Chapter 41
“I can’t let you buy your own wedding present,” Donal said in a small voice.
“It’s your money by our law.” Alexei pointed toward the watches in the case. “Pick something out.”
“Do you have a watch?”
“No, they stole mine in the gulag.”
“Would you like one like the one you gave me?” Donal studied the watches.
“Yes, I like that one, that’s why I picked it for you.”
“Would you mind if we had the same type of watch?”
Alexei smiled. “I’d love that, little mouse.”
Donal moved his gaze up to Mr. Blanc. “Do you have another one of these in the same style, maybe with a wider watch and bracelet?” Alexei looked at him quizzically. “Your wrist is wider than mine. The watch needs to be bigger.” Donal told him. “I used to study the watches in the shop windows.”
“Yes, I do have another similar style,” Mr. Blanc answered Donal. He brought it out, and Alexei tried it on.
“Do you like it?” Donal’s eyes sparkled, brimming with affection.
“You’re right. The wider band does look better on my wrist. We’ll take these two.”
“Would you like these engraved, Alpha?”
“Yes, Ты моя любовь навечно, Alexei in Cyrillic letters.”
“That means, You are my love forever, Alexeiin Russian, doesn’t it?” Donal stared at him open-mouthed. “How do I know?”
“You know from the mate link.” Alexei smiled. “The link is getting stronger. What do you want to put on mine?”
“I’ll always love you, your Little Mouse. It that too long, Mr. Blanc?”
“No, Alpha Mate Berne, that’s just right.”
Donal threw himself into Alexei’s arms. “I love you so much. One day I’m going to be able to buy you presents with my own money.”
“Yes,” Alexei said, holding Donal close. “You’re going to get your GED and go to school for music to train that beautiful tenor voice and then you can decide what you want to do with your education.”
Donal’s stomach growled as Alexei released him. He immediately apologized to Mr. Blanc and Alexei.
“The mating pheromones…” Mr. Blanc observed.
“We’ll wear the rings. Send the watches over by courier as soon as they’re ready.” Alexei handed Mr. Blanc an American Express Black card. Mr. Blanc ran the card, and Alexei signed the receipt. He put his arm around Donal and squeezed his shoulder. “Now we need to go home and eat.”
“I hate to admit it but I am very hungry.” Donal rubbed his belly.
“That’s the wolf pheromones at work preparing you for the mating.”
“I know…I know…but the constant rumble in my stomach is embarrassing,” Donal complained.
“Don’t worry, little mouse. It happened to all of the Mates.” Alexei chuckled.
* * * *
Alexei’s townhouse, family dining room
Thursday at 3
They went home for a late lunch, early dinner, and Katya had prepared a Russian feast in honor of Donal accepting the mating. She made abzhorka, (beef salad with pickles), egg pudding, baked sole in sour cream, Kasha and stuffed cabbage rolls which Donal particularly liked. There were other Russian delicacies that Donal couldn’t name but they were all good.
Katya told Donal, “Today Katya cook Russian. Boris found Russian grocery store, Moscow on the Hudson, where he take Katya to get Russian ingredients.”
“Are you still watching Alton Brown?” Donal giggled.
“My English getting better. I watch much television, and Boris, Vasily, and Grigory teach. Alpha Mate must get Grigory to teach him Russian. We have an American supper tonight, Caesar salad, spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, garlic bread, and New York cheesecake with peaches. Alton Brown teach Bolognese sauce. Katya look up what goes with spaghetti on the Internet,” she said proudly.
When he sat down at the delicate family dining room table, Donal was surprised it didn’t split in the middle from all the food it held. Alexei sat next to him, patting Donal’s thigh. Vasily and Grigory joined them, and both men admired their rings.
“We are going to get you an electronic reader tomorrow morning. Vasily says his iPad had adjustable letters that you can make big to read.” Alexei told Donal.
“That would be wonderful.” Donal could hardly contain his excitement, grinning wider than he ever had.
“Dr. Artis says that once you take my seed, your eyes will improve to the point where you have perfect vision, so a visit to the eye doctor is unnecessary.” Alexei’s eyes sparkled as if he, too, couldn’t hide his happiness. “But we will buy more of Katya’s reading glasses and your iPad anyway, because we are going out for our electronics tomorrow after your lunch with the Mates. Lunch tomorrow is at Colin’s. Boris will take you, Grigory, and two Enforcers.”
“Do I need that much security to go to Colin’s?” Donal finished the food on his plate, his forehead creasing.