“Holding you,” he said, pulling her tighter to him. “I can go to the Great Luna a happy wolf because I have had the privilege and joy of having my true mate in my arms.”
Zara settled into him and placed her hands over his arms. She liked the feel and warmth of his skin, and the coarse hair that lightly covered his flesh. She loved his scent and how it covered her. But most of all, she was comforted by knowing he didn’t want to be anywhere other than right there with her.
* * *
“Everyone has been given sleeping quarters,”Alina told Vasile as he sat at a table in the dining hall. They’d arrived back nearly two hours ago and, after addressing the pack, his mate had insisted he eat. She’d actually insisted that all of the warriors who’d returned be fed, and they had been. The room had been cleared and the tables cleaned, and now it was only he and his female.
“Thank you,” he told her as she sat next to him. He reached out, laying his hand palm up on the table, and she placed hers in it. Vasile gave it a squeeze as he looked into her gentle yet fierce gaze.
“I am glad you returned unharmed.” Her voice trembled slightly.
“I would not dare disappoint you, Mina.” He smiled, though he didn’t feel like it, hoping to reassure her. He could feel her trepidation about another traitor through their bond, and he wanted to ease her worry.
“How are we supposed to trust our pack? And why did Peri abandon you in the middle of a battle?” she asked after several minutes of them simply staring at one another, as though they were afraid the other would disappear if they looked away.
“The only reason Peri would have left was if she needed to protect the healers. They are still dealing with Volcan. We knew her ability to be with us might be short lived because they are her first responsibility, at least for now. Once they’re safe, I’m sure she and Lucian will return to us.
“Alston attempted to put doubt in our minds, and some may be buying into his lies, but we have known Perizada for a very long time. We know her character, the responsibility she feels toward those who are under her protection. We have to trust that she is doing what is necessary. I do not believe she would abandon us, no matter how much the odds might be stacked against us.”
Alina bit her bottom lip as she seemed to think over his words. Then she nodded. “What about the traitor?”
“We can’t begin assuming everyone is the enemy,” he said gently. “If we start looking at one another with suspicion, we will not be able to fight side-by-side. We won’t be able to function as one, and, in order to win against Ludcarab, Alston, and whomever else they have leading their evil army, we have to be united.”
“But how can we be united if we have traitors living inside our walls?” Alina growled in a low voice. His mate was a force to be reckoned with. Even with her gentle spirit and loving heart, she wouldn’t hesitate to bury a blade in their enemies’ gut.
“We wait,” he said simply and knew she was not going to like his answer.
“My daughter-in-law is right,” Alina huffed. “Waiting sucks.”
“How areyou?” Vasile asked her at the mention of Jacquelyn.
“I’m worried, but I cannot let it consume me, or I won’t be able to function. If I cannot function, then what good am I to anyone?”
“We will get them back.” He swallowed down his own emotions. He hadn’t let Fane see the rage boiling in his blood when he’d seen Slate, his grandchild, and Jacquelyn, his son's mate, in the hands of their enemies. It had taken everything in him to get his wolf to leave. The moment Fane had said he wasn’t leaving the United States, Vasile had known he wouldn’t fight his son on that point. The alpha would have felt the same way if it had been Alina and Fane who’d been captured. But Vasile couldn’t stay. He had to check on their pack and his mate. He needed to reassure her that he was fine and be there for her during this time because despite her words, he could feel her agony.
“How is Fane?” she asked. He knew this was the one question that had been burning inside of her, but she’d set it aside so that Vasile could do what needed to be done in addressing the pack.
“He is holding it together. Decebel is with him, and Dillon is a strong alpha. He will be able to help keep Fane calm if it comes to that.”
“We should be with him.”
“Probably, but we are needed here more. Fane is a grown man and strong. He has persevered through many trials with his mate, and he will get through this one.”
She nodded. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Vasile pulled her hand until she was standing and then tugged her into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. He breathed her scent in deep, and his wolf practically hummed his approval. There was nothing that could bring him peace like the scent and touch of his female.
“I am proud of you, Mina,” he told her. “You held this place together even knowing that those you love were taken. You could have demanded a fae take you to where we were, but you chose to be here for the pack. I know that was a difficult decision.”
She leaned against him. “That’s what people who are responsible for others do. We lead even when we would rather be somewhere else. We give even when we feel like we have nothing left to give. We love even if our arms are tired of offering comfort. And we listen to the worries of our pack, even if we are going deaf inside because our own fears are screaming at us. It’s not something I would wish on anyone.”
He chuckled. “No, being an alpha is not an easy job. Being any kind of leader, king, president, or whatever title it is given is not always a blessing. It is an honor, but not necessarily one that I always feel honored for receiving.” He let his emotions flow through the bond because his mate was the one person he could share that with. She was the one person with which he didn’t have to be alpha. He could simply be a mate, a father, a grandfather, and a friend. He wasn’t required to put on the emotional armor that he donned in front of his pack so that they would feel he was strong enough to handle all that they were facing. Here, he didn’t have to have a plan for every scenario.
“The Great Luna put you in this position for a reason,” she said. “But I was dragged along because I’m your mate. I think I should be the one who gets to complain.”
“Complain away, my love,” he said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “I’m your willing servant and will listen for however long you need.”
“And that is whyyouare alpha.” She raised her head and looked at him. “Because you give even when you need to receive.” She stood from his lap and pulled on his hand. “Come.” She motioned toward the entry of the hall. “You need rest. I can always complain tomorrow. That’s the amazing thing about the female mind. We may forget many things, but never what it is that we need to complain about.”
