I was shaken to the core.

Zhen just casually calling me Daddy did something crazy to my heart. It felt like it might explode.

After dropping them off at home, I drove to the gym. I almost offered to stay and help settle Zhen in, but I knew they needed some time alone together to bond and connect.

Not to mention seeing them together just made Jing even sexier and my cock really didn’t need to be hard ALL day.

I was making sure to keep things lite with Jing, never pushing for too much physically.

No matter how much I wanted to slip my tongue in his mouth or let my hands and mouth wander over that delicious body.

Fuck.

I understand Carson’s need to work out all the time now.

I head straight to my office at the back of the gym. Paperwork was piling up and I couldn’t ignore it anymore. Barely an hour goes by when my phone beeps with a new message.

Jing sent a video. I watch as an adorable fluffy panda cub ran, well more like waddled, up one of the ramps and then slid down a tube in Jing’s back yard. My phone beeps again.

-I think he likes the backyard. -

-Come over for dinner later? -

I smile down at my phone, already looking forward to seeing them again.

Damn, I’m a goner already.

-You know I can’t say no to you Gorgeous. I’m already looking forward to it.-

-Come over when your done working. -

I put my phone down, even more determined to get through the mountain of paperwork so I can get outta here.

Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned. My office becomes a revolving door of employees and clients, all needing something or just wanting to talk. Normally I would love this kind of day but all I want to do right now is leave.

When my phone rings just as I’m packing up my desk, I’m tempted to just ignore it, but one look at the caller ID changes my mind.

“Hey Ma.”

“Don’t you ‘Hey Ma’ me, Magnus Oxford Bruin. I am beyond disappointed with you.”

I flinch at the use of my middle name, she’s really pissed.

“What’s wrong Ma? Why are you so upset?”

“Why am I….? Are you serious Magnus? Do I actually have an insensitive, unfeeling, moron for a son?”

Ah, a mother’s love, there’s nothing quite like it.

“I heard from some random person at the grocery store that you found your Mate. Of course, I thought, that can’t be right. My Mags would have called me if he had found his Mate, not leave his poor long-suffering mother to find out such life changing information from the town gossip mill! Then I happened to run into Alpha Cecilia, and I asked her, knowing she would put all this Mate business to bed. And what does she say to me? What do you think she said Magnus?”

I bite my bottom lip; this was not good.

“She said it’s not her information to tell! Well, if that wasn’t a yes you found your Mate then I’m actually a FUCKING UNICORN. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Shit.

I had completely forgotten to tell my family about Jing. I didn’t even want to know what she’ll say when she finds out about Zhen. Maybe I will just wait until she meets him. Zhen’s to cute to be mad at.

“I’m sorry Ma. It wasn’t on purpose you know. I didn’t want you to find out that way. How can I make it up to you?”

“Family dinner tomorrow, bring your Mate.”

Double shit.

“Tomorrow? Why so soon, the big family barbeque is next week. He can meet everyone then.”

“Well, my Little Fluff Butt,” I groan my mother’s favorite pet name for me, “Since you so casually decided to not tell us about your Mate, I moved the barbeque up to tomorrow night. This way you can’t hide him from us longer than you already have.”

It’s official, my mother is out of her mind.

Maybe Jing can treat her for being overbearing, pushy and just downright crazy.

“I’m not hiding him Ma; it’s only been a few days and we haven’t Marked each other yet. Don’t you think it’s too early to meet the entire family?”

“You listen to me boy. If you don’t show up tomorrow, WITH YOUR MATE, I will drag the ENTIRE family to wherever you happen to be hiding out at. Then I will proceed to show him every single embarrassing photo I have of you. Including the one where your siblings dressed you up in your sister’s princess dress and put makeup on you.” I’m done, this woman knows no boundaries and fights hell-a dirty. It doesn’t help I can hear my father’s booming laugh in the background, “There is no getting out of this. He is your Mate; your bond will survive one dinner with your family.”

I don’t know if I’ll survive this dinner with my family.

Goddess knows if my stoic, strait laced, and proper Jing will want to even look at me again after one night with my bat-shit crazy family.

Maybe I should Mark him tonight before they scare him away.

Cause that’s not a stupid idea Magnus. Goddess I really am a moron.

“Alright Ma, we’ll come to dinner. Just don’t bring out the pictures, please. The family is embarrassing enough, can we not tell him about my cringe worthy childhood.”

“Ah Fluff Butt, I’m your mother. It is my right and privilege to embarrass you. It is Karma’s gift to me after having to go through labor and raising your sorry ass into adulthood. Be there by 5:30 tomorrow.”

I can still hear my father roaring with laughter as she hangs up the phone.

I just stare at my phone for a while, trying to process what just happened. When it beeps with a text message, I nearly drop it I’m so startled.

-Are you on your way yet? Zhen wants to say goodnight to you. -

-Leaving now Gorgeous. Tell the little man I’ll be there soon. -

Pushing aside all thoughts of my insane parents and the looming disaster that is dinner with my family, I reply while making my way out of the gym, heading back to my new family.