I showered and dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, boots and a sports jacket. I put my hair in a low ponytail, and sat on my bed, waiting for Ian to meet me. I thought about leaving as soon as I was dressed, but this was his territory. Running had no point unless it was off property, and if I could pick up his scent, he definitely had mine.
A knock at the door sounded, and I got up. I went to the door, and opened it to see Ian, Vida and Cole in the hall.
"I thought we could use the company?" Ian shrugged.
I saw the bites on them. They'd marked each other...already? I felt my jaw tighten, and my teeth clench. I took a deep breath, and said, "Great." I stepped out into the hall. "Good morning."
"Almost afternoon, but," Cole cast a quick sideways glance at Vida before turning to say, "Good morning."
"Good morning, Amber!" Vida sang softly, pushing through Ian and Cole and hugging me. I knew this tone. It was the please don't be mad tone. I rolled my eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm really...." Her eyes rose to Cole's. "I'm absolutely wonderful."
"How lovely." I said, though it came out tightly. Ian took my hand, and I looked up at him. He kissed my temple, and after seeing Vida do the awwww expression, I found myself relenting. I had to try to go with the flow, no matter how uncomfortable I felt.
The castle was really something. The décor alone was awesome. We went to the kitchens to get brunch.
"Lara!" Ian smiled, opening his arms to her.
"Ha!" She turned her nose up at him. "Late again for a meal, and having your guests do the same!" She narrowed her eyes as she hugged him, and looked at us. "Did you know this boy would go tramping off in the woods for hours? Drove the entire household mad, it did! He'd come home naked and smiling with all kinds of brush in his hair--"
Ian rolled his eyes. "Lara, that was a long time ago!"
"Well," she tutted. "I did save you steak and biscuits. I'll warm that up and cook the eggs for you."
Ian hugged her again. "Thank you, Lara."
"Con artist," she teased. "Cole, you've found a mate?!"
"Yes, Lara, this is Vida."
Vida extended her hand. "Hi-whoa!" She was pulled into the woman's arms, and they laughed.
"Welcome!" Lara looked Vida over. "You need some meat on those bones!"
"Lara--"
"Shut up, Cole, or so help me I'll never make you another cinnamon bun!" Lara winked. "How do you like your eggs, sweetie?"
"Scrambled soft."
"Ah, soft and sweet and fluffy," she smiled. "I know about you, Cole. Over easy. A little cooked, but basically, raw." She gave a throaty laugh. "What are you in the mood for, Ian?"
"I don't know, surprise me."
"Oh, the reason for that indecision must be you," She pointed at me. "Oh, my, you're a strong one, I can tell." Lara looked at Ian questioningly.
"Yes, Lara, she's my mate."
"Oh!" She hugged Ian again, and then hugged me. "What's your name, honey? Must get to know all your favorites."
"I'm Amber."
"Amber? The only Amber I know of is...Kiana Amber of the Makya pack?" Her eyes widened in shock.
I quirked a brow. "One and the same!" I gave a small chuckle. I watched her fidget. Goddess, what reputation did I have?
"Eggs?"
"Over medium."
"Ah, cooked...but soft on the inside, ah." She nodded. She hugged me then. "Welcome, dear, welcome!" I hugged her back. "I like you already!"
"I'll have the same, then." Ian said easily. He looked relieved.
For some reason that felt good, really good. As the only female alpha, I was often treated like something was wrong with me, not right with me. "Thanks, I like you, too!"
"Anytime you need to talk, okay? Anytime."
I blinked at that. What an odd offer to make. Did I seem troubled to her? I cast a questioning look at Ian, who shrugged. "Thank you."
We sat at the kitchen counter for a short time to wait for our plates and then headed outside to eat.
"We have some competitions this weekend," Ian nodded. "You know, archery, swimming, javelin, footrace, combat, stuff like that."
"It gives everyone a chance to shine, or be noticed," Cole explained to Vida. "you didn't need that, though."
She sighed up at him dreamily, and kissed his cheek. Oh, Goddess, enough!
"Vida?"
Vida's eyes widened. "Hmmm?"
"A word?"
Vida's eyes dropped. "Excuse me."
We walked off. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Cole?"
"Do Cole?"
"Stay with him, be his mate!" I grumbled. "You're so young, Vida!"
"But he is my mate, Amber!" She took a deep breath. "I need to ask you something. How do you feel about Ian, really feel?"
"He makes me feel..." I looked at her, and I knew she was searching for the truth, and she could also tell when I'm lying. "Shaky, vulnerable, and I hate feeling that way."
She took my hands in hers, squeezing them. "I trust Cole, and I trust the Goddess, and I've never looked back." She looked into my eyes. "Give Ian a chance. There's a reason for everything, you always said that. If the Goddess can make you an alpha, how can you think she wouldn't have someone picked for you?"
I sighed heavily. She made sense in a positive dreamer kind of way. "I'll think about it."
"Good!" Vida cheered, and hugged me. She turned back to the table where Ian and Cole were. "We're going to go freshen up before we take the walk in the woods!" She grabbed my arm and we headed to the bathroom.
************
"You and Vida seem happy," I told Cole.
"Ian, I--I can't believe a day ago, I thought I'd never meet her," He stared after her as she walked away with Amber. "Now..." he shook his head. "I can't imagine life without her."
"So, you said that you guys talked--"
"Most of the night, actually."
"What did you talk about?"
"The one thing I didn't want to talk about," he chuckled humorlessly. "Amber."
"Really?"
"Yep," Cole sat forward, and folded his hands. "Turns out that Vida's parents died in territorial war with the Maka pack."
"Farmers," I sighed. "Is this when the Minn tried to expand their territory?"
"Yes," Cole nodded. "They were fighting over a water source."
"They couldn't share?"
"Apparently not," Cole shrugged sadly. "Vida was one of the orphans that no one wanted. She was weak and small. Amber saw her, and took her as her own."
"Wait a second, that can't be right," Ian frowned. "Vida is nineteen, isn't she?"
"Yes, and Amber will be thirty-four," Cole said. "Amber was only eighteen, and Vida was about four."
"Why?"
"It is said that Amber heard her name, and said, 'Who would throw life away?'" Cole's eyes glistened. "Vida means 'life,' and she has loved her ever since."
"So she is more than a servant to her," I thought aloud, realizing my assumptions were right. "More like a...daughter?"
Cole nodded, his eyes widening. "Amber lost her mother that year to sickness, her brother five years after that, and was given the Makya's mountain territory as a form of banishment by her father when she beat Jiro and would not yield to him."
"A lot of loss," I watched Amber and Vida in the distance, talking and laughing.
"Maybe Amber is hard because she protects life," Cole laughed softly. "That's Vida's view of things, anyway."
"I think Amber is protecting herself from more pain," I murmured. Suddenly, I saw Mattie, Amber's beta, and her mate, Zach. She spoke quickly to Amber, whose shoulders dropped, a sign of something not right. She gave an almost regal nod. Vida looked disappointed, too. "Let's see what's going on." We both rose and went over to the group.
"I can't make the walk today, sorry." Amber looked truly disappointed. "Duty calls."
"What is it?"
"It seems that there are many females who were found by their mates last night," Mattie sighed. "Many are seeking counsel from Amber, and some actually look for a blessing on the union, or a formal release from the Makyas."
"Well, mission complete," Amber sighed. "I am sure your father's aim was to try to take as many pack members as he could from me."
"Amber, that's not fair," I said quickly. "We can't help that so many of your pack are female. I thought you wanted them happy."
"I do," Amber snapped. "but, unlike your father, I know all my pack, and I will miss them when they go." She sighed. "So, as I said, duty calls." She brightened. "You all go on and have a good time, alright? Maybe I will catch you at dinner."
"You two go on ahead," I nodded. "I am staying with my mate."
Mattie's green eyes became as wide as saucers. "Did you say, mate?"
"Yes, yes, I did," I nodded. "I have never heard of this counseling before, or even blessing."
"That's because we are the first to do it," she explained. "We give couples a choice in which pack they live with, and we make sure that they are both ready to live together as mates. Some need time to get to know each other before they do."
"A ritual?"
"You could call it that, but--" Amber sighed. "You said you wanted to learn. Come on."