It was beginning to feel like home.
And soon there was celebration within the pack as Aidan and Irini announced their plans to mate. Irini was fighting Ella not to go overboard with the ceremony and party she planned to have at the house. Caia was happy for Irini, and intrigued to see what the ceremony entailed. After all she had never been to one.
“Is it like a wedding?” she asked Ella one Saturday afternoon as they shopped for dresses. Caia had tried to tell Ella that she wasn’t an evening dress kind of person, and Irini had tried to back her up. Ella had put her foot down. No, no, no. Caia was to wear a dress in the same shade as herself and Irini.
“So, it is like a wedding?” Caia asked for the fifteenth time. Ella was so preoccupied at the moment it was like pulling teeth to get an answer from her about anything.
“No, and yes.” She smiled, holding up a bronze silky thing in front of Caia. Caia wrinkled her nose at the color.
“No, and yes how? That’s not really a good color on me.”
“I agree,” she tut-tutted, and shoved the thing back in the rack and started shuffling through more. “Irini, how’s it going in there?”
Caia’s gaze wandered to the changing stalls as Irini called from behind the curtain, “I never knew dresses could get this complicated. I don’t think this color will suit Caia.”
“I think it’s going to be difficult to get a color that will suit us both,” Caia replied doubtfully.
“This is a nice shade,” Ella mused, pulling a dusty pink satin dress off the rack.
Caia took it from her and held it up in front of her, gazing at her reflection. “It’s actually quite pretty,” she relented.
“Ooh.” Irini appeared from behind the curtain, wearing a long citrus colored gown.
“Oh no.” Ella shook her head at her appearance.
Irini sighed. “I know, Mom, told you so. I look like a giant tangerine. Anyway I was oohing at Caia’s dress.” She gestured to her. “I like that color. I think it would work with our coloring, too.”
Ella nodded contemplating the situation like the world depended on her decision. “Yes. We’ll find dresses to match.”
“Shouldn’t I try it on first?”
“Well, duh.” Irini laughed. “I can’t believe it. I’m going to-” she stopped abruptly as a sales lady walked by - “Be getting married,” she finished instead. “And you’re trying on an evening dress. My world is all askew.”
As Caia trundled reluctantly into a changing stall, she called through the curtain, “So you never answered my question...”
The sales lady had gone. She could hear Ella sighing. “No. It’s not like a wedding, in that there are no vows. One of the Elders, in this case Magnus, recites the binding ritual in Greek in front of the rest of the pack, who stand as witnesses. Then the ceremony is over and we go and have a party... yes, like a wedding reception.”
“Soo... the color co-ordinated dresses?”
“Political propaganda, if you like. I suppose they are a bit like bridesmaid dresses, except we wear the same color as the bride. I want everyone there to see you as my family.”
Caia didn’t know what to say. She would thank her but Ella would only shush her. Apparently she was supposed to be used to Ella’s kindnesses by now – the rest of the pack just expected and assumed such loyalty. She heaved a sigh and pulled the curtain back. “So... is it OK?”
Irini and Ella turned to her and gasped.
Caia’s face fell. “That bad?”
“No.” Irini laughed, and pulled her out to have a look in the mirror. “You look stunning.”
Caia grimaced. That was taking exaggeration to a new level. Then her reflection appeared and she stared wide-eyed. The color of the dress was just the right shade for her peaches and cream complexion, making her hair seem lighter and her eyes greener. For once she actually felt pretty.
“It’s nice,” she admitted, nodding shyly.
Ella and Irini laughed. “I think it’s a winner.”
Caia had thought finding one dress would make the task of finding Irini and Ella one easier... but no. By the end of the afternoon her feet were killing her and they had been in every dress store in town. They had eventually found a dress for Ella, and Irini was in the changing rooms trying on their last three options for her.
Ella for once was relaxed. “We’ll get shoes later. I’m too exhausted to go on.”
Thank goddess, Caia breathed.
“I just can’t believe this is finally happening.” Her eyes sparkled like a typically ecstatic mother-of-the-bride. “You know, Irini and Aidan had a thing when they were younger.”
She nodded. “I’d heard something like that.”
“Yeah, Irini was the popular girl of the pack back then.” She smiled fondly remembering. “And very sought after. Dermot and Aidan were her avid followers.”
“Dermot? Alexa’s big brother that...”
Ella nodded, her expression somber. “The very one. Thankfully, Irini had seen past Dermot’s charm and straight into his ambitions. Every time he came around to ‘see’ Irini he was always seeking Lucien. But Aidan … aww goddess, that boy had it bad. It was like something out of a nineteenth century novel, flowers and chocolates, kisses on her hand. Irini loved it,” Ella tittered, and then her expression became bittersweet. “Aidan was so despondent when she left.”
“I’m sorry.” Caia winced.
Ella blanched, realizing her blunder. “Oh no, Cy, no. It’s not your fault. And anyway, now we know the two of them were truly meant to be mates. I’m so happy for her.”
“Me too.”
They were silent for a moment as Ella smiled softly to herself, and Caia pondered another question. Finally she felt brave enough to ask, “Ella?”
“Hmm?”
“Is it true that... that when a lykan mates... they mate for life?”
Her adoptive mother nodded, her eyes soft. “I keep forgetting there is so much about this life, the life that was always meant for you, that you don’t know,” she tsked and sighed. “Most lykans find their mate, but not all of us. I was lucky to meet mine, and Irini’s lucky to meet hers. What it means is that we literally can’t have children with anyone other than our mates.”
Caia’s eyes widened as she tried to take this in. “I remember Irini mentioning something, but I guess I didn’t really understand. You mean, we can have relationships with other people, but if we don’t find our mate … we can’t have children?”
“Well, it’s more that if Artemis doesn’t bless the union between the two of you, then you’re not mates, despite what your heart may be telling you … and you can’t have children.”
Caia blinked. “So, it’s entirely up to Artemis. But what if you don’t find your mate? Or, what if you really think someone is the one but Artemis disagrees?”
Ella’s eyes were saddened at the thought. “Then Artemis is right and that person isn’t your mate. No children. That’s why it’s imperative that our Pack Leaders find mates... otherwise Lunarmortes would be occurring all the time. The pack’s been lucky, however.”
“So Lucien...”
“Will have to find his mate if this family is to continue leading the pack.”
This left Caia reeling. Artemis had really done one over on her children with this one. “So you can never love anyone again?” She winced when she realized how blunt and insensitive that had sounded, but Ella shook her head, seeming not to mind.
“No honey. I can love, just not like I loved Albus.”
“It sounds like we got screwed in the relationship department.”
Ella laughed, but looked aghast. “Caia, that’s blasphemous.”
“Sorry. I just-”
“Cy, I’m not lonely,” she interrupted, her eyes softening as she said quietly, “I have Magnus.”
She thought her eyes were going to bulge out of her head. Magnus and Ella? Since when? “You...”
The Elder was obviously delighted to have shocked her. “We take comfort in one another. He lost his mate when she was very young, and after Albus... we love each other, Cy. Just … not the way we loved them.”
She smiled softly at Ella. She was glad actually. Ella and Magnus were two of her favorite lykans. That they had one another was a comforting thought.
“One day you’ll find your mate, Caia,” she said softly, her eyes warm and wise.
Caia snorted. “I don’t see that happening. I’m not really cut out for the whole marriage thing.”
Ella chuckled knowingly. “It’s not really up to you, one way or the other.”
Lucien needed to run tonight. His mother was driving him, and everyone else, crazy with this whole mating business. He was happy for his sister and Aidan, he really was, but did it have to be the topic of conversation at breakfast and dinner? His mother was even calling him at work to ask about icing colors and paper napkins. The ritual couldn’t come fast enough.
He sighed and ambled outside of the surprisingly quiet house, rolling his eyes as he passed the kitchen, which was covered in recipes, and cakes, and fabric swatches. The breeze was relaxing as it caressed his face.
“Heaven,” he breathed and began stripping down. He let the change happen, enjoying the burning pain and pressure of it, as always. Without thought, he took off into the dark woods, relishing the freedom and the feel of the wind on his pelt as he rushed through the trees. Despite the autonomy of the run his thoughts soon turned to that of his pack members and their problems. Yvana, whom he’d only begun to forgive for her rash treatment of Caia, had just asked permission to hire staff for the diner outside of the pack. He was wary of the decision, since many of the pack ate there, and often conversation wasn’t human friendly, but he also realized her need to keep her business going. She was running out of staffing choices within the pack itself. Then there was Morgan, who was worried that his son, Malek, was having too many casual, sexual relationships with human girls; he needed the authority of Lucien to put a stop to it. And then there was Cera, who was struggling financially with her three young children, since Michel had been killed. He knew her family, Dimitri and gang, were doing their best to help out, but it wasn’t enough. Lucien was going to have to find a way of giving her money that wouldn’t offend her pride...
So lost in these thoughts, he didn’t hear the sound of the other wolf before she was nearly upon him. He stopped and lifted his nose to the air. Caia. She suddenly came into view, sliding to a stop before him, her green eyes surprised and wide. His heart did a little unexpected thump. By the look in her eye she hadn’t been running after him; obviously she had just been running and had been surprised to hear another lykan. She must have followed my scent to find me, Lucien watched in amusement as she lowered her head and bowed to him. He admired the way the moonlight shone through the canopy of the forest and filtered across her blonde pelt. Even in wolf form, he thought ruefully, she looked more vulnerable than the others. That fierce feeling of protectiveness washed over him again, and he involuntarily took a pad towards her. When she raised her eyes back up to him they seemed to detect his still lingering amusement over her submission to his authority, because they narrowed warily. She huffed on her four legs pacing in front of him, clearly unsure of whether he wanted her there or not. He was glad she was as unsettled by whatever was between them as he was. Bowing back at her, a chuckle erupted hoarsely from the back of his throat, and he looked up in time to see her fur bristle at the sound of his laughter. Caia turned as if to leave and his heart stopped. She couldn’t leave. He threw himself into her side to stop her, and pulled her unwillingly (at first) into a tussle with him. Like their first run together she smacked him back and nipped playfully at him. And so began a teasing play of rough and tumble. He enjoyed this freedom with her, away from the eyes of the pack, but as their play continued a new feeling began to rush through him and he pulled back instantly. He couldn’t hurry things with her, it would only frighten her. Green eyes seemed to dance mockingly at him, as if she had won their little tug of war. He bowed to her in defeat and watched as she suddenly took off with a snort, running fast towards the house. She was incredibly swift, but he was just as, and they entered into the back yard at the same time. He watched her silently for a moment as she turned to gaze back at him, her tongue hanging out in a comically wolfy grin. He laughed, she had run harder than she had wanted him to realize in an effort to beat him. His hoarse laughter stilled as Caia padded over to him, and softly, almost caressingly, nudged her head against his own. He felt all his muscles strain in reaction to her touch. Finally, it registered that she was indicating for him to turn around so she could change. Lucien laughed again. He had already seen her nak*d at the pack run and he hadn’t been particularly gentlemanly about looking away then… but he acquiesced to her request because he didn’t want to upset her. By the time he turned around again Caia was already in human form and clothes, scaling the wall of the house, and climbing into her bedroom window. Lucien quickly changed and grabbed his clothes that were lying in the dirt near the door. Just as he pulled his t-shirt back on, he looked back up at her window to see her standing looking down at him. She wore a small smile, her eyes really soft on his for the first time. She gave a slight wave, and moved away from the window into the darkness of her room.