Prologue
“Finding a mate was not something on my bucket list … not that I have a bucket list. When one is immortal, he doesn’t give a lot of thought to what he wants to do before he dies. But Jennifer says I should have a bucket list because she might kill me at any minute, so best to be prepared. Regardless, before I met my Jennifer, had I had such a thing as a bucket list, finding my true mate would not have been one of the things on it. But now that I have met her, I realize how foolish it was not to have it listed as number one on the list … and having a daughter would certainly be a close second.” ~Decebel
A little over a century ago:
“One day,brother, you will meet your true mate, and she will not take any of your silent brooding.”
My brow rose as I stared down at my younger sister. Her dark brown eyes twinkled with mischief as her lips turned up into a taunting smile.
I growled at her. “The Great Luna would not curse some poor female with the likes of me as her mate,” I said. “I was created to fight and protect the pack, not for romance.”
“Decebel, you would not be a curse on some poor female. First, the Great Luna will give you a female with a backbone even stiffer than yours. Second, you were created for more than just a single purpose. You are a male of worth, brother. You don’t see it. But I do.”
And she did. I couldn’t see it in myself, but I could see it in her eyes. She truly valued me as a male and as her brother. Cosmina always saw the best in people. It grieved her greatly to see anyone dwell on their faults. She hated when other people were disappointed in themselves. She was tender, kind, and precious—an asset to the pack.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. All the females are scared of me.”
She laughed. “Because all you do is glower at them.”
I didn’t glower. Okay, perhaps I glowered a little. “The females are just so silly,” I grumbled.
“Some are, perhaps. But maybe you are just a bit too serious,” she offered.
“I am the exact amount of serious that my position requires.” I knew it would make her laugh. And she did. Her eyes squinted, and her cheeks lifted as her face was transformed, glowing with joy.
“Well, I pray here and now that the Great Luna not only gives you a true mate that will love your glower, but that she also gives you a beautiful daughter, that way your glower will actually come in handy.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“If you have a daughter,” Cosmina replied, “then you can use your glower on all of the males who will undoubtedly drool over her.”
“Oh, great, a pack of males sniffing around my daughter. That’s exactly what every male Canis lupus wants.” I growled. “I’m being sarcastic, if you couldn’t tell.”
Truth be told, any male worth his salt would be thrilled to have a pup, male or female. Cubs among the Canis lupus were rare and, because of that rarity, treasured above all else. But I couldn’t see a child in my future, especially not a daughter. Female pups required gentleness, and I didn’t have a gentle bone in my body.
“I can’t wait until I get to laugh and tell your mate all about this conversation,” Cosmina said, her eyes twinkling with delight.
“Speaking of true mates, sister, you will be a great treasure to the one destined for you by the Great Luna.” I reached out and ran my hand down her dark hair as I spoke, giving her the touch needed by our wolf nature and pack bond.
She issued a mock sigh. “Maybe, but should that day ever come, he may not accept me.”
“Why on earth would you say that? The males already practically kill themselves fighting over you.”
“True, but if he accepts me, then he must also accept the fact that one day, my old, grumpy, mate-less, bachelor brother will have to live in our garage. No one wants a true mate with that kind of baggage.”
“Hey,” I said, indignant.
“And he will probably have to give you medicinal sponge baths, since all the battles you’ve fought have left your old, tired body a hopeless wreck.” Her words were coming out in short spurts as she began to laugh at the image she painted of our future. It might not have been funny if it wasn’t so accurate. All good jokes held a hint of truth, and I couldn’t see a future for myself much better than the one she’d predicted.
“How kind of you to make room in your future home for me,” I said dryly. “Now I can look forward to my mate-less life with joy because I will have you and your male looking after me. If you think I’m grumpy now, just wait until I’ve got a few hundred more years under my belt.”
Cosmina was cackling by the time I had finished talking.
“It wasn’t that funny,” I grumbled.
“But … it sort of was.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck, squeezing me tight. “Goodnight, Decebel. Have a good night watch.”
I kissed her on her forehead and pushed her toward the small hut that was our den. I both dreaded and rejoiced for the day when she would find her true mate. At that point, she would no longer be mine to care for, protect, and provide for. Another wolf would rightfully take on these responsibilities. Not that these duties were a burden to me, far from it. They were a privilege, but it would be a relief to have only myself to look after. However, I wasn’t sure if I could ever truly trust anyone else to take care of Cosmina as I had done her whole life.
