Change of Plans

Brooding, I stare at Ralph.
He may be the King, but his power is limited here among so many humans. And I'm going to make good use of that. I shift my attention to my mate, who looks at me dreamily. She is still in the haze of the bliss I gave her a few minutes ago. And this is the moment when I get everything done, as long as I keep her happy, there will be no resistance from her side to the plans I have with her. Marking her is on top of my list, she is a gorgeous woman and some men are starting to demand her attention. And I have to reassure Ink as well.
Once the servant has placed everything on the table, my mother-in-law takes the plates to scoop up for everyone. A family tradition she insisted on continuing. The oldest woman in the house always makes sure everyone is fed. I let her have her way, wanting to also keep her happy. But I was firm in my refusal that she would cook for everyone, given her age I didn't want her standing by the hot fire still preparing food for so many. There is a cooking and cleaning staff that lives outside the villa in small apartments on the grounds. Only Ralph knows they are all werewolves who want to earn extra while studying in the big city.
When Perpetua has laid out a plate for everyone, I suddenly see Ralph take the spoon from Rain's hand and personally feed her. The woman throws him strange looks at first but then enjoys the attention she gets from her mate. This action by Ralph is not casual; he is up to something. I keep my eyes strictly on my plate, waiting for his first move. And I don't need that for long. "Hmmm, Magda. How well you look tonight. Is there a special occasion tonight?" he begins, looking questioningly toward my mate. "Is there something we all need to know here?"
Magda blushes heavily at his innuendo. Helplessly, I look at her.
She looks breathtaking but mostly fragile. I wonder if she will be able to handle Ralph's teasing. The man can sometimes be so exasperating, teasing you until you run away to get off his yoke. But Magda surprises everyone by getting up a coming toward me. I jolt my chair back and turn toward her. Then she sits on my thighs and lays her head against my chest. "I'm in love with Esis. We will move here, it is time for us to go on our own and live our own lives," she announces and glances at her parents.
Her father's hand remains stuck halfway to his mouth.
"You're going to, what?!" he exclaims. He turns right to Rain. "That wasn't the deal, Rain. My daughter is not a whore. She doesn't live with any man until she's properly married," he indicates angrily. "Was this all meant to get her into his bed without responsibilities? And when he has enough of her, he just dumps her here for us? Damn!" The man is furious; I hadn't counted on this. I had just thought to take the relationship at a foot pace to impress her family and get them used to the idea of her becoming my wife. "Father, no!" I come in before Rain replies. "That's not the intention at all. On the contrary, I wanted to take it slowly to convince you that my intentions are correct," I lecture him. I clear my throat. "But Magda and I are adults. We can't keep living with our parents," I argue.
"Calm down, calm down. I didn't mean to create chaos here with my comment," Ralph enters now. "Magda and Esis are happy together and their relationship cannot grow with so many people around them. They need privacy. But if her father is having trouble letting her go, you know what to do, Esis," he refers to me. "I guarantee your sincerity." Change of plans, in other words. Changed circumstances required adjusted solutions. I kiss Magda briefly on the lips. "Father, with your permission, I will take my fiancé tomorrow to buy a ring and register our engagement and upcoming marriage at the Civil Registration Bureau. After that, the women can make preparations for our wedding". Esau now looks clearly relieved.
"You have my permission, even though you two have just met. But I know how it is with you youngsters these days," he sighs. Then he takes his daughter's hand. "Is he the man you want, Magda? You know that once you're married, there is no turning back, it's forever". Magda stares at him confidently. "Yes, Dad, he is the one. And if he changes his mind, I'll slaughter him and throw him in the sea," she jokes. I step up and pull out the best wine. I'll have to wait a while for her, but she's worth it. As I pour the wine for Ralph, I look at him with gratefully.

"Thank you, man. For a moment, I thought you would betray me," I laughed sheepishly.
He shakes his head reproachfully. "You're skating on slippery ice. Magda's face already gave away what you had been up to, man," he laughs. "Marry her, but also prepare her for the inevitable. You know what to do, Esis". I give him a bro hug before we walk back to the family. Magda's parents gloat with pride, Elena loudly making plans to be a bridesmaid. Magda strictly points out that the wedding is due in two weeks and doesn't have to be big for her considering she doesn't know anyone in town. My father-in-law walks up beside me. "Thank you for making my daughter so cheerful. I couldn't have wished for a better man for her than you. After the death of her fiancé, she was so depressed, we feared the worst," he sighs.
"Worry not, Father. Your daughter is in good hands with me. She is my Queen. I had no intention of disgracing her with my proposal, but I thought you would think it was too soon if I married her now. And at this age, we no longer live with our parents," I explain to him.
He bobs his head slowly. "Yeah, I could sense that. I also wondered why she was suddenly so fixated on you at the table. She couldn't take her eyes off you and blush constantly. Do you want to tell me what was going on? What did you guys get up to before you came to the dining room?" he asks clearly gullible...