LILA’S P. O. V.
It feels a little weird to hold a hand that isn’t one of my brothers, or Eli. Mateo seems to like it. If I’m being honest, it doesn’t bother me as much as it should. I mean he kidnapped me for heaven’s sake. What the fuck is wrong with me? As he leads me around I find him comforting. He smiles at me, makes sure I am ready to move on. He is being nice so there is that.
After a while he starts getting texts and gets distracted. Callum runs up and takes my hand leading me off. He seems more fun at the moment anyway so I follow him. He takes me into the library and right to the children’s books. He starts piling them into my lap and then gets comfortable next to me. “I’m guessing you want me to read these to you.” I smile down at him. He smiles back at me. I am guessing I got that right.
I started reading the books to him, and he picked a lot of classic stories. Once I get to the last book he gets excited. It’s Goldilocks and the three bears. I don’t know what is so thrilling about that. But he is excited. We get to where the bears come home and he starts pointing at the page. First he points at the baby bear. Then he points to himself. “You’re the baby bear.” He nods. Then he points to the daddy bear and points out of the library. “Mateo is daddy bear.” He nods again. Then he points at mommy bear. I thought he was going to point out to his nanny but he pointed back at me. “You think I am mommy bear?” He nods again.
I smile at him. “What makes you say that?” He sits up straighter, he points out the door and then points at me. He takes his two pointer fingers and hooks them together. “You think Mateo and I are together?” He nods. “Honey, we aren’t together. Mateo is…” How do I even finish that?
Callum just shrugs and goes back to the story. As we are finishing up, Alyssa comes into the room. She doesn’t look happy to see me. “Callum, we need to do something else.” It seems like she just wants him away from me. Callum tenses at my side. I know that reaction. Something happened. Something Callum didn’t like.
“I think I’m going to keep Callum with me for a while. He seems to like me.”
She waves her hand around. “Well, that is great and all, but I have a job to do.”
I smile my polietest, but I feel anything but. “A job you haven’t been doing for at least an hour now. I think it is best that Callum stays with me.”
Mateo comes into the room. “What are you doing here Alyssa?”
She points at Callum and me. “Trying to do my job, but your little friend seems to think she knows how to do it better than me.”
Mateo looks at us snuggled together surrounded by books. “Maybe she does. Go do something else. I am sure lunch needs to be made.”
Alyssa grumbles but moves on. Mateo looks at us. “You are going to explain that to me right?”
I just shrug. “I don’t think Callum likes her very much.”
He shrugs. “I don’t either. I guess it’s time to find a new nanny, again.” He says it like it isn’t that big of a deal. “It would be so much easier if I could just find my mate.” He changes his mood, “Well, shall we finish the tour. Ash should be back with your clothes soon and so after lunch we can tour outside the house.”
I stand and take Callum by the hand. He has no problem staying with me. Mateo takes my other hand. We finish up the house tour and arrive at the kitchen. Alyssa didn’t really put much effort into lunch, she made sandwiches. That was it, no sides. The sandwich didn’t even have the works. Alyssa sneered and left the kitchen. I had to take over to fix this. A growing boy needs more than a sandwich.
Mateo just smiles as I move around the kitchen chopping up veggies and fruit. I add them to the sandwiches and as sides. I cut up Callum’s sandwich in smaller pieces. When I slide them over it is a more fitting meal for the boy.
“You are good at that.” He takes the seat next to me.
I laugh. “You know I have eight little brothers right?”
“You wouldn’t happen to want to be a nanny would you.”
“No, I’m afraid not. I already have a job.” I start eating my food.
“You mean being a Luna.” He smiles over.
“I mean being an Alpha.” I counter. Still while trying to keep my food in my mouth.
“Unless your mate is already an Alpha, then you are Luna.” He counters back.
“Possible. But I would imagine that our partnership would be much like what my Daddy and mom have. They work together to run the pack. I think my mom has more power than my Daddy. He is wrapped around her finger.”
“They still call her Luna.” He smiles at me.
I look at him sweetly. “Then the Luna has more power than the Alpha.”
He brushes some hair out of my face. “Then my Luna will have more power. As it should be.”
I pull back a little. “It would seem that Callum is getting the wrong idea of us. He thinks we are together.”
He leans his head on his fist. “Does he really?”
“Yes, It might be better to straighten out that fact, you know so he isn’t so upset when I leave.”
He leans a little more forward. “So, I probably shouldn’t kiss you then?”
My eyes get wide. “Definitely not.” I pull back a little more.
He laughs, “I’m just joking. You should see your face.” I heave a sigh of relief. “You’re too easy to fire up, pet.” He sits back and settles in his seat. “I have noticed Callum getting attached, I have a plan. Don’t worry about him.” I have no idea what this plan of his is, but he needs to put some good thought into it.