The Alpha's Daughter

by Jane B. Night

  It did make her heart ache a bit that since she was now a Crake she would one day also be buried in the Crake family cemetery instead of near her twin brother. She realized she had mourned his loss much less since her marriage to Walter but she didn't want to think on it too much. It made sense for a woman to leave her family and become part of her husband's family.

  The graves were marked by crosses and laid west to east. Some of the crosses had names on them but many were too aged to read. She followed Walter and the children to where the newest graves were.

  "My father," Walter said indicating a grave that was covered in large stones. Miriam stepped forward and put several flowers on the stones. They were dark colored blues, browns, and greens.

  "My mother," Jonathan said a moment later indicating a grave that was also covered in stones though it was piled less high.

  The children rushed forward covering the grave with bright colored flowers in yellows, oranges, reds, lavender, and azure.

  "What was your mother like?" Tamsin asked. Her father hated speaking of her brother but she found it gave her comfort. She didn't want to forget him.

  "She was beautiful," Jonathan said.

  "Though not quite so much as you," Joseph said quietly.

  "No, not quite as beautiful as you," Jonathan conceded.

  "She was kind," Rachel said.

  "And she loved to sing," Miriam said.

  "What did she sing?" Tamsin asked gently.

  "Mostly lullabies to help us sleep," Aaron said.

  "Do you know any lullabies?" Naomi asked looking up at Tamsin.

  "I do and perhaps at night before you go to bed I can sing some to you," Tamsin said.

  "And maybe I can teach you some of the ones that my mama sang," Rachel said.

  "I would love to learn those songs," Tamsin said. She was pleased to see Rachel's smile.

  It might not be much in the way of progress but at least there was some.

  Chapter 21

  Walter walked into Edward's study and took a seat across from him. His brother was looking over two letters. Both must have arrived that day.

  "Wolstenholme?" Walter asked seeing the broken seal on the first.

  "The other is from King Henry," Edward said.

  "Will Wolstenholme sanction the marriage?" Walter asked. He had been waiting for three weeks for news of Wolstenholme's response to the marriage of his only daughter.

  "He is not pleased but he will not interfere," Edward said.

  "I am a poor substitute for the King of England but I do not think Tamsin would have ever seduced Henry to the point of marriage. She is too innocent. She does not have the feminine wiles of the other women at court," Walter said. Henry might have enjoyed her innocence in bed but only a woman as crafty as Queen Anne could make the king put aside his wife for another woman. Anne was cunning. Tamsin was not. He doubted she had it in her to usurp a throne.

  "Wolstenholme will send Tamsin's mother and a few female representatives of their pack for the wedding," Edward said.

  "I suppose that is not as much of an insult as if he had sent no one at all," Walter said. If the marriage had been properly arranged than Wolstenholme and most, if not all, of his pack would have attended.

  "Your wife sent a letter to her mother describing your children. It seems Wolstenholme wishes to take one of your daughters to wife his son once he is old enough. He wants the Crake and Wolstenholme packs properly joined, " Edward said.

  Walter wanted to protest. Tamsin's family had sent her away to Hampton Court. If her blood did not care for her more than that he did not want them caring for his child but he held his tongue. It was up to Edward to arrange marriages for Walter's daughters which were in the best interest of the pack.

  "Does the letter indicate when they will be arriving?" Walter asked.

  "Next month. They will join us for the moon," Edward said.

  "Did you warn Wolstenholme of the dangers we are looking into?" Walter asked. He wondered if a pack leader as powerful as Wolstenholme would have information about the marceffynol that a small pack like the Crake's had failed to gather.

  "I did, though he was silent on that front," Edward said. Walter thought his brother looked as disappointed as he was.

  Edward folded the first letter and set it aside. Then, he picked up the second and broke the royal seal. Walter sat in silence as he watched his brother read. When he was through Edward folded that letter and set it aside as well.

  "It seems Henry did not notice the missing maid or at least did not draw a correlation between your departures. He is grateful that such a serious threat was brought to me instead of to his guards who are inept at handling it. He finds the replacements I sent begrudgingly acceptable though he would prefer my own brother to have remained there. His only solace was that you might be instrumental in helping to quell the threat at its origin point," Edward said. Walter nodded, feeling relieved. Running away had not done damage to the pack's reputation with the king. There would be no ramifications from his rash marriage, at least not yet.

  "What would you have me do?" Walter asked. If his brother needed him to return to court to appease King Henry he would, though it would break his heart to leave his bride and children again so soon. Still, there was a very real threat and at the moment Walter was neither hunting the marceffynol nor guarding King Henry.

  "I suppose you should start planning your wedding," Edward said as a smile crept onto his lips.

  ***

  Tamsin was embroidering when Jonathan knocked on the door. He was there to deliver a letter. He handed it to her with a shy smile.

  "Should I send for the nurse to take the children so that you can read in peace?" Jonathan asked.

  Bess and Naomi were at her feet playing some game that she did not fully understand with a worn blanket.

  Her heart did a flip when she saw that the letter was addressed in her mother's flowing hand.

  "There is no need but thank you," she said to Jonathan. She was actually quite glad to have the company of her new daughters.

  "Uncle Edward got a letter as well. Do you think it is from your father?"

  "That is most likely," Tamsin said.

  "Was it a letter saying if you could stay and be our mother?" Jonathan asked.

  "I suppose that it is," Tamsin said though she knew that there was little her father could do from a legal standpoint to end her marriage should he wish to do so. She was a grown woman who had promised herself in marriage. His only recourse would be as the alpha of a wolf pack.

  "I like having a mother again," Naomi said.

  "I am happy to be your mother," Tamsin said and it was true.

  "My mama," Bess said.

  "Yes, I am your mama now," Tamsin agreed with a smile.

  "If your father says you cannot stay will Uncle Edward have to fight him?" Jonathan asked.

  "I am sure that he said I can stay," Tamsin said though she was not truly sure of any such thing.

  "He better. If my uncle will not fight I will. I cannot do it now since the pack is not mine and it is not my place but once I am a pack alpha I will come and rescue you and bring you back to us," Jonathan said. She could tell from his thoughtful expression that he was serious. He was a boy who was nearly a man and didn't need much in the way of mothering so she could only guess he saw the impact she had on the smaller children. Jonathan was much like his father in his concern for others.

  "That is quite gallant of you but I believe that all will be well," Tamsin said giving him a reassuring smile. He nodded though gravely and left her to the letter which she opened eagerly.

  Dear Thomasina,

  I cannot say that I am happy with the choices you have made but I have convinced your father to be understanding of them. A husband of the Crake pack is better than no husband at all I have assured him. We have never had any marriages between the packs but your father has heard that the Crakes are gaining political importance due to saving the life of the king. Still, they are a newe
r pack than ours and with less power and prestige. We could have surely found a Duke for you or at the least a Count if you had not decided to take these matters into your own hands. I do hope you have married for love since only love can allow a woman to abide such a change in fortune.

  I have convinced your father that it is in our best interest to elevate the Crake pack as much as is within our power. If the pack leader ever sires a daughter she will be married to Tobias. Otherwise, it will be one of your step-children. Tobias has many years before he will be ready to marry so there is time to see what the alpha can produce. Still, the sister of an alpha, or more rightly the alpha heir, is only slightly less than the daughter of an alpha. I look forward to meeting my future daughter when I attend your wedding.

  Your father and brother will be unable to attend but your aunts by blood and by marriage will be in attendance as well as many of your female cousins.

  May God Bless and Keep you,

  Your Loving Mother

  "What does it say?" Naomi asked as Tamsin closed the letter.

  "My father has given his blessing for the marriage and my mother and some of my relatives will be coming to witness the marriage before the packs," Tamsin said.

  "We will get to meet our grandmother?" Naomi asked.

  "Yes," Tamsin said with a smile.

  "I have never had a grandmother," Naomi said.

  "Everyone has two grandmothers," Tamsin reminded.

  "My grandmother's both died before I was born," Naomi corrected.

  "I was very small when mine died," Tamsin said.

  "Will I meet my new grandfather as well?" Naomi asked.

  "Sadly, he and my brother will be unable to attend," Tamsin said. She looked away from Naomi hoping the child would not see the hurt in her eyes. If Thomas had been alive he would have attended. She knew he would have. He would have insisted their father attend as well. Tobias was still a young man and he was not as strong and stubborn as Thomas had been. Because of the age difference Tobias had never grown close to Tamsin and so may not have even raised an eyebrow when his father shared his plans to avoid the wedding.

  One other element of the letter troubled her. She understood why her father wished to have one of Walter's daughters marry Tobias. As Tamsin was not a she-wolf her marriage would not truly create a bond between packs. If the sister of the Crake Alpha married the Wolstenholme alpha it would unite the packs together.

  Still, she wondered which girl her brother might marry. He was closest in age to Rachel but werewolf men usually married younger females. It took time to learn all an alpha needed and his wife should be young and strong enough to give pups to the pack. There were many marriages where ten or fifteen years of age separated husband and wife. That would mean that the most likely female to marry her brother would be either Naomi or Bess.

  She let herself watch her new daughters for a moment before returning to her sewing. Both girls were too young. Marriage to Tobias was so far off. There was no need to think on it at that moment. By the time that Naomi and Bess were ready to bring pups into a pack Tobias might be the Wolstenholme alpha and if he was he might decide to choose his own bride from among women he was more familiar with.

  Aside from all the less pleasing news Tamsin found herself eager to see her mother. She had missed her at Hampton Court but now that she was a mother herself she desperately wished for the love and council that only her own mother could provide.

  Chapter 22

  The change in the air made Walter's skin tingle.

  "Are you sure you will be alright?" he asked Tamsin as they stood outside of the church waiting for the pack to finish their preparations.

  "This is not my first full moon alone," Tamsin said.

  "No, but it is your first full moon as a Crake," Walter said. In his heart he believed she could handle anything that happened but that didn't stop the feelings of protectiveness from chiding him for leaving her. She smelled of wolf. She could have safely joined the pack if Edward had only allowed it. His brother was firm. She would stay home with the children where she was most needed.

  "Grace will be here to help," Walter said. She had been the non-werewolf nurse of his children since Jonathan was born. He did trust her completely. In all the moons before this one he had left his children with her. This one should feel no different except that he was leaving Tamsin behind as well.

  "Have you noticed how Aaron has been acting?" Tamsin asked. Walter glanced at his son. He hadn't seemed any different to him but perhaps Walter hadn't been paying as much attention as he should to the boy.

  "I have not," Walter confessed.

  "Do not be surprised if he joins you for the next moon," Tamsin said softly.

  Walter groaned. His son's first moon was not an ideal time for Tamsin's first full moon alone with his children.

  "Is there a room prepared for it?" she asked softly.

  "Grace will show you. If it becomes necessary," Walter said. He hoped it wouldn't be.

  "I love you. You will be safe?" Tamsin asked.

  "We will. Grace knows how to send word if we are needed," Walter said.

  "I will see you in three days," Tamsin said. She leaned forward and kissed him. He wanted to tell her that three days was too long but he didn't.

  "By the next moon you will be my wife in the eyes of the pack," Walter said softly.

  "And you will have met my mother," Tamsin said with a smile.

  While he missed her he would think of that.

  He reached out and took her hand but no sooner had their fingers touched then Edward called for the pack to assemble. Walter loathed letting Tamsin go but he knew there was no choice. He released her hand though he tried to hold on to the feeling of its warmth. With a final glance backwards Walter took his place behind Jonathan and beside Rachel. Edward was before them along with Margaret. If Tamsin was a wolf she would have stood next to him as well.

  The formation would break as they moved with members of the pack falling behind or rushing ahead to talk to neighbors but the formation was the way that the moon treks started and ended.

  They started forward and Walter took one last longing look back at Tamsin before he followed his alpha forward.

  "Do you think we will see a marceffynol this moon?" Jonathan asked when they had barely left Crake land.

  "Let us hope not," Walter said trying not to remember the horror of their last encounter.

  "Uncle sent Adney and two others away as scouts," Jonathan said. Walter winced. He hoped his pack brothers fared better than he had if they were overtaken by the monsters.

  "We must learn more before we decide what to do," Edward said softly. Walter hadn't even realized his brother had been listening.

  "That is wise," Walter said.

  "Or foolish. Part of me wanted to move forward with the information we had. I thought to take the whole pack hunting them," Edward said.

  "That is what father would have done," Walter said.

  "And that thought is why I refrained. I do fear that a confrontation will be unavoidable," Edward said.

  "That is likely," Walter conceded.

  "Naturally, I wanted to avoid ruining your wedding if possible," Edward said with a grin.

  "How thoughtful," Walter said. He didn't want to think about anything but Tamsin and the wedding. He didn't want to think about fighting the marceffynol again. He certainly didn't want to think about the danger that would put them all in. A werewolf pack could easily destroy one marceffynol but they had yet to determine if they were dealing with one rogue centaur that had been poisoned or if there was a more sinister plan at work.

  ***

  Tamsin looked at the dusky sky and sighed. The moon would be out in another hour. After supper she retired to her room to reread her mother's letter and work on her needlepoint. Bess and Naomi had come with her but both children had been fussy and irritable. She wasn't sure if it was the moon pulling their inner wolves or merely the fact that their father was gone.

  Sudde
nly, there was a clatter from down the stairs. Tamsin rushed towards the commotion to find out what was happening.

  She found Grace kneeling beside Aaron who was wide eyed on the floor.

  "There now. We need to get you to the safe room," Grace soothed.

  "But I am afraid," Aaron wailed.

  "No need to be. Every wolf goes through it," Grace said. Tamsin could tell this was not her first time having a werewolf child turn.

  "I want my father!" Aaron cried.

  "Your father is with the pack," Grace said patiently.

  "I want him!" Aaron repeated.

  "When he returns," Grace said.

  Tamsin could see the skin on Aaron's arms ripple. They needed to get him somewhere he would be safe.

  "I want my father!" Aaron cried. This time his voice was a growl. He lunged at Grace but she caught him expertly locking her arms around his chest. She was a small woman but clearly strong.

  Tamsin rushed forward and grabbed his legs yanking him off the ground. Together they got him to the room and locked the door.

  Aaron cried and whimpered from the other side.

  "Perhaps I should stay with him," Tamsin said.

  "You will not want to witness this," Grace whispered.

  "I have seen it before. I was too young to understand what was happening then. I know now," she said.

  "The boy is safe enough," Grace said. Tamsin knew that was true. Werewolf packs were well prepared for a wolf's first moon. Everything in the room with Aaron would be designed not to injure him no matter what fit he threw.

  "Will you put the others to bed and bring me my needlework?" Tamsin asked. She slid down the wall to sit by the door.

  Grace shook her head but disappeared down the hallway.

  "I want my father!" Aaron yelled again.

  "I know you do but I can not give him to you. All you have is me tonight. I will have to do," Tamsin said.