by Cara Wylde
“In fact, I wanted you all to be here tonight because I have something to tell you.”
Her words got their attention, and now everyone was looking at her. She saw a glint in Elena’s eyes and she was almost sure the vixen had just guessed what she was about to say.
“Well, go on,” said Sebastian. “Don’t leave us hanging like this.”
Amelia cleared her throat. This was it. The moment of truth. She reached for Blake’s hand, which was resting on the edge of the table, and felt her flinch.
“Blake and I are going to be parents.”
Silence. At least from Blake’s part. The second Amelia spoke the words, Sebastian cheered and Julian and Charles stood up to congratulate the lucky couple. Roman threw Seth a glance, and when his Yako nodded, he finally looked up at Amelia. He stood up slowly, carefully, his old joints popping in protest.
“Amelia, my daughter… this is great news!” He took her free hand and raised it to his lips.
“Thank you,” she whispered gratefully. She could breathe easier now that she knew Roman took it so well. Blake, on the other hand, had yet to say anything. Her fingers were cold and limp in Amelia’s hand.
Blake couldn’t believe her ears. She kept staring at Seth, hoping the Yako would wink or something, let her know it was all a joke or she hadn’t heard well. Apparently, that wasn’t going to happen. Everyone around her was patting her back and kissing Amelia on the cheeks, and Blake’s mind eventually registered that it was real. Yes, Amelia, her best friend, the shifter bride who was there to cover her scent, was pregnant with Seth’s child. With her future Yako’s child. With the child that would become Blake’s own heir. Such a convoluted mess… So many things to make sense of… So many details to pay attention to, and so many possible repercussions to take into consideration. But for now… for now, Blake had to play her role. She finally stood up and faced Amelia.
“I… this…” She swallowed heavily and decided to squeeze Amelia’s both hands. She had to sound convincing. “This is the best day of my life. Amelia, my love, you have no idea how happy you’ve just made me.” She leaned in and captured Amelia’s lips in a soft kiss.
Cheers and applause exploded around them, and Blake knew she had played her part well. They broke the kiss and looked into each other’s eyes for a long time. While Blake’s uncles probably thought the two lovers and future parents were having an intimate moment, completely different things were going through Blake’s head. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she thought. “You sneaky bastard… catching me off-guard like this. You and Seth…” She forced herself to smile. It wasn’t that Amelia had necessarily done something wrong, but the last thing Blake liked was to be kept in the dark.
The first thing Amelia felt was Roman’s hand grazing her arm. The second was the fish on his plate making contact with her skirt and legs, burning her skin in the process. She yelped and turned around in time to catch the old Inari before he hit the floor. She grabbed his arm and was surprised they didn’t both fall under the table. Then she looked up and saw his brother, Julian, was holding Roman up. Amelia wouldn’t have had the strength. The fox-shifter had moved so quickly that Amelia hadn’t seen him jump to Roman’s side.
“Oh my God! Are you all right?” Amelia had had no idea her voice could sound so high pitched.
“Father…” Blake almost pushed her aside so she could help Julian steady the old Inari.
“I’m fine, I’m fine… Just a bit dizzy… Must be the wine…” He didn’t get to say more than that. His faded purple eyes rolled in his head and he let out a silent gasp before his weak body went completely limp in Blake’s and Julian’s arms.
“Father… What’s happening? Oh my God, what’s happening?” She looked frantically around her. “Seth, do something! Call the doctor!”
Seth stepped away from the table and grabbed his phone.
“He’ll be all right,” said Julian. Sebastian and Charles had stepped closer.
“How do you know?” Blake couldn’t believe how calm her uncles were. Her father could be dying, and they were just standing there, doing nothing. “How do you fucking now? You don’t care, do you? You just want him gone!”
“Now, Blake… You don’t mean that. You’re just scared. We all are. But the doctor will be here any second, and everything will be all right. You’ll see. Roman is just a bit tired.”
Sebastian’s words made her even angrier. “You don’t look scared to me…” she mumbled. She felt Amelia’s small, trembling hand on her shoulder and she struggled to keep it together. This was not a good time to throw accusations around. “He’s not tired…” she added. “My father is dying…” Tears stung the back of her eyes, and she blinked fast and inhaled sharply to keep them at bay.
“The doctor is coming,” said Seth.
“Seth. Help me carry my father back to his room.”
The Yako didn’t say a word. He simply knelt beside Roman’s unconscious body and helped Blake lift him up. Amelia followed them out of the dining room and up the stairs, as did the two Ninkos, Elena and Aaron. She noticed Roman’s brothers stayed behind.
After the servants cleaned the mess as best as they could, the three Inaris sat back down at the table and asked for more wine.
“I say we should wait here,” suggested Charles.
“Yes. Let’s hope the doctor’s news is as good as Amelia’s,” said Sebastian while sipping his wine.
“But is Amelia’s news actually good?” asked Julian.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Children should always be celebrated.”
“This is not a simple child. It’s an heir.”
“It won’t make any difference, brother. You’ll see.”
END OF BOOK TWO
CHAPTER ONE
Loss
Amelia wrapped the coat tighter around her body as she closed the gate behind her. Winter in Alaska was magical, but so cold that it took her all the courage to leave the warm, comfortable house. The werefoxes of Clan Sylfur cleaned the streets of snow as often as necessary, but it was still difficult for her to walk down to Seth’s cabin. It had snowed just an hour before, and it was so dark that she could barely see a couple of steps ahead, but it was Christmas Eve and nothing would stop her from spending it with the Yako. She had thought of calling him to invite him at the mansion, but then realized it was better for her to go to him and spend one night away from everyone and everything. She sighed and watched, mesmerized, how the thick steam of her breath floated in the freezing air. As much as it pained her to admit, the truth was that she didn’t want to spend Christmas in that house. Blake was her best friend, and she loved Roman like a father, but the past three months had been a nightmare. Yes, the truth was that even if they had a tall Christmas tree in the living room and there were lights and decorations all over the house and outside, in the courtyard, the place smelled like… death. And Amelia couldn’t take it anymore.
At the end of the street, she went right and disappeared between the trees. The forest didn’t scare her. She knew this place like the back of her hand, and she could find her way to Seth’s cabin even in pitch darkness. She did use the flashlight on her smartphone to make sure she didn’t trip on something. A ten minutes’ walk and she’d be in the Yako’s big, warm arms. She shivered at the thought, her body eager for his touch. They hadn’t spent much time together since Roman had collapsed. The news about her unexpected pregnancy had shocked everyone, especially Blake. Long after that, Amelia had blamed herself for Roman’s situation. She shouldn’t have given him the news like that, she shouldn’t have invited his brothers to dinner. Even if Blake and Seth had tried to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault and it could have happened at any time, she still couldn’t get it out of her mind that she had been the cause of the old Inari’s stroke. And for his brothers to see him like that… Helpless, on the floor… Bile rose in her throat every time she thought back to that day.
Roman hadn’t left his room since the stroke. Blake spent most of her
time by his side. When she wasn’t there, Seth would take her place, or even Amelia, although Roman himself had told her she shouldn’t worry. Her baby was more important than him, and it was her duty to relax and take care of herself. Elena and Aaron were at the mansion all day. Seth, however, had taken the habit of coming and going. When he wasn’t by his old Inari’s side, he was at his cabin, busy with God knew what. Amelia had tried to make him talk about it countless times, but he had always smiled and avoided the subject. “Clan stuff… don’t worry about it,” he always said. She believed him at first, but when he started ignoring her in favor of working on whatever it was that needed his attention so much, she had started to suspect it was bigger than simple clan business.
No, Amelia wasn’t bored. But she was tired. And stressed. Roman was dying. Everyone could see that. It was only a matter of time. Blake spent all her waking moments with her father, Seth kept locking himself up in his cabin, and Amelia was often left with Elena and Aaron.
“Not today. Today is Christmas,” she whispered.
The Christmas lights from the cabin came into view, and she walked faster. Her hands were freezing, the wool mittens not doing much to protect her from the cold night air, and she couldn’t wait to sink her fingers into Seth’s blond hair. His body would be hard and warm. Just what she needed. The best Christmas present ever.
Seth was waiting for her in the doorway, his bulky arms crossed over his chest, a lazy smile on his lips. He had smelled her, of course. He had recognized her sweet, flowery perfume way before she had reached the gate of his small garden, and he had had more than enough time to stuff the documents, which had been scattered all over his bed and desk for weeks now, into a drawer. The investigation was going slowly, but he was sure he was headed in the right direction. The bear-shifter detective who had worked on the murder case had agreed to keep in touch and help him, so Seth was positive he would find out what happened to Amelia’s parents sooner or later. Until then, however, he wanted to keep her away from this. Roman’s current state was enough for all of them, and Amelia was the most sensitive. He had to protect her. He had to protect their baby. If he ever got to the bottom of the mystery of her parents’ death, then he would tell her everything.
“Merry Christmas, beautiful.” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead gently.
Amelia melted in the soft embrace. “Don’t Merry Christmas me. If I hadn’t come, you would have spent all night working.”
He pulled her inside the cabin and closed the door. Amelia’s shoulders relaxed when the heavy wave of heat coming from the fireplace enveloped her shivering form. She let Seth take her coat and she hurried to get rid of her boots. She winced when she straightened her back, and her hands went to rest on her round belly.
“Ugh… I keep forgetting I’m not as fit as I used to be. I feel like I’m 100 years old. My back hurts constantly.”
Seth let out a light-hearted laugh and pulled her back into his arms. “You’re perfectly fit, my love. Come here, let me warm up those cute hands of yours.” He lifted her hands to his lips and blew into them.
“I’m fat,” she pouted.
“No, you’re just carrying a little werefox that grows faster than you expected. It’s only the third month.”
“And I look like I’m in the sixth!”
“Well, you can’t say that’s not an advantage. What woman wouldn’t prefer to have only six months of pregnancy instead of nine?”
“True…” Her mind wandered to the shifter-brides who would have gladly given up all the advantages a forced marriage with a shape-shifter brought just to have their freedom to choose. She didn’t say anything, though. She knew Seth hadn’t meant it that way.
“Hungry?”
His question snapped her out of her thoughts. “A bit.”
“Thought so.” He smiled and pulled her into the kitchen. “In fact, I had just finished the work for today and was about to come and steal you from the mansion. I tried to convince Blake we should have some sort of Christmas dinner, but she refused.”
“Yeah… I understand, though. No one would enjoy it. And that would’ve meant inviting Sebastian, Charles, and Julian over, and they’re the last people Blake wants to see.”
Amelia looked at the delicious food displayed on the table, her mouth already watering. When had Seth had time to cook? Or, maybe he asked someone from the mansion to help him? Everything looked and smelled heavenly.
“So, we have… roast turkey. I hope you like turkey, ‘cause it took me forever to roast this fat bird.”
Amelia chuckled. “I love it.”
“Mashed potatoes, of course. I know you like those.”
“Who doesn’t?” She was salivating. On second thought, she was quite hungry. Very hungry.
“Oyster stew…”
“Never had that before.” She stepped closer to the table to inspect the foreign dish. Seth lifted the lid off the pot and she inhaled the strong smell. “Mmm… I’m willing to try it.”
“Good.” He smiled broadly. “It’s one of my favorites and I have long perfected the recipe.”
“What’s for dessert?”
“Apple pie and plum pudding, of course.”
“Plum pudding?” Amelia’s eyes grew wide with excitement. The news went really well with her new condition, as she had been craving plum pudding since the beginning of December, when the Christmas spirit had begun to settle in.
“Figured you might like that.”
“I had no idea it was a thing in Alaska.”
Seth scratched the back of his head in that cute, boyish way that made Amelia weak in the knees. “It’s not exactly family tradition, and I did need a lot of help with it, but I thought it might make you feel like… you know… home.”
Amelia looked up at him. She tried to fight the tears which instantly gathered at the corners of her eyes, but it was in vain.
“What’s wrong, baby?” He pulled her against his chest, kissed the top of her head, and started caressing her hair. “Why are you crying?”
Amelia sniffed but stayed silent for a couple of minutes. She wanted to have control over her voice when she spoke.
“Shh… it’s okay. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I don’t know.” She sniffed loudly. “It’s just that… you’re so nice and so good to me. I… I do miss London sometimes, but this is my home. Here, with you… Home.”
Seth smiled and hugged her tightly. They stayed like that, embraced in the middle of his small kitchen, for long minutes. Amelia cried a bit into his chest, although she honestly had no idea why she had broken down like that. So suddenly and unexpectedly. Her first Christmas in Alaska, her first Christmas as the Alpha bride of Clan Sylfur was nothing like she had hoped it would be. It was sad and scary. Despite the delicious smell of food coming from the table and of fresh pine coming from the Christmas tree in the living room, she could still smell the stuffy air in Roman’s room. The smell of old age and decay. The smell of lost hope.
***
Blake tapped “end call” and slipped the smartphone back into her pocket. She stood in front of the window for long minutes, looking at the snow-covered landscape, listening to the soft whisper of the wind as it hit the walls of the mansion. It was the first day of the worst Christmas she had ever had. She hoped at least Amelia had had a good time with Seth. The night before, she had insisted the girl went to his cabin. There was no point in staying at the mansion when no one had even prepared a proper Christmas dinner. Roman barely ate anything, and Blake herself had been living off wine and crackers for the past month. Even the smell of food could turn her stomach.
She sighed and finally stepped away from the window. Going to her father’s room in the morning was never easy. She could hear him breathing weakly through the two doors that separated them, and she knew he was awake. She also knew he was weaker than the night before. With each and every day that passed, Roman Sylfur was inching closer to the end of his life, and it broke Blake’s heart and s
pirit that she had to witness it, that she had to witness this once strong and determined man wither and die before her eyes. She took a deep breath, however, and exited her room, crossed the corridor, and went into her father’s room, a big smile plastered on her face.
“Merry Christmas, dad! Did you sleep well?”
Roman turned his head slowly, his thin lips stretching in a sad smile. All that was left of his handsome face was pale skin and sharp bones. He was a ghost of the man Blake and the whole Clan Sylfur had known.
“Yes, thank you.”
Blake sat down in the armchair next to his bed and placed her hands on her knees.
“I have to tell you something.”
Roman closed his eyes for a second and nodded. Blake had taken over most of his duties as the Inari of the clan, but there were still some things which were too important to keep from him.
“The Summit,” he whispered.
“Yes. I just talked to Jonathan Redfur.”
The old man’s white eyebrows shot up in surprise. “He called you himself? That’s new…”
“Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are, believe me.”
This year, no representative of Clan Sylfur had attended the Summit. With Roman on his death bed, his brothers had preferred to stick around. Blake and Amelia could have attended, especially since Amelia was in her third month and her scent had changed and become so much more powerful, but neither of them had even wanted to hear of it. No one was in the mood for world politics when the only five-tailed Inari in the world was about to die and leave a wobbly situation for his heir to deal with.
“It seems that the Blackmanes are back in the Council’s good graces,” started Blake.
“Good news,” noted Roman. “This time, the werefoxes were in the wrong.”
“I agree, but you won’t like the rest of the story. They presented the Council with well-researched evidence that werefox clans and earths from all over the world take more shifter-brides than necessary to grow their numbers. Clan Sylfur was at the top of the list, along with a large clan in the Urals. You can imagine Jonathan wasn’t pleased, but there was nothing he could do about it. The Blackmanes were right, and the Council decided to pass a law which will prevent fox-shifters from taking more than two brides, one for their Inari and one for their Yako, just like most of the wolf-shifters and dragon-shifters have been doing since the peace treaty was signed.”
