She dropped her hand from his face and took his hand in hers. “I am not going anywhere.” She repeated his words back to him. She took a deep breath and bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Finally she asked, “Vasile, where are my parents?”
Alina attempted to brace herself for what he would say, but no matter how she tried to prepare for the news, it was still as if someone had punched her in the gut.
“I am so sorry that I did not get there faster.” His voice was tight with anger. “They have gone on to the other side. I would have told you sooner but I did not want to cause you more distress. Their bodies have been cared for and are ready for burial. I did not want you to have to deal with that after all that has happened.”
“It was Serghei.” She was not asking. She knew who had done it but she needed to hear it.
“Yes,” he answered anyway.
Alina squeezed her mate’s hand that she still held. She clutched it like a lifeline as the sea of turmoil and despair threatened to pull her under. She wanted to mourn for her parents, but she knew that for now she would have to put her pain aside. They had a pack to reclaim, a tyrant to remove, and a murderer to bring to justice. For now she had to be Vasile’s mate, the female Alpha of their pack, and when all was done, then she could be the mourning daughter.
“Please do not feel responsible, Vasile. I shut the bond because I did not want you to expose yourself. I did not think Serghei would go so far. Thank you for coming for me. Thank you for caring for my parents when I could not.”
“It is my honor to care for you. Tonight we will rest. I will be completely inappropriate and lie in the same bed with you holding you in my arms because any distance between us is not something I can endure right now.” His honesty and boldness did not surprise her, not anymore. She knew her mate. When he wanted something, when he had made up his mind, there would be no swaying him. And if she were to be completely honest, she did not care how improper it was, she wanted to be in his arms.
She watched as he removed his shirt but left his breeches on. His muscles flexed with every movement and she was enraptured by the sheer beauty and perfection of his form. The remaining light from the gas light flickered and cast a soft glow over him, making his skin appear smooth as silk. She ached to touch him, to feel the warmth of his flesh against hers. He left the light burning and climbed into the small bed beneath the covers with her. She had to nearly lie on top of him for them to both fit because of how large he was.
Vasile pulled her tight against him and her cheek was pressed to his bare chest. He smelled incredible, masculine, and musky like the forest. Alina pressed a soft kiss just above his heart and heard his breath catch. She liked knowing that she affected him just as much as he did her.
“Never again will we sleep apart,” he whispered into her hair and then pressed a kiss there. “I love the way you feel against me, the way your scent covers me. Never in a thousand years could I have imagined the joy of having a true mate not just anyone but you, my precious Alina.” He used their bond and she knew it was because it was an intimate form of communication. It was completely theirs alone. Their bond exposed them to one another, revealing all of the emotions and the depth they contained for each other.
“Skin on skin, Vasile,” she whispered boldly. She knew he wanted her to be honest with him about what she needed and so she would. In that moment she needed the healing power of touch that only her mate could give. She felt him unbutton the back of her night gown and then slip his hand beneath it. Her breath caught in her throat as his large palm spread across her back. He rubbed her gently, sending shivers throughout her body, and when she felt his touch change to his fingertips tracing the markings that ran up her spine, she could not hold back the soft moan.
“Your markings are beautiful.” His warm breath blew across her hair and face as he spoke. “I saw them when you were leaning over the bed, and I wish I could say that I gave you your modesty and looked away, but I will not lie to you. They captured my attention the second I saw them, and had you not been sick I would have touched you then.”
She felt the heat of her blush, and only the curiosity she had about his markings had her not burying her head in his chest to avoid looking at his face. Instead she pushed back and up on her elbow to look at him. Alina gently tilted his head to the side baring his neck, something he would have never allowed for anyone else, and stared at the beautiful markings that now traveled up his neck, down his right arm, and across the right side of his chest all the way down to his waist. It was truly incredible. When she looked back up at his neck, she felt her wolf perk up, and Alina knew her eyes had begun to glow. Her wolf wanted to bite him, taste him, and mark him. Though the bite would fade, just knowing it had been there was enough.
“You drank my blood,” Vasile suddenly told her. “You were lying there so still and I knew the only thing that would help was my blood and so I gave it to you. But as I held you, unsure of whether or not you would survive, I knew I could not live without you. I should apologize but I cannot because I would do it all over again.”
“You completed the bond?” she asked, though she was pretty sure she had known before now. She had felt how strong their connection had become, something only the sharing of blood or bodies would cause.
He nodded as the hand that was not on her back reached up and traced something on her neck. “I bit you here,” he said as he gently tapped her neck. “I only took a little blood because you had lost so much already, but it was enough.” He paused and then added silently, “You taste incredible.”
That time Alina did bury her face in his chest and he chuckled at her modesty. “Sleep, my love,” he told her. “When this is all done there will be time enough to savor each other. Your wolf will have to be patient a little longer,” he teased.
She pinched his side which only made him laugh more. She tucked herself in as close as she could without actually crawling into his skin. There, protected in the haven of his arms, she slipped quickly into sleep.
The dark shadows of night concealed Nicu’s presence as he moved silently around the exterior of the castle. His ears were pricked, drawing on the hearing of his wolf, listening for any sound of conversation. As he came around the corner just below where he knew the library to be, he heard voices. He stopped and looked up at the small balcony that extended out from the room. The drapes were drawn closed so he could not see in, which meant they could not see out. Nicu leapt effortlessly to the ledge and pulled himself up and over, never making so much as a whisper of sound.
“So you killed her parents, and you might have killed her as well?” Emilian’s enraged voice carried through the balcony doors.
“She had markings, and since no male in the village had claimed her, there was only one explanation. Vasile was indeed her true mate. I thought you did not want their bond completed because it would make him stronger.” Serghei’s voice had Nicu biting back a growl.
“We could have used her as leverage to draw him out you imbecile,” Emilian paused. “Do you know if he came for her?”
“I left as soon as her parents were dead.”
“Whether she is alive or dead is of no consequence now. Vasile is smart, but his anger will make him act quickly. Take four wolves with you back to the village. Do not let yourself be known, and see what you can find out. Do not engage him in any way if you see him,” the Alpha warned. The low guttural growl made it clear that there would be dire consequences if Serghei disobeyed.
Nicu did not wait around to hear more. He had to get back to the village and warn Vasile. He dropped back to the ground and turned for the cover of the forest. He let his wolf take over and ran as hard as he could, knowing he had to beat Serghei and the other wolves. He would not stop until he was standing in front of his Alpha.
Emilian paced the library, finally alone after dealing with the idiot pup who had been so stupid as to leave Vasile’s mate behind. She would have been the perfect bait. But he could not dwell on it; oth
er plans would have to be made to deal with the former Alpha. The problem was so many of the dominant wolves were out of control that getting them to fight for him might prove difficult.
He rolled over possible solutions in his mind. Finally, like the breaking of the dawn, one came to the forefront. It just might work, he thought to himself. He would announce a pack tournament, non-lethal of course. Since so many young wolves were vying for higher ranks in the pack, the dominants would flock to the competition, including Serghei. Then he would openly invite the winner to challenge him for the title of Alpha, removing all doubts about who should lead the pack. Because of Vasile’s dominance, every wolf present would want to challenge him. He did not think that even one such as Vasile could continually best every wolf in the pack. Whoever was left standing would have to immediately fight him for the Alpha title or risk being forever labeled inferior by his pack mates. No matter who was left standing, they wouldn’t have enough strength left defeat him, especially since he didn’t plan on fighting fair.
Romanian Proverb # 19
Vorba dulce mult aduce.
Good words cost nothing and are worth much.
“I will not hide,” Vasile said calmly after hearing the news Nicu had returned with. He was done hiding. He looked at the faces of the group of males that had gathered with him in the meeting hall. More had been added to their numbers, and there were well over thirty wolves willing to fight alongside him.
Alin stepped into the room looking grim. “Well, it is too late to attempt to conceal ourselves regardless; Serghei is here.”
Vasile nodded. “Then let us not keep him waiting.” He walked through the men who parted for him making a way toward the door.
“You are either brave or an even bigger fool than I had first thought to show your face here,” Vasile said as he stepped outside. Dawn was breaking through the darkness of night and the sky was quickly becoming lighter.
“No more a fool than you, Vasile,” Serghei practically spit his name. “Emilian is not the only wolf who wants you dead.”
“I do not fear death, not anymore,” he said with a confidence that had Serghei taking a step back.
“If I could I would fight you right here, right now,” the young wolf snarled.
“What’s stopping—” Vasile was interrupted by another small group of wolves. They walked out of the forest and headed straight up to Vasile and Serghei. “You will get your chance, Serghei,” the leader of the group told him and then looked at the rest of the wolves present. His eyes did not linger long on Vasile and they did not meet his face. “Emilian has commanded us to spread the word. There will be a dominance challenge at the castle. Any male may enter, including you two. The winner will be the undisputed Alpha of the Eastern Romanian Pack. Starting tomorrow at noon, the challenge will begin. The format will be ‘king of the mountain.’ Three matches will begin simultaneously. The first six wolves to step forward will be paired up and will fight. The winner of each challenge will then have to accept the next wolf who wishes to fight, and so it will continue until only three remain, then two, and then one. There will be no breaks, not even for sleep. It is not only a challenge of skill but of endurance as well.”
“I don’t like this. Emilian would never willingly compromise his position. He has something up his sleeve,” Vasile said.
The wolf smirked. “Afraid you cannot compete?”
“Where is the honor in winning a fight by trickery?” he challenged.
“The honor is simply in winning, not in the manner it took to get there.”
Vasile shook his head. A small laugh of disgust rumbling from his chest. “Alright, if that is how Emilian is going to do this, so be it. I am sure he wants to know if I will be there. You can assure him my face will be the last thing he sees on this earth.”
“You have to get through all of us, including me,” Serghei spoke up.
Vasile glanced at the wolf who had hurt his mate. “You are no more than an irritating fly, and all it will take to stop your buzzing is a single swat. If you expect me to fear you, then you are delusional.” He walked away, giving the group his back, making it perfectly clear that he did not consider any of them a threat.
Alina melted into the arms that wrapped around her from behind. Vasile’s large chest pressed firmly against her back. He pressed his lips to her hair, and his chest rumbled contentedly as he breathed her in.
“How are you?” he asked as she stared into the water of the river. He had led her to her spot after dealing with the males, and as they walked he explained what was going to happen. She did not like it, but she had to accept it. Her mate was a dominant and an Alpha and fighting would always be a part of his life.
“I am surviving,” she said honestly.
“Do you feel well enough to take a short walk?”
Her interest peaked at the hopefulness in his voice. Alina turned her head and looked up at him. “I will go anywhere with you.”
His full lips stretched into a breathtaking smile, and she wished with every cell in her body that he would kiss her. But he did not. He released her and then took her hand, leading her along the river following it deeper into the trees.
They walked in silence; the sounds of the world around them were the only sounds. At least fifteen minutes later the trees parted, and they walked out into a clearing where a small barn had been built. She looked over at Vasile curiously but he simply smiled and continued forward. Once they reached the doors he stopped and turned to her.
“While we were apart, there was not a second that I did not think of you. I longed for the day when we would be bound to one another for eternity. In that time I thought a lot about our bonding ceremony, our Blood Rites, and the things I wanted to say and give you. I came across this beautiful creature during my exile, and I immediately knew she was meant for you. This is my gift to you, to show you that I can provide for you. I will protect you and I will strive to bring joy to your life.” He opened the door before she could respond and standing there just on the other side was a beautiful sable mare with a dark chocolate mane and tail. She was so beautiful and without a doubt cost a fortune. She had never owned a horse; they had never been able to afford one. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she reached up and stroked the animals soft nose to which the horse responded by stepping closer to Alina and lowering her head.
“She is magnificent, Vasile,” she said still looking at the horse. “Thank you, I will treasure her.”
“I am glad that you are pleased. What will you call her?” he asked.
Alina smiled. “Cosmina, because she is a beauty.”
He took her hand then, drawing her attention from Cosmina. “I have something else for you.”
She looked down and saw that he held his signet ring, the one that identified him as royalty and as the member of a long line of Alphas.
“It is yours because you belong by my side. You are the woman who will bear the next child to carry on this lineage. To me, you are more than royal, you are my Luna. Your sway over me is complete and absolute. No other will come before you. You have captured me, heart, body, mind and spirit; I am yours.” He took her hand and slipped it onto her ring finger and somehow it fit her perfectly. He felt her curiosity and smiled. “I had a cantankerous fae work some magic on it so it would fit,” he explained.
Alina held her hand up to examine the ring more closely. Her eyes narrowed as she took in its every detail. It had an oval-shaped face and on that face was a grid of four diamonds. In each diamond there was a symbol. The top left was a crown; the top right was a wolf; the bottom left, a sword; and the bottom right, a full moon.
Vasile placed a hand on her waist pulling her closer as she continued to look at the beautiful gift. “The crown represents the royal lineage, the wolf of course is in honor of the gift the Great Luna bestowed upon us, the sword is to testify that as the Alpha family we are the sword of justice keeping the discipline among the pack, and the moon is to acknowledge the importance of th
e females in the pack. You, Luna of mine, like the moon, can change the tide. The peace and light you bring to me as Alpha can alter how I might respond to a situation. In short, you make me better.” His breath was whisper soft on her face when he spoke again. “Look at me, Mina.”
She did and then shivered at the glowing eyes staring back at her. His mood had shifted from gentle and loving to passionate and needy. Alina felt his desire rushing into her through the bond and she gasped at the force behind it. His hand reached up and cupped her face. It was surprisingly gentle considering the intensity of his emotions.
“I cannot wait any longer,” he murmured.
“For what?” Her voice came out as a breathy moan.
“To taste your lips.”
He lowered his head and Alina’s heart sped up as she realized he was finally, finally, going to kiss her. She fought the urge to grab his head and crush their mouths together. It was a battle she was going to lose if he did not hurry. He stopped just short of their lips touching. She could feel his warm, sweet breath flowing out of his lungs, and she breathed him in, wanting any part of him she could have. He hovered there, his body pressed to hers, his hand spread across her back holding her tight while the other stroked her cheek lovingly with his thumb. Alina wanted to growl for him to do it already. She could not take it any longer.
“Please, Vasile.”
“What, Mina, what do you need?” His deep, rich voice caressed every nerve in her body and the touch of his body was almost too much.
“You, I need you. Please kiss me.”
A smiled stretched wide across his face as he lowered his head, finally capturing her mouth with his. “I told you one day you would beg for me,” he whispered as he coaxed her lips apart and at last stroked his tongue along her own, tasting, savoring.