"Mate with me, Spencer," Lailah said the traditional words while holding out a ring box. A piece of jewelry was part of the process of an alpha taking a mate. It could be any type of jewelry a ring, a necklace, a bracelet whether cheap or expensive.
Spencer took the ring box and opened it. On the inside was a very nice ring with a sapphire the size of a robins egg in a gold band. The sapphire was perfectly round and looked like at least a carat.
Sapphires weren't the most expensive stones in the world, but that didn't matter to Spencer, as he knew Lailah wasn't a full doctor yet and so likely had limited funds. That it came from the woman he loved was all that mattered.
He did love Lailah and he had realized that before they had started officially courting. That dad and Alex also like Lailah only cemented his feelings for the beautiful alpha.
"I accept," Spencer said simply, even as he put the ring on his marriage finger.
"Good, you're mine now," Leah said her voice of growl and Spencer didn't look intimidated.
"Yes, I am," Spencer answered calmly. "I promise to never cheat on you."
"Good, make sure you don't because the consequences will be severe," Lailah warned him menacingly.
"You don't need to worry about my loyalty to you. I love you," Spencer told her and Lailah nodded in satisfaction.
"Good," Lailah said satisfied after receiving the response she expected. "Now, I believe we have better things to do."
"Yes, ma'am," Spencer said eagerly, as he and Lailah headed towards the bedroom.
Lailah merely chuckled at Spencer's eagerness.

~~~Spencer and Lailah~~~

"Congratulations to the pair of you," Dave told his son and his new mate.
"Thanks dad," Spencer said smiling hugely as he sipped the glass of wine his father had handed him.
"Yes, thank you Dave," Lailah said, even as she drank her wine.
Dave had given Lailah permission to call him by his first name. He liked Lailah a whole lot just as he'd told Alex.
"You're quite welcome," Dave said warmly. "I'm glad to see Alex and I were right and you did ask Spencer to mate with you. For years he feared rejection if he ever asked out any female and those fears held him back."
"Believe me, I'm well aware of it," Lailah said her expression going sour. "If you know what I want to do to his birth father..."
"I've often felt the same," Dave's said in understanding chuckling. Dave's chuckle sounded more sardonic then humorous. "Believe me I've wanted to murder the man a hundred times ever since Spencer and his brothers came into my keeping. I'm very glad I adopted the three of them as not only did they help me stave off the loneliness our kind is prone to they have brought me great happiness."
"Let's just forget about William Reid," Spencer said. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion after all. He doesn't matter anymore, as he has no say in my life or in my brothers lives. He gave up the right to object to me and Lailah mating when he didn't treat us properly. He didn't pay us any attention and ignored even the basic stuff like buying food for the house or clothing for his sons since children outgrow their clothes quickly. There wasn't even a housekeeper to do the grocery shopping and dad ate out all the time and didn't bother to think that his children needed to be fed."
"So any children anytime soon," Dave inquired of Lailah changing the subject causing her to blush at such a personal question. Lailah could understand why Dave was asking though so she replied, even though she could've told him to mind his own business. She could expect the same from her parents she knew once she told them about mating with Spencer.
"I don't go into heat for several months and that'll give Spencer and me time to find a house as both apartments are too small for the multiples that our kind almost always have. Only Spencer has an extra bedroom while I don't. Spencer will likely do most of the house hunting while I'm working since I have odd hours right now."
"So Spencer has Lailah introduced you to her parents?" Dave asked his son.
"She has and they actually seem to like me," Spencer said as he remembered the meeting.
"Of course they did. I told you they would," Lailah told him in exasperation.
"Spencer we've talked about this," Dave added to his son. "Not everyone is going to automatically reject you no matter what William Reid told you."
"I know that. It doesn't help I've never met any of my girlfriend's parents before. Past relationships never got that far so I was nervous," Spencer said.
"He also met my brother and they got along well because my brother is an omega like Spencer," Lailah said.
"Yeah, we did and I'm sure we'll become friends over time. I would like to get along with my in-laws."
"I'm glad your parents like my son," Dave told Lailah with a smile. "Me and Alex certainly couldn't love him anymore than if he had been born to us. Besides, because Spencer took Alex's linguistics class we met in the first place."
"Spencer told me about that," Lailah told Dave.
"So when will Alex be home," Spencer asked his father.
"Anytime now," Dave said looking at the clock on the wall. "She had a parent teacher conference I believe, which is what has delayed her.
"I would like to tell her the good news before we leave," Spencer said.
"So long as I don't get a call from the hospital then I'll be glad to stay," Lailah said. "Unfortunately, I'm on call today. It's often I do get called in and since Spencer and I drove over together he would have to come with me, so I could drop him off at his apartment before heading for the hospital."
"You knew that would happen when you chose to go into orthopedics though," Dave said and Lailah nodded confirming Dave's words.
"I did, while there are a lot of tragedies like that little girl I was telling you about at dinner a few weeks ago, there's also a lot of triumphs as someone gets used to an artificial limb," Lailah said. "I could've chosen a quieter profession, one where I wasn't constantly having to go into work in the middle of the night. On the other hand, I love my work, even if I don't appreciate being woken up at 2 AM sometimes."
"I don't blame you there as that would be such a trial," Dave said chuckling. "I mean two am is the middle of the night for most people."
"Not doctors it's not," Lailah chuckled. "The only doctors that are not going to be called in in the middle the night is someone like a dentist or a doctor who has set hours and doesn't work at a hospital."
"Oh, that's the truth," Spencer said speaking for the first time in awhile. "If a doctor has their own private practice then they can set there own hours and don't have to worry about being woken in the middle of the night unless it's an emergency."
Alex came home just then, before anybody could reply as everyone heard the front door opening and shutting. It wasn't more than a minute later that Alex walked into the living room where everybody was gathered.
"Well this is quite the gathering," Alex said, as she sat down beside Dave after kissing her son on the cheek.
"I'm glad you're home honey," Dave said kissing Alex cheek.
"Parent/teacher conferences are a pain in the butt," Alex told everyone.
"Difficult?" Spencer asked Alex.
Alex simply rolled her eyes to show she was exasperated. "Let's just say the parents don't think they're little darling can possibly be failing my class and think I'm failing him on purpose because I don't like him for some reason. He's not my favorite student, but I also wouldn't fail him, just because I don't like him. He really is failing the class."
"So in his parents eyes their son can do no wrong. It's always someone else's fault that their child is failing a class," Lailah commented having met a couple parents like that before.
"Basically yeah," Alex agreed. "Then again, I bet you John Callahan doesn't tell his parents that he doesn't study the course material and he fails almost every test, because he doesn't study. I bet you he doesn't tell them that he parties and goofs off with his friends instead of studying. Enough about that though, as I'm ready to forget about John Callahan and his parents completely. I sincerely hope he drops my class next term, as he just doesn't put in the work required and I'm not just going to give him his grade just to get rid of him. It's not like it's essential to his education as I teach linguistics not math or science or something else that's essential to getting a good job. He's only taking it as an elective."
"Dad told us you had a parent teacher conference and that's what was delaying you," Spencer said and Alex nodded.
"We have some news," Lailah told Alex, "which is why we're here sharing some of Dave's excellent wine."
"Want another glass," Dave offered and Lailah shook her head.
"I better not since I'm on call," Lailah said with regret.
"So what's your news?" Alex asked the pair sitting across from her and Dave.
Spencer said nothing simply showed Alex the ring that Lailah had given him knowing that Alex would understand what it meant.
"Wow! Congratulations!" Alex said once she saw the ring on Spencer's finger knowing what it meant without either him or Lailah having to say a word.
"Thank you," Lailah said, as she kissed Spencer's cheek.
"We are very happy," Spencer added with a wide grin a rather unusual expression for him. Spencer hardly ever smiled much less grinned like a maniac, because he was so happy.
"So any children in the near future?" Alex unaware that Dave had already asked the same question
"I just asked them that very question," Dave snorted in amusement. "They told me that neither apartments are big enough for the multiples our kind always have, which is very true and they were going to start looking for a house."
"I would like to buy some place before I go into heat in a few months," Lailah explained.
"You might need to build a place, buy land as that's what I had to do," Dave said. "If you don't have the money I can loan you some very easily, as I know you and Spencer are just starting out. You don't want to have to get a loan from a bank, as they always charge you a ridiculous amount of interest. I'm making this offer because your family now, as you just basically married my son. Any children you have will be my grandchildren."
"That's very generous of you," Lailah told Dave. "Spencer and I will have to talk about it."
"We will," Spencer agreed calmly, "but thanks for the offer dad, it's appreciated. However my business is doing very well so we probably won't have to borrow any."
"There's also my parents who would be willing to loan us some if needed," Lailah added. "They are fairly well off, though probably not as much as you seem to be."
"The offer is open ended," Dave said easily knowing that alphas had their pride. Lailah would have to consider every angle before she either accepted or rejected his offer.
"We'll certainly think about it," Lailah promised Dave.
"We should probably get going," Spencer said look at his watch. "It's getting late and Lailah has to work in the morning and so do I."
"We understand," Alex said.
"We do, but make sure you come back to visit as often as you can manage you'll always be welcome," Dave said.
"We will," Leah told Dave, as she kissed his cheek and then Alex's. "Thanks for your support of Spencer's and my relationship. It's very appreciated.
"You're quite welcome," Dave told Lailah as the couple headed for the front door. "Make sure you tell your brothers about your mating Spencer," Dave reminded his son.
"I will," Spencer promised. "They did know that someone was courting me, but not that we mated."
"They'll be very happy for you," Alex told Spencer.
"They will," Spencer agreed with a smile. "They'll want to meet Lailah."
"That you were the first to settle down hopefully, will encourage them to do the same," Dave said. "They'll be pretty amazed that you were the first to get mated considering your past history."
"True, but you also have to remember it's not always easy to find a mate and I was just lucky when I met Lailah," Spencer agreed. "I'll see you sometime dad, Alex."
"Good night," Both Dave and Alex told the pair.
He and Lailah then left and headed for their car that was on the street.

~~~Spencer and Lailah~~~

"Welcome to the family Spencer," Lailah's father Gregory said as he shook Spencer's hand. It was clear that Leila's father Greg as he had insisted Spencer call him was an alpha. Like Dave, Greg had an easy-going personality unless it was necessary for him to use his alpha. Also, like Dave, he could be forceful and commanding if necessary, but didn't see any point in being intense all the time. It was necessary Greg would remind people that he was in charge, particularly family members who misbehaved for whatever reasons.
"Thank you, sir," Spencer said shaking Greg's hand.
"Yes, welcome to the family," Carlie told Spencer.
"Thank you ma'am," Spencer said as he shook Carlie's hand.
"Lailah's been talking about you a lot son. You can't really get her to shut up about you," Carlie told Spencer while teasing her daughter.
Lailah blushed at her mother's gentle teasing. That it was true was the reason she blushed.
"Well, I've been talking about Lailah to, mostly to my brothers. I have also mentioned her quite regularly to my parents as well.
"You're one of triplets then," Greg said and Spencer nodded.
"Yes, I am and I don't know what I would do without Julio and Kade," said Spencer. "We've always been close and that hasn't changed just because we're all grown up now.
"That's the way it should be," Carlie said approvingly, "as Lailah and her brother Landon are certainly close."
"Spencer's parents were also very happy for us," Lailah added. "Dave was very pleased that Spencer have gotten over his hangups enough to actually date at all."
"Yeah, we heard about how your birth father treated you from Lailah," Greg said his expression rather grim. "I'm sure you don't wanna know what I want to do to William Reid," Greg added to Spencer.
"I'm sure you want to do the same thing that my dad does or Lailah," Spencer said not bothered by the conversation topic. "My dad would like very much to go teach my birth father a lesson and it's not even that Alex doesn't agree with them just that she knows what a bad idea it would be."
"Why do you call your mother Alex?" Carlie asked curiously.
"Probably because she was my linguistics professor first and I also loved my birth mother very much. While I know Diana Reid wouldn't mind if I did call Alex mom I don't think I'll ever be able to call anyone else that. I had a great mother and I lost her. Alex understands that I don't think of her as my stepmother, but more of an aunt or a sister. She's considerably younger than dad, so that she really could be my much older sister in truth."
"His eidetic memory also doesn't help, because he remembers every moment he spent with his mother, just like he remembers every insult his father ever handed out, as if they were facts," Lailah added.
Both parents winced when learning about their new son-in-law's eidetic memory. There were downsides to everything and being able to remember every insult that Spencer's birth father had said within his son's hearing was one of the major ones.
"I love Alex and think she and my dad are perfect for each other. I also respect her a lot. I just don't think of her as my stepmother that's all," Spencer shrugged. "I also got six siblings that I never expected, but deeply appreciate."
"Spencer siblings are just the cutest," Lailah said.
"Yes they are," Spencer agreed with a smile. "The younger ones are still something of a handful as they're not quite four."
"That's a lot of children," Carlie said appreciatively.
"It is, but their also years apart so the older ones help out with the younger ones and there's also a nanny Christian who has become part of the family," Spencer agreed.
"It's certainly more then Carlie and I had," Greg said. "We only had Lailah and her brother Landon and they were handful when they were the age of your younger siblings."
"Not to mention we had both boy and a girl and who knows if we would have tried again if we got both of the same-sex," Carlie added.
"Dad has a large home though. His first mate died along with his twins, so I can't blame dad for wanting some kids of his own. He certainly has the money to raise them with every advantage. He did take in me and my brothers after all when he head from a friend of his about our situation, which he didn't have to do."
"But he did and that's all that matters," Lailah said.
"That's true. That should be all that matters. He did take you in and raised you with love and discipline," Carlie said. "So there gonna be any grandchildren anytime soon?"
Carlie asked the question that had been on the tip of the tongue ever since she had learned of her daughter's mating with Spencer.
"Dad asked the same question and so did Alex," Spencer said with a smile not at all offended. "I will tell you the same thing that we told him and Alex and that is we need to find a house before we even think about having children as neither one of our apartment has the room."
"Especially not for the multiples kind always has. Now while I was only one of twins, Spencer was one of triplets so it's quite possible we'll have that many," Lailah added. "We have a little time though, as I don't go into heat for about three months and hopefully, we'll find a house in that amount of time."
"If not, we're gonna have to have a house built, as that's what dad had to do years ago," Spencer said.
"If you need us to loan you some money we can do that," Greg offered.
"Dave also offered and Spencer and I have yet to talk about it," Lailah said.
"That might not be necessary though as my business is doing quite well," Spencer said.
"You've only been in business a few years though," Carlie said looking worried, "and you don't want to go out of business just because you spend more than you should."
"Spencer's to sensible and intelligent to do that and we both aren't too proud to ask for help if we need it," Lailah added, "even if the alpha in me hates asking for anything."
"I know how that is," Greg agreed with his daughter, "but sometimes it's necessary."
"I know," Lailah agreed.
The four of them chatted for awhile, but then, Lailah took their leave from her parents comfortable home as she had to work tomorrow and so did Spencer.

~~~Spencer and Lailah~~~