by Amber Burns
There was a murmur of agreement along with several nods.
“As to the finding of the artifact,” Dresdyn continued while placing his hands upon his hips. “Each Keep will send out teams of scouts to scour the land and observe the gnoll packs...only to observe. They are not to engage the gnolls. Once they discover the culprit pack, word is to be sent immediately to each and every Keep, which will then each send a detachment of warriors to eliminate the gnoll pack and retrieve the artifact.” He narrowed his eyes and set his jaw. “As usual, no quarter is to be given,” he uttered with a deep growl as his eyes shifted from blue to amber. “Understood?”
“Aye, Thane!”
Dresdyn threw his head back with a howl that was soon answered by the shaman and the other pack leaders. “Now then,” Dresdyn said once the howling had finished. “Does anyone else have any business to put forward?”
“There is the concern of your allowing the sister of your mate into the pack, My Thane,” Gideon ventured carefully.
Dresdyn sighed and nodded his head. He knew he would have to deal with the topic sooner or later. “Yes, I am very much aware that in doing so, I broke a vital rule set into place by our ancestors, but I believe that it will only benefit our clan.”
“How do you mean, My Thane?” Ragnyr asked.
Dresdyn resumed his seat upon his throne. “Unbeknownst to either my mate, or her sister, their father was a dryad,” he said with a small smile. He waited a moment to allow the revelation to sink in, and his smile grew when murmurs of surprise circulated around the room. “That’s right, my mate and her sister shared a father who was a being of magic in its rawest and purest form, and the magic coursing within my beloved Klaryssa’s veins is potent indeed.”
“And her sister?” Ragnyr asked.
“Yet to be determined,” Dresdyn replied. “The young Cerridwyn is hovering on the cusp of womanhood. She has yet to make the change from girl into woman, but I have no doubt that once she does, she will prove to be a future mate to one of our clanmates.”
“How old is the lass, My Thane?” Ulfryk asked.
“Thirteen,” Dresdyn answered. “If upon her...blossoming into womanhood I scent magic within her, then I will take the necessary precautions and make the proper arrangements until she comes of age.”
“And if she has no magic in her blood, My Thane?” Gideon asked.
“Then, I shall marry her off to a worthy man who will take care of her,” Dresdyn answered. “Just as I promised I would, shortly before her father died. A member of the royal family will do nicely, because then there will be truly no risk of our clan’s secret slipping out to those who are not privy to it.”
“Fair enough,” Gideon replied with a nod. “You seem to have thought of everything, My Thane,” he added with a smile.
“Only because I have,” Dresdyn replied with a smirk before clearing his throat. “Now, then, is there anything else?” he asked. “Any other matters that need addressing?” When he was answered with headshakes, Dresdyn nodded with an air of finality. “Very well then. I declare the conclave ended,” he said while eagerly rising to his feet with a smile. “Lets us go and enjoy the night’s festivities.”
16
“Are you nervous, M’Lady?” Meera asked as she brushed out Klaryssa’s hair until it shone.
“No, Meera,” Klaryssa answered with a smile as she gazed into the mirror while sitting in front of the dressing table. “I’m ready...so very ready,” she added before slowly exhaling in attempts to quell her excitement.
“I remember being exactly where you are,” Meera said with a knowing smile. “I had to wait much longer than you before I could be with my Kelder, and when the night of our presentation came, it took all my strength to not simply throw myself at him and have him take me right there in front of the entire clan,” she added with a giggle.
“Does it ever go away?” Klaryssa asked worriedly. “Dresdyn won’t grow tired of me, will he?”
“Not in the slightest, M’Lady,” Meera soothed. “My Kelder and I can’t get enough of each other, and we’ve been mated for just over three years.” She smiled coyly. “If I may speak plainly, M’Lady you are destined for a lifetime of raw passion.”
Klaryssa covered her mouth, but her mirthful giggle escaped in any case, and her warm, brown eyes glittered in the mirror. “Oh, my.”
“Forgive my informality, M’Lady,” Meera said with a smile.
“Oh, no, I prefer it,” Klaryssa said with a small wave of her hand and a smile. “After twenty-two years of being a commoner, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to having a fancy title.”
“Well, perhaps when we’re alone, I’ll refrain from being so formal, but you can’t expect that of me in mixed company,” Meera said gently.
“That’s fine,” Klaryssa said with a smile before gingerly picking at the neckline of her gown. It was white and could hardly be considered more than a shift. “Is this really all I’ll be wearing tonight?” she asked. “For as important as Dresdyn made the presentation of me sound, I thought I would be dressed in something a bit more special.”
Meera grinned and giggled. “The simple shift is easier to rip off,” she offered as an explanation before giggling again when a deep blush rose up in Klaryssa’s cheeks.
“Does that really happen?” Klaryssa asked bemusedly.
“You think you’re the only one who’s eager for tonight?” Meera asked coyly with a raised eyebrow. “Trust me, Klaryssa, your man is feeling every bit as eager as you. Never mind the fact that the adrenaline from his hunt of you will be coursing through his veins,” she added with a playful wink.
Klaryssa slowly exhaled. “As though my heart wasn’t already pounding,” she whispered with a smile as she lightly fanned herself with her hands. “Is there anything else I should know about what will happen tonight?”
“Just this, and I say this with all sincerity,” Meera began, her tone becoming more serious as she put down the brush in favor of putting her hands upon Klaryssa’s shoulders. “When you and Thane y Blaidd finally consummate your union, it will be intense, and it will be raw and passionate.” She slowly exhaled. “It might even be frightening. Just know that no matter how rough he may get, you are safe. You have no reason to be afraid. He would never hurt you, for you are his literal reason for living. You are in absolutely no danger at his hands.”
Klaryssa smiled and placed her hands atop Meera’s. “I know,” she answered softly. “I know in my heart that I can trust Dresdyn with my life, and I do.”
Meera smiled. “Alright, then.”
Both women turned towards the door when they heard the sound of a throat clearing. Klaryssa’s face lit up with her smile at the sight of Dresdyn, while Meera stepped away from Klaryssa and curtseyed.
“M’Lord Thane,” Meera greeted politely.
Dresdyn politely nodded his head in greeting. “Meera, will you please excuse us?” he asked with a smile as he kept his hands behind his back.
“Of course, M’Lord,” Meera said with another small curtsey before departing the room.
“Is something wrong?” Klaryssa asked with concern as she rose from her chair. “Is it Cerridwyn? Is she alright?”
Dresdyn held up one hand. “Everything is fine, my love,” he soothed while drinking in the sight of his beloved. By all the gods, she was beautiful! Her golden hair practically glistened in the light of the hearth and sconces, and there was a rosiness to her creamy skin. The white shift made her look even more innocent and virginal, and his blood boiled with lust as he thought of how soon he would be taking that innocence. “I promise you that Cerridwyn is perfectly alright.”
“Your beard,” Klaryssa said as she slowly crossed over to Dresdyn.
“I wanted to look my best for such an important night,” Dresdyn said with a smirk that was only mildly touched with nervousness. “Do you like it?”
Klaryssa smiled upon reaching her mate. “I love it,” she said while reaching up and slowly trailing her fi
ngers over the jawline that had until that moment been hidden from her. The chiseled lines only added to the devastating handsomeness of Dresdyn’s face, and with the beard now gone, years were taken off of him. Suddenly, it was all Klaryssa could do to not beg and plead with Dresdyn to throw her on the bed and ravish her right then and there.
“Truly?” Dresdyn asked.
Klaryssa nodded before rising up on tiptoe and pressing a kiss to Dresdyn’s jaw. “Because it allows me to do that,” she whispered with a smile that only grew when her love growled low and deep in his throat.
“Then I shall keep it this length,” Dresdyn husked as his eyes briefly shifted to amber before he regained his dwindling self-control. It would be only too easy to rip the thin shift from Klaryssa’s beautiful body and fuck her senseless, and Dresdyn simply could not allow that. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Showing you my new beard was not my reason for coming here just now. Well, not the main reason in any case. I simply wanted to give you something.”
“Oh?” Klaryssa asked with a small smile. “Give me what? What more could you possibly give me?” she asked with love in her eyes.
“Something very important,” Dresdyn answered while taking his other hand out from behind his back to reveal that he was holding a folded piece of heavy velvet. “Please, sit back down,” he entreated while nodding towards the chair in front of the dressing table.
Once Klaryssa had resumed her seat, Dresdyn crossed over to her and placed the cloth upon the table before carefully unfolding it to reveal a wrist cuff and a ring. Both were made of gold, and the aged appearance of the metal attested to just how old they were.
“Oh, my,” Klaryssa whispered as she gazed down at the treasures. “You wanted to give me these?” she asked bemusedly.
“One of them,” Dresdyn clarified with a smile. “These treasures are actually ancient artifacts that have been handed down through my pack over many generations. They are given to mates with active magic and serve as a focus for their powers. Every pack in the clan has artifacts of their own that serve the same purpose, and I would like to bestow one of my pack’s artifacts upon you.”
“They’re both so beautiful,” Klaryssa murmured. “I wouldn’t know which one to pick.”
“Which one calls to you, my love?” Dresdyn asked while gently placing his hands upon Klaryssa’s shoulders and watching her through the reflection in the mirror as she lightly brushed her fingertips over each artifact with reverence.
Klaryssa took up the ring and turned it over in her fingers. A wolf’s head was carved out of the gold and rested at the top of the ring. Two small pieces of jade served as the wolf’s eyes, and while it was a beautiful piece, Klaryssa simply could not bring herself to place it upon her finger. Carefully placing the ring down, she then gently took up the cuff. A large, oval of polished jade was situated in the center, and a howling wolf was carved on either side of the stone. It was wildly beautiful, but more than that, Klaryssa’s heart warmed as she reverently brushed her thumb over the stone.
“Have you made your decision, my love?” Dresdyn asked softly.
“The cuff,” Klaryssa whispered before carefully putting it on. The metal warmed instantly as it made contact with her wrist. “For as long as I live, I will never take it off,” she whispered fervently.
“It was my mother’s,” Dresdyn murmured while helping Klaryssa to her feet. “Had she lived, I have no doubt that she would have given it to you herself,” he said with a sad smile while tenderly brushing his knuckles over his mate’s soft cheek.
“Then I am doubly honored to wear it,” Klaryssa murmured while leaning into Dresdyn’s caress. “Thank you for letting me have it, Dresdyn.”
“May it serve you well, my beloved,” Dresdyn murmured with a smile before leaning down and brushing a kiss to Klaryssa’s forehead. “Now, then, are you ready to be hunted, my doe?” Dresdyn asked with a wolfish grin while offering Klaryssa his arm.
Klaryssa smiled coyly and placed her hand in the crook of Dresdyn’s elbow. “Readier than I’ve ever been for anything in my entire life, my wolf.”
“This pleases me,” Dresdyn growled with a smile as he slowly licked his lips and led Klaryssa from the room.
“How much longer do we have to wait until we can be together?” Klaryssa asked in a breathless whisper as her heart raced. Already, she could hear the sounds of revelry and jubilation outside. “How much longer until we’re presented as mates before the clan?”
“The presentation can occur as soon as you like,” Dresdyn husked.
“Immediately,” Klaryssa said hurriedly. “I can’t wait any longer,” she whispered while looking up earnestly at Dresdyn. “I need to feel you inside of me while I scream your name for all to hear.”
Both of Dresdyn’s eyebrows rose, and his eyes turned amber. “Whatever has happened, I wonder, to the timid and demure maid I brought home with me?” he asked with a teasing lilt despite the hungry gleam in his eyes.
“You teased her into a writhing, hedonistic frenzy,” Klaryssa replied with a husky purr.
Dresdyn grinned wolfishly. “Yes, I did, and I am exceedingly proud of myself,” he growled. “I look forward to hearing you scream my name to the treetops while mount you like a she-wolf in heat.” He leaned down and nuzzled into Klaryssa’s hair so he could deeply breathe in her scent. “And you are in heat,” he growled. “Just the thought of you heavy and round with my child makes me want to fuck you against the closest wall.”
Klaryssa whimpered wordlessly and bit her bottom lip. “Where will I be running?” she asked breathlessly. “What is to be your hunting ground?”
It was that question that gave Dresdyn pause. With the threat of the gnolls, he could by no means allow Klaryssa out beyond the Keep walls. It simply was not safe. “Within the walls of the Keep, there is an orchard and a garden. Remember where they are?”
“Of course,” Klaryssa answered. “Are those to be the areas?”
“Yes,” Dresdyn answered. “For your safety.”
“My safety?” Klaryssa asked worriedly. “Safety from what?”
Dresdyn sighed. “Normally, the hunt takes place in the woods outside the Keep, but, I simply cannot allow you outside the walls and protection of the Keep when the gnoll threat is so high,” he answered. “I am sorry for that, my love. I feel as though I am somehow cheating you out of the experience.”
“Don’t be silly,” Klaryssa soothed with a smile which went from loving to coy. “It just means you’ll find me that much faster,” she added with a wink.
Dresdyn grinned and chuckled. “Yes...there is that,” he growled in approval. “I can hardly find fault with the situation now, when you put it that way.”
Klaryssa giggled with mirth and smiled from ear to ear as Dresdyn finally led her outside the castle. Her eyes widened at the sight of the festivities. Everywhere she looked, men and women talked and laughed while drinking and dancing to lively music as torches and bonfires crackled and provided warmth against the chill of the Fall night, and excitable children ran and chased each other through the crowds. Everywhere she looked, people were genuinely happy to see each other. Women embraced, men thumped each other on the back with brotherly affection, and Klaryssa was instantly flooded with happiness and joy at being part of what truly felt like a giant, rambunctious family.
“If you’re looking for Cerridwyn, she’s over there with Meera,” Dresdyn said while pointing to the left. “I hope you don’t object, but I requested that Meera, and Kelder to a lesser degree, watch over your sister when you are occupied with your duties of helping me to run the fief. In the event that your sister blossoms while neither of us is with her, Meera will sequester safely away until either Kelder or myself are able to attempt to scent magic from her.”
“Of course, I don’t mind,” Klaryssa replied with a smile while putting her free hand over her heart. “Thank you so much for thinking of that, but...why Kelder?”
“Firstly, he is already mated,” Dresd
yn replied as he began leading Klaryssa over to where Cerridwyn and Meera sat. “Secondly, he is my beta...my second in command. I trust him with this delicate matter.”
“Then, I trust him too,” Klaryssa answered simply with a smile.
“Good evening, ladies,” Dresdyn greeted with a smile. “Might I impose upon you to entertain my beloved while I go have a few words with the shaman?”
“It will be our pleasure, M’Lord,” Meera replied with a smile while rubbing her belly.
“Thank you,” Dresdyn said with a polite bow of his head before leaning down and kissing Klaryssa’s temple. “I won’t be long,” he said before turning and vanishing into the jubilant throng.
“How are you doing?” Klaryssa asked Cerridwyn after turning to face her. “Are you enjoying yourself even a little bit?” she asked with a hopeful smile.
