~Tristan~

I had slipped away from the table once I had finished eating. The dinner session was just about over and I wanted to talk to Maggie before she helped clean up. I found her in the back kitchen. “Miss Maggie? Can I have a few moments of your time?”

She turned and looked at me, smiling. “Of course Alpha, let me just dry my hands.” She grabbed a paper towel, drying her hands before tossing it and joining me. “What can I do for you?”

I led her over to a table on the far wall and we sat. “As you know, we’ve had Rian with us for the day and he has taken quite a shine to Luna Alyce. Mother said something about his Fae blood recognizing hers. Anyway, let me start with asking if Alyce can pick him up for the day from the daycare center again tomorrow after she finishes some things she needs to take care of?”

“Of course Alpha, I have no problem with you two watching him if it’s not inconvenient to you.”

“No, not at all. We rather enjoy having him around. Which brings me to the main topic I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Is everything alright? He is behaving right? He can be quite a handful sometimes.”

“Of course, he’s been very well behaved. He’s been Alyce’s little bodyguard, quite cute actually. Anyway, when we mentioned him coming home with you after dinner he started to cry again, asking us not to make him leave. It led me to spending some time thinking and talking with Alyce.”

“Poor child, I’m afraid he doesn’t get to be as social as most kids outside the daycare center. I work quite a bit since I train a lot of the younger Omegas coming into household staff positions.”

“Well I may have a solution to that as well. Please, hear me out. We would like to adopt him, take him in permanently, but only if it is something that is ok with you, and it would take some time to prepare everything and make a room ready for him.” I glanced at her, trying to gauge her reaction, but other than one of thoughtfulness it was hard to say. She was at least hearing me out, so I continued. “I was also thinking that if you’re ok with this, we might hire you on as his full time nanny. Not that you would have to care for him all the time, just that the position is a paid full-time position and you would be the one we called when neither of us could be with him. It would allow you to still see him regularly, or anytime really even if not technically on duty and allow you some more free time as well. You wouldn’t have to work the kitchens anymore unless you wanted to help out of course.”

I rubbed the back of my head, suddenly feeling a bit nervous and anxious. “Please feel free to say no if you feel that is what’s best. I want this to be a decision made without the influence of rank or title or anything like that.”

I could tell she was processing this information, leaning back in her seat, hands folded on the table. I waited patiently, not wanting to push her, but after a few minutes I was trying not to squirm in my seat.

Finally she sat back up straight and put me out of my misery, “You said the Luna has Fae blood like he does?”

“She does, though I would ask that you keep that to yourself for the time being. She has not said anything about it for a very valid reason.”

Maggie nodded, “I have heard of Red Moons actions and I know where her true name comes from. Having said that, I heard nothing, I know nothing, I saw nothing.” She gave me a wink and a grin that made me think she might have been a handful herself in her younger years.

I laughed a bit, “And I thank you for all that nothing.”

“I have to agree that I think Rian would thrive better among someone with that particular shared trait, and I can think of no better people to take him in on a permanent scale, but I do have one request. If I may?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“Ok, so maybe two but they go hand in hand. I would ask that you have a back up nanny only so that I can continue to train new recruits. I rather enjoy it, and I would also ask that my time training be paid. Any other help in the kitchen will be volunteer so to speak.”

“Absolutely, that’s fine by me and I’m sure Alyce would agree as well.”

“Now then, the funds from that paid training I would like put into a separate account along with some separate savings I have from my training hours. I’ve been setting money aside to do some good with, to help with. I’ve never known what to put it towards until now. I would like that account to be used to help Silvermoon when the time comes.” She gave me another mischievous smile.

“Miss Maggie, I dare say you are a wise woman. I won’t keep you from your work any longer. I suspect we’re looking at anywhere from 4-8 weeks to get everything in place for this to become official and permanent, but your new position will start as soon as tomorrow if you like?”

“Let’s start that position in two weeks. That will give me time to finish what I’m already scheduled for and speak to Marie about my semi-retirement.”

“Alright, let me know if we need to adjust that at all. As far as I am concerned you are more Rian’s Granny than his nanny, so feel free to take advantage of those privileges anytime.” I smiled at her and even gave her a bit of a hug before letting her get back to work.

I wanted to run back out to Alyce, shouting for joy at the top of my lungs, but I also didn’t want Rian to catch on to what was happening before we had a chance to tell him ourselves.

I forced myself to walk back over to the table and join her and the guys. I looked around for Rian. When I didn’t see him I gave Alyce a quizzical look.

“He’s with Kami and Brandon, they took him for some dessert so I could fill Mattie in before curiosity killed him.” Alyce said with a giggle.

I laughed softly and pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. I felt three sets of eyes on me, Mat, Cedric and Alyce all looking at me expectantly.

“Well! What did she say?” Alyce prodded me.

“Yeah, are we going to be Uncles in the near future?” Mat scooched closer as they were speaking so low no one other than those of us at the table would hear.

“Yes, tell us before the others still here begin to think us conspirators plotting a murder.”

Alyce snickered, we did kind of come across as suspicious, huddled and whispering like that. “How about we go up to Tristan’s office. It’s soundproof.”

“Good idea, Red!” Mat jumped up and took off out of the dining hall laughing.

Alyce growled, “I’m gonna kill you, Mattie!” She really hated that name. She jumped out of my arms and took off after Mat.

Cedric and I looked at each other, sighed with a chuckle and took off after the pair. I’ll give it to Mat. He was great at making odd things or even planned things seem like normal, everyday occurrences. No one assumed we were up to something, just the twins being themselves.

As we reached the stairs I sent Brandon a quick mindlink, letting him know we had relocated to the office and would let him know we would be back down shortly. Then we darted up the stairs full speed and reached the others as they were coming off the elevator.

I unlocked the office and we all headed in. I had barely closed and locked the door before all three turned on me, expectant, impatient looks on their faces.

“And suddenly I feel like the prey and not the hunter.” I laughed. “Sit down and I’ll fill you in.”

The others snickered a bit and sprawled out amongst the office furniture. I plopped into an armchair, Alyce making herself comfortable on the couch with Mat and Cedric, her legs draped across the pair.

“Ok, so what did Miss Maggie say?” Alyce prodded once again.

“So, let me start with this. She knows who you are, and where you come from. She recognized your name at the Luna Ceremony, she is old enough to remember the time of the last Alpha King, so it does not surprise me.”

I watched Alyce stiffen and pale slightly, instant worry on her face. I reached over and took hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Your secret is safe with her, I promise.”

She nodded and let out the breath she had been holding. “Thank you. Now, stop torturing us and tell us what she said already!”

“She agreed! I also made her his full time nanny so that relationship continues. She has asked that the stipulation be that she continues to get paid for when she is training new staff and that we have a back up nanny for times when she is training and unavailable to us. I agreed to these terms. Not that I think we’ll keep her out of the kitchen, but kitchen help will be her own thing.”

“Sounds like someone else we know.” Mat snickered.

“Eh, two someones. I like to sneak into the kitchen to cook too.” Cedric laughed.

Alyce jumped up off the couch and into my lap with a squeal of delighted excitement. I hugged her tightly and kissed her softly.

“So when does this all happen?” Mat asked.

“It’ll take anywhere from 4-8 weeks to make everything official, and I’m hoping to have everything with Lucian and Silvermoon finished by then as well. She will be changing positions to nanny in a couple weeks. Which should give us time to prepare his room and a small space for her should she ever need to remain at the pack house with him. We might have to put in a door between a couple of rooms though.”

“We can worry about that all tomorrow. Mat and I can help you figure out layouts and spacing options.”

Alyce glanced at the clock, “Oh! We need to get back downstairs! Rian will be heading home with Maggie soon!” She hopped out of my lap and we all headed out of the office.

“We will tell him tomorrow. If we tell him tonight he may not go with Maggie easily. Tomorrow we will have time to really talk to him about it.” I said as we headed down the stairs.

“Agreed.” She smiled at me as we reached the base of the stairs, heading for the dining hall enterance.