Heirs, 30

(POV: Luan Raphael)

Yesterday was a very productive day; my brother finally agreed to train to develop his fighting skills. He's an excellent student in theoretical terms; he just lacked the technique. Lena is a great instructor, and that helped a lot. I learned a lot from her valuable tips, and Lucca even more. I was very proud of him; I know he's capable and strong.

It seems like he's finally realizing this because he promised to demand respect at all costs from those who insist on humiliating him. He's on the right track, although he hasn't managed to take me down yet; he defended my blows well.

Since today is Saturday, there are no classes at the academy, but we have training in the forest later. Fortunately, they scheduled it for the afternoon. I'm tired and feeling lazy, but I need to have a serious conversation with my father about something that has been bothering my young heart.

I sigh in frustration and push the sheet aside as I get up. I look at my brother's bed, and he's in a deep sleep, almost drooling; he must be sore from yesterday's training. He's not used to so much physical effort.

Has my father already woken up?

Determined to clear this up, I leave the bed, and as soon as I put my feet on the floor, the temperature shock is inevitable. The floor is super cold, so I quickly search for my rubber slippers and find them under the bed. I put them on and head to the bathroom to do my morning routine.

I leave the room that I still share with my brother and stride quickly down the hallway towards the stairs. When I reach the living room, I hear a noise coming from the kitchen, so I go to see what it is. I find my mother and Lena making breakfast. My mother has the habit of waking up early, but I had imagined that Lena, like Lucca, would still be asleep.

"Good morning, ladies," I say as I approach and kiss my mother on the forehead. She's standing, mixing something in the pan on the stove, and then I leave a kiss on Lena's cheek. This show of affection has become a habit with her, and I hope she never goes away. I already consider her part of the family.

"Good morning!" they reply in unison.

"What miracle happened for you to be up at this hour?" my mother asks, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"You're offending me with that assumption," I feign indignation.

"Spit it out," she says, unbothered.

"I want to talk to Dad. Is he home?" I'm direct; I know she'll want to interrogate me later, or maybe my father will, and I hope it's him. I'm not a fan of having these kinds of conversations with my mother; she's quite sentimental and tends to make a big fuss.

"He's in the office; he decided to work from home today," she turns her gaze back to the pan on the stove.

"Thanks," I say and give her another kiss on the cheek. I pivot on my heels and leave the kitchen, heading upstairs to the office.

When I reach the wooden door, I knock twice and hear my father's deep voice instructing me to come in. I pass through the door and find him sitting in his brown leather armchair behind the desk, looking at me.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my uncouth eldest son?" my father asks, trying to suppress a laugh.

This time, I don't join in the humor, and by my expression, he realizes I want to have a serious conversation. I take a deep breath and sit in the padded chair in front of his desk without saying anything.

"Has something happened, my son?" he suddenly asks, serious, and I sigh, gathering my courage.

"For a while now, I've been seeing a girl in a different way," I pause, assessing his reaction as he only raises an eyebrow. I don't know why, but I almost smile, remembering Lucia's smile. "The age for finding my mate is in a few months when I turn sixteen."

"Yes," he agrees.

"Is it possible that she could be my mate?" I ask quickly.

"I can't say," I see him searching for the right words. "Well, you're at an age where hormones are raging, and your body already recognizes the need for certain relief," he says calmly, and I'm shocked. "Let's say you're already yearning for a female, it could be that."

"That's not what I'm talking about," I hasten to clarify.

"Son, it's normal for a young..." he starts, and I can only feel embarrassment.

"Dad, just listen to me," I pleaded, getting his attention. "I have strong feelings for her, a warm feeling in my heart when I'm with her, especially when she smiles," I pause for a moment, recalling our little moments. "I thought that maybe, since the age is approaching, she could be my mate, but then I remember that I haven't even transformed yet..." I lower my head.

"Look, there are always exceptions," I lift my head to look at him. "Your mother, for example, only turned into a wolf for the first time at sixteen," my mouth forms a perfect 'O,' I didn't expect that. "And I only found my mate at twenty-five," he says, and this story gets even better. "Not everyone follows the same pattern," he shrugs. "If you two are mates, we'll know on the day you transform. Until then, don't torment yourself," he asks, looking at me with kindness.

"I understand," I say, frustrated. "All I can do is wait," I release the breath I've been holding in my lungs.

"Who is the girl?" he asks, looking at some papers on his desk.

I'm silent for a few seconds. Will my father care that she's an omega? I remember my mother telling me that in the past he didn't like omegas; he thought they were too weak, which unfortunately they are, I can't deny that. But my mother taught me to protect the weaker ones, as it is the duty of the stronger ones, and never to judge someone by their appearance. I gathered the courage from somewhere to say her name. If she really is my mate, I'm already laying the groundwork.

"She it's…"