"Diana, I want you to promise me that you won't start seeing anyone else, unless we decide to mutually end our relationship. I want us to be mutually exclusive, either until we mate or we break up," Dave requested.

"I suspected you would ask," Diana said. "I promise not to date any others until we either mate or we don't."

"Alright then," Dave said accepting the promise.

"You're the first alpha I've been interested in anyway in a long time. Besides, I would never cheat on someone I'm dating like I know some people do, our kind included. I hope you know I expect the same from your end."

"I have no intention of cheating on you either," Dave promised.

"Accepted," Diana said accepting Dave's word.

"We'll stay in contact through phone calls and videoconferencing. Ariel will be thrilled that I'm dating," Dave said.

"Sounds good," Diana agreed. "It's so much easier to keep in contact nowadays, than it was when I was young."

"Now, that's truth," Dave chuckled. "I remember my childhood when we didn't have all these technological toys."

"Yes, both the humans and our species has done a lot for themselves, in the last few decades," Diana agreed. "Spencer is certainly intelligent enough, to invent something that will take the world by storm in a few decades, though I'm not sure if that will be what he will do with his life once he is grown."

"No, he could probably start his own business if what you've told me about him is accurate. Of course, doing so takes a lot of capital, but I'd be willing to help him out, even if we don't mate, because I know very well that any bank is going to charge him a ridiculous amount of interest. I certainly have the money when that day comes."

"That's very generous of you, Dave," Diana said, as she stared at her date in surprise.

"I like helping people," Dave explained. "So long as I'm sure they're not trying to con me. I come from a poor family myself and my parents had more children than I thought they could safely afford. Yes, I realize our species loves children and if you have the funds to take care of them then that's fine, but I remember very well, how finances were always very tight. My father worked himself to the bone to provide for his family and while I can respect him for that, I just thought he and Mama should've stopped having children far sooner than they did."

"So how many siblings do you have, Dave?" Diana asked curiously. She knew very well that their species families tended to be large. Some were larger then other's of course.

"Quite a few, even for one of our kind," Dave snorted. "Don't get me wrong I love them, I just think my mamma and papa went overboard. Still, we might've been poor, but we were loved and really, that's all that matters. We had food in our bellies and clothes on our backs. My parents did everything they were supposed to do and raised us to be decent members of society. We had a lot more than some families did at the time. Still, all the older children helped with the younger ones. Just so you know I have about 15 siblings. I'm one of triplets and also the oldest, then mama had triplets again a couple years after that, then it was quadruplets and finally two sets of triplets again back to back."

"So it was mostly triplets with one set of quadruplets," Diana said and Dave nodded.

"It was pretty amazing at the time that there wasn't even one set of twins," Dave shrugged. "Mamma was only pregnant five times in about 16 years. So same question how many siblings do you have?"

"Just seven," Diana told him. "That last pregnancy didn't go easy for my mother, which happens sometimes and so my parents decided there would be no more, but then, she was considerably older by the time the last of my twin siblings came along and technology wasn't exactly as advanced as it is now. She survived though and that was considered a miracle for the time. The doctors were amazed that she did survive, even though it was known that our kind tend to be hardier. Things happen of course, but my mom was lucky."

"That happens even to our kind sometimes," Dave said sympathetically.

"Yes, it does," Diana agreed.

"Well, at least your mother survived and that's what matters," Dave said.

"Yes, it is and my mother had her ovaries removed, so she wouldn't go into heat anymore and therefore, there were no more children, accidental or otherwise."

"Well, at least the females of our kind only go into heat a couple of times a year, so there is far less babies had out of wedlock, then among humans."

"It does still happen occasionally, but not as often," Diana said.

"Only when an Alpha gets careless and doesn't use a condom, when they are helping somebody through their heat," Dave snorted, his contempt for those careless Alphas obvious. "Of course, there are a few genuine accidents when the condom breaks, but that doesn't happen often."

"That's something I miss having someone to help me through my heat," Diana said looking wistful. "I know I could have just had temporary partners, but with my children in the house..."

"I'll make sure I'm here for your next heat," Dave promised seriously. "I think you are very brave to go through it alone, even if it only happens a couple times a year."

"I'll let you know when it's near," Diana said. "It should be about 6 or 7 weeks away. I try my best to keep track, but life gets so busy. I will look forward to having somebody to help me with it for a change. I'm sure my parents will take the triplets for the night."

"That's probably what you should've been doing all along," Dave said. "You don't necessarily have to be mated or even courting to have somebody relieve your heat. There's an agency for that and it's worldwide."

"I know," Diana said. "I thought about it, but I would've had to leave my children with my parents and while I know they wouldn't have minded, I was afraid they would pitch a fit if I did, as they were so young when Will left. I can see them fearing abandonment above all else. Will left without a word after all or even a note. I know he didn't treat them very well, but he was still their father and fears aren't always logical. They're mature enough now though, that spending time with their grandparents will probably lead to excitement instead of fear of abandonment. My parents did come and look after them for me, since they were to young to be left on their own. That was after Will left though."

Diana didn't mention how she'd had to leave her children at her parents before Will had left, because he had basically ignored them even when they were only toddlers. He had been lucky that one of them hadn't died because they'd gotten into something that had killed them. Young children were really easy to kill, so they had to be watched constantly or contained somewhere like a playpen. Toddlers didn't have any sense, not even ones as smart as her children, as that took time to develop. She should have left when she realized how careless Will was with the lives of his children. She was sure Will hadn't even noticed they were missing.

"Are you going to tell them about me?" Dave asked

"I already did, as I don't usually go out after I get home. I also don't usually spend hours on the phone and my daughters think it's good I'm dating again. Spencer is the only holdout. I know he fears that you are just like his father, but hopefully, once he meets and gets to know you his fears will fade. I probably could've started dating a couple of years ago, but I just wasn't ready, as I told you earlier, because relationships can be so complicated and difficult. I believe they'll understand that you don't live in Las Vegas, so they probably won't see you, but every few weeks. Spencer is probably going to be the hardest to convince that it's a good idea for me to date anybody, even if he understands intellectually, that I can't not date forever, that I need someone for myself."

"He was probably scarred from his father leaving, even if that father didn't treat him very well," Dave said in understanding, as Spencer had only been five at the time and no matter how intelligent he was, any child just wanted for their father to love them and his eidetic memory didn't help the situation. "Children automatically love their parents and it takes a lot for them to stop."

"You can love and hate someone at the same time or at least strongly dislike them," Diana agreed. "I know that my children still love their father, but they also know that it isn't them that made him leave, at least intellectually. No matter how well-behaved they were I believe Will still would have left. Really, they are much better behaved then a lot of children I've known over the years, including those that are in my classes."

"They might know mentally that it wasn't them that made their father leave, but in their hearts..." Dave said.

"They probably feel it was their fault, as they are just children. Children often feel something like a parent leaving is all their fault, even when it is not," Diana said. "I only hope this doesn't affect their own relationships in the future."

Dave readily agreed with that, because it was very possible. Dave dropped Diana at her front door and watched as she entered the house. He saw her talking to someone at one of the windows that were at the front of the house, probably her mother, as it was another lady, not a man.

Dave drove off knowing that his Diana was safe and she was probably describing her date to her mother and probably her father as well.

~~~Dave and Diana~~~

"So how did it go, sweetie?" asked Diana's mother Kiza as soon as her daughter had entered the house.

"It went well and we'll see each other again, probably in a few weeks," Diana answered. "He lives in Virginia and has twin sons, but is no longer involved with the mother. They parted ways years ago now. He just wanted to go back to Virginia to relieve his housekeeper who is looking after his sons James and Marshall, who are eight years old. He showed me a picture of them on his phone and they are absolutely adorable. They definitely look like their father."
"Well, I hope that works out, even though it's a long distance relationship," Kiza said.

"I hope so too, because this is the first time I've been truly attracted to anybody other than, Will. I admit I'm more strongly attracted to this David Rossi then I ever was to William Reid," Diana admitted.

"So what did you talk about over dinner?" Kiza asked her daughter.

"Our families mostly," Diana said and Kiza nodded approvingly.

Most Alphas loved their families, especially their children, so it was definitely a good conversation topic. Humans, of course, had different priorities.

"We talked about our children and I told him some of the problems I'm having with my son and he more than understood. He told me some about his sons James and Marshall and how they could get into trouble. He told me they know that if they get into trouble while he's gone and don't listen to Ariel, the housekeeper, they'll be in trouble when he gets home. He understands that discipline sometimes is necessary, even if he doesn't like to do it."

Kiza nodded approvingly again, as their species could be a stubborn lot, and the only way to correct their behavior was by spanking them on their bare rear ends, no underwear or pants protecting them. This was considered proper discipline and not abuse like humans often considered spankings nowadays. Humans had used to spank their children a few decades ago, but they didn't do that as much nowadays. Personally, Kiza felt they should start back, as there would far fewer humans that misbehaved, even as adults if their behavior was corrected. There'd be far fewer people who stomped all over those they considered weak or not as many who stole or committed others crimes if only the parents would spank their children and explain the reason why they were.

"Well, things are going really well then. I'm very happy for you Diana," Kiza said.

"Thank you, mom," Diana said blushing at the compliment. "There is no guarantee that our dating's going to go anywhere, though I certainly hope it does. I told him I'd be willing to move to Virginia if we do mate."

"Well, that's for the future," Kiza said. "If you do mate your father and I will certainly miss you, but we'll understand. We only want for you to be happy and so long as you are after that disaster with Will, then we'll be happy for you."

"You also wouldn't mind some more grandchildren," Diana said knowingly and her mother didn't deny the accusation, as it was the truth.

"No, we wouldn't, as your twin brother certainly doesn't seem interested in settling down," Kiza said, letting her frustration with her oldest son show.

"I know you want Danny to settle down, start a family, but I don't believe that's going to happen for at least the next couple of years. You have to remember that he doesn't have to marry as soon as the females, if we want large families," Diana said. "Males aren't going to have to carry the fetuses in their bodies. Yes, I agree, it's past time for Danny to settle down, but you also can't force the issue. For all you know, he could be having trouble finding someone, as that happens all the time. I thought I loved Will enough to last a lifetime and he abandoned me and his children a mere six years into the marriage and even before he did he didn't treat me or the triplets very well."

"I know," Kiza sighed. "Believe me, both your father and I were rather upset at William Reid."

"Don't I know it," Diana said smiling reminiscently. "I thought dad was going to go tear my ex-mate apart."

"It was a close run thing, believe me," Kiza said. "You were very smart to plant all those mini cameras around your home without letting your x-mate know that you had done so."

"It helped that he didn't get home from work until five and I'm always home by four or so, sometimes earlier," Diana admitted. "I don't believe it's ever occurred to Will that he's even on the list. I'm sure he would have confronted me if he knew. He might even try to attack me, as he does have a temper."

"Will's not stupid, Diana. He knows you'd call the cops if he dared attack you or at the very least one of your children would. Spencer, Mercia or Meriel are no longer too young to understand what's going on and Spencer could even testify in court, because of his eidetic memory. You're two daughters to of course. I doubt you'd be able to keep the attack from the neighbors either. The cops would question the neighbors and even subpoena some of them to come and testify if such an attack ever reaches court and that's only if Dave doesn't deal with him permanently if your relationship reaches that point. If Will is smart he'll make sure that you're not mated again before trying anything if he actually does lose his temper enough to attack you."

"He often forgets about those factors though, when he's angry," Diana said. "Still, you're right, Will's not stupid. He might even lose his job over such an attack and I wouldn't be able to blame his firm at all for it. Too attack your ex-mate, just because they put you on that list, because you abandoned your wife and children and didn't treat them right while you were mated. He's lucky that, as far as I know his firm doesn't know that he's on that list as it might prevent him from advancing. It shouldn't affect his career so long as he behaves and doesn't make his firm take notice, but it also might. It sure will affect him if he ever wants to get mated again though."

"That's only if anybody who dates him checks the list like they should," Kiva said.

"True enough," Diana admitted. "I'm so glad I had my job though, since it made it easy to support my triplets myself. I'm glad I didn't have to come to you and dad for money."

"This is why Brett and I Insisted that all our children go to college, so you could go into careers that would make them happy. We know very well how the world works and that one of our daughters, especially those that are Omega's might end up with an Alpha that would mistreat them like yours did. We really liked William Reid when we met him, but apparently, he wasn't all that he seemed," Kiza said. "I know I only had eight, but that's because I had trouble giving birth that last time, but still you're bound to get at least a couple of Omegas in that number and I got three, one with three of my pregnancies."

"He was so romantic and attentive at first," Diana sighed nostalgically. "I now realize though, that our relationship wasn't really equal from the beginning. At least there are proper procedures for getting out of a bad situation, not that the Alpha, but also the Omega for that matter always accepts those procedures."

"Which likely means that their parents didn't raise them properly," Kiza snorted.

"So I meant to ask, what do my children think about me dating again?" Diana asked her mother.

"Your daughters seemed okay with it, but Spencer on the other hand, didn't seem to think it was a good idea," Kiza said.

"Yeah, I know I tried to explain to them before I left for my date. I knew that Spencer was going to be a problem, because he's the one that remembers everything his father said to him. I know that intellectually Spencer understands, it's his emotions and his heart that are giving him trouble. He took his father's words to heart, but then, most children would. I'm sure the girls did too, but they also don't remember his words to them, because they don't have their brother's memory."

"It also has to do with the fact that Spencer's an Omega," Kiza said and Diana nodded.

"I know," Diana agreed. "Once Spencer meets and gets to know Dave I think things will be different, but at the moment he fears that Dave is just like his father who treated him and his siblings so badly. I understand this very well, but I really like him and I'm truly hoping our relationship leads to mating. I would like a few more children, you know? And also someone to come home too."

"I understand that desire very well," Kiza agreed with an understanding expression. "I wished I could have had a few more years ago, but it just wasn't possible in my case. Brett understood and so allowed me to get my ovaries removed. Both of us would've liked other children, but Brett wasn't willing to risk my life and neither was I, so having my ovaries removed, not only stopped my heats it stopped me from getting pregnant. Two birds with one stone and all that."

"Well, there is no point of discussing it farther as it will either happen or it won't," Diana said with a touch of practicality. "It was only the first date after all, and just because I'm hoping that they'll be plenty of others there's no guarantees."

Diana kept the fact that Dave had even mentioned mating, as a possibility to herself, because not only had it only been the first date, she was also afraid to hope that it would actually lead to her and Dave mating. She had a feeling however...

"I'm just going to go peek into the children's rooms and then head to bed," Diana told her mother, as she was showing her out. "Thank you for looking after them for a few hours."

"It was a pleasure, you know that," Kiza said. "I'm only sorry that Brett couldn't make it. He was so disappointed."

"Well, if things go well with Dave, he'll have plenty of other opportunities," Diana said.

"We're both hoping it does," Kiza said.

"So am I," Diana agreed before showing her mother out.

~~~Dave and Diana~~~