It was 6 p.m., and Maeve had just finished dressing in a cable-knit lantern sweater dress with tight black leggings and small black boots. Her red hair was curled, and she wore minimal makeup, making her eyes and skin pop. "I think I look good." Her cell phone rang; she thought Treyton may have changed his mind. When looking at the caller ID, she saw her mother's number. Maeve took a deep breath and answered, "Hey, Mom. Sorry for not calling you sooner."

"Hey, Maeve, I was wondering if you were going to call. How was the event?"

"It was okay. I met a few people, but many were older photographers. I felt a bit off from the group.

Laoise sighed. "That's understandable. What ended up happening?"

Maeve considered whether or not to tell her mother about Treyton, but her mother was good at noticing a lie. "Well, I decided to explore on my own, and I kind of...well...met someone." Laoise was silent on the other end, and Maeve face-palmed herself, thinking she said something wrong. "Mom?"

"Wow, Maeve. I'm so proud of you!"

"Y-You are?"

"Well, of course! I was very worried that you would not go to the event or would make other excuses for the event being bonkers! I'm happy that you met someone. Tell me about him."

"I don't know a lot about him. All I know is that he is divorced and is a bit older." Maeve hesitated. However, if the coffee date went well and they became serious, her mother would eventually discover his age.

"How old is he?"

Maeve bit her lower lip. "He-He's fifty."

Laoise was silent but eventually responded, "He's eighteen years older than you, Maeve."

"I know, Mom."

The older woman sighed. "Look, you know how I feel about dating older men that are over ten years. Many of these men don't always have good intentions. You're still young, Maeve."

"I know, Mom. I was surprised when I asked him, but he seemed very kind and was a good conversationalist. Believe it or not, I felt very comfortable. I can't explain it, but he asked me out on a coffee date."

"He sounds as if he's going too fast, as you are. Maeve, I am happy you met someone, but you must be cautious. Don't jump into a relationship too quickly."

"I know. You always told me to keep an open mind, and I am. I'm aware that this man is older than me, and there is a possibility that he may not have good intentions. However, I can't always judge a book by its cover; people could be misunderstood just because of their age."

Maeve felt relieved that she stood up against her mother's judgment on Treyton. Yet, Maeve couldn't blame her mother entirely. "You are right, Maeve. You know that I worry about you, that's all. It's your life and your decision; you're an adult. Just be careful and call me tomorrow to tell me how your little coffee date went."

"I will." The duo hung up, and Maeve put her phone in her tiny green purse. She took a deep breath, got her black jacket and keys, and went to her car. Maeve drove toward her destination, which was close to where she lived. While driving, her palms became sweaty due to her nervousness and excitement. "Just go there and be yourself. Whatever happens, happens."

Upon arrival, Maeve parked in a parking garage, paid for the ticket and walked to the coffee shop with the help of Google Maps. Many people were walking in the streets of Long Beach; the stores were decorated with Christmas lights and pictures. The city workers were putting yellow Christmas lights on the many palm trees of the city. Her phone vibrated and announced that she arrived at the coffee shop. Maeve didn't go inside but looked through the window to see if Treyton arrived; he wasn't. She looked at her phone; it was already 7 p.m. but waited ten minutes; Treyton still had not arrived.

The young woman believed Treyton stood her up because he had not sent her a message to inform her if he was coming late. "Maybe Mom was right." She was about to leave but then noticed someone speed-walking.

"Maeve!"

Maeve sighed in relief; he had arrived. He stopped before her and got a white handkerchief to wipe off the sweat from the back of his neck. "Sorry I was late; the traffic was a bit too much! Are you ready to go inside?" He opened the door for her.

"Am I ever."

A soft scent of coffee and bread was in the air as Maeve and Treyton entered the coffee shop. The coffee shop had several wooden round tables surrounded by elegant wooden chairs; there were also one-seat sofas. Wooden bookshelves were throughout different parts of the shop, filled with many books by 18th-20th century authors.

Lamps hung in the corners, and ceiling lights dimly lit the shop. Paintings hung on different parts of the walls, and plants were by the windows and tables. Soft Christmas jazz music played in the background, making the customers feel at ease. Treyton glanced at Maeve, who looked stunned as she examined the place. "So what do you think?"

Maeve got out of her daze. "Oh, uh, I like it very much. I can't believe I never knew about a place like this! I will come here more often.'

Treyton motioned for Maeve to walk to the counter with the menu board on the upper wall. Four people were behind the counter, making coffee and bakery orders. Maeve ordered an iced blended chai latte, while Treyton ordered a Turkish coffee. Afterward, they sat by the window with the curtains tied to the side.

Maeve was nervous; her heart skipped a beat whenever Treyton looked at her with his beautiful eyes. Stephen never made her feel that way.

"Again, I'm sorry, I was late. Not only was the traffic long, but I debated what to wear; I'm glad you didn't leave."

Maeve blushed. "It's okay. I'm glad that you didn't stand me up." Her face became warmer than it already was. "I can't believe I said that to him!"

Treyton thought her embarrassment was adorable, but he couldn't blame her for feeling like she did. He would have thought the same if he were in her situation. "Still, I should have called or texted you."

"We're here now, so that's all that matters." The coffee machines and jazz music echoed. "So, tell me more about yourself. I know we couldn't speak a lot in the gardens."

Suddenly, the Barista announced the duo's names, making them stand to get their drinks. With drinks in hand, they sat back down in their seats. Treyton sipped his hot drink and said, "I am originally from Germany, but my family and I moved here when I was ten for better opportunities. I'm also the CEO of my own business."

"Really? What kind of business?"

"Herbal medicine, but as you know, other medical corporations don't like the healthy way of medicine. Healthy people means less business."

Maeve couldn't help but feel intrigued. "Wow, I can't imagine all the hard work and determination you had to make your business happen. I wouldn't be able to do that," she said while sipping her drink. The flavor of the blended drink astounded her. "Wow, this is good! I'm also surprised that the drink isn't too sweet."

"I'm glad you like it. The coffee and drinks here are made with natural ingredients. What do you do?"

"I'm a special education teacher; I co-teach with another teacher who happens to be my best friend."

"That's admirable. Teachers aren't respected and recognized for their work."

"Thanks for that. It's hard, especially with all the IEPs (Individualized Educational Plans) one has to work on and dealing with parents. However, seeing the children's progress makes it all worth it."

The two kept speaking to one another about their passions, likes, and dislikes. Minutes turned into two hours. Treyton was having the time of his life. He enjoyed seeing Maeve's smiles and eccentricity. She had many dreams and aspirations of advocating for families and students and one day traveling to Ireland since it was her father's wish. However, her father died, and she only had her mother left. It saddened him that she didn't have many people in her life, but once Maeve accepted him, he would ensure she wouldn't be alone. Treyton looked at his phone and was surprised at how time went. "I was wondering if you would like to take a walk? Sitting here can be a bit tiring."

Maeve stretched while nodding. "That sounds good. It would also be nice to look at the Christmas decorations."

The duo stood, threw their cups away, and left the shop. They walked by the streets and noticed the traffic dissipating and many people walking by. "It seems people are getting excited for the holidays," said Treyton.

"I agree. I love the holidays since people can be with friends and family. By the way, what do you usually do during the holidays?"

"Since my ex and I divorced, things have changed. However, I still have my son and some other family members that I hang out with."

Maeve glanced at him, disappointed to think he didn't have kids. "Oh, how old is your son?"

Treyton realized that Maeve may not want to date someone with children. He hoped that she would be open-minded and accepting. "My son is nineteen." They kept walking and watching the decorations and stores, but Maeve didn't know what to say. Treyton didn't want to scare her off, so he felt he had to be honest. "I hope that won't be a problem."

"I'm not against men having kids, but when the children are older, it can be...problematic. Sometimes, they may not be very accepting."

"I understand your point of view. My son knows whoever I date is for me; he eventually accepted my ex's new partner. Also, my son and I don't hide things from one another." It was a small lie since he didn't tell his son about Maeve's age, but he eventually would tell Aidoneus the truth. He stopped walking, making Maeve do the same. He turned and looked at her. "I enjoyed your company and personality. I would like to see you again, only if you want to." The Alpha looked confident, but deep down, he was terrified of rejection.

Maeve couldn't deny the fun she had. It had been a while since she enjoyed herself in a conversation. If Maeve decided to give him a chance, she would have to deal with her mother's possible disapproval, Patrisha's curiosity, and meeting Treyton's son. Deep down, she was tired of wanting other people's approval; it made her realize that it only made her miserable. Life was about experience and taking risks. "I want to see you again, too."

A sensation of relief spread within Treyton, and he wanted to howl with joy. "What days are you available?"

"I asked for the week off to heal from my breakup. So I'm available all week, but when I return to work, the weekends are when I am available."

Treyton couldn't believe his luck; he had a week to hang out with Maeve. "How about Wednesday?"

"That sounds perfect. Would you like to go to another coffee place?"

Treyton wanted to go to something other than another coffee place. "Let's do something Christmas-related to get into the spirit."

"You know, I'm using an app called Friends & More that displays holiday events. I could look up some events that are coming that day, and we decide which one to go to.

"That sounds perfect.You can text me what you find, and we can decide for Wednesday."

The two bid their goodbyes, and Treyton slowly walked back to his car, watching Maeve go on her way. He was thrilled about another date, but his excitement was interrupted when he felt his phone vibrate. When he looked at the phone, Treyton saw that his son had texted him.

Aidoneus: "Hey, Pops. Waiting for you to get home to tell me about your date."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," Treyton told himself.

Treyton: "I'm on my way."

Treyton drove back to Palos Verdes, temporarily staying for business; Aidoneus would also be staying there.

The house was close to the ocean, where Treyton could enjoy a beautiful view. When Treyton arrived, the house had a modern look. Its exterior was white, with a rectangular pond on the right side of the front yard and a small fountain in the center. Small rose bushes and nicely trimmed green grass were on both sides of the house. There was a driveway that could fit four cars outside and a garage connected to the house's left side.

Treyton parked his dark blue 2023 Toyota Hybrid outside the driveway. He exited the car and walked to the front door, where he could see the lights; his son was inside. "Here we go." The door was unlocked, and Treyton slowly entered, but the interior was quiet.

Too quiet.

Aidoneus was trying to sneak on him, something he did as a child, but Treyton would always play along. Treyton entered the living room, dropped his keys down the coffee table, and slowly walked toward the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, a faint aura was felt from Treyton's left side, where the kitchen and garage were connected. Treyton chuckled as he shook his head. He then turned to his right; a light brown wolf ran inside and was about to jump on the older man. However, Treyton grabbed the wolf with his right arm and used his left arm and hand to grab its head. "Nice try, son. You still couldn't hide your aura fully."

Aidoneus let out a wolfish groan as he was put down. He walked toward a room nearby, and a quiet shuffling was heard. Then, Aidoneus came out in a regular black t-shirt that clung to his muscular body and nicely ironed dark jeans; he was barefoot. The young man was the spitting image of his father from the hair to the body. However, his eyes were light brown and clean-shaven; he would have been mistaken for being a model. "I guess I couldn't get you this time, Pops. I thought I put some of my scent in the garage."

"Well, there is always next time." Father and son went and hugged one another. "I missed you, son. How was Romania?"

"It was nice and historic, although I miss the diverse food here. Mom is also doing well. She asked about you."

Treyton nodded; his son knew him well. He would have hesitated to ask how his ex-wife was doing, but it didn't bother him now that he had found Maeve. "Well, I'm glad she and her mate are doing well."

Aidoneus's smile slowly crept on his lips. "So, how did your little date go?"

"It went well."

"So when were you going to tell me that the woman you found was your mate? Trinidad told me."

"I thought she would," Treyton said while rolling his eyes. Trinidad was known to be a loudmouth who enjoyed telling drama. "There's something else you need to know. Sit." He motioned his son to sit on one of the light brown sofas. Father and son sat side by side in front of the unlit fireplace. "Son, you remember when your mother and I told you about finding your mate?"

Aidoneus nodded. "Sure do. You guys said a strong scent would hit you, and a strong pull would be felt. It's so strong that you never want to leave." The young man chuckled. "I found it funny that you guys described it even though you two were not mates. I remember that you guys had to call Garret and Trinidad to help you guys out."

"Funny." The Alpha chuckled but continued. "Anyway, you are right. I found my mate today and asked her out. It was nice, and it was everything I described." There was hesitation, but he couldn't hide the truth from his son; Treyton took a deep breath. "The thing is, I found out that my mate is...a bit younger than me.'

It was quiet, and Aidoneus's expression changed; he became serious. "How young?"

"She's thirty-two."

Thirty-two was young when it came to his father. He thought that his father's mate would be of similar age. "She is young. Does she know about your age?"

"She does and was initially surprised, but after our coffee date, we decided to keep seeing each other."

"Does she know about me?"

"Maeve knows. I decided to be upfront."

The young man raised an eyebrow. "Her name is Maeve, eh? What is she, a human or werewolf?"

"Human."

"Well, you might have difficulty telling her what you truly are. I also appreciate that you told me about her age. I just want to be sure that she's not a, you know...."

Relief set in; his son wasn't angry at him. "She's not a gold digger. You know that we werewolves can sense when people lie."

Aidoneus nodded. "Alright, as long as she treats you with respect then I'm okay with it. Are you going to inform Mom about this?"

Treyton almost forgot about his ex-wife. When his ex found her mate, she never kept it a secret or cheated on him. It would only be fair; he didn't want to seem bitter. "I will eventually tell her once I tell Maeve about my identity."

"Good." Aidoneus stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm going to sleep, Pops. I've been up just to wait for you. You will tell me all about your little date tomorrow."

"Of course. I know you won't leave me in peace if I don't."