Chapter 4

Elliot and I went to town. He took me to the chef supply store, then laughed at how excited I got. Have I mentioned that I love his laugh? Anyway, I managed to get all of the small appliances I wanted for my kitchen, plus a few that I didn’t know existed. Then we went to the grocery store, and I loaded us down with groceries, considering we were starting from nothing. I decided that I would make something easy for lunch, because I wanted to have energy for the conversation that needed to happen with my mom and Elliot.

I know Elliot can tell I’m not comfortable with something, because he keeps asking me if I’m okay. I smile and tell him, “I’m fine. Just a little nervous about having mom over for lunch.” He raises his brow at me, and I smile and kiss him, hoping that will make him feel better. We are on our way home, and he suddenly pulls the car over. He looks at me and narrows his eyes, “Baby, something is wrong. I can feel you worrying.” I put my hand on his face, and he leans into my touch. I tell him, “There is just a conversation we need to have, and I am dreading it.” He smiles as he touches my face. The sparks are almost overwhelming me. He sighs, “You know there is nothing she can tell me that will make me want you less, right?” I shrug and look down at my hands in my lap. He raises my chin to look at him, “Seriously. Nothing she can say will make me want you less. I love you more than life now. You are stuck with me for good.” I smile, “I really hope so. But, my prince, we should get back to the house, so I can start cooking.”

Elliot shook his head and put the car in gear. We made it home, and I started heating my oil for fried chicken. I put the rest of the groceries away, and I started thinking about what all I needed to get done. I finished cooking lunch, and my mom knocked on our door. I let her in, and she hugged me tightly, “Ah! I see you are now mated and marked! Are you happy, Elisa?” I smiled, “I am beyond happy, mom. Elliot is everything I dreamed he would be as a mate. I just really hope he still wants me after what we need to tell him.” Mom looks at me in shock, “Do you really believe the words coming out of your mouth tight now?” I shrugged my shoulders and looked at my feet. She raised my chin, “He will still love you, Elisa. I have no doubt about that.” She hugged me tightly, “You have grown into a beautiful woman… inside and out. He would be nuts to give that up.” I smiled at her, “Thanks mom.”

Elliot had just finished setting the table and I told mom to sit down while we bring the food to the table. When we finally sat down, my mom was happy to see the food we had set in front of her, “You know this is my favorite meal, Elisa. You shouldn’t have gone out of your way for me.” I shrugged my shoulders, “I wanted to. It’s also the first time Elliot has tried my cooking, so I wanted to make something that I knew I couldn’t screw up.” She started laughing, “Child, judging from the look on Elliot’s face, I don’t see how you could screw anything up in his eyes.” Elliot smiled, “She’s right. Nothing you do could make me love you less.” I smiled as I took his hand in mine.

We all finished eating, while we made small talk and joked around. When we were done, Elliot and I cleared the table, and we went back to the table and sat down with my mom. My mom cleared her throat and folded her hands in front of her, “Elliot, we need to talk about some things that no one else knows about Elisa. No one outside my witch coven, that is.”

“The very first thing you need to know,” she continued, “is that Elisa is not my biological child. I found her, in the forest, when she was less than an hour old. Her umbilical cord was still attached and still warm.” Elliot put his arm around me and pulled me close as she continued, “I could sense who gave birth to her by the magic that surrounded her. But what drew me to her to begin with, was the amount of magic that flowed from her. I could tell she was going to be one of the most powerful witches in history… certainly more powerful than me. But, Elliot, the main thing you need to know is who her biological mother is. It’s Dahlia, Queen of the Dark Coven. She is an evil bitch and will, eventually, try to find Elisa and drain her of her magic.”

Elliot growled and pulled me closer to him, “Mine.” I blushed, “You need to know that’s why I try not to use my magic if I don’t have to. She will find me faster the more I use it.” Elliot asks, “What happens if your magic is drained?” My mom sighs, “She will die.” Elliot growls again, “I want to get the alliance together and work on a special security team for her.” I smile as I put my hand on his cheek, “I will be fine. I don’t mind extra security, but I would also love to have some freedom. Please don’t take that away.” He sighs, “I can’t lose you now. I just found you again. Speaking of which, is that where you went for those four years? Training?” I nodded, “I needed to learn the advanced techniques on using my magic and how to avoid detection.”

Elliot smiled, “I understand. The time away did serve you well. It also made finding out you are my mate that much sweeter. I was going out of my mind thinking I had lost you forever. I fell hard for you. I would have been totally and completely shattered if we hadn’t been mates.” I smiled, “Me too.” Mom laughed, “Good Goddess! She had it bad for you, Elliot. She was terrified that you may not be her mate. But I knew you were mates. That pull is never there between just friends. All of the adults knew you are mates.”  

I finally stood up, “With all that said, who would like a slice of homemade apple pie?” My mom smiled, “Girl, you do spoil your mama.” I laughed and kissed her on the cheek, “Because she deserves every bit of it.” Mom hugged me as she whispered, “I love you so much, baby girl. Don’t ever forget that.” I smiled, “I love you too, mama. Don’t you forget that either.”

I walked into the kitchen and dished out some apple pie for each of us. When Elliot tried it, his eyes rolled back in his head and he moaned loudly. Mom and I started laughing at him as he looked at us in confusion, “What?” I smiled, “Nothing makes me happier that to see you enjoying the food I make as much as you are right now.” He chuckled, “This is so awesome! I really think this might be better than my mom’s. But don’t tell her I told you that. Let her figure it out for herself. Make it for them when we invite them over.” I laughed, “Okay. We can do that.”

I’m actually part of a huge family now. That’s something else I always wanted.