by Quinn Loftis
“No, I honestly do not know,” he admitted into the dark room. “Part of me thinks that I should leave the decision up to Alina and Vasile as to when she goes with him, part of me thinks that maybe eighteen is old enough to be bonded, and part of me thinks that they both have a lot of growing to do before they should complete their bond.”
“Do you think he will leave her here?”
“He is a man of integrity,” he told her. “Just from what he said to us today in regards to the changes that will be made and the help he will be sending shows me his character. He will not go against my wishes, but then he might be stubborn enough to move the pack headquarters to our little village until he can claim her.”
“One thing I do know for certain, my love,” Georgeta said through a yawn. “He will not leave her until she opens their bond back up.”
Petre chuckled. “I do not think I have ever seen our Alina so angry as she was today. She was truly a sight to behold. If she had been holding a switch in her hand, I do believe she would have tanned his hide with it.”
“From what I understand, you both deserved tanned hides.”
“We might have been a tad inconsiderate of her desires,” he started but was interrupted by his mate.
“A tad inconsiderate? That is like saying when you phase to your wolf you are a tad hairy. I would caution you, mate, not to use those words when you apologize to your daughter for being a tad inconsiderate. I have a sneaky suspicion that if you do then she will give you a tad of her own mind.”
“We had good intentions, Georgeta,” Petre argued.
“Good intentions are about as useful as teats on a bull. They are there hanging out in all their glory without the ability to produce anything useful.”
Romanian Proverb # 8
Ce naste din pisicã soareci mãnâncã.
It must be a diamond that cuts a diamond.
“Alpha, not to cause offense,” Ion said from the seated position on the log, “but it has been three days since your female closed the bond, and she still has not spoken to you. Perhaps giving her some space should be considered.”
Vasile bit back the retort he wanted to fling at his third. He had no right to berate one of his own for being honest with him. It was true. Alina refused to speak to him not only that but she refused to even look at him. That, of course, was when he could even find her. She was very good at slipping past him when his attention was elsewhere. Ion was also correct in encouraging him to go home. There was much that needed to be dealt with now that he had spoken to the pack members, and he could not put it off for much longer.
“I am sending you and Nicu back,” he told them. He made a motion with his hand when they started to argue. “I need you to be my eyes and ears while I am absent. Even though we have had a good response from the pack, that does not mean that there are none who are unhappy. With the changing of the guard, so to speak, there are always a few who might attempt to take advantage of the upheaval that such a change brings. I need to be able to squelch any possible uprisings before they happen, and I cannot do that if I do not know about them.”
“How long until you follow?” Nicu asked.
Vasile ran his hand over his face and mentally noted that he needed to shave. He tried to think then of the last time he had taken a dip in the river and decided that the reason Alina was avoiding him was because of his lack of hygiene as of late. That reason was more tolerable than the truth. “A few more days and I will return,” he finally answered.
He watched as the two warriors phased and immediately headed off for home. Part of him truly wished he was going with them but not without his mate. He growled knowing that in a few days that is exactly what he would be doing. He had to mend what he had broken before then. Unfortunately, he did not have much, or any, experience in dealing with upset females.
“She still will not speak to you?” Petre asked as he walked over to the edge of the forest where Vasile stood.
“I do not really blame her. I did not consider her feelings when I started discussing her future with you. I was so concerned with you hearing what I had to say and submitting to me that I did not bother to hear what she had to say.”
Petre patted his back in a fatherly gesture, and Vasile swallowed down the pain at the reminder of the loss of his own father. “It will not be the first time you forget to consider her when you want so badly to protect her and keep her with you. The males of our race tend to have tunnel vision when it comes to our mates.”
“Do you have any advice?” Vasile asked with a desperation that he normally would not have shown to another male, but he could not hide it, not at this point. The chuckle that came from the other male did not incite a whole lot of confidence.
“Honestly, all you can do is apologize. Make sure she knows that you are sincere. They always know when you are just blowing smoke up their skirts.”
“Noted,” Vasile said with a slight smile. As Alina’s father walked away leaving him to his thoughts, he began to formulate a plan. It was a complete act of desperation. And if ever asked by any of his pack mates if it was true that he went crawling to his future mother-in-law to ask for help to get back in his mate’s good graces, he would deny it to his grave. It was probably a long shot anyway. He had a feeling that Alina inherited her stubbornness not just from her father.
Alina was struggling to stay away from him. Every time she saw him, even just out of the corner of her eye, she argued with her wolf not to run to him and tell him she was sorry for closing their bond. She had not done anything wrong, and yet she felt like she was the one being punished. She tried to just continue to go about her daily chores, though she did at times alter her route in order to avoid seeing him. The day before, she had met Sisily at their usual spot by the river and explained everything that had happened. It had made her mad all over again until Sisily started laughing over the lion-like roar that Vasile had let out. She told Alina that they actually heard it at her own house, which in turn made Alina laugh. It was much needed humor after several emotional days.
That morning she had a slight panic attack when she caught the two wolves that had been with Vasile leaving in their wolf forms heading back towards the main village and to the castle. From the side of the cottage, she had searched frantically for a sign of Vasile with the pair but then saw him standing with her father on the far edge of the forest. It was then that she realized there was no way she could let him leave without opening their bond back up. The separation already was like a knife in her chest with every breath. She could not continue on like this, and―even if she wanted to―her wolf was not going to put up with it much longer. She wanted the connection to their mate, and she was ready to make her human half submit to get it. It was the first time Alina could ever remember her wolf attempting to take control. Usually it was the other way around.
“How are you doing?” her mother asked as she joined her pulling down the dry clothes from the line.
She nearly laughed at the timing of the question. Just as she was about to cave, her mother comes to inquire of how she was holding out. Georgeta had actually agreed with Alina and told her that she needed to set the precedent now that she would not be dictated to and walked upon. Alphas were notorious for being over protective, especially of their mates. Her mom had explained that it was not that they meant to be disrespectful or thoughtless, they genuinely thought that whatever it was they were doing in order to protect their mate was the right thing, regardless of how their female felt.
“Honestly?” Alina asked.
“No, dear one, I would prefer you lie to me,” her mother retorted.
Alina grinned. “Perhaps you should spend time with Vasile so that he can see where I get my nerve from.”
“Oh believe me, I think he is well aware.”
“Okay, well if I am being honest then I am about two seconds from phasing to my wolf and rubbing myself all over his legs.” Alina’s face warmed with the heat of her blush as she spoke the words. They sounded
so much worse out loud than they did in her head. Georgeta did not laugh, which helped lessen the embarrassment.
“Truthfully,” she stopped folding the shirt in her hand and met Alina’s eyes, “if you did not feel that way, I would be worried that something was wrong. True mates cannot stand separation of any kind for very long, whether it is the mental bond or physical separation. They are two halves of one soul and crave that closeness.”
Alina felt slightly better, but regardless of how the separation was hurting her, her pride was keeping her from admitting it to him.
Her mother must have seen something in her face because she added, “When something that starts out as a necessary action goes on for too long, it becomes a prison not only for the one the action is directed towards but also for the one who instigated it in the first place.”
“So you are saying I should talk to him,” Alina said with an exaggerated sigh.
“Stop acting like I am telling you to cut off your fingers and cook them in a pie,” Georgeta snorted. “He is just a man, honey. They make mistakes just like you and me.”
“Are you admitting that you have made mistakes, Mother?” Alina teased.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, daughter. Now go find that arrogant mate of yours and bring him to heel.”
Alina laughed. “Can I tell him you said that?”
“I think you will find him in your usual spot,” her mother answered before leaving her standing at the clothes line.
Alina watched her mother scurry off, looking all too pleased with herself. It was when she considered her mother’s words, find him in your usual spot, that she realized that Georgeta had just played her like the Pied Piper. She shook her head as she hung the shirt back up that she had just taken down. The smile that threatened to break across her lips finally broke lose when she imagined Vasile going to her mother for help. That must have been something to see.
Alina took her time as she walked towards her favorite spot by the river. Her thoughts were going a hundred miles a minute as she went over and over what she wanted to say and how to say it. But the minute she saw him standing there, his broad shoulders pulled back and his narrow waist tapering down to strong powerful legs, all coherent thoughts were gone. The wind blew through his hair as he stared at the running water. His arms were folded across his broad chest, and his handsome face was narrowed in a frown. It irked her that even frowning he was still the most handsome creature she had ever seen. She hoped that she would go unnoticed so she could just watch him, but werewolves were not easy to sneak up on. The incredible hearing kept a lot of mischief at bay in their world.
“I did not know if you would come.” His deep voice carried over the sound of the rippling water and rustling wind. He did not turn to face her, just continued to stare at the river.
“I am not sure why I did,” she admitted. “I am still mad and hurt.”
He turned then to look down at her. His features had softened and the frown was gone now, replaced by a tenderness that made her breath catch.
“I would sooner cut off my own arm and feed it to the dogs than hurt you. That was never my intention, Mina.” His voice rang with sincerity.
She nodded. “I do not think your were trying to hurt me, and I know my father would never intentionally hurt me either. Regardless of either of your intents, your words and actions are what matter not your intentions.”
“I agree with you and that is why I am asking for your forgiveness.”
Vasile’s words were then followed by an action that shocked Alina. He knelt down on one knee before her. Her mouth dropped open, not for the same reason a human woman would think. She knew he was not proposing marriage. That was not their custom. Her mouth dropped open because an Alpha, a dominant, was kneeling before her. He was submitting himself to her, something that Alpha’s never did to anyone.
She was speechless. All she could do was stare at the man before her on his knee looking at her with such devotion that she thought her heart would burst.
“Can you forgive me, Alina?” he asked again.
“I already have,” she admitted.
His head tilted slightly and she saw the flash of his wolf behind his eyes. “Then why is our bond still closed?”
She started to step back but he placed his hands on either side of her hips and held her in place. The warmth from his palms penetrated her through the material of her clothes, and she wanted to sink into him and allow it to warm all the cold places inside of her.
“Mina,” he murmured drawing her attention away from his touch.
“I wanted to open it back. Last night all I could think about was how you will be leaving soon, and I knew that there was no way I could let you leave before I opened it. But…,” she paused.
“But what?” he breathed out.
“Now I wonder if it would be less painful if we did not have any contact at all while we are apart and you are off being Alpha, and I am stuck here being me. Maybe….”
“NO.” His voice was firm as he interrupted her and stood quickly to his feet. “It would not be less painful, Alina. Has it been pain free for you the past few days? Even with us only feet apart, has it been painless?”
“It has not,” she admitted.
“It has been hell,” he growled as he turned away from her. He began pacing and she imagined had he been in his wolf form the fur on the back of his neck would have been standing on end. “Even now, standing this close to you, with the bond closed I feel as though we are miles apart.”
“I do not understand how having the bond open when we cannot even touch will matter. How is that going to take away the torture of being apart from each other?” she snapped back. “Maybe I do not want to talk to you if I cannot see you. Maybe not being able to touch you will be easier if I cannot hear you either.”
“Open the bond, Alina,” Vasile rumbled at her. His words were slow and sounded calm, but she knew better.
She simply stared at him. As his eyes began to glow, she realized maybe staring down an already upset Alpha was not the wisest thing she had ever done.
His jaw clenched but he did not raise his voice. “Please, open it.”
It was the please and the way he said it that finally had her caving. She mentally watched the walls crash down as she opened the mate bond between them. She heard him gasp and felt her own gasp as their emotions crashed into one another. Volatile would be putting it mildly. She felt everything he had been feeling: anger, hurt, fear, worry, and pain. All of it rolled through her, mixing with her own emotions. But even in the midst of the chaos, it was right.
“What do you feel?” Vasile’s voice brushed through her mind.
Her first inclination was to list off all of the emotions, but then she felt something else entirely. Her eyes widened as she looked at where he stood at least ten feet from her, and yet she could feel his hand on her face. She could feel his breath on her neck and the warmth of his body as though he were standing only inches from her.
“How?” she murmured breathlessly as she felt his fingertips skitter across the back of her neck.
“You asked what good it would be to be able to hear me but not feel me. I am showing you that the bond is more than just being able to speak to one another through a mental pipeline. It is a connection, a very important connection. Our wolves crave touch, crave each other, and when we are a part, it is one way for the wolf to cope with the distance.”
Alina was trying to listen to him but his touch and scent were all around her, and she was consumed by it. Her eyes fluttered closed as she opened all of herself up. For three days she had not allowed herself to be near him, had not allowed herself the comfort of his presence, and now she was drenched in him. Her wolf wanted to wiggle in delight under the attention of their mate. She wanted to roll and play and never be parted from him again. Alina wanted the same thing.
“I am always with you, Mina, as you are always with me.”
“It is not the same.” What she w
as going to say next was cut off when she felt his arms wrap around her. Her eyes snapped open and she realized that this time it really was him. He pulled her tightly against him, his hand stroking down her hair. His lips were close to her ear, and she could hear him whispering to her words of love and understanding.
“I know it is not the same. I wish that I could give you what you want, what I want, but we will have to be patient.” He pulled back to look at her. His thumbs brushed softly across her cheeks, wiping away tears she had not realized she had shed. “It breaks my heart to see you sad,” he told her gently.
“It breaks my heart to know you are leaving, so we are even.” Alina’s lips twitched when he chuckled at her petulance. His arms tightened slightly and her skin heated as she realized that they were alone and being quite affectionate. It was extremely unfitting and if her father happened upon them, she knew she would die of embarrassment.
“Mina that does not quite apply the same way for us as it does for a single female and single male,” he told her obviously catching her thoughts.
“We are single,” she pointed out.
He shook his head. “No, we are not,” he said pointedly. “We are mated; we just have not bonded yet. As long as I do not steal your virtue, I am within my rights to hold you and to perhaps even steal a kiss. The impropriety happens when a male and female not meant for one another fraternize. That my love would be extremely inappropriate.”
Before she could stop it, her mind jumped to the night Serghei had kissed her. Vasile dropped his arms immediately and stepped away from her. The rejection hurt, but she could not blame him. She would not want to see another female kissing him either.
“I am not rejecting you, Mina.” The low growl deep in his throat and the glowing eyes showed her how close his wolf was to the surface. “I was afraid I would hurt you. Apparently my wolf and I are in agreement that hearing about the kiss and seeing it are two very different things. It is a good thing I did not see it in your thoughts while I was near the pup. I would have injured him. That he would be so disrespectful as to put his mouth on yours.” His snarl was menacing and Alina found herself taking a step back.
