It feels different. Everything looks different. The villa. The gardens. Lying on my back with Lightning, staring at the stars. Sowhere, the slls of dinner begin to make themselves known. I should be hungry enough to eat everything in the dining hall. Sohow, however, I lack an appetite.
[Lightning.]
A snore answers . She is blissed out. And out for the count.
A new awareness surrounds both of us. A new presence buzzes around my consciousness. It’s her. We are bonded. We are one.
Everything seems so vivid--
[BLAZE.]
Kaline’s voice is cautious. Almost as if she knows she’s interrupting sothing, possibly.
[In the garden.]
Okay, that makes no sense. Why wouldn’t I just tell her to co find ? I guess I did. My head is fuzzy from everything.
Kaline still sounds hesitant. [Dinner is ready.]
I nudge Lightning, trying to wake her up, but she’s tired. Half curled up in a ball of fluff, she burrows into . A I may never move from this spot.
[Co to the garden, Kaline.]
Kaline doesn’t answer.
Instead, she cos as I requested. She’s changed her outfit. A long blue and white dress, young and innocent and classy. Befitting a daughter of the House of Riddlehoeven.
Her eyes widen, taking in the sight of beside Lightning, and the disturbed plants in our little sanctuary. Although her human nose isn’t that strong, she has to sll sothing in the air. And my blissed-out state as well as Lightning’s must clue her in, if the bond hasn’t already.
[Blaze.]
She kneels beside , her eyes on Lightning.
I blush for so reason. [She’s safe. All is as it should be.]
[Blaze...I felt it. I felt everything. You’re in love.]
Kaline’s simple, sweet words make lt. All I can muster, however, is a big yawn. I’m tuckered out myself.
She laughs softly. [I’ll get Tomas to carry one of you. And Hans. He will want to know.]
[He probably does already.]
And sure enough, Hans slips out of the shadows as only an elf with natural stealth and grace can. His young face softens with childish delight. "They are so happy."
He didn’t say we LOOK so happy. He said we ARE so happy. Of course, he’d feel Lightning’s emotions, and by extension, mine, and maybe even Kaline’s. It’s a web of connection. A strong silken net. Not one I want to escape for once.
Kaline gestures at Lightning. "Can you..."
Hans’ voice is mischievous. "We could leave them. They’re safe."
"Oh, pooh, they deserve a bedroom," Kaline scoffs.
And because what Kaline wants, Kaline gets, Hans picks up Lightning. Not easy, but he is an elf, and they have three tis the strength of a human. Silently, Tomas materializes and hefts up. I can feel his strong arms. Good God, has he been working out, or have his servant duties prepared him for this? Either way, he’s carrying . I should be able to move, but my legs won’t work. They could just leave us here...
However, the beast thieves haven’t been caught, and after Gussie got hurt by the Lothair-scorpion by proxy, everyone probably wants to keep us under wraps for a while. No fur off my nose. I wouldn’t mind a comfortable bed, especially with Lightning beside .
Hans and Tomas carry Lightning and through the gardens and into the house. Minette and Lamant observe us with soft smiles. "I’ve just sent a ssage to Lord Lamrmoor," Minette says. "We have a lot to discuss." Lamant chuckles knowingly.
Gussie, on Lamant’s shoulder, squawks, "A lot! A lot!"
She is never going to let hear the end of this. I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. Especially since Demos and Lobo are lurking nearby with Vedette. Their smugness is a fiery perfu. I shut my eyes harder. Even if they know or suspect I’m faking, they don’t say anything. There’s a hint of approval, and Lobo howls softly.
Lamant says, "The house will be celebrating for at least a week!"
Maartenwitz clears his throat. "Young Miss, did you happen to mark the ti that--"
"HUSH," Vedette growls. "A little delicacy."
"It’s the sa as any other marriage or significant addition to the family," he huffs.
Kaline answers. "It was about half past four. The afternoon shadows were getting long."
I hear Maartenwitz busily making notes with a tap-tap-tap. "Thank you, Young Miss. And may I say congratulations. A fine match, as I foresaw."
A I’m even too happy to be annoyed at Maartenwitz taking credit for this developnt.
We get carried into Kaline’s room, with Hans and Kaline arguing over whose room that the newly mated pair (us) would be more comfortable in. I have a feeling Hans and Kaline will be together tonight regardless, so it doesn’t matter.
A surprise awaits us. Niall has erected a tiger-sized tent with cushions on the bottom, right next to Kaline’s bed. The cushions feel perfect, but nothing close to having my mate next to .
Mate.
Slumbering Lightning is my mate. I can feel her, even when she sleeps. As a matter of fact, unconscious in sleep, Lightning broadcasts pure contentnt and trust and love. She feels safe to sleep next to after mating. And I don’t want to leave her side for any reason.
"Niall, THANK YOU," Kaline gushes.
"It’s quite impressive," Hans offers. "They like it."
Blushing, Niall says, "They need so privacy even if you’re watching over them. How long do you have to do that?"
"Maartenwitz says there really isn’t an answer to that," Kaline replies.
Raising his eyebrows, Niall asks, "Is he loosening up?"
"Every creature is different," Kaline says seriously. "But they’re both so tired. We should let them sleep as long as they want. And what about babies?"
BABIES?
Don’t panic. Don’t. Lightning isn’t pregnant yet.
Coughing, Niall says, "They will need a space of their own for her to have her babies. There is one in the villa, as I understand it."
Kaline sticks out her lower lip. "Well, it has to be good enough for Blaze and Lightning."
A space to have babies?
I can’t wait.
But hold on. How will Lightning fight in the Beast Taming Elimination Tournant? It’s about a month away. Can she risk our cubs?
[Lobo?]
[I thought you were asleep.]
My wolf pal and brother answers. Interesting.
[This is a good thing, right?]
[Don’t be a HUMAN.]
Oh, if he only knew.
Lobo continues. [It is what beasts do. More than fighting. More than hunting. More than competitions. Nature takes over for a reason.]
More than fighting, hunting, and competitions.
This hits where I live. I put school and pressures above my relationships, including with Amber. For so long, I thought I was being smart. I’d ignore the happy law school classmates who went off with their boyfriends or girlfriends or even spouses after class. Distractions, I thought. Plenty of ti for romance later. Until my heart gave out.
[Lightning trained for the sa thing--]
[And she didn’t question being with you.] Lobo growls softly. [HUMANS can complicate the urge to mate all they want. We don’t abandon our mates. For us, mating is key. I would a million tis rather have a Lightning she-wolf who is going to give birth to my pups. A tournant win is nice, but pups and cubs are forever. A warm mate next to you is everything.]
And so it is. Hans said it best. Lightning and I are happy. She sleeps against , her fur pressed so close against mine that we’ll probably get stuck together at so point. Softly sighing, she radiates contentnt. Purrs pour from her while she sleeps.
[Goodnight, Lobo. And thanks.]
[I’ll leave you two alone. But we will guard you.]
After that, Lobo is silent, a watchful silhouette I see through the tent fabric. Snatches of conversation drift in.
Hans’ voice. "...Of course she can’t compete. I don’t think she would want to. I know her."
Kaline’s voice. "Will she be sad?"
Hans: "NO. Not after hearing what happened to Lothair and his dragon. The ambition was too great. Both of them lost sight of what was important. Lightning is not like that. She has more substance, and she loves Blaze. While she enjoys winning, she has wanted Blaze for a long ti."
Kaline laughs appreciatively. "He was chasing her. He always made excuses to be close to her."
Chasing her? And here I thought I was being obtuse.
Hans has a smile in his voice. "I’d say he caught her, or let her catch him."
WILL THEY JUST STOP TALKING? All I want is to be left alone with my mate. My best friend. The future mother of my cubs. My tigress queen. Lobo is right, and so is Hans. We don’t need a tournant prize. If I compete, I will be careful.
But for now, exhaustion and my mate’s warmth pull into dreamland in our little paradise tent for two.
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