Chapter 56
When he came back, his smile wasn’t as big as it was when he woke Donal up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Etienne has some pack problems. He has to fly to Chicago. He’s flying directly to Colorado for the mating and the wedding, but I wanted him to meet Julio.”
“We’ll have them over for the party I told Julio we were having when we return, a celebration of our wedding just for our friends. You know, the one we have to have for your Garou humans who don’t know that you can turn furry. We can have it catered so Katya can attend as a guest. I can pay for it with my stipend.”
Alexei laughed at Donal’s offer. “That’s a good idea. Here there would be no real distractions, and Julio will be comfortable because he already met everyone except Etienne at the birthday party today. Now eat your breakfast and get dressed. They are impatient to give you their gifts and cards.”
* * * *
Donal wolfed down three helpings of breakfast and showered. Alexei showered in the bathroom across the hall and when Donal got out of the shower, he found Alexei waiting for him. Donal’s new dress slacks, a white oxford shirt, a plaid tie, and a red cashmere pullover, along with his new shoes, socks, and underwear had been laid out on the bed
Donal quickly changed, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. He was ready to go downstairs to the great room.
They had piled the large sectional sofa high with cards and gifts. “The loup garou open gifts from their household first. My gift is the last you will open before everyone leaves tonight.” Alexei ushered him to the easy chair. “You sit and everyone will bring you their birthday offerings.”
The first gift he opened was from Katya’s three helpers, Alice, Annette, and Sybil. There was a blank card that contained handwritten birthday wishes, another Russian tradition. He opened the gift—headphones. He thanked the girls and kissed each of them on the cheek.
The Enforcers came next. Each one had a card. Every card wished him continued love and happiness. From them he got classical and pop sheet music all for a tenor voice, plus a keyboard for his music room.
Boris and Katya gave him a box with holes in it. Inside was a Russian Blue cat. “The other Mates have cats. Katya keep in the kitchen until he get used to wolf smell and knows he not prey.” Donal lifted the kitten out of his box and cuddled him close to his heart.
“This is my first pet.” Donal stuck his nose in the fur. “Does he have a name?”
“You name your cat,” Katya said practically.
The cat jumped out of Donal’s arms and started to bat around the wrapping paper. “Trouble, that’s his name.” The cat climbed up Alexei’s pant leg.
“I don’t think you have to worry about wolf smell,” Alexei said dryly as he petted the cat on his lap.
“I have bed, dishes, carrier, cat tree house, cat box, and special food. Boris bring house, bed, and carrier upstairs. I keep box and food in the kitchen.” Katya and Boris’s card had a cat on the front with a birthday hat, and love and good wishes inside.
Boris, who never spoke much, said, “He has a pedigree. He will need to be neutered if you don’t intend to breed him. We found a good vet on Sixty-Eighth Street and Park. He has his kitten shots but will need boosters.”
“I’ll take good care of him,” Donal promised.
Vasily and Grigory came up next carrying a large box. There were two cards with birthday wishes. Vasily encouraged him, “Open the box up, Alpha Mate, we need to know if we chose well.”
Donal tore open the paper and inside was a Paul Reed Smith Dragon Guitar, PRS Private Stock model DC245, one of the best guitars on the market. Grigory said, “It comes with lessons, Alpha Mate.”
“Oh my God, I used to look in the music store windows when I was a kid, longing for a guitar, but they would never let me have one.” Donal started to cry.
Alexei got up and handed the cat to Grigory who put it on the floor. He walked over to Donal and pulled him into his arms. “See, my little mouse, my household not only loves you, but they know who you are. Now it’s almost noon and time for the guests to arrive.”
The household adjourned to the living room, gallery, and formal dining room on the second floor. Katya, Boris, Alice, Annette, and Sybil started to pile the table with food. As Katya promised, there was a huge prime rib roast, and shrimp with grits. She also made the beef stroganoff and the cabbage rolls that Donal loved. Boris brought up a huge turkey and a ten-pound bone-in ham. There were too many side dishes to mention.