BrinleyAfter another shower, Coal and I slept until nighttime, just a few hours, but enough to refresh us until we got past tonight’s meeting. In addition to a pack-wide meeting, my father, sister, and Aatos would be there shortly.How strange those words sounded in my head. Father. Sister...And to top it all off, the word vampire went hand-in-hand with all three of us now.Never in a million years had I expected this outcome. If someone had told me yesterday that today I would be a vampire and the daughter of King, I would have called them crazy.But here I was, immediate-healing, new appetite, crimson irises and all.“Are you ready?” Coal interrupted my musing.I looked up. Bright blue eyes peered down at me. He extended his hand.I inhaled and released the breath slowly before reaching to join my fingers with his.We made our way through the familiar hallways and down a flight of stairs. A hum of voices could be heard behind the door to the large meeting room. But rather than ent
Marku’s intense gaze cut to Coal’s and held. “She’s in no danger from me, Wolf,” he spoke slowly. Purposefully, as if to avoid spooking Coal’s Wolf, Marku knelt down and rested on one knee. Maintaining his eye contact with Coal, Marku waited for Coal’s response before he continued.The room was silent, waiting for Coal’s Wolf’s response. I wasn’t surprised to see Coal’s eyes had shifted to obsidian black. I squeezed his fingers, trying to calm my furry mate down. While it was obscenely clear Marku was a predator of extreme caliber, I didn’t suspect he intended to harm me.As we waited, I also found it interesting that Marku’s hesitation meant he took Coal’s threat seriously. He wanted to avoid a fight if possible.After a long moment, Coal’s significant reluctance never went away, but he finally gave a short nod to Marku.Marku turned to me, his expression softening. He held out the ring. “This belongs to you.”“You don’t want it back now that she’s gone?” I asked.One of his eyebrows
Instantly, the door opened. Coal must have been standing right outside. That didn’t surprise me.My Wolf walked through the door, her keen senses taking in the sights and smells of those in the room.Their reaction was a little unexpected.Savannah’s mouth dropped open as she breathed, “Wow.” Aatos eyes widened. And Marku couldn’t have radiated his approval any louder if he’d shouted. He positively glowed as he watched my Wolf walk into the center of the room to meet him.Returning to one knee, he reached for her head and slid both hands into her thick fur. He pressed his lips to her forehead and held them there, whispering, “Truly, you are stunning.”My Wolf preened, tail high, swishing happily through the air.After a long moment, Marku pulled back and stared intently into her eyes.“I know I’m not a Wolf...” he began but trailed off, frustration evident in his eyes as if disappointed he couldn’t give her everything she needed and deserved.His moment of vulnerability surprised me.
BrinleyI emerged from the small bathroom, having shifted back into my skin. When I was seated, Coal wrapped his arm around me again, keeping me tight to his chest. In the back of my mind, I realized the entire pack was waiting for us, but I didn’t care. I still had a multitude of questions.Marku had also returned to his chair. He was now holding a crystal glass with amber liquid. I noted he kept his upper body bare, not replacing the fur previously covering his shoulders and arms. I suspected he understood my Wolf wanted every other Wolf to recognize just who he belonged to. And it was clear Marku had no problem acknowledging her claim. Marku was our family, and my Wolf wanted everyone to know it. I didn’t disagree. For too long, we’d been alone. There was no more social environment than a Wolfpack. Wolves were driven to live as one big family, but not us. We’d been shunned.No more.Getting back to the task at hand, I asked, “What happened next? After you met my mother.”Marku brou
Easily identifiable now......definitely guilt.So significant was Coal’s distress, I heard his inner chastisement, condemning himself.All his fault...If he’d never been brought into existence, then Marku would have killed his father, and I would have been spared. My torment happened because he was my mate. All his fault...The profoundness of his silent, tormented cry startled me. My Wolf whimpered at his pain.No! I wouldn’t let Coal take the blame for his father.Ignoring everyone else in the room, I pulled out of Coal’s embrace and turned on the couch to face him. Coal looked down at me in confusion, blue eyes flat with agony. I gripped both of his hands and squeezed, speaking fervently through our mind link, “No you don’t! Don’t you dare think I would have been better off without you.”His eyebrows snapped up. Apparently, he hadn’t realized he’d been broadcasting his anguish.I leveled a firm gaze at him, my Wolf joining my eyes.But my stubborn mate just shook his head and t
BrinleyThe facts of his story churned in my mind. My mouth felt dry. My mother had been so close to freedom. She’d had an ally as powerful as a vampire king to protect her...to protect us. The only thing she couldn’t escape was the pack bond.Following my thoughts, Coal confirmed, “The mage couldn’t break the pack bond, could he?”Marku’s expression turned hard. “No. He tried. Even contacted two other mages for assistance. But was not successful.”I nodded silently.After a quiet moment, Marku held my gaze intently and shifted the direction of the conversation. “Given your lineage as my biological child and the fact that I was the vampire who changed you, you are going to be very powerful, do you understand?”On a basic level, his words made sense, but, no, I didn’t feel like I grasped the reason for the intensity of his statement. “Not really.”“First, your bloodlust is stronger.”My eyes snapped wide, heart racing in my chest. I’d forgotten all about that!Feeling my panic through
She snorted a laugh, shook her head and pushed him off of her.Stepping away with a smug grin, Marku’s eyes found mine, “Brinley, I’d like you to meet Queen Raine.”She smiled, and I nodded in acknowledgment.Marku continued, “Raine, this is my daughter, Brinley.”The queen’s eyebrows shot up, and then without another word, she made her way across the room and engulfed me in a heartfelt hug. Holding tight, she murmured in my ear, “It’s lovely to meet you.”Her welcome rang with sincerity. But more than that, there was a strong nurturing undertone. Instantly, I felt a connection. Maybe it was the fact she was a mother. I’d gone without parental affection for so long, and her transparent protective and compassionate emotions washed over me, leaving me radiating with warmth as she pulled away.“This is my mate, Coal." I said. She probably didn’t need me to clarify my relationship as Coal was pressed right up against my back.“Welcome to our home,” Coal said but didn’t make any move to to
Marku seemed to sense Coal’s growing anger. “However, you’re a big motherfucker, and I’ve seen your Wolf fight. You have skill. You also have resources to protect her. Brinley’s identity as mine is no longer hidden, so the strategy changes from defensive to offensive now. It’s the reason I’m here. Everyone knows you’ll defend her, but not everyone has met me. They need to understand that you are not the only shitstorm coming for them should anyone dare to harm her.”I glanced up to Coal. Obsidian eyes stayed locked on Marku.Marku easily held Coals intense gaze. “I will set up safeguards wherever I can, but I assumed you won’t let me post vampire guards in the pack, so it’s the reason I asked Queen Raine to join us. Her kingdom is the nearest vampire safety. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t trust Brinley with anyone but her.”Finally, Coal spoke, “You’re absolutely right, there will be no overt vampire presence here. It would simply be too unsettling for the wolves. I will take care of B