The Wolf's Mate Book 7: Lindy & The Wulfen (16 page)

Chapter 19

Lindy sipped at the
selli-root
tea Crimson’s mom had made for her as she sat on the couch.  Three of the warrior brownies were sitting on the floor in front of the couch, their swords drawn while the other three were outside patrolling.  Crimson’s mom, Thalia, told her the protection spell had been destroyed by a powerful wizard, and that Crimson could cast it again when he came home.

Lindy was worried about him.  She’d been back at his home for two hours.  Thalia had tried to contact him, but had been unable.

Veril and Yunni were sitting on the couch between Lindy and Thalia, nibbling on crackers.  Veril said, “Your mate will figure out where you went soon enough, Lindy. He’ll come storming through the door any moment, I’m sure.”

“I must say,” Thalia said, “the dress you made for Lindy is lovely.  The weaving is so delicate.”

Lindy also liked the dress and had complimented the brownies several times.  Veril blushed, her tan skin pinking.  “Thank you, Thalia.”

While they were waiting for Crimson to come back, Veril told Lindy about the hidden entrance to their cavern.  The cavern was hidden by a type of Fae magic, and Veril believed Lindy was able to not only find the cavern but fall into it because she was not in any way Fae or from the Fae Realm.

Lindy’s wolf sat up, and she stood.  “He’s coming.”

“How can you tell?”  Thalia asked in surprise.

“I can feel him,” Lindy answered.

She had taken two steps toward the front door when it was thrown open, the knob cracking against the stone wall.  Crimson stood in the doorway looking like a pissed-off angel, with his white wings spread wide and his eyes glowing bright red.

Lindy’s mouth fell open as he stalked to her.  Her voice was caught in her throat as emotion welled up inside her.  With little more than a grunt of acknowledgement, Crimson hauled her over his shoulder, and she found herself upside down between his wings as he stomped back to the bedroom and slammed the door closed.

He righted her quickly, and her head swam.  Her back pressed to the wall as he caged her in, his palms flattened on either side of her.  “I love you.”

Her mouth fell open in surprise.  “You do?”

He growled.  “Yes.  I swore to myself that the first thing I would say to you was how I feel about you.  I love you.”

The red faded from his eyes until she was staring into the pure, beautiful green eyes of the man she loved.  She cupped his face.  “I love you, too, Crimson.  I thought I wouldn’t get to tell you.”

He kissed her, and then he pulled back abruptly.  His hands roamed down her arms.  “Are you hurt?  What happened?  Tell me everything.”

He picked her up, more gently this time and with less growling, and set her on the bed.  While she told him what had happened, he paced in front of her, occasionally asking for more details or snarling.

He nodded when she finished the story.  “We found the fae and the wizard, and they are both being held for trial.  My father and friends are handling things.  But that leaves Giwyn.”

She reached for his hand.  “I’m sorry.”

He looked surprised.  “What for?”

“I shouldn’t have opened the front door.  He wouldn’t have been able to get to me if I had left it shut.”

He went to his knees in front of her and took both of her hands in his.  “It wouldn’t have mattered.  He was very powerful.  The spell he used was more powerful than my protection spell, and he would have gotten inside no matter what.  I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“Why?”

“Because I should not have trusted that you were safe.  I was foolish, and I almost lost you.  I won’t take that chance again.”

“You can’t stay glued to my side forever, Crimson.”

“Yes, I can.”  He stood and pushed her backward, leaning over her.

She laughed.  “What about when I have to pee?”

“Be serious,
chelle
,” he groused.

“I am!  I don’t pee with an audience.”  She placed her palms on his chest and felt the heat of his skin.  “I love you, Crimson.”

“Fine.  You can pee alone, but other than that, forget it.”  With a soft growl, he kissed her and whispered against her lips, “I love you.  I love you so much.”

* * * * *

Out in the front room, Crimson spoke to the warrior brownies and thanked them for their help.  Crimson invited all the brownies to stay for the mating ceremony, and they seemed very pleased to be able to do so.

Crimson used the portal to contact his commander and explained what Giwyn had done.  Fenick was incensed that the female had been part of something so terrible and promised to find her swiftly and see her to trial.

Lindy said, “Was your commander pissed because he likes you so much?”

He shook his head.  “It’s a serious crime to try to destroy a mating.  Her punishment would be more severe if you had been physically injured or killed, but it is still a grievous offense.  She will not see daylight for many years, and her family will be shamed.”

“Good.”

Thalia chuckled.  “Are you two up for the ceremony still?  We can have it tomorrow evening.  That will allow time for everyone to get home safely and rest.”

Crimson nodded, looking stern.  “I want to be mated officially as soon as possible.”

Lindy agreed wholeheartedly.

Thalia stayed until Desmin, Merik, Riyad, and the other males returned to Crimson’s home.  Lindy hadn’t met his best friends officially, having been hustled away from them her first night in the realm when they’d been busted at the hot springs.

“We’re glad you were able to escape,” Riyad said, smiling at Lindy.  Riyad leaned in to give her a hug, and Crimson snarled so loudly that it made everyone but Lindy take a step back.  She wasn’t surprised or worried by the noise he made.  He was a wolf and they were possessive creatures with their mates.

“Thank you for helping Crimson.  I feel better with those assholes behind bars.”  It still amazed her that Giwyn thought nothing of Lindy being sold as a sex slave.  Lindy had hated some females before in her life, but she never would have wished sexual servitude on any of them.  Giwyn gave new meaning to the term “vindictive bitch.”

“…it means that we’ll live in her realm,” Crimson said, and Lindy brought her attention back to him.

“What?”

Crimson snuggled her a bit closer to his side, which was a nearly impossible feat since she was plastered against him.  “I said that it’s too dangerous here for you, and I think the best thing to do is live in your realm.”

She was both happy and worried.  “Are you sure?  The people who took me are in prison.  The danger from them is gone.”

He leaned down, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “Later.”

She hummed in her throat and nodded, saying nothing.

After thanking his family and friends once more, she and Crimson helped the brownies settle in for the night on the couch, with the warriors insisting on standing guard around the house overnight.  Lindy and Crimson went to bed.

After they made love, Crimson rolled onto his back and pulled her with him.  His fingertips twirled across her shoulders as he stared at the ceiling for several moments in silence.

“The loneliest times for me are on the full moon.  When I was a teenager, Riyad and Merik would go out hunting with me, but it just aggravated my wolf because they weren’t like us.  I never told anyone that; I never shared much about my beast because, although people like my friends and my parents try to understand, they just can’t.  My mom said that she wished my biological father’s family had been alive.  He was an only child and his parents were much older when he was born and they died before he even met my mom.  When I became a
wulfen
, she tried to locate his former pack, but they had disbanded and left the area, and since they weren’t family anyway, she thought I was better off.”

“You must feel torn in half sometimes, between the beast that wants things the fae part of you doesn’t understand.”  She stroked her hand across his chest, loving the way his muscles flexed under her touch.

“I muzzled the wolf a lot.”  He looked at her with a smile.  “He’s very bossy.”

“They can be.”  She planted her hands on either side of him and straightened her arms, looking down into his handsome face.  “Crimson, we can be our own pack here.  I don’t want to take you from your family.”

“You’re my family now, Lindy.  I know we could be happy here, but aside from the safety issue, I find myself longing to be part of a pack and run with other wolves.  If you think they’ll accept me.”

A lightness settled over her.  “They’ll accept you because you’re my mate.  On the next full moon, the alphas can preside over our mating, and they’ll welcome you into the pack.”

He pulled her down and rolled her onto her back.  “Tomorrow we’re following my people’s traditions, and then we’ll leave for your realm.  We can keep our home here and visit whenever we like.”

He leaned down to kiss her, and she murmured, “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

* * * * *

The following afternoon, she was back in the bedroom with Thalia, Veril, and Yunni, who were helping her get ready for the ceremony.  Crimson was supposed to get dressed at his parents’ home, but he had refused to leave her alone again.  Crimson’s commander had contacted them earlier in the day to explain that the military had been unable to find Giwyn, and it was believed she had disappeared so she wouldn’t get into trouble for her part in the scheme.  Crimson had gone berserk, nearly shifting into his wolf form with the news.  She’d managed to get him calmed down by speaking to him softly and petting him like she’d seen some mated females in the pack do when their mates were wound up.  Until Giwyn was found, Lindy didn’t think Crimson would relax.

She was not necessarily relaxing herself.  After all, that tricky she-fairy had almost gotten her sold into sexual slavery just because she was a sore loser.  Crimson wouldn’t feel that she was safe until Giwyn was in custody.  Lindy was a live-and-let-live sort of gal, but Giwyn was a whack job and needed to be put away.

Lindy looked at herself in the full-length mirror.  Her long hair was curled in ringlets that fell past her shoulders and reminded her of golden curling ribbon.  The dress fit her beautifully.  Her face practically glowed.  Her eyes were bright, and her cheeks were pink.  She wore no makeup save for some lip stain made from a dark pink fruit that Yunni gave her.

Thalia joined Lindy and looked at her in the mirror.  “I made a lot of mistakes, Lindy.  I’m sorry for my part in your kidnapping and for making you feel inadequate.  My son is lucky to have you in his life, and I’m blessed to have you as a daughter.”

Lindy didn’t blame Thalia for Giwyn being crazy.  She couldn’t have known that she would become so obsessed with Crimson.  But she knew Thalia carried guilt over what had happened.

“Forgiven and forgotten,” Lindy promised, squeezing her hand.

There was a short knock on the door, and Thalia said, “That’s your mate.  He’s an impatient thing, isn’t he?”

Crimson said through the door, “I’m not impatient.”

Lindy laughed as Thalia opened the door.  The room fell silent as Crimson stared at her and she stared at him.  He looked amazing.  Black leather trousers stretched over his legs, and he wore black knee boots.  His wings were out, like twin feathered shields behind his body, and he wore no shirt.  Around his forearms were thick leather cuffs, decorated with symbols made of twisted gold wire.  A sword hung from his side, the handle glinting with a ruby the size of a silver dollar.

He dropped to one knee and rested his fist over his heart, bowing his head.  “You are so lovely, my mate. I am honored to pledge my life to you and to bind myself to you forever in the ancient ways of my people.”

She closed the distance and stood before him.  He raised his head slowly, his eyes flashing from green to red, the way they did when he was aroused.  “I’m honored, Crimson.  To have you as my truemate, my friend, my protector, and the only male I’ve ever given my heart to.”

He stood and pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her waist and resting his fingertips along her jaw.  “Mine.”

She couldn’t help but grin.  “I wouldn’t want to be anyone else’s.”

Veril clapped her hands.  “It’s so romantic.”

Lindy laughed, and Crimson smiled.  “It sure is,” Lindy agreed.

So that her dress didn’t get dirty, Crimson carried her from the house to the waiting carriage.  He rode with her and his mom, and the brownies rode behind them in another carriage.  Lindy leaned against his shoulder, and he cuddled her closer.  “Just a few more hours and we’ll be bonded forever, sweet love.”

“And then what?”  She peeked up at him through the veil of her lashes.

“Then I’m going to take you back to our home and spend the night reminding you why we’re meant to be together.”

As if she needed a reminder.  No one had ever rocked her world the way Crimson did.  Everything about him seemed made just for her.