Maya's pov:

I don't know at which point I fell asleep with my two kids cuddled into my sides, but what I definitely know is that I don't appreciate it to get woken up to loud growling. Even more so if my mates are the ones growing at my kids! Jane as well as alec look petrified but still don't move away from my side, they instead hold even tighter onto me. As if they were afraid that I would leave them the second they let go. Slowly I sit myself up, kissing both of their foreheads with a soft smile on my lips. That smile thought leaves my face the second my eyes fall onto my still growling mates.

„I suggest you stop growling at my children right this second before I forget myself and the fact that you are my mates!" I threateningly tell them, venom in every word. They look surprised shocked even, but at least the growling stops right away. Guess that's at least something positive.

„What do you mean your children darling?" aro carefully questions me while Marcus eyes widen. He obviously has seen the bond between my kids and myself. So instead of answering myself I lift one of my eyebrows at Marcus, silently asking him to explain for me.

„Well, it seems like our mate has a mother bond to our two top guards. All three of them already care really deeply for one another." marcus explains his stunned brothers.

„I am sorry my love. If I would of known I wouldn't of reacted like that. I do hope you and your kids will be able to forgive us." he softly adds towards me. I can see the panic in his eyes that I wouldn't forgive them, but since I know they had no clue about it, I will overlook it this once.

„I am going to accept your apology. However, if either of you dare to growl or disrespect my children again, there won't be any mate bond left between any of us." I inform them, making sure they understand how serious I am about this. Yes, I always wished for my mate but I even more so longed for a family. A family I have finally found between Jane, Alec and myself. So if my mates won't accept that, than I would choose my kids over them without much thought. Family always comes first. It might kill me to leave my mates but I know for a fact leaving my kids would kill me even more.

„Of course darling. We understand! I also can assure you that none of this will ever happen again." aro promises right away.

„I also like to apologize princess. We all were simply jealous to find you laying asleep on your bed with two guards holding onto you so tightly. Of course your kids are more than welcome to do so, we simply didn't know." caius apologizes as well. Guess I made my point more than clear, otherwise I am sure they would of tried to fight me on this. So I nod at them in answer.

„Why did you come here in the first place?" I ask after taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down again. Jane and Alec also have calmed down again, but they still look a bit unsure if it was ok to stay here or if they should leave till the conversation is over. Kissing both their foreheads again seems to do the trick since they snuggle against me without any tension left. I can see my mates watch this interaction closely and even with small smiles on their lips.

„We wanted to tell you that we have finished our last trial for the day and wanted to ask you if we could spend some time with you." aro softly states. Thinking about his offer, i really would like to get to know my mates a bit better, but I also don't want to leave my kids so soon after finding them.

„You should get to know your mates mother. Alec and I should go back to our duty's now anyway." janes soft voice makes the decision for me. Sighing a little sad to leave them, but we will have more than enough time to meet later on again.

„Ok. But please be careful out there!" I say, feeling myself worry already for their safety. Well I do know they had been looking out for themselves their whole life's, but that doesn't mean that I need to like it!!

„Of course mother! Have fun spending time with your mates." alec replies right away, kissing my cheek in farewell. Jane quickly following her brothers lead before the both of them leave to do their work. Looking up at my mates still feeling a bit uneasy that my children are now not under my direct protection any longer.

„There won't be anything happening to them. Right?" I ask them worried. My lips already trembling and my eyes burning with tears. All three of my mates pull me into a tight hug. Reassuring me that nothing will happen to my kids and that they promise me that they are safe from any possible danger. After a few minutes I slowly calmed myself down the best I possibly could right about now. I nod to myself, my mates are right, nothing will happen to my kids. And my lovely children have told me to get to know my mates a bit better, so that's exactly what I am going to do!

„So, tell me about yourselves. I am afraid I don't know much about you except that you three are the rulers of the vampires and like to, well for loss of a better word, collect people with unusual and unique gifts." I say scooting further up the bed so I can now lean on the head rest. At first they look a bit unsure of my choice of words, but than they slowly start to tell me about themselves. That caius loves to paint while Marcus just loves to pick up some books and relax by reading, preferably outside in their garden. Aro on the other hand is more into music even though he also likes to read a lot. Marcus also loves to play chess but he doesn't find anyone to play against him. So I right away told him that I would absolutely love to play with him. I guess they at first thought I was talking about something other but I right away explained that I strictly only meant a game off chess. Not like I wouldn't enjoy them on me as well, but I just met them a few hours prior. Yes, it's normal for vampires to just go at it the second they find their mates but I am not a vampire. So I do at least want to know my mates before giving them all of me so to speak. I did tell them that as well and to my utter surprise and joy, they did understand! Just when I wanted to ask them another question, my stomach grumbles loudly. They look surprised before their eyes widen in panic.

„My love! We are so unbelievable sorry! We completely forgot you need to eat! Let us bring you to the kitchen. I am sure Pete is still there and ready with some of the food he usually cooks for all the humans within this castle!" Marcus says, already taking my hand in his and starts to lead me to, my guess the kitchen.

„Don't worry about it. I myself also forgot that I need to eat." I whisper a bit ashamed of my thoughtlessness. How could I forget that I need food?!

„Don't worry princess. My guess is meeting your three mates and two children only shortly after preparing for a battlefield would anyone forget that they need to eat." caius softly says. His loving words make me sigh in relief. When he puts it like that, it definitely makes sense that I completely forgot! It's just so much that has happened today!