conviction, yet she didn't buy it.

"Uhm, tell that to TMZ," was all she said.

"Yumi, Io is a guest in this house. If you have nothing nice to say, please keep it to yourself." My mom was defending Io? That was odd, but it made me feel better. My father's guests were eavesdropping and I didn't want to create a scene and embarrass my parents.

We were able to have dinner in peace. After shifting into my wolf, I was terribly hungry. Io looked at me while I ate my food with gusto. He seemed to enjoy watching me eat.

"I'm stuffed." I lean back on my chair. "I wonder what's for dessert though," I whispered to Io while dabbing my lips with a napkin.

"You say you're stuffed, but you're thinking of dessert? This is one of the few instances I've seen a young woman eat. Usually I'm in the company of women who prefer to starve themselves." The comment earned him a grunt from my aunt. "So what do you think is for dessert?"

Before I could answer, my mom's staff came in and served us little ceramic bowls. My favorite, leche flan. I took my dessert spoon and dug in, letting the sweet vanilla flavor swirl in my mouth.

"Oh my Goddess. This is so good!" I glanced at Io who had his eyes closed savoring the taste. I looked at all the other guests and they had the same expression. My mom's flan was one of her best sellers in her bistro. The tourists would always come back for her flan before they left to go home.

After dessert, some of my father's guest took their leave while some lingered. My father invited all of them to play pool and darts downstairs at the basement where the family rec room was located. He then asked me and Io to come to his office. Him and my mother needed to speak with us.

I sat down on the couch of my father's office with Io and his friend Marcus. Marcus was a quiet man and followed Io's every word without complaint. He was also busy with his phone most of the time, whispering in Io's ear from time to time.

My father came in and poured some drinks for Io and Marcus and sat at his desk. My mother closed the door behind her and sat in one of the chairs in front of my dad's desk.

"So I guess everyone knows Kiaria is adopted." Io nodded his head.

"Okay. First and foremost, I want to apologize to you, Kiaria, because your mother and I didn't tell you you are a werewolf. Actually, we thought it was a prank when we read the letter of the person who entrusted you in our care, but when we went through the baby bag which was left at our doorstep some eighteen years ago, it was filled with cash." My father opened one of the drawers of his desk and took out a sheet of paper which was wrapped in plastic to preserve it and a necklace with a locket that had a Crescent moon with stars surrounding it. "Kiaria, the locket was on you when you arrived on our doorstep. Since the letter told us it was imperative we keep your identity secret, your mother and I decided to hide the necklace until you become of age. Here, this is yours."

"The locket of the High Priestess Celeste!" Io exclaimed. "So it is true then. You are the daughter of Celeste and Blake!"

"Seems Io knows something about your parents, Kiaria. Here read the letter." My father pushes the paper wrapped in clear plastic towards me so I could read it.

It read:

Tonight, this baby girl is now an orphan. She is a daughter of a High Priestess and an Alpha and is prophesied to become a powerful werewolf when she comes of age.

I have met you during the travels of the High Priestess and I know you would be good parents to her. Do keep her identity a secret. If she is found, the wolves who killed her parents will not hesitate to kill her as well.

As the High Priestess would always say, "If in doubt, follow the signs." Look to the stars and the moon for they shall aid you through your journey.

"Over the years, that is what your mother and I did, we followed the signs, we looked at the moon and the stars. We first thought it to be literally the moon and the stars in the sky. Boy, were we wrong! Turns out, we only had to look at the locket. When the data in my calculations did not make sense, I look to the locket for a sign and I have never made a wrong decision when it comes to business. The money that was in the bag that came with you Kiaria, I invested to make our very first million dollars and continued investing until it ballooned to what we have today. I put money in a trust fund until your eighteenth birthday. Happy Birthday, Kiaria!" My dad retrieves a folder from his desk and pushes it towards me. I pick up the folder and my eyes go wide. I am now a multi-millionaire.

"Don't spend it all on a car." I laugh. My parents know me so well. Actually, that was the first thing that came to my mind.

"Now, how did I stumble upon Io? Of course, through your locket." My father leaned back in his chair. "A bottle of your red wine was already on my desk when I came to the office one morning. Every time I brought the locket close to it, it would sparkle and it wasn't the typical glow I usually get when I make important business decisions. This sparkle went through all the stars then inside the heart of the moon."

"I used all my connections to at least have a meeting with you, but you were either away on business or were at your vineyard. I tried getting a hold of you at your vineyard, but I could never get through. It was frustrating."

"One morning I was reading the paper about your family's charity event and the locket sparkled once more and I knew I could reach you there. I made a hefty donation to your family's charity and that got me an invite to your party."

"I knew I couldn't get you to come here to Montana without a business proposal so, I promised you an investment and to buy bottles of your wine for my wife's restaurant. I gave you my card, praying you would come in time for our party and lo and behold, you did. The stars have aligned themselves for you two to meet."

"When you said Kiaria was your mate, I knew the locket was telling me both of you were soulmates. I was right. However, before you run off with me daughter, I want you to get to know each other. Like regular people do." My father was very sharp. He discovered there was a connection between Io and I and he had made it happen.

"Winston, Mrs. Wright, Kiaria and I, we will have to undergo a mating ceremony soon. I become weak, my pack becomes weak, the longer we are apart. I know both of you, even Kiaria here, are skeptical, but the fated mate is one of the werewolves utmost law. No one should get in the way of the bond of the fated mate."

"Well, whenever Kiaria is ready. When she says it is time, then we won't get in the way even if it means my heart, breaking in half." My mom broke down in front of us. I walked to her and rubbed her back, hoping my touch could console her.

"I have one small request if I'm to agree to this courtship Kiaria wants," Io said.

My dad leaned on his desk. "Sure, what is it?"

"May I and my Beta, Marcus, stay at your guesthouse? Now that I've found my mate, I don't want to let Kiaria out of my sight. I would even prefer attending school with her."

"Sure, the guesthouse has two small bedrooms. Good enough for the both of you," my dad agreed to Io's terms.

"Good. Kiaria, now until you agree to be officially mated to me, I will be a constant shadow."

He held my gaze with his eyes and I felt all my insecurities disappear.

He wanted me, only me.