Chapter 2
HEKLA
My she-wolves and their mates walked me to where I was supposed to meet Belenus. A ‘door’ to the Realm of the Fae awaited me several miles west of the castle, and I welcomed the chance to hike off some jitters. My wolf did the best she could to distract me, and it was kind of working because she was easily distracted herself when not faced with responsibilities. Of all my she-wolves, I was pretty certain that my wolf was the… wolfiest.
Ah! What a good day it is to meet a mate! Eventide said with a very audible grin. The leaves have started to fall, and the air has a crispness to it. Can you smell it? I just want to roll in a big pile of dry, dirty leaves!
Pretty sure Belenus wouldn’t like a mate smelling like dirty leaves, I replied, suppressing a smile. Also, it’s going to be summer… for the rest of our lives. The realization had me crestfallen, and I fought off another wave of anxiety. I was about to enter such a strange realm. Would I be able to handle it? How long would it take me to adjust ?
Not true! Eventide growled. I’m sure Belenus will be fine with us taking vacations in our original realm!
That perked me up a bit. Perhaps she was right. I didn’t necessarily need Belenus to come along either… but it would be nice if he could. Maybe he could make time to come with us? I imagine a general would be pretty busy, but we’ll see.
We’ll be ok in our new home! We just need fresh meat and a forest to run in! Then our fated mate to mount us every night!
Don’t make me blush before we get there, Eventide! I chastised. I refuse to have my friends’ last memory of me be of my arousal!
She just chuckled at that and went silent, sensing she was testing my sanity. I looked down at my dress, noting that the layers of skirts might actually help contain any scents that would give away my readiness. Perhaps there was something to wearing gowns after all. Did fae have strong senses? They couldn’t possibly have a nose as sharp as a wolf’s.
“Ragna.” I moved to nudge her. “Do fae have a good sense of smell?”
She twisted her lips and looked thoughtful. “That’s a good question. I don’t actually know!”
“Drat,” I said. “I hope I won’t advertise as much as we do among wolf and lycan males.”
She winced. “Yes, that is always problematic.” She patted my back in sympathy. “I guess you’ll find out the hard way.”
I barked out a laugh at her playful—but brutal—honesty. Though it took me off guard, it let some of my anxiety trickle away, and Ragna looked quite pleased with herself. I linked our arms and briefly laid my head upon her shoulder as we walked, being of similar height.
“Just remember what I said, Hekla. Don’t forget who you are,” she murmured softly. “In our little sub-pack, you are spirited and wise. You’re our guiding light. You’re practically our alpha in a way!”
I snorted at her flattery. “Hmm, an alpha? Oh, totally.”
Soley leaned over and added in a conspiratorial whisper, “Try commanding Belenus to do naughty and unspeakable things!”
Rakel overheard her and choked on a laugh. I glanced over at her mate, Rudesind, who pretended he hadn’t heard it and was desperately trying to keep a straight face.
“Alright, alright, we’re here,” I said in a rush, spying a circle of tree stumps ahead on a hill. “Thank you, my she-wolves, for all your very helpful advice,” I added sarcastically. We marched toward the unassuming realm door and waited for Belenus to make his appearance.
“We’ll check in with you from time to time,” King Zorian said. “Perhaps we can figure out a way of sending messengers. I’ll have to discuss it with Belenus, but I don’t want any ties to you severed. You were born a wolf in this kingdom, you’re a vessel of the Sky Gods, and a close friend of my mate, my queen. I want to make sure you’re safe over there.” He let the tiniest, rare smile out for me. It wasn’t something he did for just anyone. Unfortunately, that was when a rogue autumn leaf decided to fall on his white locks—the color of his lycan—and ruin his friendly fa?ade. He growled and ripped it off, causing Rudesind, Rakel, and Ragna to break into chuckles. Koray just smiled and pulled his smitten mate, Soley, to his side.
I stopped hearing their well-wishes in my anxiousness and glanced around while wiping my sweaty palms on my hips. Whatever relief I’d obtained from that walk was getting overshadowed by the wait. I stared at the vibrant, ruddy autumn leaves under the deep blue sky, knowing that this was but a small moment in my lifetime. Right now, though, it felt like an eternity was passing with no end in sight. I wanted to scream, but I restrained all my howls, leaving them to pile suffocatingly in my chest. Departing my realm seemed unthinkable, and yet here I was, desperate to get it over with. I started when I felt Ragna wrap her arms around me and rest her head on my shoulder. Even Eventide paced restlessly .
As jumpy as a rabbit now, I accidentally knocked my shoulder into Ragna’s jaw when the air distorted in the ring of trees. I apologized profusely to my friend while she nursed her face, and I swung around to see if it was Belenus who’d arrived. Indeed, it was.
I was hit by his scent first, which had my mouth flooding with saliva. I swallowed multiple times, gulping hard to make sure I wouldn’t drool before my aloof fated mate. He smelled like a lemon tree and a summer storm. Lemonade and petrichor, the scent of rain evaporating off the hot earth.
I tried to keep my legs stable as he marched toward me, and Eventide did her best to strengthen them, making sure I didn’t wobble and embarrass myself. Belenus was a fae… and he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my life. I’d thought so the first time I saw him, and I thought so now.
He was tall, very much around Zorian’s height but more lithe in his form, whereas Zorian carried the typically massive lycan bulk. Belenus was still very muscular, though, and I had a hard time not daydreaming about him working those muscles over my splayed body.
A masculine fairness chiseled his face, and his amber eyes flickered with a keenness, both enchanting and exotic in their almond shape. I wondered if all fae had such delicate features. His summery yellow hair was brushed neatly to the side and trimmed shorter around his pointed ears. Finally, wherever I could see his skin, there was a very subtle golden sheen, as though he powdered himself with sunshine after every bath.
I swallowed again as he stood before me and reached for my hand to kiss it. His soft lips pressed gingerly against my skin and sent sparks up my arm, nearly making me jump again. It’d been so long since he last touched me. Frustratingly, this was as intimate as we got.
He looked up at me through his thick blond lashes and straightened. “Miss Hekla, I hope you are well,” he greeted formally and reached to take my bag for me. I handed it over reluctantly. I could have carried it…
“I am. Thank you, Belenus,” I replied nervously, not feeling like myself at all. The she-wolf in me was going crazy, wanting to drag him into the forest and make him ride the nerves right out of me. She wanted to finally complete the mating and marking. We were not meant to wait this long. It just wasn’t in our blood.
Belenus nodded at the group behind me, acknowledging my royal escort. Zorian cleared his throat, moved to shake my fated mate’s hand, and said, “Greetings, Belenus. I wish you both a successful mating. As Hekla is a dear friend of Ragna’s, I’d like to find a way for them to communicate. Could we perhaps discuss a messenger system in several days when you come to collect Koray?”
Soley whimpered slightly and clung to her unmarked fated mate, unhappy to let him go for any period of time. Belenus wanted to teach Koray sword fighting in the fae realm so he could better protect himself and his mate. The general felt like he owed it to him after Koray had been trapped in the Realm of the Gods, and the young man had accepted the offer. Koray would be away for a long time, and that was going to suck for Soley. She was probably going to get as agitated as me.
Belenus nodded thoughtfully. “I think that is a good idea. I’d like to expand communication in general. Let’s have a lengthier discussion later.”
I turned and sent a desperately sad look to my she-wolves, who acted immediately. They rushed to envelope me in hugs, tears, and nuzzles. The love draped over me was so desperately needed that I tried not to cry, but that was an impossible goal. The tears were simply forged from too many distresses. I was going to miss everything that I had in this very moment—my realm and my sub-pack.
I slowly stepped back from them, rubbed my tears away, and turned to face Belenus with a smile. He looked slightly sad as he held out his arm for me, and I had to wonder if he was sympathizing or regretting his decision to keep me.
Stop that! Eventide snarled, her viciousness snapping me out of it. No assumptions!
You’re right, I’m sorry, I responded hastily and girded my loins. I took Belenus’s arm, lifted my chin, and took a deep breath. This is a new adventure!
And maybe we’ll finally lose our virginity tonight!
Oh my goddess, what did I tell you about flustering me? I reprimanded and tried hard to not think about that very thing.
Belenus waved with his free hand to my sub-pack and their mates. “Farewell, all. I will see you soon.”
Ragna pointed her finger at him and said, “Remember what I said about the Sun God! You better worship our Hekla or I’ll get Soley here to smite your bum!”
I looked up to catch an amused expression on Belenus’s face as he nodded in understanding. I held back a sudden bout of jealousy at their inside joke. The emotion both startled and concerned me, having never felt something so ugly before. I needed to exercise better control over myself!
Belenus placed his hand over the one I had on his arm, making more tingles shoot through my skin, and we teleported out of my realm, away from everything I knew and held dear. Once my body arrived in the Realm of the Fae, I swayed slightly, dizzy from the intense transport. To have moved without moving was a nauseating experience, and I wondered if I’d ever get used to it.
I snapped my eyes shut, blinded by the brightness, so I let my nose and ears take in the surroundings first. Slowly, I opened my eyes to let my vision adjust. Not only had the location changed, but the weather had shifted dramatically. My skin was used to the crisp fall air, but it had been forced to thaw within seconds under the burning summer sun, and my bones ached from the change in pressure.
Belenus tightened his grip on my arm to stabilize me, and I could just barely make out his worried face. “Are you ok, Miss Hekla? Queen Ragna had a similar reaction to the realm doors. I’ll take you to shade and refreshments. Does that sound good?”
“That does, thank you,” I admitted and looked around as my eyes finally adjusted to the fanfare of hot, golden light. We walked off the stone platform we’d arrived on and proceeded through the courtyard. Everything was so neat and tidy, not at all like the wilderness I’d called home, but I could get used to it. The emerald shrubs were trimmed to perfection, and there was hardly a speck of dirt on the perfectly laid tan flagstone. Fae guards equipped with spears were stationed throughout the area, and I only caught one or two glancing curiously over at us. The rest were as statues in their white gold armor.
We turned a corner, and I faltered at the sight of a stunning, gleaming castle looming before me. I swallowed heavily and asked, “A-are we going to the castle?” I knitted my brows in confusion and looked up at him. His jaw worked as he patted my hand.
“Yes,” he said simply. “It is where I work, Miss Hekla.”
That didn’t really answer the question I had, but I realized I may not have asked the right question. Is he taking us to work with him? That would be odd, I said to Eventide, feeling uneasy. I kind of just want to go to our new home and get settled.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough, she replied, too distracted by the sights and smells to be perturbed. She was already enjoying herself. I needed to do the same, but I was so tightly wound. I had so many thoughts and questions racing through my mind. Where were we going? Was I dressed appropriately? Would we meet his family? Oh gods, could I even read their literature? Did I have to learn a new language? What would tonight be like? Would we finally complete our mating?
Stop, Hekla! Stay in the moment! Eventide growled, and I released another long breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. This was brutal.
I’m going to lose my blessed mind, I replied absently and tightened my hold on Belenus’s arm. The fear grew hard to control, making my heart thump like a ravenous woodpecker .
I stared at the glimmering castle, its towers and enormous spires stretching toward the sunny, cerulean sky in a prayer. It seemed larger than our castles, but a lot of that may just be due to the decorative additions. Ragna had briefly described it as elegant, bright, and golden, and it was definitely all of those things. Lovely white stone made the majority, but pristine gold was generously worked into the trim and molding. The golden spires in particular seemed impossible to build. Well, apparently the fae were magical folk, and I supposed I’d learn soon all they were capable of doing.
That thought frightened me. I’d gone from being at the top of the food chain to somewhere unknown. With their magic, were the fae stronger than wolves? Was I now at the bottom of the food chain? I had no idea…
Belenus steered us onto a path that went to the right of the castle, and we soon entered a massive garden. I released a breath and relaxed a touch. This was familiar. Nature was familiar. Perhaps the garden was a touch too groomed, but it would do for now. Oh, it would certainly do. How I longed to take my slippers off and dig my toes into the soft grass.
The garden, also, was not what I expected—at all. My eyes grew rounder the farther we walked into it, exposed to the most beautiful and strange flora sprouting from the soil. I couldn’t believe the variety of plants they had here! The different gardens felt like entirely different realms. Some paths brought us to cheerful, daydreamy patches of flowers while others toured through sections that looked positively ancient! How could all these species exist in one place?
Belenus’s stride was more relaxed here too, and I found him smiling down at me. I blushed slightly under his kind gaze, enjoying the small break in my shattered nerves. However, upon us taking a new path, a different garden stole my attention—a small forest that looked just like home. Ferns popped out of the soft soil, acorns littered the ground, and moss clung to the trees. I tried to stifle a gasp, but it just escaped as an unfortunate-sounding squeak.
I couldn’t resist. Perhaps it looked stupid, but I broke from Belenus’s arm and ran to embrace a tree. Its scent settled on my tongue and in my lungs, prodding old and recent memories alike. I recognized even the sap that bled through the bark. If I squeezed my eyes tight, just for a moment, and pretended I was home, I could almost believe it.
“I had this section grown for you, Miss Hekla. It’s… well... consider it my first gift to you,” Belenus said from behind me. “I brought back some samples and had our gardeners work their magic.”
I released the tree to gawk at him, unable to believe it. “Is that true? Thank you, Belenus!” It was an incredible gift—impossible, really. When I thought of gifts, I imagined little sentimental items. This, though… This was phenomenal. I knew Belenus was a general, but this was a part of the palace garden! What must the royal family think?
Appearing happy with my reaction, he gestured to a table I hadn’t noticed and silently prompted me to join him. Still in awe of my surroundings, I asked another question. “Do we live far? I’d like to visit this place often, I think.”
He politely pulled out my chair for me and said, “Er… no. We do not live far, Miss Hekla.”
Not wanting to be rude, I hurried to sit so he could eat. The table had been set quite lavishly for two. A large number of what seemed to be fae delicacies were spread before me, still hot and somehow protected from the garden insects. I suspected magic had to be a part of that because I knew no fly could resist an open invitation. Perhaps the crested songbirds in the trees—nigh winged rainbows—did their part to cull the pests.
“Th-that’s good,” I replied and looked at the assortment of dishes. He pointed at everything as he named them, but it all mostly went in one ear and out the other. The names were as foreign as I expected, and I knew I’d forget them. I sighed and accepted it would just take time.
I nibbled on a small meat pie and groaned quietly at how perfectly the buttery, flaky crust mixed with the stuffing. Next, I tried something that I did remember the name of, only because I just thought of a lizard named Colin. It was a soup with smoked fish in it, and I smiled in satisfaction with every spoonful. I’d never thought to put fish in a soup. Eventide approved as well.
My fated mate tilted his head when he noticed. “Your eyes turned silver for just a second there. Was that your wolf?” Belenus asked curiously, leaning forward a little. My cheeks heated up from his attention, and I quickly took a sip of water.
“Ah… if silver, yes. Eventide was just showing her appreciation for this cullen skink. She loves fish.”
“That’s a pretty name. Eventide…” Belenus said quietly and looked down at his plate. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “Miss Hekla, I… have something to tell you. It’s very important, and I’m starting to wonder if I should have told you sooner.”
I froze at those words, and my heartbeat faltered. Oh gods, what could it be?
Just let him say it, Eventide replied.
What if he has a mistress he won’t give up? Or what if he already has offspring? I guess that doesn’t really matter. I could love them like m—
Hekla! Stop, you crazy female! Pay attention to our mate, or so help me!
I prompted Belenus to continue with a nod, feeling my lips press together in anticipation. He brushed his plate aside and interlocked his fingers on the table. Taking a deep breath, Belenus looked up at me and said, “We are at the castle because I work here, that is true, but I also live here.”
Ok, not a wild start, Eventide noted calmly.
“I do work as a general, but someday my rank will rise… considerably.”
I do wish it would, my wolf commented. Tonight, preferably.
I nearly choked on my water. I thought you were going to help me stay calm! I scolded. I am barely keeping it together!
“You see, Miss Hekla, my mother is the queen of the Summer Court,” Belenus announced, and my water glass slipped right out of my hands. I fumbled to pick it up and shoved it back onto the table. Eventide had no interjection this time. She was just as shocked.
“S-so… you’re a p-prince?” I asked, doing an incredible job of staying cool, collected, and calm. I reached for the other beverage that I’d left untouched and took a sip, but somehow my body couldn’t process the flavor. It was too busy digesting Belenus’s confession.
“Ah yes…” he looked up for a second like he was saying a prayer and then gave me a small smile. “The crown prince, actually.”
I dropped the other glass, but this time I couldn’t bring myself to collect it. It lay abandoned in the detritus, along with my wits. My hands slowly migrated to my face to cover my mouth. What was happening? Was this a dream? I patted my cheek, then pinched it. No, this was real.
Belenus, upset by my response, or lack thereof, came to kneel by my side. He grabbed one of my hands, and the mate touch took the edge off my shock. Quiet solace spread from him into me, and whether he was aware of what he’d done or not, I gratefully embraced the comfort.
“I am so sorry. Perhaps I should have told you sooner. I just wanted to get everything ready here and ease you into it as much as possible. I thought that telling you after the move would be better, but…” he sighed and bowed his head. “Well, you know now, and I’m sorry it distresses you so. Perhaps I was worried you’d run away if you knew.”
He was worried about us running away? I said to my wolf, bewildered. I wasn’t expecting that.
Belenus looked back up at me, his worried expression turning into one of newfound determination. His blond brows drew a firm line over his amber eyes, the eyes that reminded me of the pretty sap that crystallized on the trees of my realm.My realm… My old realm.
He grabbed both my hands and gazed at me in earnest. “Miss Hekla Himinn, I am addressing you now that you know who I am and what I will be someday. You have recognized me as your fated mate, and I have recognized you. I know our customs differ, but I must ask this question regardless.”
I held my breath and tried to get what comfort I could from his large warrior hands. “Will you marry me and accept your role as the next queen of the Summer Court when I ascend to the throne? It won’t be for some time. My mother, Queen Fedelm, still rules.” He added that last clarification a bit hastily, staring at me as if I was about to faint.
Perhaps we are, Eventide said woozily.
“Y-yes,” I answered simply, still in disbelief. It was an easy answer only because there was no declining. A decline would mean rejection, and I would not reject my fated mate! Belenus was mine! No one else could have him! The she-wolf in me was adamant about that!
Belenus released a colossal exhale and grinned up at me. That was the first time I’d seen him truly happy, and he was even more stunning. The handsome fae radiated joy as he kissed the back of my hand once more, looking so relieved. Had this secret been the cause of his aloofness?
“Thank you, Miss Hekla. I will prove myself worthy of you and do everything within my power to make my home feel like yours. This I swear,” he vowed adamantly, placing a hand over his heart.
“I admit I am overwhelmed,” I confessed, looking down at the gold-dusted hand that still held mine. He rubbed his thumb across my knuckles, so gentle and kind with his touch. “A new realm, a new people… one season.” I swept my hand around me nervously. “I will do my best to adapt, though. I promise.”
“We’ll do it together, Miss Hekla. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”