Arch 1
Chapter 12
Things had been moved up a few hours that night to make time for getting Eira introduced to the pack in an official capacity, Max and Eira's wedding ceremony, and the celebration dinner that was to follow.
Stella, Markus, Sophie, Bear, and Stormy had spent the whole day preparing, of course, with the help of any pack members that were able to spare the time. Eira had been alone for all of her existence; it dazzled her mind to see all these people working together-all these people she didn't know, and who didn't know her, banding together to make the ceremony perfect-living close to one another, and, in the cases of the family units, living together. It gave her a whole new kind of joy that that was what she and Max would share. She still found it extremely humorous that Max would even have the slightest doubt that she'd say yes. She didn't really know what wedding ceremonies entailed, per s′e, but she knew it bound the two of them together always.
Well, said that dark voice in her head. At least until he dies. We could always do something about that, you know.
Shut UP! Eira thought back.
It was true, that had been something which weighed heavy on her mind: she would not age past how she currently was, and Max would continue to age…and die. She had shaken the thought off, determined to be by his side in whatever capacity she could until he took his last breath. She would bring it up to him. If that was a conversation he wished to have, then that was ok, but she would not make him feel pressured. Max was a very proud wolf, and she had nothing but respect for that. She was, however…sort of terrified about how she would handle such an awful thing.
"Eira?" Max's voice broke through her reverie. "You ok, baby?"
"Oh, yes." she replied, shaking her head to clear it. "I suppose my thoughts ran away with me."
"Plenty of time for daydreams later!" Stormy said, bounding up to them. "Hate to interrupt your little stroll, but it's time to start getting the bride ready! And my dad and your dad are waiting for you in the Study."
"My dad's actually going to let me into his Study?"
"Hey, I didn't say it was a good decision." she smirked, bumping his shoulder with hers. "It's probably some doofy rite of passage they have planned." She rolled her eyes.
"In that case…" Max said, pulling Eira close to him and kissing her. When he pulled back, he ran a thumb across her cheek. "See you soon."
"Oh, gimme a break! She's not going away to war, and neither are you. You'll see her in two hours, at the most. If you think you can survive that long."
"What fault is it of mine that I fear my own heart may stop it's beating when denied my one true love's presence for so long a time as two hours?! For she and she alone is the air which I breathe, the water to my parched soul, the one who satisfies my love starved hunger! Who effortlessly pervades both my night and day dreams with her relentless perfection!" he said dramatically, laying it on purposefully thick with the aim of annoying Stormy, though it was still nothing but how he really felt.
"Mmhmm. Gag. Ok, let's go, Eira." Stormy said, quickly pulling her away.
Eira smiled at Max over her shoulder and blew him a kiss.
Max turned and sauntered towards his father's study.
"Dad…" he called, standing outside and rapping on the door with his knuckles. "Stormy said you and Uncle Bear wanted to see me in here?" No answer. "Dad?" he said again, cautiously pushing the door open to a completely darkened room. "Da-"
But before he could finish his sentence, the door slammed shut by someone in a robe, their face obscured by the hood. Candles suddenly lit, and his father and Bear, both with hoods lowered, stood before him. Bear stood behind a large kettle drum that he started beating softly, and the other figure that had closed the door slid up behind the other and began to play a counterpoint to Bear, sliding his hood back to reveal Barlowe, which, in all honesty, did not at all surprise him.
"I…you're not inducting me into a cult, are you?"
"I…no…dammit. Alright, guys. Just stop." Markus sighed.
"I told you!" Bear said, his arms crossed sassily over his chest.
"But it's what Father did when we got married!"
"AND IT FELT LIKE A CULT INNITIATION THEN, TOO!"
"Honestly this is just a hoot." said Barlowe amiably.
"So…what's all this for, then?" Max asked.
"Well, Father did this for your uncle and I on each of our wedding days…" Markus began.
"And it was just as creepy." Bear interjected, to which Markus gave him an acidic look.
"Anyway," Markus said, clearing his throat. "Besides the…presumed though incorrect cult initiation, which I think is best dying with me, there is something else."
"And I just get to be in on this 'cause I'm me." Barlowe said proudly. "Was here for your father and uncle, too."
Markus turned and, quite literally, tipped one of the books back on one of the bookshelves on the right wall, if you were standing at the door. There would be heard a great clanking and turning of gears, and the bookshelf popped out a bit, and slid back over its neighbor. A spiral staircase led down into darkness.
"What's down there?" Max asked, tilting his head slightly.
"The real Study." Markus said, leading the way down.
The first curve was just a dark one, as the rest of the spiral was well lit. Nobody said a word until the descent was completed, and Max couldn't believe his eyes. Before him lay rooms so spacious, any museum would fight tooth and mail to acquire it…and their contents. There were more bookshelves contained within those walls than in any other place Max could imagine. There were scrolls carefully arranged on racks, artifacts behind glass, jewelry spanning centuries in cases, art from when art was first a thing forward, and on and on…
"I…what…is this place…" Max said in wonder.
"This, my son, is the real Study of the Yearwood men. Our family brought things over from the old world to the new and hid them all here. We are in possession of everything that was withheld in the Library of Alexandria, and so, so much more."
"The…the Li…" was all Max managed, overwhelmed.
"And more." Bear reminded.
"This place has seen many iterations since it was first built." Markus explained. "But we have added an office for you."
"…For me?"
"Yes, let me show you."
Markus led the way to an office that had a gold placard with the name Maxwell Desmond Yearwood embossed into it with black letters. Max grabbed the gold doorknob excitedly and swung the dark, polished cherry oak door open. It was very much like his father's office upstairs: massive bookshelves, comfortable leather chairs, and a grand desk in the middle, all in the same oak as the door, all accented in gold. There was a pen set on each side of his desk, two elegant pens to a holder, each in black and gold. There was a leather pad beneath a notepad right in the middle of his desk, a marbled black-and-gray fountain pen sitting patiently above it, poised to take the Master's notes happily at a moment's notice.
"This is our wedding gift to you, my son." Markus said, putting a hand on Max's shoulder. "Perhaps between that library at that college of yours and this, you can find out more about your sweet little Eira. There's got to be something in one of them."
"I…I don't know what to say. Thank you…thank you all so much. This is perfect. Do Mom and Aunt Sophie know about this place?"
Markus and Bear regarded each other, and then burst out in laughter. Even Barlowe guffawed.
"It's hilarious to me that you think for a minute we could keep anything from your mom or aunt!" Bear bellowed.
"Do you know what would have happened to us if we didn't tell them where we were sneaking off to and why?!" Markus wheezed.
"It's ok, lad." Barlowe said. "Ye just haven't been married befur." he chuckled.
"Plus it's really nice when she's there with you and you play Indiana Jones in your office and…never mind." Bear said.
And, all at once and with a tremendous shudder, he figured out the exact circumstances under which Stormy had been conceived, and he was duly horrified.
"But wait, there's more." Markus said, going to a closet built into Max's office. He came back out with a three-piece suit, complete with tails, a gold pocket watch in the pocket of the vest with the chain hung across it, gold cufflinks with the initials M.Y. carved into them. It was a classic black-and-white affair, with a bowtie instead of a regular tie. His polished ebony shoes reflected his smile back at him as he turned his foot to inspect them, the gold buckles on them winking smartly at him. "It your grandfather's. We had it altered so it would fit you. I thought it would suit you."
"Grandpa's…Dad, I'm stoked but…are you sure?"
"I have no doubts he would have wanted you to have it. He loved you so much."
"More than your dad and I, that's for sure." Bear grumbled playfully.
"Now, I do believe we should adjourn back to the upstairs office, pour some of that bourbon I've been saving, and get you, my son, dressed for your wedding."
Max was waiting antsily in the wings. His father was just finishing up with Barlowe's commendations for his bravery in aiding the alpha's son and his mate. Markus was already in position, standing at the podium in the center of the stage which had been set up in the ballroom of the Yearwood Mansion. See, as it turns out, the werewolf type of marriage meant little to nothing to the U.S. government in terms of legitimacy…particularly considering they didn't know werewolves even existed…so Markus had become officiated so he could marry the people in the pack. Usually, there was a wolf ceremony held after, where the alphas would sit upon that large boulder in the woods with the stream running around it, and the newly weds would exchange a small gift, usually something nature-centered, like a flower or perhaps one of the gemstones that were to be had locally, if one was lucky, and then the alphas would lead a howl which the couple and then the rest of the pack would join in on. This would be slightly different, in Max and Eira's case, because this was the union of the future alpha and his mate.
"Now, if my son would join me onstage." Markus said, gesturing to Max.
Here goes. Max thought with such giddy nervousness he almost couldn't take himself.
"As we know, Maxwell, the Alpha Heir, has found his mate, and it is their union that we celebrate here tonight."
The whole pack cheered. It was odd for Max to have such a spotlight on him. Yes, he was to be the male component of the alpha team, but he'd always been rather quiet and shy, largely keeping to himself-aside from the very extroverted Stormy, who gave him no choice in the matter. But now he had the pack, his people, all looking at him, and for what he was to become.
"Yes, an auspicious occasion." Markus said, looking at his son with pride, a certain wateriness to his eyes. "And if I am correct…I do believe it is time for the ceremony to begin."
Max's heart skipped a beat and stumbled.
Markus slipped off the stage as a silence pregnant with anticipation fell over the crowd. He met Barlowe, Stormy and her escort, who was one of the , named Nathan, who had accompanied her on her rescue crusade, Bear and Sophie, Stella, and of course, Eira outside the doors, smiling down at his very soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Her dress was a corseted one with a sweetheart neckline that tied in the back, the train loose and flowy, small Swarovsky crystals sewn into the bodice, making her shine like a star in the night sky. On her feet she wore white satin slippers. Sophie, Stella, and Stormy had managed to get part of her hair back, and decorated it with more small crystals. They gave her smoky eyes, but went light on it, and gave her red lipstick that was right in the middle between bright and deep. Her jewelry was diamonds all set in silver, comprising of a necklace, bracelet, earrings, anklet, and a circlet. She held a bouquet of purplish-blue bellflowers wrapped in white lace.
"Are you ready, little dove? He's waiting for you."
"I am." Eira said breathily. She knew she was going to be with Max forever long before this day, so she didn't know why she suddenly felt like butterflies were careening haphazardly around her insides. She liked the feeling, though. It was one of joy, which she'd had too little of in her life, the purity of which took her breath away.
"Start the music." he said into his cellphone, and inside music began to swell.
For the procession, Stella and Barlowe went first, then Bear and Sophie, and lastly Stormy and Nathan.
Markus took Eira's hand and placed it at the crook of his arm, placing his hand over hers.
"It's time, sweetheart."
The doors opened and everyone was standing, looking at them. The Wedding March began and together, Markus and Eira began to make their way down the aisle.
Max and Eira's eyes locked, and neither of them could look away. Max just stared at her like she was the most beautiful, perfect thing in the world, and he couldn't believe that she was really his, and his alone. Eira's breath left her. He looked so handsome, his smile 1,000 watts, his eyes only for her, waiting for her to reach him.
When they came to the altar, Markus placed Eira's hand in Max's, and they stood facing each other, both of their eyes getting misty, as Markus stood behind the podium again.
"We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman…" Markus began. They repeated after him where they needed to, their hearts nearly exploding, and then… "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed, but then just held each other tightly a few moments after, nuzzling as close as they could. There was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone present could feel how terribly powerful what had just happened was.
Before anything else, everyone changed clothes in preparation for the full moon that night. No need to dirty their good clothes when they got stashed. The stage had been moved and tables were placed end-to-end and covered in white tablecloths, effectively creating one huge table. Amazing smells came from the kitchens to make the mouth water, and spirits flowed. Max and Eira sat at the head of the table, with Markus, Stella, Bear and Sophie on their right, and Barlowe, Stormy, and Nathan on their left.
Max and Eira led with the cake-tenderly feeding each other, of course-after which came the toast, for which they twined their arms together. The food was served and the first dances were held, and then the floor was opened to everyone. By the time the sun was dipping below the horizon, everything had been cleaned up, and the pack had dispersed into the woods to transform; they disappeared as humans for privacy to undress and fold their clothes into bags designed to keep them safe, and emerged as wolves. And now Max didn't have to feel abashed when he saw the woman he loved naked. He could look and look and look and feel the softness of her skin against his all he wanted. He didn't think Eira ever felt any kind of shame, because it didn't have the same connotation with her as it did for everyone else, at least, up until this point.
He regretted, with a very vicious suddenness, that there was a full moon tonight.
The moon rose and the grunts that came along with the change echoed through the woods, and wolves melted out of the shadows. Their wolf form reflected their human selves. They still had the same body build and eye color as when they were human, and their hair was simply translated into fur, the same color and texture.
Max and Eira emerged side by side, chords with crystals attached hanging from their jaws. The rest of the pack was already gathered at the rocks. Stormy, Barlowe, Bear and Sophie were in front of the others as the primary witnesses. Stella and Markus took their places on either side of the main rock.
Max led Eira up to the main rock in the center. He slid the necklace he had made for her over her head with his teeth, a sparkling deep amethyst that matched her eyes landing directly in the center of her chest. She did the same for him, but his pendant was a completely clear quartz crystal.
Max stood and threw his head back in a triumphant howl, and Eira followed suit, then by Max's parents, then the primary witnesses, then the pack as a whole. They touched noses and leapt off the rock as one, splashing down into the water below playfully, and taring off into the woods, wolves exploding every which way in unanimous elation.