Chapter 286: Refreshing

"Don’t just stand there, Damian! Can’t you see I’ve run out of oil? Go down to the cellar and bring me some."

We had barely made it downstairs and stepped into the kitchen when Damian’s mother immediately approached us. She gestured toward a dark wooden door on the opposite side of the room. Giving my shoulders an encouraging pat, she guided me toward the wide kitchen table before turning to her son.

Damian obediently followed her instructions and left me alone with his mother.

I could barely breathe with the woman and me alone in such an enclosed space. All of Damian’s attempts to reassure me in the bedroom had gone straight out the window. It was as though they had never happened.

I was once again overcome by a sharp, prickling sense of anxiety. Every muscle in my tense body was on edge. Well, at least there was one thing to be grateful for: his mother was home alone at the moment. The little girl who had been running around the enormous kitchen in bright leggings, her hair bouncing in pigtails, was nowhere to be seen.

I glanced around the cozy kitchen, taking in the mouthwatering smell of freshly baked goods. The woman herself seemed to be in charge of the cooking, and I couldn’t help but be surprised by the sheer size of the house. We had walked through endless corridors to get here, and it was only now that I fully grasped just how enormous the estate was.

And, to be honest, I hadn’t expected a woman of such high status to cook for herself. I had always assumed that wealthy people employed an entire army of servants to take care of the cooking and cleaning. Then again, perhaps Damian’s mother was simply an exception.

I still didn’t know what to make of her. But according to Damian, she was a very kind woman. And lately, I had come to trust his judgment without question.

"How are you feeling?"

I tore my distracted gaze away from the countertop, where I had been intently examining tiny cracks in the expensive marble, and immediately found myself looking into a pair of bright green eyes.

Damian’s mother looked remarkably young and delicate. She was so petite and fragile that I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by her. Especially considering the number of children of all ages whose photographs lined the walls of her home.

I was genuinely amazed that such a tiny, seemingly fragile woman had managed to give birth to and raise a hulking, intimidating man like Matthias. He was practically the complete opposite of Damian, and yet she was so small.

"I’m fine, thank you," I managed, forcing down the urge to bolt for the nearest exit.

"Good." She draped a kitchen towel over her shoulder, then placed her hands on her hips and studied me with a thoughtful expression. "You’ve been looking rather pale. Are you sure you aren’t about to faint from fright? You don’t need to be afraid of me, sweetheart. What on earth do you think I am?"

"No, of course not!" I shook my head vigorously, raising my hands in a defensive gesture. "It’s just..."

"Just relax. Let’s have some tea and get to know each other a little better. There’s no need to be so nervous. Nobody here is going to eat you. Well, Damian might take a bite or two, but that’s your business, kids. The important thing is that you always remember to protect yourself. You’re still too young to be having children."

"W-we’re not... What?!"

My cheeks burned as a fresh wave of embarrassment washed over me. Horrified, I pressed my cool palms against my face.

Goddess Above! Had she really just assumed I was some shameless little hussy, ready to jump into bed with her son at the first opportunity?

"Amelie, I was your age once, too. And believe me, I know perfectly well what’s going through a breeder’s mind when she’s alone with her mate. It’s only natural."

Laughing heartily, the woman suddenly placed a cup of steaming, delicious-smelling tea in front of me. She wrapped her hands around it, perhaps hoping that having something to hold would keep me from trembling quite so badly when I raised it to my lips. I took a cautious sip.

"I’m sorry you had to catch us in such an... awkward situation. We really didn’t mean for anything like that to happen." Setting my cup back on the table, I finally managed to pull myself together. I met her gaze directly.

After all, I couldn’t spend the rest of my life trembling in front of her like a frightened rabbit. That would only reinforce whatever unpleasant assumptions she might have made about me.

"Oh, even if you had, that would hardly be a problem." She casually cleared the remaining food from the table, then switched on the kettle and settled into the chair opposite me, her own cup of tea in hand.

Watching me attentively with her beautiful green eyes, she continued.

"Amelie, you’re an adult. And from what my son has told me, you’re his true mate. Whatever is happening between the two of you is entirely your business. I only came into your room earlier because I was genuinely worried about you.

You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, and I wasn’t sure you were emotionally ready to handle everything that comes with it. But now I can see I was mistaken. I had no right to be so concerned, and I owe both you and my son an apology. I overstepped my boundaries and invaded your privacy."

Her unexpected words spread a warm sensation through my chest. Regardless of how my own parents treated me, I had never experienced such genuine understanding and consideration from them. It was immediately obvious that Damian’s mother truly respected personal boundaries and had absolutely no intention of interfering where she didn’t belong.

It was incredibly refreshing. And, more than anything, it brought me an immense sense of relief.

"Thank you."

Honestly, I had no idea what else to say. How were you supposed to react when someone didn’t scold you, lecture you, or demand explanations, but instead showed you understanding and even apologized?

"Well, now that we’ve cleared that up, I’m simply happy you’ve finally joined our family."

With a warm smile, she picked up a pretty little plate piled with sliced apples. A tiny, curly-haired girl in bright leggings had just toddled over to her, her little sneakers squeaking against the floor. The child eagerly grabbed a slice with her chubby fingers, took a big bite with her tiny teeth, then promptly went back to her important business of exploring the kitchen.

"Oh, I completely forgot to introduce myself in all the commotion! My name is Jane."

"Amelie."

"Well, Amelie, that’s lovely. Now, let’s have a nice, peaceful lunch together. Once Damian realizes there’s no oil left in the cellar, he’ll come back upstairs, and you can return to your room and get some rest. Then, when the whole family gets back, we’ll have dinner together, and you’ll finally get to meet all our little darlings."