Silence of the Wolves (30 page)

‘Sorry, I didn’t realise I’d thought out loud.’

‘You didn’t.’ Her mother winked at her.

As the two of them sat down, Tamriel didn’t even know where to begin. As it turned out, she didn’t need to.

‘So, I’ve been watching you over the last few weeks,’ her mother began. ‘I really am sorry I didn’t tell you that you were half wolf, or about your Wiccan heritage; I really thought you wouldn’t go through the change. And, besides, it seems to have worked out well anyway.’

‘That’s OK, Mum. Leyth—’

‘Ah, Leyth, he is a true wolf of honour, is he not? Anyway. I’ve been talking to your father, I—’

‘You know we found Dad?’

‘Of course I know!’

‘She did. Hello, pup!’ Her dad’s voice reverberated throughout the walls of her office. As he walked in, Tam couldn’t hold in the gasp; he looked exactly as he had when she was a child, brown scruffy hair and a chiselled face covered in a shadow of stubble. The wrinkles and white, cascading hair had gone, leaving him as he had always been. A picture of strength, and particularly wolfish.

‘Your mother was the one who disguised me, she’s got some pretty strong magic under her belt, you know?’

‘Oh it was just a coating spell,’ her mother giggled, wrapping an arm around her male; it was strange to see her parents together after all this time.

‘So you knew he was going away?’ Tam asked, shocked.

‘Oh yes, the Circle was gaining power at an alarming rate, so when John decided to go under cover, I was behind him. Even though we knew it was likely a suicide mission.’

‘So she made me look like a magi, and we developed a spray that hid my scent so they wouldn’t realise I was a wolf; your mum taught me how to manipulate herbs. Anyway, of course, I couldn’t talk to anyone, or tell anyone where I was going, in case it got back to the High Lord. He respected me because I refused to accept the “gift of eternity” and, long story short, I became his thane.’

‘But you told me he was dead,’ Tamriel whimpered.

‘No, I told you he wouldn’t be coming home, and let you draw your own conclusions,’ her mother said sternly, glancing at her dad. ‘Sorry, John. I felt I had to give her some closure, even if it was the wrong kind of closure.’

‘I see.’ He walked over to Tam, wrapping his arms around her. ‘God, kiddo, you got so big. You have grown into such a beautiful, respectable female. I’m so sorry I missed you growing up.’

Tam couldn’t find her words; choking back tears, she leanet into her father, inhaling deep, drawing his scent in.

It didn’t matter where he’d been all her life; the fact that he was here now was what counted.

The three of them stood there in silence, for the longest time, before her father finally cleared his throat.

‘Leyth’s asked for you to come down to dinner.’

Leyth was sat at the grand dining table Julian had bought; it seated at least fifteen, and the leather chairs they sat in were incredibly comfortable. Everyone was there. Julian sat at the head of the table, and Alison sat to his right. She was looking much better; she could walk now, but her skin was still pale and tinged grey, her eyes sad. He made a mental note to check on her later, see what how she was doing.

Raught, the pack elder, sat to Julian’s left, his white hair combed into a ponytail. The cousins, Raylix and Taevyn, were sat next to him and finally, Dax, looking moody as ever was sat to their side.

Sapphire was next to Alison, deep in conversation with her. Carl and Kaylee were whispering. Leyth had positioned himself next to Carl and opposite Doc; he wanted Tamriel and her family to be able to sit together.

The half-breeds were all in the kitchen; Julian had offered to employ staff and let them sit with the group, but they were all insistent on being house staff. After a long and tedious meeting with them, Julian had upped their pay, given them the usual benefits that came with the job and left them to it. If it made them happy, what could you do?

Leyth glanced at the door again; John had gone to get Tam ages ago, where were they? Damn, he was nervous about tonight.

Why he’d decided to do this in front of everyone, he had no idea.

He should have waited.

Julian chose that point to look at him, and he must have seen the panic on his face, because he walked over to the bar, poured him a Jack Daniel’s and placed the drink in front of him.

‘Good luck,’ he murmured, slapping a hand on Leyth’s shoulder as he walked off. Finally, after what felt like hours, Tamriel, John and Ellie, her mother, walked in and sat around the table. Tam sat in the chair next to him and landed a kiss on his lips, ‘Hey, Wolfie.’ She grinned.

‘Ah, you’ve arrived!’ Julian announced. ‘Let’s eat!’

With that, Sarah and her pack strode in carrying all manner of silverware covering roast beef, roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables.

They all dug in. John then announced his position on the Council, and told everyone that each race now had a member representing them on it; in theory it should make the way the Kingdom was run more fair.

Tamriel, Sapphire and Carl explained their new positions with the Council’s private investigation agency, and explained that the djinn and minotaurs would continue on as a team.

‘I can head them up, if you like?’ Leyth suggested.

All heads turned to him. ‘Well, I wouldn’t mind having a team of my own,’ he muttered.

‘That’s a brilliant idea!’ Julian roared, by way of agreement. Tamriel beamed at him, she obviously liked the idea too.

‘That means you’ll have a team to back you up, rather than fighting lone wolf style, right?’ she whispered.

‘Yup.’

‘Good.’ Everything seemed to be coming together nicely, which was a first!

When they’d eaten all they could, Sarah’s pack brought out dessert and coffee. Leyth ate far too much chocolate cake, and watched in awe as Tam finished off an equal portion; he loved a woman that could eat.

When everyone was sat back, and the table was cleared, Julian shot a look at him.

‘I believe Leyth has something to ask,’ he announced.

‘Uh, yeah.’ How was he going to say this?

‘Leyth?’ Tam’s soft voice brought him out of his mind’s rambling, her beautiful green eyes searching his.

‘I, uh—’ He stood, taking a deep breath.

‘Alpha.’ He nodded at Julian. ‘My pack.’ He nodded at each of them in turn. They all straightened, giving him their full attention as he addressed them formally.

‘Brothers and Sisters of the White Wolf pack, I come to you and our alpha, to ask the pack’s approval.’ Hushed whispers filled the room as Leyth made his way around the table and knelt before Julian. ‘Do you give your permission?’

Julian nodded. ‘Yes, with the pack as witness, I shall give you fair judgement by the old laws and pack rule.’

‘My alpha, my pack,’ Leyth said as he rose to his feet once more. Pain twinged in his chest and his legs roared in protest as he moved, but he didn’t care. Some things were just more important.

‘I would humbly like to introduce you to my female.’ Leyth moved back around to Tamriel, who was sat with her eyes wide, mouth gaping at him.

‘My Tamriel, blood daughter of long-standing pack member John Chambers.’

‘Tamriel.’ Everyone in the room nodded at her, and she returned each nod, looking only a little confused.

‘My alpha, my pack, I ask that you honour me, and honour Tamriel, by accepting her into our pack. She has saved the life of several pack members, myself included.’ He nodded at Alison, who beamed over at Tamriel.

‘My alpha, my pack, will you accept Tamriel Chambers into our pack?’

There was a painful moment of silence where no one spoke.

Leyth wrapped his hands around Tamriel’s shoulders as she looked up at him.

‘I am Julian, pack alpha. I will gladly accept Tamriel into my pack,’ Julian boomed, getting to his feet and slapping a hand on the table,

‘I, of course, will accept you into my pack.’ Alison stood next to her brother.

‘Tamriel, I will accept you into my pack.’ Carl grinned. ‘Even if I’m shifter, not wolf, I’m proud to call the White Wolf pack home.’

Each of the people sat around the table spoke their words of acceptance, and though Tam held her head high, Leyth could see her tearing up.

When finally it came to Dax, the moody bastard that he was, the room fell silent.

‘You are one of the strongest females I have met,’ he muttered to the table. ‘I am honoured to have you at my side; I will accept you into my pack.’

As everyone clapped and cheered, congratulating Tamriel, she said her thank yous and hastily swiped at the tears she refused to let fall.

Leyth then cleared his throat, signalling everyone to quieten down once more.

‘I have something else to ask.’ Everyone sat down, looking straight at him. He heaved in a deep breath. ‘My alpha, my pack, Tamriel, my female.’ She looked up at him and he dropped a kiss on her forehead, walking around to the edge of her chair and dropping onto his knees beside her.

There were several quiet gasps from his pack members.

‘You are my heart, my soul. My heart is yours, my soul is yours, my wolf is yours. On this night, I ask that you become mine for ever. Will you consent to be my mate, both in skin and in fur?’

She looked at him for the longest moment; the silence hitting his ears was like knives against his heart.

As he looked into her eyes, his heart seemed to stop beating and he held his breath, waiting for the words that could make or break his heart.

‘Yes, Leyth, I will.’

He closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to spill. ‘Thank god. I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ She grinned, sliding off the chair and onto his lap, landing a huge kiss on his lips.

He stood, holding her in his arms and feeling stronger than he’d ever felt before; happier than he’d ever believed he could feel, and the most proud wolf that ever lived.

He addressed the rest of their pack: ‘John and Ellie Chambers, blood father and mother of Tamriel, I am Leyth Aera Grey wolf, born of the Metal wolf pack, son of Avor. I have devoted my life and soul to your daughter, Tamriel, and promise to love and respect her until the day I leave for the eternal hunting grounds of the Maker, will you give us your blessing?’

John cleared his throat, ‘Leyth Aera, son of Avor, I am honoured to give you my blessing.’

‘As am I.’ Ellie beamed at her daughter.

‘Thank you.’ Leyth was grinning like a giddy teenager now. ‘Julian, my alpha, do you accept our mating unto the pack?’

‘I accept your mating unto the pack.’ Julian smiled. ‘And I think I speak for everyone when I say, congratulations!’

‘Congratulations!’ Everyone cheered, clapped and shouted ‘Hooray!’

The night was filled with drinking, dancing and laughing. Leyth couldn’t stop grinning, and spent most of the night attached to his female’s side, loving her, loving life.

Tamriel sat in her bedroom, smoothing her hair in a desperate attempt to make it look half decent. The last few weeks had gone so quickly; plans for their mating had gone into full steam ahead mode and, tonight, she would officially become a pack member and Leyth’s mate all in one turn of the full moon.

‘Hey, how are you doing?’ Sapphire poked her head in.

‘Yeah, good.’ Tamriel stood up and did a twirl in the mirror; the simple white dress she was wearing hugged her curves and flared out at the bottom. It was all she was wearing, of course, this was a wolf ritual after all.

‘Cool, everyone’s ready when you are.’ Sapphire walked over, idly running a brush through her hair. ‘You look fab!’

‘So do you.’ Tam grinned at her.

She really did, she was wearing pack colours; a white dress with white and red ties. Tamriel’s own dress was tied with brown and red silk, to symbolise her pack colours.

‘Tamriel?’ her mother called up the stairs. ‘You ready?’

‘Hell yeah!’

She and Sapphire walked down the stairs, to be greeted by her mother who was wearing a deep-red silk dress tied with white, and the three of them were joined by Alison, who looked simply angelic with her blonde waves and all in white.

They walked out of the house, not even bothering to lock the door. They were on pack-land; there was nowhere safer.

The night was cold, icy almost. Mind you, it was December and 11 p.m. Tam called to her wolf, reaching for the heat at her core. She came roaring to the surface, warming her from the inside out, and her bare feet melted the ice on the grass as she stepped on it, her skin glowing in the darkness.

As they crossed through the trees into the woodland, the silence of the night wrapped around them.

It truly was beautiful, the full moon swept through the trees, making the ice on the trees and grass shine, and the forest hummed with life though it was night. As they reached the lake, the moonlight illuminated the entire area, bouncing off the water and caressing the surrounding woodland. Up ahead was a large group of people, her pack. She smiled at the thought.

Sarah and her pack of half wolves stood in a group to the right. She grinned as Tam passed her.

The floor had been covered in rose petals and there was a circle of candles surrounding them.

In front of her stood the males, Julian in the middle looking large and proud, his blonde hair loose over his shoulders. He was dressed in a white linen shirt with a white tie. To his right stood her father in all his glory, also wearing his white linen, with brown and white ties.

And to her father’s left stood Leyth. He looked gorgeous. His scruffy black hair shone in the moonlight, his icy-grey eyes gleaming in his handsome face.

He too was wearing white linen, tied with grey silk and white silk, representing his birth pack and his current pack. The rest of the pack stood to attention next to them; everyone was there, even Dax. Tamriel came to stand in front of the males as Kaylee came to join the females.

‘Members of the White Wolf pack,’ Julian began, his voice reverberating throughout the night, ‘we are here today to unite two of our wolves.’

Howling, yipping and cheering came from the group, echoing throughout the forest. Julian grinned, winking at her as he cleared his throat to quieten everyone down.

‘Leyth Aera, Blood son of Avor Aera, please step forward.’ Leyth caught Tamriel’s eye as he moved forward, grinning.

‘Tamriel Chambers, Blood daughter of John Chambers. Please step forward.’ She did as she was asked, coming to stand in front of Julian and facing Leyth, females to her left and males to the right.

‘Tonight, beneath our Maker and the moon, do you accept each other’s trust?’

‘I do,’ Leyth choked out.

‘I do.’ Tamriel smiled at him.

‘Tonight, beneath our Maker and the moon, do you accept each other’s love?’

‘I do,’ they said in unison.

‘Tonight, beneath our Maker and the moon, do you accept each other’s wolf?’

‘I do.’

‘Then I ask you now to bring your packs, your hearts and your souls together, in blood, body and spirit before your pack and your kin.’

The entire group was silent as Raught, the pack elder, stepped forward. In his palm he held a very worn-looking silver ritual knife; it had various engravings on it, most of which Tam couldn’t understand.

‘I ask you both to reveal your palms.’

Tam and Leyth both held their hands up, palms facing towards the moon as instructed. ‘Beneath the Maker, by the power of the moon, I bind you by blood.’

On cue, Raught brought the silver blade across Leyth’s palm, slicing deep. Blood welled to the surface, seemingly black under the dark night, glinting red only when the moon bounced off it.

The pack elder then flipped the knife over and with the other side of the knife, in one swift movement, sliced into Tamriel’s own palm. She breathed in deeply, but refused to show any reaction on her face.

Leyth, for a split second, looked angry, worried and kind all at the same time, making her smile. As soon as her lips moved, he relaxed again, grinning at her.

Julian brought their hands together so they were palm to palm. ‘Beneath the Maker, by the power of the moon, I bind your packs.’

Tamriel’s mother and father stepped forward and handed Julian two strands of silk in brown and red. He took these and wrapped the ends around Tam’s wrist, winding the soft material around their joined hands and, finally, finishing off by wrapping it around Leyth’s broad wrist.

Carl stepped forward, handing Julian two more strands of silk; grey and white. He repeated the motion, wrapping the fragile material around their joint palms until they were tied together with all their pack colours.

‘With the Maker’s blessing, beneath the moon, I now unite your human souls, to be mated as one until you move onto the Maker’s eternal hunting grounds.’

Yips and howls erupted around them as their pack cheered. Tamriel’s mum was crying, her dad heartily clapping, as Julian held his hand up for silence once more.