TALA

by Laura Ryles

  “You’re probably right. Love can do strange things to people.” Ander smiled over at her and kissed the top of her forehead.

  When they walked into the great hall, a familiar song started playing. It was ‘Sound of Pulling Heaven Down’ by Blue October. Tala looked over at Ander and raised an eyebrow.

  “Really? The song you played while you were kidnapping me?”

  “What? It’s kind of our song.” Ander laughed. He led Tala out into the middle of the hall and held her closely as he danced her around the floor. When the song finished, he led her to a table at the front of the great hall and raised a glass. The hall grew quiet.

  “Thank you all for being here. My wife and I are so glad that we could share this night with you. With all of you. Tomorrow, the Timber pack will go back to Montana to take care of any unfinished business they may have, and we will begin preparing for their return, which will be permanent. Please, eat and drink your fill tonight, laugh and enjoy this time together with your new brothers. Tomorrow we will begin building new cabins and opening up more space for the Timber pack’s homes to be built on.” Ander sat down beside Tala, as the wedding guests let out a great roar of approval for his toast. Tala looked over at him once he sat down.

  “Are you sure the Tundras don’t mind doing that? Building homes for the Timbers?”

  “We are one pack now, Tala. One Alpha, One Pack. These are their brothers now, and they are glad of it.” Tala smiled at him. How did I get so lucky, she wondered?

  “How long do you think we have to stay?” Tala asked Ander as she looked out at the crowd that had finally started to thin out a little.

  “I don’t know. Are you ready to go?” He looked over at her, a little puzzled.

  “I am ready, aren’t you?” Tala focused her eyes on Ander’s and her meaning hit home.

  “Yes,” Ander gulped. Ander stood up and reached down for Tala’s hand. He pulled her up and offered her his arm. Tala took his arm, and they left the great hall. As she led him deeper into the mountain, past her old room and his, to the end of the hallway, Ander started to look more and more confused. Tala opened the old Alpha’s chamber. Pulling him through the door, she led him to the first room which was their own private living room. A sectional sofa, a tv, a chair in the corner, bookshelves full of old books. Complete with a small kitchenette that had a stove, a sink, and a small fridge. Tala led him through another door to the right that led to the bed chamber. There was a large bed in the middle of the room. A nightstand to the left of it held a lamp that was giving the whole room a soft glow. There were also two large chests-of-drawers on either side of the room, and a door in the back that would lead to their own bathroom and closet. Tala closed the door behind them after Ander entered. She clicked the lock down behind her back.

  Tala walked past him and brushed her fingers down his arm, then stood by the large bed, still in her wedding gown. Ander stood there for a moment looking at her, then he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He raised a hand to brush her hair back behind her ear and then reached up, taking the flower crown from her head. He tossed the crown on the bed and took the barrette out of her hair so that it fell loose around her face. He ran his fingers through the loose hanging tresses, then cupped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Their first real kiss as husband and wife. It was the most powerful thing she had ever felt. Her knees were weak, and she felt light-headed. They melded into one another. The passion of this kiss was greater and deeper and more fulfilling than their kisses had ever been before. Ander pulled away and walked over to the nightstand, then he turned off the lamp.

  Chapter 3

  The next morning Tala awoke to find that Ander was still sleeping heavily beside her. Tala ran her fingers across his brow. God, he’s handsome, she thought, and smiled to herself. And he’s mine forever. I’m married, this is my husband. Tala rolled over to lie on her back and stare at the ceiling, recounting the events of last night in her head. She had never felt anything like that in her life. It was like she had been taken over by the power of their bond. Something primal and shrouded in magical surrealism. From the second she had stepped onto that podium with him, there was an unseen force connecting them. This force was definitely a strong one and it was even making her feel more powerful.

  This morning she felt it even more. There was so much energy rolling around inside of her. She wanted to run through the woods. Hanging her feet off the side of the bed, she decided she would go and get some coffee for the two of them, to give her something to do. Walking over to the chest of drawers on her side of the room, she pulled open a drawer. Ha! she thought, when she opened it and saw her t-shirts. She had guessed right; this one had her things in it. Pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she put them on and then slipped quietly out the door. She headed out into the hallway and back towards the great hall.

  The great hall was empty and quiet this morning. Her feet softly padding the rock floor as she made her way to the back of the hall and went out of the back door, which was the entrance to the kitchens. Tala was surprised to find Cindy was already there beside a brewing coffee pot. Walking over to the cabinet right beside Cindy, Tala grabbed two coffee mugs from inside it.

  “Oh. Alpha. I’m sorry, I didn’t think anyone else would be up yet,” Cindy said, like she was scared she had done something wrong.

  “Sorry for what? You haven’t done anything. I just woke up and thought I would get some coffee for Ander and me. So, you’ve really done me a favor. Now I don’t have to wait for it to brew,” Tala said with a smile.

  “Please, Alpha, you go ahead and get yours first. I just remembered; I was supposed to help my mom get ready to leave with the rest of the Timbers.” Cindy turned around and darted out of the door. Tala shrugged aside Cindy’s strange reaction to her presence and fixed two cups of coffee.

  When she walked back into their bed chamber, Ander was still lying in bed. She walked over and sat the mugs down on the table beside him and crawled into bed behind him, wrapping her arm around him and laying her head on his back.

  “Did you bring coffee?” Ander rolled over and opened his arms for Tala to lie in them.

  “I did. I thought you were still asleep.”

  “I woke the moment you left the room.” Ander yawned lazily. They sat up and Tala handed him his cup of coffee and then picked up her own. “The Timbers will be leaving in a little bit; we should get ready so that we can see them off.” They set their coffee mugs on the nightstand and got up.

  “Yes, I definitely want to make sure that I’m there. I should probably say something to them all before they go, do you think?”

  “I think they would like that.” Ander nodded as he searched the chest-of-drawers on his side of the room for clothes.

  “What do you want to do after that?” Tala asked. Ander stood up and raised one of his eyebrows at her. Then he looked at the bed between them. She laughed.

  “We can’t stay in our room all day. I need to get to know the Tundra pack, and we need to start on the new cabins for the Timber pack as soon as possible.” Ander poked his bottom lip out and Tala laughed again.

  “Fine,” Ander huffed, “but if I can’t have you to myself all day in here, I at least want to spend the day with you out there.” He walked over and put his arms around her waist.

  “Oh, so you want me to follow you around like a little puppy dog, is that it?” Tala said flirtatiously.

  “No, I figured it would probably be the other way around,” he laughed and buried his face in the nape of her neck and smelled her. He gave her a soft kiss below her ear before returning to the chest-of-drawers to finish finding his clothes.

  “I guess I’m going to hop in the shower,” Tala said as she gathered her own clothes. She headed toward the bathroom door.

  “Wait for me,” Ander called after her with a devilish grin on his face. Tala looked back at him and decided to make a run for it. He caught up with her before she got to the door.
Ander picked her up and threw across his shoulders and carried her into the bathroom.

  When Tala and Ander emerged from the mountainside, the Timber pack had already assembled their caravan and were waiting to begin the journey back to America. Tala looked around at their expectant faces and wasn’t quite sure what to say to them. She was their leader, she was supposed to have words of wisdom or comfort to offer them at times like this, she thought to herself.

  Seeing her struggle, Ander bent down to her ear and whispered, “Just keep it simple.” Right, Tala thought, simple.

  “Pack,” Tala started, raising her voice loud enough that they could all hear, “I want you to know how glad I am that I found you. How proud I am, to be your Alpha. And how much I’m going to miss you over the next couple of months. Please, do what you need to do. Handle any business you may need to handle, then return to us, because this pack will not be whole again until you do.” The Timbers clapped; some of them whistled and yelled. Then most of them began getting into their vehicles. Tala walked over to Lark and Drew.

  “I’m going to miss you guys,” Tala said. “What am I supposed to do without my best friends around?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Drew commented as he shot a meaningful glance at Ander, who was saying goodbye to some of the elders.

  “Drew!” Tala exclaimed with her mouth hanging open. All three of them laughed. Lark hugged Tala first and then Drew hugged her for several seconds before letting go and walking around the truck to get in on the passenger side.

  “Be careful,” Tala waved at them.

  “We will. We’ll be back before you know it.” Lark said as she hopped into the driver's seat.

  “Tala, honey,” her mom called from behind her. “I’m going, too. Reed and Dawn said they would be happy to drop me off at the airport on their way, so I can catch my flight back to Georgia. I love you. I’m so happy for you both.” She looked back and forth from Tala to Ander and gave each of them a hug.

  “I love you too, Mom. I’m going to miss you.”

  “You know you are welcome here, anytime,” Ander said as he smiled and returned her hug. Tala watched as her mom hopped into the car with the elderly couple.

  Tala backed away from the line of vehicles and Ander came to stand beside her. Liam and Cindy walked over to join them, and several of the Tundra pack had come out to see them off as well. As the caravan began heading out, she waved at each of her pack members as they rode by. She blew kisses to Oakley and her mom as they passed by. Tala felt a surge of sadness at their leaving. She had missed her mom, even more than she had realized and Drew had been by her side for years. This was going to be the longest they had ever been apart. Ander interrupted her train of thought by wrapping one of his arms around her back and kissing her on the forehead.

  “Want to walk down to the lake?” he asked.

  “Sure,” Tala answered, wrapping her arm around Ander’s waist to return his embrace.

  They set off toward the lake and were about halfway there when Ander stopped for a group of kids playing kick ball. Ander let go of her and jumped into the fray with the kids. She watched him run back and forth for a while and then started to look for a place where she could sit down and watch. She noticed a little girl sitting under a tree playing with her dolls all alone. Tala walked over to her.

  “Do you mind if I sit with you to watch the game?” Tala asked the child.

  “Sure, Alpha, you can sit,” the girl answered.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Kelly,” the little girl answered.

  “How old are you, Kelly?”

  “I’m five,” the girl said.

  “Why are you sitting over here all by yourself, Kelly?” Tala asked.

  “They don’t let me play. My brother says I’m too little.”

  “Ah, which one is your brother?”

  “That one,” she said pointing at a young boy in a striped shirt.

  “I see,” Tala answered. “Well, do you want to know something?” The little girl nodded her head. “They used to think that I was little too. They told me that because I was only half wolf, not a whole wolf like you and your brother, that I would be small and weak and that I would never be big and strong. Now, I’m the Alpha. Of two packs!” Tala said, making her eyes wide.

  “That’s pretty cool.”

  “It is pretty cool,” Tala nodded her head. “I think that you’re going to be big and strong too, just like me.” Ander jogged over. He was out of breath when he reached them.

  “Okay, we can head down to the lake now,” Ander said.

  “Okay,” Tala answered, as she stood up and knocked the dirt off her backside. “I hope I get to see you again soon, Kelly.” Tala waved at the small girl before she took Ander’s hand.

  They walked down towards the lake. Ander introduced her to people as they passed by. When they came to the lake, a group of women stood at the shoreline. They were all circled around one woman. Tala watched curiously as the woman leaned down, picked up a rock and skipped it out across the lake in front of them. The rock skipped several times over the water before sinking to the bottom. The crowd of women around her shouted and clapped and hugged the woman who had successfully skipped the rock. Tala looked over at Ander.

  “Okay, what’s that about? All she did was skip a rock. Why are they so happy about it?”

  “It’s a Tundra tradition. Women who are expecting their first child come down and skip a rock out onto our lake. If the rock skips, it’s a boy, if it sinks, it’s a girl.”

  “Then, she’s going to have a boy, right?”

  “Looks like it. It’s not full proof of course, but it is right at least fifty percent of the time,” Ander laughed. Tala nudged him in the ribs with her elbow and smiled back at him. They made their way down to the shoreline, past the group of excitedly chattering women. Ander stopped and introduced her to each of them. The woman who had skipped the rock was Cecilia. Tala smiled politely and congratulated her on the expected bundle.

  Though they had come down a hill to reach the lake, the rest of the land surrounding the lake looked mostly flat with a couple of small hills on the other side. Along the shoreline, all the way around the lake, there was a nice clearing before the trees began. Tala sat down on the ground and Ander joinedher.

  “It’s so peaceful here,” Tala whispered.

  “It is,” Ander nodded, as Tala laid her head to rest on his shoulders. “And we get to live out the rest of our lives here, together.” He leaned back on his hands and kissed Tala’s head.

  “Ander! Hey, Ander!” A voice called. Ander and Tala both turned around to see Ander’s younger brother running towards them.

  “Hey, Colt. What’s up?” Ander got to his feet as Colt slid to a stop in front of the pair of them.

  “Nothing much. I just wanted to make sure that if you went to oversee the new cabins today, that you would take me with you. You promised me I could come, remember?”

  “Did I?” Ander smiled.

  “Hey, Colt.” Tala waved at him. She reached up for Ander’s hand to let him pull her up from the ground.

  “Hey, Sis. I can call you that, right? Or do you want me to call you Alpha?”

  “Colt, of course you can call me Sis.” Tala reached out and put her arm across Colt’s shoulder. Colt smiled and stood up a little straighter. Then he turned his attention back to his big brother.

  “So? Are you going?” Colt asked. Ander looked over at Tala.

  “It’s fine with me. I’m sure I can find something to do with myself, if you want to go take Colt to see the new cabin construction.” Tala said with a smile. She looked around and happened to see Liam walking into the woods on the other side of the lake. “See, there’s Liam, I’ll go catch up with him.”

  “Only if you’re sure.” Ander procrastinated.

  “Of course, I’m sure. Get out of here.” Tala released Colt’s shoulder and ruffled his hair. Then she walked back over to Ander, who bent down
and kissed her gently on the lips.

  “Ugh!” Colt blurted. “Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you gotta kiss everywhere.” Ander smiled and kissed Tala again. Colt rolled his eyes and started to walk off.

  “We shouldn’t be long,” Ander said.

  “It’s okay. Take your time. I’m going to catch up with Liam and see what he’s doing today. I wanted to ask him some things about the mate bond anyway,” Tala replied.

  “Okay, I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Ander! Come on!” Colt said impatiently. Ander followed Colt back up the short incline to the great hall. Tala, on the other hand turned and jogged around the lake until she was close to the spot where Liam had entered the woods, moments before.

  Chapter 4

  “Liam!” Tala called out through the trees in front of her. When she didn’t get an answer, she decided to walk into the woods in search of him. She walked for about ten minutes before calling again. “Liam!”

  “Tala, is that you?” Liam’s voice answered from nearby this time.

  “Yes. Where are you?”

  “Look up.” Tala looked up to find Liam in one of the trees above her.

  “What are you doing up there?” Tala asked.

  “What do you mean?” Liam replied. “What are you doing down there?” Liam laughed and then climbed down the tree to stand beside Tala. “What can I do for you, Alpha?”

  “Well, first, you can stop calling me Alpha. Tala will do just fine.”

  “Tala, we call you Alpha as a sign of respect for your title and rank. It doesn’t make us uncomfortable; it shouldn’t make you uncomfortable.”

  “I just feel like I haven’t done anything to earn that kind of respect,” Tala replied.

  “You have. You defeated Dag in one to one combat, and you defeated Orin with intellectual skill, and now you are the Alpha of not one but two packs that love you. Not to mention the fact that you are the first Alpha that I know of that has taken control of a pack that they weren’t born into or married into. That is something to be respected. Just like the bond that you share with Ander. It is rare and beautiful and powerful. I’ve only known of it one other time in my lifetime. I think it was a red wolf pack’s Alpha and Luna that shared the bond. Somewhere in the eastern U.S.”