Începutul e anevoie, urma vine de la sine.
A good beginning makes a good ending.
“I understand why you did not want my help,” Anghel told Vasile as they stood in library of the Eastern Romania pack castle. A mere twenty-four hours had passed since Vasile had retaken his pack and yet it already seemed like a lifetime ago.
“I could not prove myself as capable and strong if I had to have your assistance, not for claiming the Alpha title.”
“True, but I feel responsible for what has taken place, and I am sorry for all that your pack has suffered over the years.”
Vasile patted the Alpha and longtime family friend on the shoulder. “You are not responsible for the actions of another. You know that. Emilian would have found another way. He was determined to lead a pack, thinking that the position itself would give him power. What he did not understand was that the power must come from within. To hold a pack together, to be able ensure that the dominants obey and that everyone is protected, requires true strength bestowed by the Great Luna. Attempting to do so, without such strength, is like trying to fell a mighty oak with a butter knife.”
Anghel smiled. “Your father would be proud.”
“I hope so,” Vasile admitted.
“I hear that you have something quite important happening tomorrow, some might even say life changing,” the Alpha teased.
Vasile did not attempt to stop the grin that spread across his face any time someone mentioned his mate. “It might change things a little.”
“Treasure her, Vasile,” Anghel’s tone had become serious. “Things will not always be easy but what joy she will bring you. And what an amazing chance you have to live sacrificially for a female whose heart beats solely for you.”
That night Vasile lay in his bed alone, not by his own choice and definitely not happy about it. His wolf was even more displeased, but it was what Alina wanted because tomorrow they would be bound as one. She had attempted to reason with him, and when that did not work, she simply told him that he could grumble all he wanted, but her bed would be occupied by only one for the final time that night.
“It will be good for us to spend our last night unbounded apart, so we will remember just how empty we are without the other.” Her words echoed in his mind as he growled into the empty room. It was not quite as satisfying to grumble about something when no one was there to listen.
“I do not need to be reminded, Mina. I assure you the four years without you are thoroughly engrained in my memory. You will sleep with me.” He thought that would be the end of it. He supposed now, he was being taught a very important lesson as he began his life with his mate; she was not one of his wolves to obey his commands or submit to him without question. She was his equal maybe not in strength or speed but in every way that mattered, and that gave her the right to question him, argue with him, and perhaps occasionally put him in his place.
As he slipped into her mind he smiled to himself. He thought it only fair that she should learn a lesson as well. He did not like to be denied, especially by her, and a smart wolf was a patient hunter. It knew that often the best time to engage your prey was when they were not expecting it.
“As the dutiful mate that I am, I wanted to make sure you were not lonely.” He dropped his voice to a deep purr and felt her immediate reaction. He pictured her in his mind, imagined his fingers stroking her cheek, his lips pressed to her neck, and his breath on her flushed skin. “I would be remiss in my responsibilities if I did not meet any needs that you might have.” He paused, listening to her breathing increase, feeling her desire for him grow. “Is―is there something you need, beloved?”
“Vasile.” His name was a plea on her lips and it touched him to his soul.
“Yes, Mina?”
“I need…would you,” He loved that he had affected her so and loved even more that she needed him enough to ask. She was quiet for a moment and he thought his heart might beat out of his chest as he waited for her to ask him to come to her, to hold her, and to ease the ache he knew they both felt. Finally she continued.
“Would you please go check on Cosmina? I did not give her any grain this evening. And while you are up could you make sure the lanterns in the gathering hall have plenty of kerosene so that they will not burn out during tomorrow’s feast? Oh and one more thing, I love you, and I cannot wait to be completely yours.”
He was growling and clawing the sheets until that last part. How could he stay irritated with her when she said something so sweet and something she knew he needed to hear? He let out a deep sigh and finally resigned himself to one last night of bachelorhood.
While waiting for his mate to arrive, Vasile told Perizada, “Thank you for coming.” They stood by the river that had been Alina’s favorite spot. It was finally happening. Today he would be bound to her and she to him and nothing would ever separate them.
“It is an honor, Vasile,” she told him respectively, but true to her pompous nature she added, “though the main reason I am here is to make sure your mate knows not to put up with the overbearing, often times obnoxious, and almost always ridiculous behavior of the males of your species. In particular―you.”
“I am not sure that your advice will be needed. My female is quite outspoken without another’s encouragement,” he grumbled as he remembered his night with a bed very empty of his mate.
“All the same,” she said and smiled slyly. “Ahh, finally,” she added looking out over the lawn.
Vasile froze, not even able to take in a breath as he stared at the stunning creature coming towards him. She was his, he thought in wonder. How on earth he could ever be worthy of her, he did not know. But he did know that he would live every minute trying to be.
Alina paused a moment and relished the look on her mate’s face as he laid eyes on her for the first time that day. It had been quite a feat to get him to agree to wait until the bonding ceremony to see her. And now, based on his awe struck face, it was worth it.
She had spent the morning being washed, perfumed, decorated, and dressed by Sisily and Auriel who had become a good friend. A few tears had been shed over the absence of her parents, but she had laid them to rest, and though they lived on in her heart, she knew they would not want her to mourn them forever.
The dress she wore was simple but accentuated her curves in all the right places. It was a silk candlelight colored sheath, cinched in a bit at the waist, and a daring low front with scalloped lace peeking out of the top. The sleeves were long and came to a point on her hand. It was long enough that it covered her feet when she walked.
After savoring him for a moment longer―his broad shoulders and strong arms encased in a dark grey dress shirt with black breeches and black boots― she decided he looked dangerous and sexy.
“I heard that,” he whispered in her mind and a crooked smile appeared on his face.
She shook her head at him and continued forward, walking towards a future that not too long ago she was not sure would ever come to pass.
There were none present other than Alina, Vasile, and Perizada. Usually close friends or family would be allowed to attend a bonding ceremony, but Vasile had told her he wanted her all to himself. She understood. It had taken so long, and they had been through so much to get to this moment. She understood why it should be private.
When she reached him he took her hands in his and looked at her with utter adoration. “You look incredible.”
She smiled at him. “As do you.”
“I am sorry to interrupt your silent, no doubt nauseatingly sweet discussion, but I believe you two have waited long enough and are quite ready to finish this.” Peri looked at them pointedly and Alina tried not to laugh.
When neither of them responded she nodded approvingly and then began. “I, Perizada of the High Fae, ambassador to the wolves, teacher of the healers, do herby acknowledge this bond between true mates, created only for each other by the Great Luna. Nothing in life or death shall separate them.” She looked at Vasile then. “Vasile Lupei, Alpha of the Eastern Romania pack, son, brother, and now mate, you have found your true mate and she has accepted your claim. Show her what it means to be loved, cherished, and honored by an Alpha, a wolf, and a mate. Serve her in the most humbling of ways by washing her feet; in doing so you lower yourself in submission, you make yourself vulnerable for attack and give her the precious gift of trust, something that most Alphas will never give anyone.” Then her eyes landed on Alina and they softened a little. “Alina, you will respond with the response of the female’s binding words that stir the pack magic. Once this is done I will leave you to finish with words that should only be shared with one another.”
Vasile took Alina’s hand and led her over to the edge of the river. Two towels and wash cloths had been laid out and a chair sat beside them. He helped her sit and then knelt before her. She bit her lip to hold back the tears as she watched a man who had only a day ago destroyed mercilessly. She watched his hands gently raise her dress, hands that had ripped limbs from a man. He took the cloth and dipped it in the river and then took one foot in his hand. She shivered at the contact and the cool water that flowed over her skin.
He looked up at her, his blue eyes glowing with passion as he spoke. “On this day I kneel before you, as a servant to my mate, to ask if you will make me whole. Will you give yourself to me? Finally calming the beast inside, bringing order to chaos, and shining light where there has been only darkness? Will you bind your life to mine, your fate to mine, and your soul to mine and, in doing so, complete the mate bond?”
The tears could no longer be contained as she nodded and then added the words that would complete the magic that bonded true mates. "I will bind my life to yours, my fate to yours, and my soul to yours and complete our mate bond. I will take you for my own, my mate and my Alpha.”
His dazzling smile caused her chest to clench tightly around the heart he had claimed. She was his and there was nowhere else that she would rather be than by his side.
He finished washing and drying her feet. And as the both stood he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. “I love you.”
She never got tired of hearing him say those words. Alina did not notice the fae leave, her attention was only for her mate.
“I am yours, Mina, and you are mine, and I am so honored to be the one to claim you and be claimed by you. I promise to you that I will try to be a mate worthy of you. I will not get it right all of the time, but when I get it wrong I will do everything in my power to fix it. I never want to be parted from you again. I want to wake up with you by my side. I want to lie down with you in my arms. I want to share every experience, good or bad, with you and only ever you.”
Alina shook with emotion. How could she not when the man she loves declares such devotion to her? She let out a deep breath attempting to compose herself so she could say her vows. “I was terrified to be your mate. I was convinced that there was no way that I could ever be enough for you. But then life tore us apart and I realized that you would always be what I needed, which could only mean that I would always be what you needed. I realized how incomplete I am without you. When you are with me everything comes into focus, and even when things are a mess, I can bear it because we are together. I love you, my wolf adores you, and my soul longs for you and only you.”
That night in the quiet of the castle behind the doors of their room, Vasile wrapped his love around her. He poured every ounce of energy he had into making sure she felt beautiful, desirable, pleasurable, and complete. Every touch was to not only seduce her but to bind her even tighter to him. Every kiss, every taste, every whispered word of devotion and passion were to ensure that she would remember just how much he would always want her and need her.
“I thought this night would never come,” he admitted as his fingertips caressed her bare shoulder. He could not stop touching her. Whether it was his hand in her hair or running it up her leg or tracing the markings on her back, he needed to touch her.
“Was it worth the wait?” she asked and then bit her bottom lip, still slightly embarrassed even after making love.
“I would wait an eternity for one night like tonight with you,” he told her honestly. “It truly has been the best night of my life.”
Another coy look appeared on her beautiful face. “The night is not over yet, lover.”
That was all the encouragement he needed to push her onto her back and cover her soft body with his. Vasile loved that she was so shy because her skin flushed a beautiful red. He loved even more how she gradually opened to him, trusting him with her vulnerability. And then as she gained confidence from his attention, she grew bolder in her response to him. It was a night of beginnings, of firsts, of memories, and love. Entwined in one another, completely submersed in each other’s attention, they began their journey together, an Alpha pair who had endured so much and grown into two people capable of loving each other and their pack. Their selfless and unconditional love for one another would set an example to the wolves under their care. They would show them that in order to lead you must first learn to serve. To be great, to accomplish things that would change the world for the better, then you had to first learn to be faithful to the one person who deserved your greatness bestowed upon them—your mate.