16

Caelan POV

Pulling into the side of the road, I look at my beautiful nervous mate as she stares at the house in front of us with panic on her beautiful face. She's nervous to tell her family and friends about us. I know why too, no doubt it's because they don't like me after the pain I put her through 2 years ago. I fucking hate myself and regret every day for what I did to her, I feel so lucky that she gave me a chance, one I am definitely not throwing away, ever, she is it for me.

I turn the car off and hold my mate's hand, I bring it to my lips and kiss it softly, causing her to look at me. "Are you ready for this babe?" I ask and she nervously nods her head slowly.

"Yeah, I'm just worried, are you sure this is a good idea? With the history and everything.." She asks, her voice uncertain.

I get really fucking upset when she doubts herself like this. "I could give a fuck if they don't like me Acela, everything will be fine, okay?" I say confidently to her and she shrugs, worry still there in her eyes.

I get out of the car and in an instant, I'm opening the door for my gorgeous mate. She gives me a silent 'thank you' and I close the door behind her.

I kiss her on the forehead and lace our fingers together. "I'm with you." I say as I smile.

She nods her head and I lead her up to the front door and knock, I see Acela is super nervous but she has no reason to be. The Aldine family and mine have no more ties that could cause a rift with me showing up like this with Acela. The only reason I am here is that I want to support my mate by telling her family and friends about us.

I couldn't give a fucking care in the world if they did not like me or my family, I am playing nice because I don't want to upset her by suddenly losing my temper, like that boy who dared put his arm around my mate inside the restaurant. He is lucky all I did was break his hand, I wanted to do much more but I held back, I don't want to show that side of me.

The side that constantly wants my mate to myself, that will happily kill another person if she asked me to, I wouldn't even blink doing it either. I crave her everywhere I go, my wolf and I feel better when she's around. We've both waited so long for this moment, so long that I almost died waiting.. and now that she is here in the flesh, I can't help but want to always be around her.

Her reasons to not move in with me almost made me snap, she's my mate, she belongs with me. I'm the only one who can protect and keep her safe. I would never let anything or anyone harm her, I just want her to understand that.

The door opens and I notice the woman instantly.

Oliva Aldine.

"Oh, honey! Give mama a hug, I'm so happy you both are here." Oliva says wrapping her arms around my mate and Acela lets go of my hand to hug her back.

"Sorry, we are a little late." She says shyly and the old woman hushes her. "Nonsense dear."

Olivia looks over at me and her expression changes slightly, I saw the disgust in her face, only for a second but it was there.

"Prince Caelan Black, a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad you could come." She says politely to me with a kind smile and I get chills as I smile back.

Fucking vampires.

I hold my hand out and Oliva shakes it. "Call me Caelan and anything for my mate." I say politely as I wink to my mate who blushes.

It happened again. That expression, only for a second, and it tells me all I need to know, I'm not welcome here, we are both doing this for Acela.

Olivia opens the door wide. "Well come on in! Everyone is here waiting out back." She says happily to Acela then turns leading us through her home, she doesn't look back at me.

Acela looks up to me with a gorgeous smile and I grin down at her to let her know everything is good. Even though I'm starting to get annoyed with this old Aldine. I intertwine our hands together as we are led to a back garden, I notice her friends from the restaurant and some fresh faces who I don't recognize are also there.

"There's my girl! How are you flower?" An old man I recognize as Ron Aldine says as he wraps his arms around my smiling girl, I watch silently with a smile. I'm glad she's not nervous anymore.

"Hey, I'm good! I can't believe you all made it." She says to Ron then to her friends who just shrug and smile widely.

"You know me, I never turn down food!" Acela's friend Irelia says as she sits beside a man. Her mate? He gives me a nod in greeting and I nod back.

Acela snorts and nods knowingly. "Um guys, you already know Caelan." She says shyly as introduced me, she stands near me but doesn't touch me.

Olivia notices and smiles. That old vampire is starting to get on my nerves. My wolf agrees with me.

"Hello again." I say politely to her group of friends.

"Sup man, I'm Justin, that's Brim." The man sitting next to Irelia, 'Brim' says, as he points to a guy sitting beside Mort, the guy whose hand I broke.

"Where's Mason?" Acela asks as I pull a seat out for her at the table, which she happily smiles and thanks me shyly before she sits down, I feel better when she looks at me like that, me and my wolf begin to calm down.

"I'm here, sorry I'm late I had to lock up early at the shop." Mason says as he comes through the double doors leading into the garden.

Acela frowns and I sit beside her at the table as I listen to their chatter. "I'm sorry about that Mason, I promise I'll make it up to you." She says sadly as Mason just shrugs.

"It's fine I know you will, so why did you call us all here?" He asks as he glances at me then back to Acela. "Is it because of him?" He asks rudely causing Acela to gasp.

"Mason." Acela warns him and he shrugs, I lace our hands together to let her know it's fine.

This baby vampire is really pushing my buttons.

Mason leans against the wall unbothered, glancing away with a scowl on his face, Acela sighs. "I called you here to share some good news." She says shyly as she tightens her hand in mine.

"What news?" Irelia asks curiously with a smirk as she looks between Acela and me.

"We... er, we're...-"

I interrupt her and get it over with. "She accepted the mate-bond, I've marked her and we are going public tonight on TV." I say confidently as I gaze into my mate's terrified eyes as I lean in and kiss her on the lips.

The room gasps and a bottle is thrown against a wall, startling me and angering my wolf and I as we see who did it.

"You've got to be kidding me right now." Mason says angrily, his eyes blazing as he glares at me. "Acela, have you lost your fucking mind right now? Are you stupid!?" He asks her and I feel my wolf close to coming out from how disrespectful he is being.