“She is here, I can feel her. I stopped by her nanny’s house and that woman is full of worry for my mate. What do you know about what is going on?”
“I do hope sir that this introduction is not a reflection on the raising your mother gave you.” Ira’s response was stiff and unyielding. That the man had not introduced himself meant he either saw himself so above Ira as to no have to bother, or so worried as to not have noticed.
He watched the flush of shame on the man’s face and waited.
“My apologies my good man, I thought, well to tell you the truth I have found thinking rather hard these last few days. My name is Donovan McCabe of the Flanagan. Merry is my mate and she has me fair worried these last few days. Never has she gone so long since we met without sending word or meeting me.”
Donovan saw the involuntary flinch and the eyes widen before the man in front of him gave a startled grunt and began speaking in a hushed tone, but not to him, as if to another he could not see. He watched a shimmer in the air resolve itself into several people who seemed to be having a conversation he could not hear. Not as the wolves spoke, mind to mind, but full on silent argument, mouths moving, hands moving, but not a sound escaped them. Finally the man gestured with his hands and everyone stilled and looked at him.
“My name is Ira and these are members of the staff here at Castle Miranda. Their names are not important to you at this moment, the less you know the less trouble can come to us. You said Flanagan?” at Donovan’s cautious nod Ira continued, “So a shifter, not human, not witch, pure blood?”
“Yes, pure blood. Why the questions? I want my Merry. I don’t have time for these questions. You have her or you don’t. You know where I can find her or you don’t. You will help me or you won’t but I don’t have time for games. Refuse to play your clan games to be honest.”
“You want Merry you will not only play the games, you will learn to master every one. You can’t keep her if you don’t play by clan rules. Although, to tell you the truth you don’t have anything going for you at the moment. Her mother has other plans for her and you quite simply do not figure into those plans. We will help you only if we think it benefits Merry.”
“Benefits Merry? I don’t understand. She is my true-mate, what more benefit do you need?”
The startled looks and the silent conversations began again at the bombshell words. This time Ira’s conversation was just as heated and silent as the others. Donovan was used to silent conversations but not like these. These people appeared to be involved in an intense argument with him at the center of it. He growled. The people in the room gave him barely a glance but from the expressions and the gestures used the conversation increased in intensity.
“What the bloody hell are ye saying. I can not follow you.” Donovan growled and this time conversation stopped as all eyes turned first toward Ira before resting on him. As one six of the people turned and left the room leaving Ira and one other behind. The female sidled up to Ira and rested her hand on his arm and stared at Donovan before nodding her head and also leaving the room.
Before Donovan could say anything Ira gestured him to sit down again. After both men had returned to their seats Ira looked at the ceiling before returning his gaze to Donovan.
“We have waited for nigh on six months to meet the man we suspected Merry of seeing. The ones you saw here are loyal to Merry and not to her mother, or at least, not as we are to Merry. You see, we raised her and because of our feelings for her we would rather see her happy than see the clan increase in power. Make no mistake about the situation it is grave. We did not know she was seeing a shifter, she never said. She has kept quiet about you. We know her though, we watched her and we knew somewhere out there was a man filling her with happiness. You will not get the blessing of the clan for your match. Too much rests on Merry for this to go well. What you do have is the blessing of the ones most loyal to Merry. We are not much when it comes to power though. You will have to win over her Uncle Nathaniel. That will not be easy.”
“Wait, did you not hear what I said? She is my true-mate! That is not a negotiable thing. Yes, I would like the blessing of her mother for our mating but I do not need the blessing of any to claim my mate.”
“You do not understand what you have wrought with what you ask. Has Merry not explained how the clans work to you? Do you not understand her role?”
“Her role? What role could she have that would prevent her from becoming my mate? Anytime these last few months she could have said yes, yet she waits for her mother. Why does she wait so when she has assured me her mother loves her beyond measure. I want my mate, my wolf wants our mate and we will not leave here without her.”
“Oh foolish wolf, have you no understanding at all? Even with my weak powers I could end you where you sit. That I don’t speaks volumes of my love for Merry. You seek the devil in her lair by coming here alone. Were you to bring your entire pack you could not stand against this castle. But much have we learned these last ten days and much are we willing to risk for Merry. Not for you. Never mistake our concern for Merry with care for you or your pack. The events that have occurred these last few days have opened eyes and turned hearts but yet we can not trust all who come to us. So your allies here are only who you saw though in truth they may be of greater number. You will leave here without Merry and we will send her to you. But if you try to stand against the ones here you will lose. Consider carefully before you proceed. Merry herself must be the one to tell you of the events. I can not, I will not.”
Donovan shook his head. “I will not leave here without her. I can not. You do not understand the love of a shifter for his mate. We will protect them until death and everything I have in me demands I protect her. I can not do that without her. You ask more than I can do.”
“I ask not more, but all that you can do. We are not ignorant of your ways, of your kind. Until you spoke the words of a true-mating you did not have the allies here you needed. We know your kind. The magical bond is never, has never been wrong. Without you Merry will never find love and happiness though she has no wolf to demand of her to chase you. But what your bonding would bring to her is danger to the clans. More will care of their future than will ever care of Merry’s happiness. I tell you true, if you want her, you have to leave here to get her. We will send her to you, but you must allow us the time. We can not go against all that we are for one, not without plans in place first. Will you trust us, for Merry?”
“I can not man, you do not understand.”
“Then you will die. And Merry will be without her mate. Choose.” Ira stared at Donovan.
“You give your word you will send her to me, unharmed? But you say not when. How can I leave when I feel her to be in danger?”
Ira shrugged, “Choose.”
“Fine. Damn you man. I leave and you send her to me, I stay and I die. Is no choice at all. I will leave, if I don’t have her in two days I will return and I will destroy this castle if I have to in order to get her. So you choose now, send her to me, or be destroyed.”
“Foolish wolf. Think carefully before you think to threaten those who would aid you. You will get your mate, but you will have to give up much in return. Now you should leave before others begin to question that which we have no answers to give. Come, I will see you on your way. Be patient for much depends upon you now.”
“Just leave? Wait, stop, you want me to just leave? Now? I haven’t even seen Merry.” But the words seemed to have a hollow sound to them and Donovan wondered as they walked past a maid why she didn’t seem to notice him. He cursed silently then as the realization struck him of what Ira had done. Invisible and silent to others, they passed through the halls until they were once again at the servant’s entrance.
“Go now and keep your head. Watch for the one you seek and she will come. Until we meet again fair travels.” Ira closed the door and for a moment he sagged against it. He was not sure if the wolf would listen, he didn’t know if the wolf would leave, but much
depended on the man doing as he was told and Ira got the feeling the man didn’t often take orders from anyone. As he passed down the hall again he met Jolene who smiled a bright and happy smile. At least that part of the plan had gone without a hitch, though what Miranda would do when she found her daughter gone from a sealed room was anyone’s guess. Panic beat at his chest at the thought of the actions being traced back to his wife and he hoped the pair could get Nathaniel on their side.
It was some hours before the escape became known and the fallout from the event rocked the castle. But the seven co-conspirators kept their heads down and prayed to their goddess for safety and strength and waited for word.
Chapter Seven
The small figure darted out in front of the carriage causing the horses to rear. They had been problematic since he picked them up at the old woman’s cottage but he had calmed them down. He started to curse at the figure in front of him until he felt his wolf’s joy. He fought to bring the horses back under his control so he could jump down and grab the woman. He had no idea what Merry was doing outside the castle and he could not find it in himself to care. The only thing he wanted was to pick her up and place her in the carriage and whisk her to his pack. There he would have Seamus perform the bonding ceremony and he and his wolf would breath easier.
Before he got the horses calmed down she was scrambling to get in the carriage. He grabbed her hand and lifted her up and onto his lap where he proceeded to kiss her silly. Or at least, he tried. She was too busy scrambling over him to sit while screaming at him to go go go. As soon as he had her secure on the seat beside him he gave the horses their head. Freed from his restriction the horses picked up speed and soon the pair were out of sight of the small house located down the lane from the castle. The castle towers could still be seen though so when he tried to stop the carriage Merry screamed at him again. The horses reared but he soon brought them under control again. He decided he should probably keep going until he reached pack territory and could find out more of what was going on.
He had trusted that he had been told the truth by the servants about sending Merry to him, but they had neglected to mention Merry would try to get herself run over by him. He did not know if this was their version of sending Merry to him or if she had found him on her own. She wasn’t talking, not yet. All she did was sit on the seat beside him and rub his arm while tears trickled down her cheek. As they came within sight of his village she motioned toward Seamus’ house and whispered, “There, I need to see your Alpha.” She turned her head and looked at him, “You know I love you with everything in me. Thank you for saving me.”
Donovan felt a sick feeling invade him as he tried to reason what she meant. Her worry and fear was causing his wolf to claw at him. Helping her down from the carriage he led her inside. After they had greeted Seamus and Aileen Merry told her tale of the events of the last few days. How being locked in her room and presumed sick had bought her some time as the McGregor clan had gone home but would be returning in a few days for the engagement party. As she told her tale more and more shifters drifted into the house. By the time she was done his wolf was raging and he struggled to maintain control. As he turned to his Alpha all he could manage through gritted teeth was “Bond us.”
His wolf ceased clawing at him as the words washed over him binding his life to his mate’s and hers to his. Startled gasps echoed around the room as his wolf rose. The others watched in amazement to see his wolf turn from the black shadow everyone expected into a copper wolf which then divided with one attaching to Merry. Donovan could feel the awe in the room as the two copper wolves twined together in the bond becoming one again before drifting back into the pair. He felt the fiery touch of the magic, unexpected from the stories he had been told over the years. He turned toward Seamus in confusion but the gaping mouth told him Seamus was as surprised to see what happened as he.
He heard someone mutter “His eyes, what happened to his eyes.” When he looked down into Merry’s eyes he saw the flames burning in her eyes and wondered what his eyes looked like. He did not get a chance to ask anyone before Seamus ordered everyone from the house.
“Well lad, I don’t know what you have gotten yourself into but the mating was true. I think it is one thing to expect something to happen yet another to see it. That was a sight we will tell our grandchildren for centuries to come. The flames in your eyes were unexpected though and I would be thankful if your little mate can explain. Our tales told not of such a thing.”
Seamus and Aileen turned to look at Merry but all her attention was on Donovan. The happiness radiating from the two could be felt a considerable distance from the house. Aileen looked at her mate and shrugged her shoulders before she whispered, “What now my dear?”
“Donovan! Give me your attention now. Merry, you also. I would have your oath now unless you have reason to turn away from this pack. Your oath and we call your wolf forth binding the two of you through eternity, or until you die, which we hope comes first. I would hate to know we all would die while the two of you live forever. That would truly be a terrible fate. Come now.”
Donovan gave a start of surprise and looked at the other two in the room as if seeing them for the first time. A flush washed across his face and Merry turned her face into his shoulder. His surprise turned to shock as he heard his mate in his head for the first time.
I can’t get naked in front of everyone. Tis most immodest. Oh my, what will everyone think?
Aileen giggled so Donovan turned his glare toward her and saw a face full of suppressed mirth. “Your mate tis very loud. Merry dear, we don’t, oh dear, how shall I explain? Merry, look at me.” When she saw she had the newest shifter’s attention she smiled, “We don’t see naked as you do. Would you look at a wolf and think, she has no clothes on? No, and neither would we look at you and think such a thing. Immodesty is for humans, and I suppose witches. When your only form is the human form you have more reason to keep yourself covered I suppose. But to us, your greatest form is not this one you wear now. The most beautiful form you have is your wolf. And well, I can not speak for the rest of the pack but I would love to see the color of your wolf in your natural form. Does the wolf stay copper? Are you another color and copper the color of the mating bond?”
This time it was Seamus who laughed, “Nae love, I am certain you speak for the entire pack.” He smiled down at his mate before turning back to Merry, “We can not care less the form in which you hold when you are not in your wolf, but the wolf, everyone in the pack is eagerly waiting to see her. Forgive us our laughter but you see, no one in the pack has ever mated someone not born a shifter. Your modesty took us by surprise. Tis not something we had ever thought on and the realization you could have a problem never occurred to us. And, you are so very loud in your speech, you will need to work with your mate to keep your thoughts quieter and maybe a bit more, private. Nae lass, no need for shame here, we are your family. Mayhap we both have much to learn but we will learn together as a family should. Now, lift your head up. Tis no shame in you, not for what is natural and right. Come, if you must Aileen will take you into another room and allow you to change and,” Seamus looked at Aileen a bit frantically and shrugged. Modesty was beyond him and he had no idea what they should do next.
With a snort Aileen stood up, “Come, we will get you out of that,” she shuddered and waved her hands at the massive amount of clothing worn by Merry, “you can tell me how you could wear so much and still breathe and we will get you a blanket to wrap around you after so you might be covered as you change. Come, your mate will be here when we return.”
“Wait, your oath first.” Seamus walked her through the oath. As the air shimmered with the power of the oath his eyebrows shot up and he looked at Donovan and then Aileen. The power behind the oath had never caused the air to shimmer. Oaths were felt but never seen. He could not help but wonder what Donovan had brought into his pack. The old ones spoke of rare magic and danger and he worried the danger would come from w
ithin the pack after seeing the display.
***
The three stared in awe at the copper colored wolf in front of them. Seamus had to forbid Donovan to shift. He feared if he allowed it the wolf would take off with his mate and who knew how long it would be before they returned. Instead Seamus demanded he stay in human form as they introduced the newest pack member to the rest of the pack. When they exited the house the entire pack was standing around waiting, news had traveled fast and the mental comment by Merry had been heard by all. Donovan had given her a quick lesson on how to think her thoughts only to him rather than broadcasting them across the pack and now she kept up a worried mental conversation with him.
The murmurs rose as the pack took in the sight of the newest member. None had ever seen such a color in a wolf before and it was some time before the pack drifted away to their homes and left the four alone again. After Merry had shifted back and the four had settled in to talk Merry confessed the shimmer of power everyone was still feeling was not coming from her but rather from her clan power. She kept casting worried glances around as she explained how her mother would have felt the bonding of her daughter and would not be happy. Donovan told her what Ira had said they must do as far as going to see her uncle and the worry surrounding her eased somewhat as she agreed.
“Aye, best you do as your allied clan members think best in this case. We know little of witches and their ways. Gather your allies and figure out the plan you need to keep peace with your people then return here to us and we will speak more on what has happened and what will be.” Seamus led the pair to the waiting carriage and watched as they disappeared down the lane.
The pair made their departure from the pack territory and Merry gave directions to Nathaniel’s house. The closer they got the more worry Donovan could feel drifting from his mate. By the time they arrived at the small house he could see the tremors wracking her small frame and he wondered if he would not have done better to take his mate and disappear instead of trying to bring the two families together.
Miranda Page 3