True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves

The alarm went off on Margarette's side of the bed. She slammed it off and rolled over to find her mate in the huge four poster he had built for them ten years ago. Seeking his warmth and comfort. Her hand found his thigh. Thickly muscled even after twenty-three years. Her hand moved up the hairy thigh to find. Her wrist was pulled away and he moved fast pressing her flat to the bed both her hands in one of his. "Good morning, lover." She kissed his nose playfully. Though her eyes were full of desire and mischief. He slid his free hand down her body roughly. Making her moan with want and need.

Marcus loved those sounds she made. His finger found her slick with need. "Good morning, love." He growled in her ear as he replaced his hand with what she really wanted. Her legs wrapped around his waist her hands itched to slide down his back pulling him closer. But he held her aggressively. A thrill of pleasure and excitement shot through her.

The past four years had been like this. Making love in the morning. Breakfast on the sunporch. Lunch at the pack library. Supper in the backyard weather permitting. If not then an intimate affair in the dining room followed by a shared bubble bath and more lovemaking. Never having to worry about the triplets barging in or interrupting. Absolute bliss.

Marcus ran his hand lovingly up and down her back. Listening to their hearts return to normal. Her soft skin still felt so good under his calloused hand. So cool. He stared up at the open beam ceiling of the loft to the four story Victorian he had built for her with his own two hands. She had protested the need for it. That they had the pack house. It was enough. He had pointed out that when the triplets came of age and took over the pack, the pack house would become theirs as well. Did she want to spend the rest of her life living with her sons? He had asked humorously. The wide eyed horror on her face still made him smile.

The house had taken him four years to complete from top to bottom. Asking her preferences and adding his own. Though ninety percent were her own ideas and little did he know she had an artistic streak when it came to architecture. Drawing rooms the way she saw them including furniture. He was amazed and encouraged her to do more for him. The house had six bedrooms, excluding the loft. Three bathrooms excluding the master in the loft. The ground floor was over twenty hundred square feet unto itself with a billiard room, spacious living room that could see the whole council and a kitchen that any chef would kill for. The dining room had a sixteen man dining table, a chandelier on a ambience creating light switch. French glass doors lead to the back porch and a path that led to a gazebo with bird feeders and little birdhouses for her to enjoy.

The second and third floors were bedrooms and bathrooms. All spacious. The finally the master bedroom and bath. A huge window overlooking the bed to the right faced the woods so the sunrise would filter in. All to her specifications. The whole house done in oak and redwood. Her sigh of resignation brought him out of his thoughts. "It's time, Marcus," she said pushing herself up on her elbows beside him.

"Are you ready?" He asked. He sure as hell wasn't. His three sons were graduating college. Were to undergo the rites of the Alpha that night. And he would be retired from the responsibilities. He had prepared them for this as much as he could. But how much can a father prepare his children? Had he shown them enough. Given them enough? They were respectful young males. Each with a different personality. Each with a different perspective on life and the pack. He had taught them to think cohesively taking advice from others who have had two or more males in the Alpha line.

Margarette saw the worry lines on her mate's face and kissed his brow before rolling off the bed and collected her robe. Still black still her favorite color. "Come along, dearest love," she crooned. "My back will not wash itself." He grinned and got up. She knew exactly what it took to take his worries away. Her. Just her.

"That was not enough, minx?" He asked following her sashaying hips to the bathroom.

"Never," She said as she winked at him over her shoulder and dropped her robe to start the water in the huge walk in shower with three shower heads. He growled and felt his blood heat once more. At this rate they would be late to the ceremony. Not that he cared. The boys would understand. He hoped.

They arrived at the university in Columbia five hours later. Two hours early for the ceremony with the intent on taking the boys to lunch and then for a walk at the nature reserve. He parked his newer model Mercedes next to a blue Cavalier. Terrence was already here. Not surprising since he had volunteered to do as he had done with Margarette during her college days and be a security guard on campus to make sure the boys stayed safe and did not do anything too stupid.

Margarette took a deep breath in as she exited the car when Marcus opened her door for her. Still insisting on being the gentleman even after twenty-three years. A scent caught in her nose and she whipped her head around to glare at a couple headed their way. "Who the hell invited them?" She growled deep in her throat.

"Rick." Marcus said in her ear. "You know how loving he is. Your son wanted them to be here since the boys are their only grandchildren."

She was torn now. Rick was not a soft man, but he was kind and caring. He always put the benefit of the doubt in people and had never been wrong. His intuition was spot on everytime. Making him an excellent judge of character and also the easiest of the three to get along with. He had been her confidante and always listened if she had something on her mind that she just could not work through. Between Marcus's unerring patience and love and her son's caring nature she had learned to let go of her doubts. To just live in the moments and be at peace with her life.

Linda and Albert stopped a car length from them. "Margarette, my daughter, you look so happy and healthy." Linda gushed in her nervous way. Albert said nothing the usual pissed off look in place. He was not a happy male and it showed in everything he did and said.

"Linda," Margarette replied through gritted teeth. Twenty-three years ago she had told her mother to fuck off in no certain terms. Yet here they all were again on the most important day of her son's lives. She wanted to tear their throats out for disobeying her. She looked to her stepfather for a brief second and then up at Marcus at the side. He had put his arm around her. Not only to show support but also to pull her back if need be.

"Marcus, just as handsome as ever." Linda said holding out her hand to him. He touched it briefly and then shook hands with Albert. The older male flexed his grip in Marcus's who grinned and returned the flex a look of surprised pain in the other's eyes. I will not hesitate to let her tear your eyes out. Marcus's hand told the male. Albert nodded and looked just a little less pissed off than before.

The four headed to the sidewalk and then to the dorm where the boys were waiting. Terrence fell into step just below the steps of the building. Taking up to the right of Margarette. Since she did not want to be any closer to Linda than she had to be. "I was expecting you three hours ago," Terrence chided good naturedly.

"Mated life has its advantages." Margarette smiled. "How have things been here?" She asked.

Terrence shrugged. "Same. Your boys all made Valedictorian since the dean could not decide on just one this year. Rick in psychology, William in architecture, and Quincy in finance." Terrence handed her and Marcus each a program to the ceremony. "You should be one proud mama."

"I am," Margarette beamed. "Have Dana and Gerald arrived yet?" She asked of her adopted parents. The best grandparents those three boys could ever have. Spoiling and loving them with all their hearts. They had been Marcus's first mate's parents. She had died in a car accident four years before Margarette had taken up residence in the city of Springfield to live a life of solitude after her own mate and pack had rejected her. They had adopted Margarette into the pack and had loved and supported her since.

"Yes they are currently in the common room with the boys. Showering them with gifts and praise as usual." Terrence smiled. "I will meet you all later for the ceremony. I am still on the clock. Have a good meal and nice walk." He veered left down a hall calling after some freshmen throwing a football in the corridor. "Stop that before you hurt someone and I have to take you to the dean's office. Your rich parents won't be too thrilled with that would they?" Margarette smiled after her father and took Marcus's hand as they entered the common room to find their son's entertaining Dana and Gerald with stories of the past two months since spring break when they had come home.

The boys saw their parents and immediately stood to attention. Respect and affection on each of their faces. When the four had reached the table each young male gave their mother a hug and kiss on the cheek then shook hands with their father in affectionate greeting. Then they moved to find more chairs for the table. "How was your trip was Washington?" Rick asked breaking the ice with his usual unperturbed nature.

"It was good thank you," Linda replied leaving his name off since you could not tell the three apart unless you knew their personalities very well. Rick looked to his maternal step grandfather.

"No need to look so pissed. No one is going to bite you. Well maybe Mother, but she has her reasons." Rick smiled lovingly at Margarette. "You came unarmed this time right?"

"Yes, the machete is in the trunk. I promise." Margarette laughed. "That was both entertaining and embarrassing." She had gotten taken to the head of security her first visit for having her machete in her huge handbag. They had wanted to confiscate it but Terrence had taken control and held onto the weapon until the visit was over and walked her and the machete to the Mercedes. Marcus rolled his eyes and squeezed her shoulder.

"Are we going to lunch, I am starved." Quincy asked as he stood.

"You ate all the cake Grandmother Dana brought," William commented. "How can you be hungry?" Quincy looked abashed and sat back down. The table laughed.

"That was sweet of you to bring a cake," Linda said to Dana. Dana nodded in acceptance of the praise but said nothing to the female. She did not garner any ill will to the other female. However, she did not have to speak to her. "I brought Quincy's in first. Yours and Rick's are in the car." Dana said to William with a grin.

Rick, William, and Quincy looked between their grandmothers. Then grinned. "Grandmother Myrtle." They said in unison and all but ran to greet their paternal grandmother. She laughed and kissed each young male on the cheek and hand them something from her handbag. Kenneth shook hands with them and handed them each something from his back pocket. Now that the whole family was together it was time to commence with the festivities.