Millicent had just come back from training with Raph and was busy with the baby, while Hugh, kept asking her questions about her pack when Mildred who had been cooking came out.
'You have really made a great impression on my nephew', she said. This was coming about three months after Millicent came to live with them. They had established a routine where Raph trained her in the evenings when he got back from work or in the morning after their run and there was still time before he went off to work. He was in the employ of Alpha Blake. He worked as one of the security officers. Little wonder then that he had been the first to sight her when she came into their territory.
'Your nephew?', Millicent mouthed, eyes agog. 'But I thought that he was...'
'My son?' Mildred finished for her. 'Yes, I see him as my son but he is actually the son of my late sister. I took him on when he was very young and has grown to see me as the mother he lost'.
Millicent nodded, she could identify with that.
'So Hugh and baby Cal are your sons?' she asked, curious.
'Hugh was adopted by Raphael's mother and I took the both of them in when she passed on. But Cal is my child. Didn't you ever doubt that Raph was my son?' she asked curiously.
'I did, the first time I saw you. You were so beautiful and young to have such a grown son, Millicent said thoughtfully, ' but I reasoned that you might have got mated early and are one of the few that are blessed with agelessness. Moreover, there is nothing in your behaviour towards him to show that he is not your son. Your love for him is very obvious and he reciprocates'.
'Yes, he does, doesn't he? I have always counted myself fortunate to have them, him especially as my son', she said, feelingly. 'But you didn't say anything to what I first said about the impression you have made on my nephew'.
'I do not know what to say', Millicent said shyly.
'Do you have a mate?' she asked Millicent.
'I don't think that there is a mate for me. I might never have a mate', she said, dodging the question.
'Of course you will', Mildred said, touching her gently on the shoulder. She could see where Raph had adopted the shoulder - touching habit. ' It takes some longer to find their mate but they do eventually. I found my mate at the age of twenty two. Had I not insisted, a Beta had wanted to make me his chosen mate'. She paused. 'You might wonder why I asked'.
Millicent nodded but she already had an inkling. Is this going to be the commencement of match making her and Raphael? she wondered.
'Just felt that you and Raph are good together. He might be your mate, fated or chosen. Either way, I know he will be good to you', she said. 'I do not want to say too much but he must have said something to you'.
Millicent shook her head. 'No, he hasn't. Are you speaking to me on his behest?'
'Oh, no. He isn't aware that we are having this discussion. I just came to speak to you as one woman to another. Could we keep this between us?' Mildred asked.
'Of course', Millicent was quick to reassure her. She was not about to start discussing feelings with Raph.
'Do you like him?'
'What is there not to like in Raph?' she asked hedging.
'That's good but not exactly the answer I was hoping for', she said. 'He loves you very much. I knew it right from the very first day he saw you. He came rushing to me and pleading with me to give you employment'.
'You mean, you weren't in need of a help?' Millicent asked in dismay.
'Of course, I was. Can't you see the workload? But I had had some other person in mind. When he spoke so glowingly of you, I knew I had to hire you or he might have a heart attack', Mildred laughed. Millicent did not join in as Mildred hoped because she couldn't see the joke in that. She had never been one to joke with people's feelings.
Seeing that Millicent was very quiet all of a sudden and thoughtful, she patted her shoulder, 'There is no pressure. Find out what your feelings for him are and let him know as soon as you can if he speaks to you of his. Do not break his heart, I beg of you', she said and went back inside to continue with what she was doing.
Millicent sat there unmoving. She did not want this. She considered Raph her friend and brother but not as a lover. She knew she could not live him that way.
Mildred had asked her not to hurt Raph, but if he was indeed as in love with her as Mildred had said, how could he not be hurt if he learns that his feelings were one - sided? And it would be unfair of her to pretend to love him. He was a good man and deserved better.
How was she going to do this? Just when she was settling down in the pack.
But I shall pretend I am not aware. He hasn't told me anything afterall, she thought but knew it was going to be difficult to go back to how they were because she would read meaning to his every touch, smile and move, which she hadn't been paying much attention to previously.
She still needed him to train her more. She was not good enough yet and she wanted to be extremely good if she hoped to hold her own against Alpha Sylvester. So, because of that, she was not going to take flight just yet, like she would have loved to.
She felt bad because it felt so much like she would be using Raph but what could she do?
'Oh Moon goddess, send Raphael's mate his way, and make him love her so much and she, him, that he might forget all about me and be happy because he deserves it', she prayed as she wiped a tear from her eye.
