“You bullied her in high school?” George asked.
“Yes.” Shame washed over him.
“Son, please tell me now why I was not made aware of this.”
This was … horrible. The disappointment in his father’s voice, the pain he saw in Poppy’s.
“She never told anyone. I may have said some things about … her mother,” he said, hating himself.
“You what?” George asked.
“Look, Dad, I, I know I fucked up, big time. I know you’re angry with me, and you have every right to be. Poppy didn’t want to be my mate. She wanted to ignore it, and seeing as I hurt her, I wanted to make it right with her. Last night we … connected. She allowed me to be with her. I have to make it up with her, and she doesn’t want anyone to know that we’re … mated.”
“Lionel’s son wants her, Klaus.”
“He can’t have her.”
George took a deep breath. “If I hear of you ever disrespecting Anna and her daughter again, Klaus, I swear, I will strip you of the right to be alpha. I am so disappointed in you.”
“I know,” Klaus said, bowing his head. “I … I couldn’t help it. She was always so, I don’t know … there, and I … it was like I hated myself even when I called her names and said the shit that I did, but I couldn’t stop myself.” He sighed. “Do what you have to do, but please, don’t, I’m begging you, don’t … say anything to Poppy. She’s not ready, and she will never forgive me.”
“You’re willing to wait to be with your mate?”
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win Poppy. I … love her, Dad.” As Klaus said those three words, he realized he had loved Poppy his whole freaking life.
Chapter Nine
“You seem different, honey,” Anna said.
Poppy paused as her mother cupped her cheek, tilting her head left, then right. “Mom, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. You just … you’re glowing.”
“I’m not glowing, Mom.”
“You’re happy?”
“Yeah, of course, I am.” She glanced down at the latest rounds of online orders. These were easy as they were already in stock. All she had to do was spend the day packaging them up.
Easy.
“Good, now don’t be mad at me. Greg asked if he could steal you away for an afternoon, and I didn’t see why not, so I said of course.”
“Greg?” Poppy asked.
“Yes. You and Greg. He is a nice guy, Poppy. Lionel has told me how hard-working he is. He takes becoming an alpha very seriously.”
“I have no doubt about it, Mom. Why would you…”
“I thought it would be nice. You spend so much time around me, and I don’t think it’s healthy for you to be around your mother all the time.” Anna kissed her forehead. “This will be good for you.”
“Greg’s not my mate, Mom.”
“I know.”
“You want me to hang out with a guy who isn’t my mate?” Poppy asked. “Who has no chance of ever becoming my mate? Don’t you think that’s cruel?”
Anna reached out, tucking a stray curl around her ear. “You left your hair down.”