Chapter Eleven
Notalus
Truth Be Told
Notalus wasn’t surprised to find his son in his private quarters when he’d finished his brief meeting with his advisors.
Thankfully, no one had any pressing issues that needed his concern.
Theodor sat comfortably in one of the tan high-back chairs with his large boots atop the armrest of the chair beside him, exuding calmness and authority.
He wore straw-colored linen pants with a simple loose fit that reached down to his soft leather boots and a mocha-brown tunic with their family’s crest stitched in the center of the chest, his cape draped over the back of the seat.
“Must you continue to upstage me, Father?” Theodor asked with humor edging his deep voice.
Notalus crossed the polished marble floor of the receiving room just outside of his bedchamber. “Upstage you? I’m not the one with the hundred-foot robe.”
“It’s not that long.”
“The hell it’s not. It’s twenty at least.”
“Well, it does catch nicely on the wind at this length.” Theodor glanced behind him.
“It’s twice as long as any of mine. So who’s upstaging who, son?”
“And the alpha, what of him?” Theodor stood. “You brought him here and titled him your consort all in one day. How are you going to explain this to your kingdom… and, more importantly, to the alpha?”
Notalus told his son the truth. “I stayed away from Earth in the hopes of forgetting him, but I should have known that would be impossible.” Notalus poured himself a goblet of fresh-pressed cider from the dining cart that’d been set up before his arrival.
He helped himself to a few olives stuffed with gruyère before he joined his son on the balcony.
“Why was it not possible?” his heir questioned. “Because he’s of the goddess’ sacred tribe?”
“No. Because he doesn’t know he is.” Notalus sighed. “And that made him beautiful to me. He just believes he loves nature and gardening with all of his heart. He explains his abilities as having been born with a green thumb.”
Theodor released a boisterous laugh. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t ask me, son.” Notalus shrugged. “I guess it’s some convoluted reasoning his father gave him to explain his extraordinary talents.
Theo, Dustin was growing everything in that White Mountain Forest, from apricots to yams, and no one thought it special—none of them knew of the god-blood right there before them, harvesting and blessing their lands every time he touched it.
He never received any praise or true gratitude from that pack for all he’d contributed.
Yet, he performed his duties without their appreciation.
” Notalus turned sad eyes on his son. “And suppressed his alpha wolf, living a life of isolation.”
“How can a wolf suppress that part of themself? It’s so integral?”
Notalus glared at his son. “It is, and that’s why I could not ignore it a moment longer, knowing Dustin was suffering inside. I believe if not for the harvest, he would have gone mad years ago.”
“Just be sure he wants this… that he wants you. It’s evident that Dustin has no clue who the goddess Consus is or the meaning of a lord consort.
” His son turned to him and braced both hands on his shoulders.
“You have been alone for far too long. Be honest with him. His admiration and affection for you are there. But leaving his pack may be harder for him than you think. He is still part human, Father.”
“I will admit I led him here under false pretenses. I told him I wanted to show him Fhomhair, but I didn’t tell him that I wanted him to stay.
” Notalus was getting nervous the more he thought of Dustin getting angry over the truth and trying to run away from it.
He had to trust that he’d done the right thing by bringing Dustin here.
His alpha was strong; he was one of the greatest descendants of a pack of wolves nurtured by the agricultural goddess.
Notalus had faith in the man he knew he was destined to spend his final millennia with.
“I would not worry, Father. If he is truly an alpha of the Copii Cerealelor pack, he won’t want to leave Fhomhair any more than I do.”
A light tap on his door disrupted Notalus’ silent thoughts. “The lord consort is waiting for you in the conservatory, my lord.”
Notalus accepted the encouraging hug from his son before he followed Iulien into the hall. His seven personal guards quickly fell into formation behind them, their steps and presence as unimposing as the wind. “Are preparations going well for the official announcement tonight?”
“Yes, my lord.” Iulien’s smile was sincere when he added, “It will be the grandest of celebrations, Your Majesty. Your house has waited many years for you to declare your betrothed.”
“You probably thought I never would,” Notalus confided in his old friend.
“Indeed, I did.”
“What do you think?” Notalus asked nervously. Despite that it was his kingdom and he was the Lord of Fhomhair, his court had been with him from the start of his reign, and they were more than just servants in his home. They were his family.
“I think you picked a fine one, sir.”
“He picked me,” Notalus clarified. “The last time I was on Earth at my oldest brother’s aid, Dustin assisted me with repairing the Volkov pack lands after a source of evil had ravaged it.
I knew he was different—someone special by the way he not only felt for the lives lost on that day but how he also grieved for the land, for the crop.
I felt his pain from losing his harvest as if it’d been my own, and I didn’t recognize what I was feeling until his gratitude for what I did for his fields imprinted on my soul. ”
Iulien led Notalus down another grand hall that was lined with bronze and gold-leaf wallpaper. “The alpha is truly humble, my lord. He would not allow anyone to help him clean up or to dress properly. He is kind and respectful but also quite prideful.”
“He is an alpha wolf that’s been on his own for too long,” Notalus reasoned. “He just needs some time to get adjusted.”
Iulien was about to announce his arrival when Notalus put his hand up to stop him.
Dustin was dressed in Notalus’ house colors of green and brown.
His linen pants fit him snugly but comfortably, his thick chest filling out his tunic in a way that made Notalus’ heart lodge within his throat at the sight of his crest over Dustin’s right pec.
He wore a shoulder shawl clasped with a single bronze medallion that was the same as Notalus’.
His betrothed looked like heaven standing there beneath an orange sassafras tree, fingering the delicate leaves in amazement.
Seeing Dustin happy and content in his home set a fire inside of him so hot that it was almost overwhelming.
“Unique, is it not?” Notalus came further into the room as Dustin spun around to the sound of his voice. He looked freshly showered and shaved, his beard and hair shinier than before, his skin glowing within the autumn atmosphere.
Dustin looked Notalus up and down with possessive hunger in his eyes. “It is. I’ve never seen an orange sassafras. Red, yes. But orange… no.” Dustin chuckled. “Can you imagine how beautiful these would look blended into the dogwoods I planted around the pack property line?”
Notalus took Dustin’s hand and brought it to his lips, making the big alpha blush at the tenderness. “If that is your desire, then you can have orange sassafras for the Volkov lands.”
Dustin looked confused.
“Come take a walk with me across the grounds. There is much to discuss.”
“You mean to explain,” Dustin clarified. “Iulien told me that he thought you’d never name another consort. Imagine my surprise when he told me exactly what that title is?”
Notalus turned to scowl at his friend, only to find him slinking out of the room. “You had better leave,” Notalus sent on a gust of wind that was strong enough to make Iulien trip as he fled.
“So we are betrothed… to be married,” Dustin growled. “Well, after all these years, it was nice to be asked.”
“That is because titans don’t ask… we announce,” Notalus countered. “It’s not as if there’s a chance of you saying no.”
“Where I come from, it’s customary to ask anyway.” Dustin glared. “Because regardless of your customs, I have every right to decline.”
“You are right, these are not your ways, and I am being arrogant.” Notalus joined him under the tree, and to his surprise, Dustin wrapped his arms around his waist and tugged him closer. “Forgive my ancient ways.”
“I will consider forgiveness… if you ask me sincerely.” Dustin’s coy grin lit up Notalus’ whole world.
No one spoke to him in this manner or demanded he do anything, and Notalus found it unusual yet rousing.
Living as long as he had, life had a tendency to be mundane with a lack of luster.
But Dustin wasn’t of his world and his ways, therefore, Notalus was excited for the challenge, for all of the unknown that came with his new life mate.
He kept their hands intertwined as Notalus led Dustin to the entrance of the palace, instructing his guards to remain on the grounds.
He needed privacy to do what he was just asked.
“Walk with me, Alpha.”