He frowned. “Sounds like the wolf wouldn’t care for that.”
“I’ve heard that the wolves will never feel truly content, but they will settle into the mating eventually. I think,” she paused for only a moment, “I think that I would have done that if someone had actually wanted me. I would have settled into a mating that wasn’t right for me just because I thought it was what I needed. It scares me to think about what might have been, what I would have lost out on.”
“I could have accepted one of the females my mother sent for me and settled, too. In a way I’m grateful that she pushed me so often because it made me willing to take my future into my own hands.”
“Why didn’t you spell for me when you turned twenty-five?”
“I was so wrapped up in being the best soldier I could be, following in my dad’s footsteps, that I didn’t think I had time for a mating. I didn’t care about my personal life. I just wanted my career to be as amazing as my dad’s. He reminded me that the only way I could get my mom to stop trying to choose my mate was to spell for her myself. I felt like I needed to wait until the full moon to do it. I don’t know why.”
“Maybe your wolf knew I would need you.”
“If I hadn’t waited, though, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
She smiled, and it made his heart clench. “I’ve already forgotten everything but waking up to your gorgeous face.”
A blush crept into his cheeks and she chuckled at his embarrassment. It pleased him that his mate thought he was handsome, but he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of such praise. He had accolades for his skill in battle, but somehow, knowing that she liked how he looked made all that seem unimportant.
After he had covered every bit of her creamy skin with the oil, they made love on their towels on the grass and then ate the meal he had brought in front of the fire stones. As the sky darkened outside the cave, they made love again on the bed and drifted off to sleep, secure in each other’s arms.
In the morning, Lindy straightened outside the cave and looked wistfully back inside. “I really loved being here, Crimson. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
He felt a pang of sadness at leaving, too. He’d never felt closer to another person than he did to Lindy, and being in the cave’s seclusion, he could see why his ancestors had chosen this method of seduction. He’d been wanting to seduce her, but she’d ended up seducing him thoroughly, too. He couldn’t imagine ever being apart from her.
He left the protection spell off the cavern and flew them home. To leave the cave protected when he had no idea when they would use it again was a foolish waste of power. The torches and fire stones were out, and the grass and bed would eventually wither and die unless a blosomfae like Riyad came to tend to things. He didn’t think Riyad would, although he was sure his friend was more of a romantic than he wanted people to believe. While Crimson had grown tired of being a player, Riyad was enjoying himself, and it wasn’t for Crimson to say otherwise.
He took Lindy to lunch at the tavern in the glen and introduced her to some of the males who he fought beside. They sat at a small table and both ate warfarers pie filled with roasted grent and vegetables.
Bront came up and clapped him on the shoulder. “Heard about your mate, Captain, very happy for ya.”
“Thank you, Bront.” Crimson introduced Lindy to the large male.
Bront said with a wink, “I hope you’re planning to retire from the infantry; it’d be a shame to leave such a pretty mate at home.”
Crimson grimaced when he saw Lindy look at Bront in confusion.
“Retire?”
Bront raised his brows and then said, “Oh, sorry, I thought you knew, miss. Mated males are allowed to step down from the infantry and take less dangerous jobs.” He ducked his head, glancing at Crimson in apology, and left quickly.
“I don’t understand. You’re a warrior. Why wouldn’t they want you to still be a warrior?”
“Well…” He poked at the vegetables swimming in the gravy and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to be in the infantry, chelle, it’s just that it’s a choice that all newly mated males have to make. I told my commander that I wanted to talk to you about it first before I made any decisions. The front lines are dangerous. Before we met, I went up against a huge bird that killed many of my men in a rampage. I’ve been shot, stabbed, burned, and had a wizard try to kill me with lightning. Mated males have a responsibility first to their mates and children and then in service to their realm. If I stepped down, I’d still be part of the military but in a safer role as a realm guard or possibly a trainer of new recruits.”
“Is that what you want?” She looked genuinely curious.
“I knew that when I found my mate my life would change. I don’t want to put myself in harm’s way when I have you and our future children to take care of.”
He explained that realm guards patrolled the streets and borders of the glens, calling in the military when required and handling small issues as they pertained to the safety of the people.
“Is that what you want?” she said.
He raised a brow. “You already asked me that.”
“I know, but you didn’t answer. Would you be happy as a realm guard? Is that what you want to do for the rest of your life?”
He rolled the question around in his mind and said, “As long as I have you to come home to, I don’t really care what my job is. I wouldn’t mind patrolling. It’s really no different than police in your realm, and being a trainer is an important job, to help shape the future military.”
“What if we don’t end up staying here in your realm?”
He ate his last bite of pie and put his fork down, reaching across the table to lace his fingers with hers. “Wherever we go, I’ll feel the same, chelle.”
When they returned home, they tumbled into bed for the rest of the afternoon then showered and dressed for dinner. As he expected, she looked incredible in the teal dress he bought for her. Her silky blonde hair hung down her back like a curtain made of gold, and her blue eyes sparkled with happiness.
His father had said he would send a carriage for them, so he was not surprised to see the carriage already waiting for them when he opened the front door to usher Lindy outside. His parents’ driver, Laud, stood next to the black carriage and bowed slightly. “It is good to see you again, sir.”
“And you, Laud. This is Lindy, my mate.”
Lindy greeted Laud, and then Crimson lifted her into the carriage and sat down next to her on the plush bench. With a flick of his wrist, Laud sent the narrow whip into the flanks of his father’s ruby-colored stallion, and the carriage pulled away from his home. Lindy was fascinated by the lack of modern things within the realm, and it wasn’t the first time that his conscience had panged at how different things would be for her if they chose to live in the Fae Realm. Would she really be happy here, without cars and television and easy contact with her friends and family? Wolves were social creatures by nature — he knew that because he was one — but he wasn’t part of a pack because he was the only wulfen around. He’d never really thought about how lonely that made him feel because he’d been caught up in being the best warrior he could be. He mostly ignored his wolf, except for the full moons when he was forced to shift and hunt or when it benefited him to use his extra senses. He wondered what it would be like to really belong to a pack.
“…is just awesome.”
He shook himself from his thoughts when Lindy squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry, chelle, what did you say?”
“I said the realm is just awesome. I had no idea there was even another realm, and I’m actually here with you. My mate.” She smiled at him, and it was the smile he loved the best. The one that made her eyes crinkle with happiness.
He kissed her temple. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
Laud stopped the carriage, and Crimson stepped out of the carriage and helped Lindy down onto the cobblestone walkway in front of his parents’ home. His father had built the grand
home for his mother, the sprawling stone building a testament to their station.
Lindy peeked up at Crimson and whispered, “I like your house.”
“It’s yours now, sweetness.”
The front door was opened by Juli, the house servant, who bowed deeply as they walked by. “Master is in the kitchen, sir.”
“Thank you, Juli.” He held Lindy’s hand and led her into the house. “My dad isn’t much for pomp and circumstance. He’s probably eating out of the pot, which would drive my mom batty if she were here.”
“Which is why I don’t do it when she’s home,” his dad said, turning from the stove with a spoon full of chopped vegetables that he ate quickly. He put the spoon down on the marble counter and wiped his hands on his trousers. His dad embraced him tightly, patting his back, and then said, “And this must be your mate, Lindy. How lovely you are.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Sir? Are you mad? Call me Dad.”
“All right,” Lindy laughed, “Dad.”
“That’s better. You’re truemates, and that means we’re family. No pretense here.”
They ate at the table in the kitchen, and his dad regaled Lindy with tales of his exploits in various wars and some of Crimson’s funnier and more embarrassing childhood stories. After dinner, they had café, which Lindy said was like cappuccino, on the lanai and talked. He left Lindy out to star gaze and called his dad back into the kitchen, sharing with him that he wanted to mate Lindy according to the old ways.
His dad rubbed his stubble with two fingers. “It’s not been done that way in decades, son. It would be good for the glen to see such a union. When would you like to do it?”
“We only have four more days here before we go back to spend a week in her realm. I’d like to have her as my wife before we go back to the Mortal Realm.”
His dad’s brows rose. “That’s pretty quick. And your mother will have to come home early from her spa trip.” With a thoughtful look, he called Laud and Juli into the kitchen, and they returned quickly. Clapping Crimson on the shoulder, he said, “My son is going to mate his bride according to the old ways during sunset in two days. Gather servants from the guild and make sure every available hand is working to make this the most memorable mating our glen has ever seen.”
“Mom will like that,” Crimson said as the two servants hurried away to begin preparations.
“Yes, she will like the spectacle of the thing, but it’s not really about her or me. It’s about you respecting your bride enough to vow yourself to her according to the old ways. With blood and iron and fire.”
Nodding, Crimson felt the sting of tears but fought them back. Then he asked the question that had been on his mind since he had spoken to his commander. “Dad, will you be disappointed if I step down from the infantry?”
The shock on his dad’s face told him that the question was completely unexpected. “Why on earth would I be disappointed?”
He fidgeted under his dad’s concerned gaze. “Because I’m not going to live up to your name.”
“Oh good night, Crimson! Are you serious? I never expected you to do everything that I did. Hell, if I could go back and do my life over, I would have stepped down from the infantry and spent more time at home.” He pressed his hands into Crimson’s shoulders and stared straight into his eyes. “I couldn’t be more proud of you than I am right at this moment. You’ve had a wonderful career so far. Finding Lindy isn’t the end of your life; it’s just the beginning. I have no doubt that you’ll continue to impress me and everyone else. Besides, you might find yourself living in the Mortal Realm with your sweet she-wolf, and then the military is definitely out of the picture. You’re leading with your heart, Crimson. A father couldn’t ask for more than that.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Crimson spoke the words on a whisper, afraid he was going to lose it and cry. He’d been worried that his dad would be disappointed in his choices, but he shouldn’t have. His dad had always been his biggest supporter.
“The moment the healer put you in my arms when you were born, you became the son of my heart. My pride for you knows no bounds.”
With a tight hug, his dad smiled at him and left him in the kitchen alone to gather his thoughts while he went out to visit with Lindy. Crimson joined them several moments later, enjoying how easily Lindy fit into his life. Eventually, she couldn’t hide her yawns from him, and it was time to head home. Laud drove them, and Lindy fell asleep against Crimson’s shoulder. After saying goodbye to Laud, he carried Lindy into his home — their home — and put her to bed.
He had a lot to do in the next two days, but the work was worth it because of Lindy. She was worth everything to him.
Chapter 15
The following morning, Lindy and Crimson were enjoying breakfast when a woman’s voice called from outside.
“Crimson Ta’rek! You invited me to your home to dress your bride, and you left on your protection spell. I’m insulted!”
“Oh, hades.” Crimson jumped up from the chair as he spoke a few words and then raced to the front door.
He bowed at the waist, his hand sweeping out in front of him in a welcoming gesture. “Many apologies, Lafawnya. Please, do come in.”
A short, round woman, with a pile of white-blonde curls on top of her head, harrumphed and stormed into the house. Two young girls who looked to be teenagers followed closely behind, carrying bolts of fabric and baskets of supplies.
Lafawnya glared up at Crimson with her hands on her hips. “You’re just lucky that you’re a distant cousin and I owe your father a debt after he stopped my parents from forcing me to mate a male I didn’t love.”
She turned her attention to Lindy and narrowed her eyes. “You. Go to the bedroom and strip. I’ll be there in a moment.” Jerking her hands at the two girls, she said, “Go with her and get things set up. I’ll be joining you in five minutes.”
The girls squeaked in alarm and moved to Lindy. “Quick, miss, we need to hurry! The madam doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Lindy looked at Crimson, who was smiling wryly. “Sorry, chelle. She’s the best in the realm.”
“Best what?” Lindy asked as the girls hurried her down the hallway.
“Dressmaker,” one of the girls whispered.
Lindy led them into the room. The girls whipped around her like tiny brunette tornadoes, laying out the supplies they had carried in. One of them said, “Miss, please! She’ll toss us out if you aren’t undressed when she gets back here.”
“Toss you out? Of the house?” She began to undo her top.
“No, we’re apprentices. Madam is the best dressmaker in all the realm. Her family has been making gowns for the royal family and other high-born fae for generations. It’s an honor to be chosen as an apprentice, but if she’s displeased, she’ll toss us out on our ears, and we’ll never become dressmakers.”
Lindy stripped and folded her clothes on the dresser. She was used to nudity because of the full moon shifts and had no problem being naked around others. Lafawnya stormed into the room and looked at Lindy, who was picking at her fingernails and watching the girls spread fabric out on the bed.
“You, girl. Stand here,” Lafawnya said, pointing to a spot in front of her.
Lindy put her hand on her chest. “Me?”
“Anyone else naked and waiting for a dress? Yes, you. Don’t dawdle, my time is very precious.”
Lindy snorted to herself but moved to the spot. “My name is Lindy.”
“What’s your real name?” Lafawnya’s eyes narrowed.
“Melinda.”
Nodding, she grabbed Lindy’s wrists and straightened her arms out to the side. One of the girls handed her a measuring tape. “That’s a much prettier name.”
Lafawnya spoke softly and the tape measure floated from her hand and moved through the air, lengthening along Lindy’s arm. Lindy’s eyes widened. “What the hell?”
One of the teens whispered, “It’s a bespelled measuring tool. All
of Madam’s tools are magic.”
Lafawnya called out measurements and one of the girls wrote them down in a small notebook. The tape measure floated back into her hand, and she closed her fingers around it. Leaning forward, she said, “Bend down so I can see your eyes.”
She did as instructed, and the fae dressmaker peered into her eyes. She leaned back and Lindy straightened, and Lafawnya’s eyes roved up and down Lindy’s body for a long moment, and then she said, “Bring me the talanic fabric.”
The teens both inhaled sharply, and Lindy looked over her shoulder at them. They seemed surprised.
Lafawnya said, “Your mate is going to vow himself to you in the old ways, Melinda. Did he explain it to you?”
“Not really.”
“I’ll leave it to him, then, but know that what he’s going to do for you at sunset tomorrow is going to change things in this realm, in his life, and yours, forever.”
That sounded ominous. “Is it dangerous?”
“Anything worth doing usually is in some way or another.”
“I respect traditions, Lafawnya. My people honor our ancestors in many ways, including our mating and joining ceremonies. Crimson wants to do this because it’s important to him, and that makes it important to me.”
Lafawnya nodded, respect shining in her eyes. The teens brought Lafawnya a bolt of fabric that was pearl white. Lindy didn’t think she had the skin tone to pull off a white dress, but she had a feeling if she opened her mouth that Lafawnya would use some kind of magic item to gag her. Crimson wouldn’t have sent someone to help her if the woman didn’t know what she was doing.
More words that Lindy didn’t know were spoken, melodious and soft. The fabric lifted from her hands and began to unwind, draping itself around Lindy. When she saw what looked like two pairs of shears flying toward her, Lindy simply closed her eyes and tried very hard not to move.
For what felt like an eternity, all she could hear was the soft murmuring of the dressmaker and teens, the cutting sounds from the shears, and rustling fabric. She wondered what Lafawnya meant when she’d said that the ceremony would change the realm as well as their own lives. She knew she and Crimson were going to be married by fae standards the following night at sunset. She wished her mother and friends could join her, but the mating ceremony was strictly for the Fae Realm.
The Wolf's Mate Book 7: Lindy & The Wulfen Page 13