“Your bond with your mate will be critical to the outcome of this war with the dark ones, Cathair,” one of the seer sisters said serenely as she poured him and Marius a cup of tea from a large gilded pot.
“The pack has already shown their abilities in helping me, should I get injured, Ma’am. The love they have for each other is intoxicating to be around.” Cathair squeezed Marius’s hand and offered his mate a small smile. Marius had been dazed, almost awestruck, as the seers led them from the elaborately decorated temple, where Cathair expected them to talk, into what was clearly their private quarters. The furnishings were soft and comfortable, the room light and airy and something in the air soothed Cathair’s frazzled senses. Unfortunately, the effect wasn’t as evident in his young mate.
“Nevertheless, for you to have the strength to fight the evil we see in your future, your mutual love and trust must be strong and unwavering.” The beautiful seer sat back, raising her cup to her lips before setting it down on the saucer carefully. “Go ahead, the tea will help.” She nodded to the cups on the table.
“Help what exactly, Ma’am?” Marius asked quietly, picking up his cup and sniffing before wrinkling his nose. Cathair quickly picked up his own beverage and took a sip before smiling at their hosts. He didn’t think Marius was much of an herbal tea drinker, but Marius sipped the brew carefully before setting his cup on the table. “We’re grateful you agreed to see us, especially after the offense you suffered from the council, but shouldn’t you be giving Cathair hints on where we can find these dark elves? Until they are eliminated, hundreds of lives could be in danger.”
“Thousands,” the seer on the left said.
“Could be hundreds of thousands,” the seer on the right agreed.
“But….”
Cathair covered Marius’s hand and squeezed it gently. “My mate is eager to nullify the threat to his pack, my ladies. They are all very close and care deeply for each other.”
“As it should be,” the seer in the middle said. Cathair wondered if they’d ever been named, although if they had, no one would know about it. The seers were a law unto themselves and it was impossible for any elf to tell the sisters apart. “Marius Reef, you would protect your mate from any threat, would you not?”
“Of course,” Marius frowned. “A wolf shifter always puts their mate’s safety and well-being before all else.”
“Even their pack?”
Marius hesitated and then nodded. “A mate trumps everything in the shifter world, Ma’am.”
“And is this because of the love you share with your mate, do you think? Or something else?”
Marius’s cheeks took on a reddish hue. “It is well known that all animal spirits love their mates unconditionally, usually within hours of meeting.”
“So delightfully evasive,” the seer laughed and her sisters joined in. “You are truly a man’s man, Marius Reef.”
Marius’s blush deepened and he looked down at their joined hands. Cathair’s need to save him further embarrassment prompted him to speak. “My ladies, is there a point to this? I was hoping you could confirm that all will be well if I leave Valouf in charge of the realm while I’m gone. If there is another you’d rather see in his place…?”
“Valouf is the perfect choice.” All three ladies nodded in perfect synchrony. “He has a sensible head on his shoulders and once he claims his fated mate, he will prove a wise leader for the time being.”
Cathair hoped that ‘time being’ was going to be for quite a while. Knowing what he did about the dark elves, and factoring in the love Marius had for his brothers and other pack members, he wasn’t sure when he’d ever call the elven realm home again. “Was there anything else you can share? News about Cloverleah?”
“The danger is dormant for now,” the middle seer said calmly. “The one called Tiber miscalculated in his attempts to manipulate Tansin. Dark elves always have trouble factoring in the concept of free will. Watch the wolves around you closely, both of you. One is not who he appears to be.”
“Ma’am, most of our pack members are mated and anyone in Cloverleah would gladly put their lives on the line to save the others,” Marius protested hotly.
“I’m not doubting that.” Seers were never ones for losing their composure. “Nonetheless, no one can see what lies in the heart of any individual. The threat is not realized as yet; it is merely smoke in the wind, which is why I can’t tell you more, but if the situation changes, I will find a way to let you know.”
“You have been more than gracious, my ladies, and you have our deepest thanks.” Cathair went to get up, but the middle seer shook her head.
“We have a message for you both.”
The three sisters joined hands and Cathair was struck dumb by the huge ball of light that suddenly appeared, surrounding them completely. “Your mating has not been an easy one to this point, Cathair and Marius,” the seers intoned. “Your bonds are clouded by lack of trust and low self-esteem. You will soon find yourselves at a crossroads and when you do, you must take the right path. The consequences for both of you, if you don’t choose wisely, will be dire and the fate of all paranormals could be in jeopardy. Love each other, Cathair and Marius. Love each other totally and without barriers.” The bright light flickered and seemed to encase the whole room, before it suddenly disappeared. The couch the seers were sitting on was empty.
“What the fuck was all that about?” Marius jumped up, his eyes wild as he scanned the room.
“A prophecy,” Cathair shook his head as he shakily got to his feet. His mind was reeling over what the seers had said and yet, as with any prophecy, the details were mired in mud.
“But what’s all this about a crossroads and making the right choices? And all that shit about our mating bond?” Marius’s voice rose and Cathair could sense his panic. “What’s wrong with our mating bond? We’ve claimed each other; no one can break us apart. Oh my god, does that mean we have to go through the mating ritual? Fuck, I’ll be lucky if I survive it when other wolves get a load of you.”
Unsure, what Marius was talking about, Cathair moved in quickly, catching his mate in his arms and holding him tight. “Hush, my warrior,” he said softly, trying to inject a calm into his voice he didn’t feel. “I do not know what this mating ritual you speak of is, but we’re fully mated. We wear each other’s marks and we share a mind link. I believe the seers were referring to the huge error I made in not marking you sooner when they were talking about mistrust. I wounded our mating seriously with my selfish actions.”
“And the lack of self-confidence is all mine,” Marius said bitterly. “I should have guessed they would pick that up. But what do they expect? The seers are all knowing and all powerful. They know what I’ve been through. There’s nothing you can do to change the past and neither can I. I can’t handle this shit. Were they telling me that the whole fate of the fucking paranormal world hinges on the fact I’m not good enough for you to love with all your heart? Is that it? Because I’m broken thanks to my deadbeat dad, my friends and my pack are going to die because I’ll never be good enough for you!”
Marius’s yells could probably be heard by anyone in the temple, but Cathair didn’t care. He was more concerned by the angry way Marius tore out of his arms; his cheeks covered in tears and his fists clenched. “I get it, I do.” Marius swung his fist at the wall, pulling it back before any damage occurred. “You are the great elven leader. The strongest man in this realm. Now, you’re the fucking high poobah as well. Is this the crossroads the seers were talking about? Are you going to find someone else better suited to rule by your side? Valouf perhaps, or one of your men? Are you going to stash me away somewhere, out of sight, never calling unless you need a booty call seeing as you can’t get a hard-on for anyone else?”
“Where is all this coming from? Marius, I’d never do that to you.”
“Why wouldn’t you?” Marius waved his hands indicating his body. “I’d be with anyone else but me if I could. I’m fucked in the head with my ass sewn up so tight I can barely shit. No one has ever loved me before. My brothers care, I know that. But that’s just because I’m the youngest son. They still give me a hard time. They ignored me the moment they found their mates. No one’s ever loved me enough to stick around and now you’re facing some fucking crossroads and going to fucking leave me too.” Marius’s voice rose on a wail as he sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands.
Horrified, Cathair closed the distance between them in seconds. Dropping to his knees, he pulled his trembling mate into his arms. “I will never leave you, my warrior,” he said, stroking Marius’s braids. “Nothing on any realm could ever force me from your side. And as for love.” Cathair shook his head sadly. “I believed I loved Jorge with all my heart and look where that got me. But what I feel for you; the way I need you by my side at all times. The way my body hungers for your touch at the most inappropriate of moments. I have never felt this way before. Believe me, Marius, no one could ever love you more than I do.”
“That’s not love, that’s the mating bond.” Marius sniffed and brushed the tears from his face. “You can’t help it, I can’t help it. If we didn’t share the bond created by the Fates, you’d never notice me in the streets.”
“I noticed you in a room full of gorgeous men including the son of Poseidon himself and that’s before I picked up your energy signature. Marius, I’m not one for fancy words, or writing poetry, but I could write a dozen poems about you. You are everything I ever dreamed of and so much more. Your strength, your passion and the way you care for others; Marius you’re far more than I ever dared dream the fates would provide for me.”
Marius wanted to believe; Cathair could see it in his eyes, but something was still holding him back. “Is this about your father and your fear of allowing me to penetrate you?” He asked bluntly. “Is that why you don’t believe in my love for you? Because if it is, I have to tell you, you are placing far too much importance on one little thing that we may or may not share. You know not every man likes anal sex. It’s not a big deal. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you and it never will.”
“A wolf shifter instinctively wants to please his mate in all ways,” Marius said stubbornly, looking down at his hands which were fisted in Cathair’s t-shirt. “You’re more dominant than me; physically bigger than me. My wolf wants me to submit to you. It tears me up that I’m so afraid to take that one last step, and that the only reason I feel that way is because of a man who died sixty years ago.”
“Marius,” Cathair tilted his mate’s chin towards him. “What do you want? Forget about how your father made you feel for a minute. Forget about the wishes of your wolf, or even what you think I need or expect. Just tell me honestly, what do you want? What did you used to dream about before you met me? What are the secret desires you keep hidden from everyone including yourself? Tell me, Marius. Trust me, please.”
“I want you.” Marius tried to look down, but Cathair’s finger stopped his chin.
“How do you want me, my love? Do you want me flat on my back with my legs in the air? On my hands and knees begging for your cock? Or,” Cathair’s tone dropped a full octave and he looked deep into Marius’s eyes, “have you ever dreamed of me taking you; caressing you, loving on you, covering your neck and face in scorching kisses as my cock slowly sinks into your body, bringing you so much pleasure you can hardly breathe?”
“I’ve dreamed of you doing that,” Marius whispered as his eyes heated. “Taking me, owning me, showing me just what my body is capable of. For weeks before I met you, my dreams were filled with you doing that and every morning I woke covered in my own spunk. In my dreams I had no fears; only desires.”
“Is that what you truly want?” Cathair held his breath. His cock was desperately nudging his zipper; his body primed to leap and take his mate immediately, if not sooner. Just imaging his mate in the throes of pleasure was enough to make him mess his pants.
Searching his face, Marius didn’t say anything for a long moment. But then he slowly nodded. “Yes,” he said clearly. “Yes, I want you to take me, but please….” He hesitated a moment and Cathair froze. “Don’t hurt me. I doubt I could survive it.”
Realizing Marius was talking about far more than the pain from having anal sex for the first time, Cathair leaned close. “I promise,” he whispered as he closed his eyes, brushing his lips against Marius’s soft goatee. “I will never hurt you.” Calling on his magic, Cathair held his mate tight, their lips locked together as he translocated them to his room in the palace. His cock demanded urgent action, but Cathair would be damned if his mate’s first time would be on the floor of the seers’ home.