Kat had never wanted to be married. It had never been something that appealed to her. But then, she'd never wanted a mate, either. She'd grown up thinking anyone tethered to her was in danger, and marriage was the ultimate tether. She thought back to before she met Cal. It felt like looking at someone else. She couldn't really have lived without him, could she? Life hadn't started, not really, until the moment Tate brought her to him.
"Ka-?"
"Yes. Absolutely yes."
She threw her arms around him, grabbing his face roughly, she pulled his lips to hers.
He groaned against her mouth, her soul soared as the bond tightened. Cal lifted her up and sat down on the nearest pew, not breaking their kiss. Kat straddled him, running her fingers through his hair and pushing his mouth open with her tongue. Cal wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. Kat could barely breathe, she loved it. She pulled his lip into her mouth and tugged on it with her teeth. He growled, low in his chest. The sound made Kat's insides twist. She started to unbutton his shirt and his hand closed around hers, stopping her. She pulled away, frowning at him.
He breathed heavily, laughing lightly.
"In the chapel, Kat?"
She blushed.
"I just can't wait any longer."
Cal laughed, the sound boomed around the room.
"You and me both!"
"Why do I feel like you're about to tell me we have to wait longer?"
Cal sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"We have to eat with the entire pack, present a united front, prepare for war-"
Kat kissed him deeply, "Mhmm?"
"We have to oversee the fortifications-"
She kissed him again, "Mhmm?"
"Make sure the wounded are healing-"
Again, she interrupted him, kissing down his neck, "Yes, Alpha, what else?"
She grazed her teeth against his mark. He groaned.
Suddenly he gripped her, Kat jumped as he pulled her neck to him, brushing her hair away from her neck. He stared furiously at her marking spot.
"Whoa, Cal, ow. What's your problem?"
She got off him, crossing her arms.
"I was checking."
"Checking what?" Kat bristled, "What did you think? I'd gone and gotten marked by some random wolf in the two weeks I was gone?!" She was mad.
"Someone touched it, Kat. Don't lie to me about it, I felt it. It hurt like hell."
Kat blushed a deep red. She felt Cal's hurt, saw his face change as she didn't correct him.
"He didn't touch it like that, I promise."
Cal sighed.
"I trust you, Kat."
He pulled her into his arms, kissing her warmly.
He looked at her, eye's darkening with jealousy.
"Who's he?"
Kat floundered, trying to find the words to explain.
"Uh- Alpha, Luna, Cook asked me to tell you dinner is ready." A young woman tapped the open door nervously.
"Thank you." Kat gave her a bright smile. The girl returned it, relieved.
"We'll continue this discussion later." Cal grumbled, letting Kat know that the matter was not going to be dropped.
She hardly blamed him, she thought, as they walked back to the pack house. She would have been going out of her mind if it was the other way around.
They entered the dining hall to the sound of applause, Cal flinched slightly before smiling at the room.
He raised his hand and the sound died down.
"Thank you, my wolf brothers and sisters. I would like to inform you that your Luna, Katja has accepted a proposal I recently made. A proposal of marriage." He grinned as the hall erupted with joy.
"Would you like to say something?" He whispered to Kat, "They might like to get to know their Luna. So far they've seen you fight, maybe they should see your human side, too."
Kat looked deep into the eyes of the man she loved. She felt like his words had come directly from the Moon Goddess. This was a chance, Kat was taking it.
She raised her hand as Cal had and the room stilled instantly. Kat was shocked at how quickly she'd got their attention. Cal sent her a wry smile.
"My wolf sisters and brothers." She smiled, the women laughed lightly, not used to being acknowledged first, "My mate and future husband makes a good point. You have seen me fight on many occasions but you do not truly know me as he does. I would appreciate a moment to speak about myself, so that you can form a more accurate judgement on my character." She gulped, looking at Cal. He smiled brightly, taking a seat.
"I grew up as Katja Aylin, daughter of Theodulf and Kira Aylin," whispers started around the room, "and sister to Konan Aylin." A few wolves cried out in shock. "I understand this is shocking and upsetting news but I would like you to listen to my story." The room was silent again. "Thank you." Kat smiled, no one smiled back.
"My parent's were wonderful, my childhood was perfect. I had a good relationship with my only sibling. That was until my sixteenth year of life. That was the year my brother murdered our parents and attempted to kill me too." She heard some gasps, the whole room had an icy atmosphere, they all hung on her every word.
"That day was over eight years ago. In that time, Konan has chased me relentlessly, almost killing me on one occasion. I hate him with every fibre of my being. For eight years that is all I had, hate. Now, I find love, real love." She looked at Cal, he was smiling at her, eyes locked on hers.
"I lost everyone that ever meant anything to me. I stayed away from meaningful friendships and relationships. I guess what I'm saying is... I never really had a real sibling. Now, I have a whole hall full of family. Full of brothers and sisters. I promise you I will fight for you, forever. I will make you proud to call me sister."
There was a beat of silence, Kat held her breath.
The cheers were deafening. Kat found herself surrounded by bodies, all desperate to touch her, hug her, kiss her hands. Kat smiled around at her new family, basking in their warmth. She searched over the many heads, looking for Cal. Instead she saw Vilkas, staring at her, arms crossed, a stony look of annoyance on his scarred face. A snake of suspicion curled in her chest.
Are you the spy, Vilkas?
She shook the thought away, he was second-beta. He wouldn't endanger his Alpha.
When Kat had shaken the hand of the last wolf, she finally sat down next to Cal. Tate dropped down in the seat opposite her.
"Great speech, Kat. You going to run for president next?" He teased.
"Shut up, beta." She threw a bread roll at his head, he caught it and bit into it.
Vilkas sat in the seat next to Tate, quietly buttering his bread.
"How are you, Vilkas?" Kat asked.
His head snapped up, surprised.
"I- I am doing well, Luna."
"I'm glad to hear that. You have been instrumental in the running of this pack while Cal and I were away. I want you to know that I value you in this pack, no matter our past."
Tate's mouth dropped open.
"He literally impaled you on a silver cross, Kat."
"And I don't remember you rushing to help me either, Tate. In fact I recall you berating me as I begged you to get Cal."
"What?" Cal bristled. Kat put her hand over his, he calmed instantly.
"I don't hold grudges. Not when I understand the motivations. You thought I was a risk and punished me accordingly. Exactly what you should have done."
"Spoken like a true Luna." Vilkas regarded her, something that looked like respect flickered in his eyes.
Cal grunted. Ending the conversation.
Several young men and women came out with trays of food, serving Cal first, then Kat, Tate and Vilkas. Kat didn't wait for Cal to start, she eagerly started eating her soup, ravenous.
"So? Have you told Cal about the Nyx King?" Tate asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Kat.
Cal choked on his soup.
"What-"
"Tate? Why?" Kat smacked her hand to her head.
"The Nyx King?" Cal turned to her.
"He's not the king, his father-"
"Died last year." Tate waved his spoon as he talked.
"What?!" It was Kat's turn to look shocked.
"Exactly my point." Tate said. "Why, dear Luna, would the Nyx King drop all of his responsibilities and come to your aid?"
"He came to your aid?!" Cal threw his spoon down.
"I called him because I needed a ride and cash. I didn't want to call you after leaving you, how would that have looked? He's just an old friend Cal."
Cal grumbled.
Tate slurped at his soup loudly, before grinning at Kat.
"Looked muuuuch more than a friend when the two of you kissed."
Cal stood up, gripping the back of his chair, he threw it against a wall. It smashed into a hundred pieces.
He stalked out of the room furiously. No one batted an eyelid.
"What is wrong with you Tate?" Kat fumed, "You know full well that he kissed me and he did it only to rile you up."
"Yeah but I also know that I interrupted you making googly eyes at each other. If I hadn't arrived at that exact moment you could have been kissing him then. Who knows what went on before then? You were gone two weeks."
"I wasn't with him the whole time! He gave me a car to get somewhere quickly. He then stuck around to check I was safe. Lucky he did because I was almost sexually assaulted!"
Tate paled.
"During which, I started feeling symptoms of the bond as Cal was being attacked. I passed out and he helped me come back to Cal because he understood I needed to be with my mate."
"I didn't think-"
"You didn't think what? You didn't think he was a nice guy? You didn't think I would be faithful to Cal? You didn't think Cal would be so angry? Bullshit Tate! It doesn't take a genius to know the answers to those questions."
"I'm sorry Kat." Tate sighed, bowing his head in embarrassment, "I took it too far."
"Yeah, you did. But you don't have to deal with the fall out now, I do."
Kat scraped her chair back, standing.
"Have someone bring dinner to Cal's room. He should eat. He's still healing from being whipped relentlessly with silver, beaten to a pulp and fighting hundreds of wolves to escape. Or did you forget he'd been tortured? Did you think Konan had put him up in a five star hotel? Oh no, let me guess, you didn't think?"
She walked from the room quickly, not looking back. Her stomach stung with guilt. She had taken her guilt out on Tate. It wasn't his fault she hadn't been honest with Cal. She was mad he'd outed her but if she'd told Cal before hand, he wouldn't have been embarrassed and caught off guard.
Kat sighed, following Cal's scent to his bedroom.
"Hi." She said, from the doorway.
He lay on his bed, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
"Hi."
"I'll tell you everything, if you want."
He sat up, looking at her with fearful eyes.
"I'd like that."
Kat sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers.
"The first time I met Lucio Nyx I fell in love." She watched her words sting him. "His family didn't approve, obviously. I wasn't one of them, I definitely wasn't a lady. After three months, I told Lucio I had to move on, to hide from my brother. He assured me that Konan would never find me if I stayed with him, he could protect me forever. He asked me to marry him." Cal looked up at her, shocked.
"I didn't know what I was. I wasn't sure what lived inside me as my father hadn't really told me. I didn't want to bring Lucio into all of that, it didn't feel right. I didn't want to be Nyx Queen and as much as I loved him, I didn't love him enough. I was selfish. I said no and I left the same day."
Kat sighed, "I was young and cruel and naive. I don't know why he came to help me, although I'm not really surprised that he did."
"What happened when he came to help?"
"I needed money and a car to get to the Oracles. I was exhausted, missing you terribly. I could barely function. I called him, he turned up, he noticed the mark."
"I haven't marked you."
"It doesn't matter, Lucio, he-. He's got this gift, he can read your emotions, he can see undercurrents of situations, no matter how you try to hide them. I believe his mother can do it too."
"And he touched the mark."
"He kissed it." Kat was going for full honesty.
Cal jumped up, growling.
"Not like that, it was like he was testing it, the bond. Seeing if it was alive."
"It is!" Cal shouted.
"I know that! And he knew! He supported me from that moment on. Supported my return to you. Cal, hes not the enemy. You're letting your jealousy cloud your judgment of a good man!"
"He isn't a man, Kat. He's an abomination."
"Oh, don't be pathetic. Your prejudice is showing."
"My prejudice?!" He fumed.
"Yes. You make a snap judgement about another race based on preconceived notions and no actual real life experience. Have you even met a child of Death before?"
"Konan."
"That's not the same and you know it."
"Children of Death were always rumours, growing up. Not reality. Tate was the first wolf to tell me that they were real. He told me about the Nyx King, and he had plenty of experience."
"Why would Tate meet Lucio's father?"
"He was a rogue until we took him in. Why do you think he was so nice to you when you got here?"
Kat laughed, it made sense.
"And you just made him beta?"
"You question me?"
"No, I just find it surprising for you."
Cal raked his fingers over his face.
"Don't change the subject."
"I'm not changing it, it naturally flowed away from Lucio."
"I wish you'd stop saying his name."
"Then stop asking me about him."
"Fine. I don't want to hear of him or see his face, ever."
"Think that might be difficult."
Cal growled, "Why?"
"Because I think we need to work with him, to defeat Konan. Two said something about joining with Death and so did the Moon Goddess. It was cryptic but I think we have to work with Lucio or we'll never beat Konan."
"No. Absolutely not."
"Cal-"
He stood over her. She looked up at him from the bed.
"Enough talking. Earlier today you agreed to marry me. Can I just have this evening with you? No discussion of war or Vampire Kings."
Kat sighed. "I love you."
He smiled at her.
She pulled him onto her as he kissed her, laying back onto the bed and wrapping her legs around him.
"I love you." He mumbled against her lips, between kisses.
"Mark me, then." She whispered.
"Really?" He pulled back, surprised.
"Really. I'm yours, I want you to claim me."
"You're ready?"
"I was always ready, Cal. I just didn't know if you were ready to accept me. All of me."
"Of course I accept you."
"What are you waiting for then?" She asked as she unbuttoned his shirt.
His eyes darkened with lust, Kat felt her heart speed up and the bond twist in anticipation, as he began planting rough kisses along her neck.