~~

Shawn

~~

The whole ride to the Alpha and Luna's estate from my apartment I was having a mini internal freakout. How had I forgotten that Mom and Dad were going to be at the wedding? How had I forgotten that they were going to meet my mate today? I had told them I had found a mate, but I had refused to give any details, so how was I going to tell them that their son was mated to a vampire?

Dietrich was driving us to the estate and I was looking out the window. At least I wasn't as embarrassed being in the car. Dietrich had gotten a Porsche, still expensive yes, but I had talked him out of buying the much more expensive Italian sports car. I would have just about died if I was seen with something that expensive. People would accuse me of going after money or something like that. I was glad that Dietrich understood that I was not used to expensive things like that.

We arrived too soon, much too soon for my nerves to have settled at all. I unbuckled and stepped from the car, Dietrich had tried to open my door for me a few times but I had put an end to that, I was not a lady. Once we were out of the car and walking toward the place the ceremony was being held, I thought my heart was going to explode.

Why would it explode? Well, Dietrich had insisted on walking to the wedding either arm in arm or with his arm around my waist. Apparently, he was a very possessive vampire. I had settled for the arm in arm, it was a little less intimate but just as embarrassing. I just couldn't stop my heart from pounding from anxiety, fear, excitement, you pick which one of the causes because I certainly can't.

Dietrich wrapped his arm around mine, grasping my hand in the process. He used this grip on me to pull me further and further into the venue. In no time at all, he had spotted my brother and made a beeline for him.

"Shane, bruder, wie gehts?" Dietrich's smooth voice asked him with no hesitation.

"Huh?" Shane was confused by the question."

"He asked how are you." I translated without even thinking then gasped at having translated it so easily.

"Ja, Shawn meine Liebe, you translated that just right." Dietrich was more happy about that than I had thought he would be.

"Oh. I'm fine." The grin Shane was giving us made me nervous, I hoped he wouldn't do anything here at the wedding.

"Das gut, that's good. I was hoping to meet your family today. Are they here?"

"Yeah, they are, but they're towards the back. Want me to take you to them?" I didn't miss the grin on my brother's face.

"Ja, ja, if you would be so kind."

"With pleasure." Were those devil horns growing out the top of Shane's head? What was he going to do?

I had known that Shane had talked to my parents about my mating more than I had, having had a lot more free time lately than I had. But what exactly had he said? Oh Goddess, this suspenseful walk was going to kill me.

I was at a wedding, but I swear I heard a funeral march as I walked slowly toward my parents, dragging my feet to prolong the inevitable.

Much too quickly we were right at my parent's sides.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Asher, it is lovely to finally meet you." Dietrich seemed to know who they were without even needing to be introduced. This was strange since no one ever pegged Shane and I as their kids, us having such different coloring and all. But apparently we had inherited a rare recessive family trait that goes back to an uncle several generations ago. No one ever knew what had happened to him.

"Hello."

"Pleased to meet you." My father's response was clipped while my mother's was a little more pleasant.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dietrich Conrad, and I am your son Shawn's mate."

The look that was in my dad's eyes, the surprise and shock it held told me volumes. Dad definitely did not look too thrilled.

"And just who are you, might I ask?" Dad's voice was a little on the rude side.

"I am Dietrich as I said before, and I am the Vampire Emperor." That seemed to send a jolt of fear through both of my parents.

"Vampire?"

"Emperor?" Mom and dad's respective responses were understandable and highly predictable.

"That is correct. I am the leader to the vampires all over the world."

"But, our son is a werewolf, not Vampire." My dad was in a state of shock so it was my mother who was speaking now.

"Yes, I know that quite well." Dietrich's smile had yet to falter, even with all that my parents had said or implied so far.

"This is just a fling for you, isn't it?" My dad finally found his voice. "Did you manipulate our son into this?"

"No Dad, he has not." I was starting to get angry. Can't people just let me adjust and deal with this on my own?

"But Shawn, you've never been with a man before." My mom pointed.

"And I've never been with a woman before either." I shot at her pointedly.

"Mom, Dad, we should be happy for Shawn. He has found his mate."

"Is it a true mating? Really?" My dad looked shocked but willing to listen.

"Yes, Dad, it is. My wolf howls for him."

"And for you, Dietrich?" Dad glared at him. "Is this just a game to you?"

"Durchaus nicht, absolutely not. I am in love with your son, and I will spend the rest of my life proving that to anyone who doubts me."

Both of my parents recoiled from the intensity of that statement. And I have to admit that I did too. Dietrich had said he loved me on multiple occasions. He uses pet names in German that mean darling, my love, lover, and sweetheart. He was exceedingly sweet to me, there were just so many things that he was piling on to prove himself to me. So why was I still hesitating?

"You care for our son so much?" My dad questioned once more.

"That much and more. He means the world to me, and I will never do anything to hurt him."

"As long as he is not a fling or a joke to you, then you have our blessing." My mom's words sent a shock running through me.

"That is all that I could have hoped for." Dietrich smiled brightly, bright enough to rival the sun itself.

~~

Dietrich

~~

Having finally met my Shawn's family, his parents, that made me very happy. I was a bit more traditional at times and I wanted their blessings. Having gotten those blessings with no shouting or angry words made things just that much better.

Shawn and I were able to enjoy the wedding after that. And I admit, I couldn't help but picture our future wedding. Knowing my shy little Cupcake, he would probably want something small and intimate. That seemed perfect for me too, just the essentials there with us, that is all we need.

The ceremony, and the personally written vows that Trinity and Reece had written for each other, they nearly brought tears to everyone's eyes. This was a day that was truly filled with love, I could feel it myself and I knew that Shawn could as well.

During the time that the other envoys were introducing themselves to the Luna there were a couple more matings. Shane had found a feline shifter mate, and Cedar, Trinity's friend, had found a Fae mate. It did break my heart a little to see that the leader of the fae envoy, Breon, was so opposed to the union of a Fae and a Wolf. Gloriana, their Queen, had been more progressive the last several decades. She would most likely welcome this mating with open arms. I am glad that I stood up to say something on their behalf.

What really took the entire wedding by storm though, was the revelation that Trinity was the next incarnation of the Goddess Nehalennia. That actually didn't surprise me much, with all that I had seen from the young Luna, it only made sense to me really.

What was unsettling though, was the appearance of the Sentinelle themselves. I had only heard of them before, never had I expected to see them in person. This was bound to get more interesting. I was even more glad that I had come here. Especially with a meeting between the Sentinelle and a meeting with the Warlocks coming up, it was bound to reveal a lot of information, and I was determined to help this pack, these people. I have been tied to them since before any of them were born, so why abandon them now?