Luke had paced outside Tala's door for so long that the once bright multi colored rug was now beginning to look dingy and worn.
Everyone had tried to convince him to come downstairs. To eat, sleep or even take a shower but he couldn't. He tried to but he couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't relax. Not while Tala was on the other side of that door lying in an unconscious state. No one knew what was going to happen.
It was all of his fault. . . . He should have never gone near her. He should have stayed in the barn that night but something deep inside him pulled him to the porch. Pulled him to Tala.
All last night he tried to wrap his mind around what had happened over the last few days. Days that had felt much more like weeks. He felt like everything inside of him was breaking. There was a pain in his chest that felt like hot silver was being prodded into his heart. All he wanted was to go back and change everything. This is exactly why he never wanted the matebond! He scuffed to himself. Stupid curse is more like it.
His life was in complete and utter chaos. Not only did Luke just defy his Luna for a human girl but that same human is actually a werewolf. Apparently his fated mate's wolf had been unknowingly trapped deep inside of her, left dormant for her entire life. . . Now because of their mate bond, her wolf was clawing its way out and the process was most likely going to kill her.
All because he couldn't keep his damn hands to himself. Luke couldn't calm his mind as he thought about everything that has happened. He was so angry and frustrated . . . and sad . . . heartbroken . . . empty.
His heart cried out to Tala. He just wanted her to wake up, jump into his arms and everything be okay. Even his wolf was hurting, wallowing in his own loss and despair. Too sad to even utter a sound.
Meanwhile downstairs . . .
"Diana, Baddulf? Come sit with us in the dining room please." Gela requested. Diana and Baddy we're currently at the kitchen island drinking coffee and chatting with Reika and Blaidd.
"Blaidd? Will you take Reika out to the forest? She has been wanting to go look for some special type of ingredient that's only found during the beginning of fall." Rick added. Blaidd nodded in agreement.
"Dad always worries I'll run into trouble." Reika explained as she pulled Blaidd by the hand to lead him outside.
Baddy and Diana sat down quietly. Never breaking the link between their hands that were laced together through the finger. Gela, Zeev and Luke stood in front of them. Rad was beside Baddy while Tami and Rick sat beside Diana.
"We understand you have been blessed with a mate bond. Do you both agree on that?" Zeev began questioning. It was routine for newly mated couples to seek counsel with the Alpha and Luna before they are to meet with the Omicrons to finish their mate bonds. A blessing from them was held in high regard to the people in their community. People have traveled the world just to get their blessing.
"Yes. He is without any doubt, my mate. Our souls dance together as one." Diana explained reaching her free hand to rest it on top of Baddy's hand that was holding her other one.
"Yes. She is my mate and we shall dance forever my love." Baddulf answered kissing the top of the hand she just laid on his.
"Very well, when do you plan on talking with Ahava and the others to finish the mating ritual?" Zeev inquired. Ahava was one of the Omicrons that guided and performed the mate bond ceremony.
"We haven't talked about that yet." Diana answered with a blush beginning to appear on her face.
"What do you plan to bring to our pack?" He shot off another question.
"What do you mean?" Diana asked puzzled.
"Where do you want to work dear?" Gela asked softly.
"I haven't thought about that either." Diana said embarrassed.
"You only have a couple more days before we leave for the compound, so I suggest you start figuring it out." Zeev stated calmly.
"What?" Diana began panicking. "I can't leave, not yet, my sisters need me right now."
"Now your pack needs you." Gela said softy but sternly.
"Staying here is out of the question." Zeev stated. His normally calm voice was becoming stained with annoyance.
"Your father and I will make sure Tala and Reika are safe." Tami encouraged. She didn't want to see her daughter go, especially now but she would love it there. Like a princess going to the castle after meeting her Prince Charming. Tami looked lovingly at her daughter who turned to her with daggers in her eyes.
"Until you leave again, abandoning them when they need you the most!" Diana spat with venom to her words.
"Diana!" Rick started but Radulf put up his hand to quiet the table.
"Diana?" He spoke in a soft voice that seemed almost unrecognizable.
"Have you ever been told how the mate bonds work? Besides what you've already felt? Are you aware that when you first make the mate bond, you and you mate are both weakened and left very vulnerable?"
"But I thought it made us stronger?" Diana asked him puzzled.
"Yeah, I thought so too?" Baddy added.
"It does, greatly, but not until after the mating ritual has been completed. After you've been officially linked it won't matter where either of you are. You'll be able to feel and lend each other your strength even if one is in space and the other is in Hades but until that's complete . . . you can't be without each other. . . I know that you want to stay here, you've been your sister's protector for so long it's natural to be nervous and even a little afraid. . .They will be okay though. They are a part of our pack as well and we all protect each other. Baddulf is needed back home. Our people depend on him, on all of us and now, even on you. It may seem like a big weight on your shoulder but from what I've seen from you so far, I think you can handle it with the upmost grace and dignity. We would be honored and lucky to have you join us, but we won't force you to come. . . Either of you." He turned to Baddy at the end which caught his son off guard.
"I think Diana and Baddulf need some time to sort this out amongst themselves." Luke decided. Everyone was caught off guard by Rad's words. It was completely out of character for him to be so caring and so softly spoken. "Tonight at dinner, we will discuss this again. Until then, I think all of us have a lot to think about before moving forward." Gela and Zeev exchanged worried glances as they watched Luke leave the room.
Into the woods . . .
"What are we looking for exactly?" Blaidd asked as he tried to keep up with Reika who was excitedly bobbing and weaving through the forest.
"Chrysanthemums." Reika shouted back to him.
". . . and how would these look?"
"They're a type of flower."
"You're killing me smalls . . . What color?"
Reika laughs heartily. "They can be any sort of color but you'll know them when you see them. My birth mom, Adelpha planted a ton out here. Tami and Adelphi were close before she passed away." Reika stopped for a moment looking around. "Tami actually picked this land for the farm because of this spot. It was Adelpha's favorite place and she wanted us to be able to connect to her."
"That's really beautiful and thoughful."
"Mom always does stuff like that. No matter how mad I get at her, she will always be my mom. Just like Adelpha. We were really lucky after being so unlucky. We miss our birth mom everyday and wonder what it would of been like. Tami and Tala never tried to replace her. Tami actually makes us celebrate her birthday every year. It's the things like that that made us such a strong blended family." Reika was thinking about all of the times she had gone to Tami in tears because she missed that piece of her that was taken. Tami was always so loving and understanding. She would tell Reika different stories about Adelpha that would always cheer her up.
"Ah . . . So I take it those are the Chrysanthemum?" He said as he looked at a field of assorted colored flowers. Reika turned to the direction that Blaidd was looking and her face became soft as a smile spread across it. Blaidd took a mental note of how beautiful she was in the early morning sun with the different shades reflecting off of her skin.
"Yes, that would be correct." she beamed. Her smile wide and bright.
Later that night . . .
Tamika stood in the doorway as she watched her youngest daughter Reika prepare dinner. She looked just like her biological mother. Tami's heart filled at the thought of her beautiful old friend Adelpha. Her skin was a beautiful roasted chestnut with dark chocolate eyes. Her hair was usually worn in long thin braids that were always held up in a bun tied with a dhuku. Reika looked so much like her. They could be twins. Apart from the intense jade green eyes she inherited from her father and her tone being a dark caramel color. Reika, who was still a baby in everyone's eyes has definitely grown up this past year. Almost eighteen in a couple months. It feels like Tami had left her as a young girl and is now seeing her as a beautiful young woman.
Her creamy completion and dark black hair made her brilliant green eyes almost glow. With high cheek bones, full lips, and a tiny frame she could easily compete with the women on the cover of magazines. Surprisingly for her age, she had no interest in makeup. Tami did notice a hint of mascara. Only more proof that the baby wasn't such a baby anymore. She laughed to herself thinking about the many times Diana tried to give an unwilling Reika a makeover. She's missed all of her daughters so much. Their laughter, their love, and their shenanigans. She missed so much.
Reika was cooking up a storm when her mother came walking up beside her. Picking up a knife Tami began peeling and cutting carrots while Reika did the same with the potatoes. She didn't speak, just helped. It was something she did anytime Reika was upset. Instead of forcing her to talk she would just start cooking, even in the middle of the night. Reika would help and get her thoughts in order and after a while she'd finally be able to talk about it or just let it go and be laughing.
Reika tensed up as soon as her mother stood next to her. There were so many things she wanted to ask her. Like why did she leave? Why did she come back? Why didn't she come back sooner? Did she even miss us? Even think of us? Why couldn't she call us? How can she come in here as if she had only just left to the store? Her heart was breaking, and she could feel as the warm tears fell down her face. Within only seconds she felt the warm arms of her mother.
"I've missed you so much." Tami said in a quaky voice as she held her daughter. Reika wanted to push her away, to tell her off and yell at her for leaving but she didn't. . . She missed her too. Her safe embrace, her scent, her voice. It hurt to have her back without explanation, but it hurt less then not having her at all.
"I missed you too." Is all she could muster through the tears.
Outside, Blaidd was trying to get Luke to talk to him, to open up. But it seemed easier to talk to a brick wall instead.
"You just found and lost your mate, you need to talk about it!" Blaidd exclaimed. Luke was becoming agitated with Blaidd's badgering. He hasn't stopped for the last half an hour and Luke couldn't take much more of it.
"I don't want to talk about it. I want to fix it, but I can't." Luke growled.
"I know but you need to talk about it." Blaidd started again.
"How is talking about it going to help anything? How is it going to help Tala?!" he demanded.
"It's not but it's going to fucking help you once you stop being such a stubborn dick!"
"You have one last warning, back off!" He growled again.
"What would Tala think of how you're acting right now?" The crushing pain of Luke's right fist meeting Blaidd's jaw was expected. He knew it could trigger this response from his alpha. He had hoped it wouldn't, but he knew he had to do something. Luke wasn't okay.
Luke stepped back in shock as he stared at his hands to find Blaidd's blood on it. When he looked up to his friend, he could see him bleeding from a busted lip. Luke back away unable to speak. He didn't want to hurt him, he just wanted him to stop talking. Why did he have to bring Tala's into this? Before he had realized it, he was already naked and ready to transform. He needed to get away, run until he couldn't run anymore. He allowed his wolf, Lycus, to take over.
"Are you okay?" Reika asked Blaidd. She had been standing in the back doorway watching. Blaidd just stared off into the distance where Luke took off towards.
"C'mon." She said as she reached for his hand and guided him to the kitchen. Making him sit at the island counter as she grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and the first aid kit from above the refrigerator. His breath caught when she stood a few inches from his face, staring at his lips. He noticed her bite her lip before speaking.
"That was a pretty stupid thing you just did." She brought a wet paper towel to his lips to gently wipe the blood away.
Blaidd might only be a couple years older but he knew he wasn't allowed to look at her the way he was beginning to. He needed to look at her like a sister. She was just so gorgeous inside and out and this situation definitely wasn't helping. His face crinkled as Reika put the frozen peas on his lips. She tried to be a gentle as possible but the cold was almost too much. Reika's eyes shifted to Blaidd's and for a while they stayed there in silence.
"It's probably safe to take this off for a minute." Reika said finally breaking the silence. "You should put it back on shortly though. It will help with swelling." Reika was beginning to blush under his gaze. He gently grabbed her wrist before she could move away. She was still only a few inches away. Closing the distance between them, his lips met hers. She could feel the butterflies dancing in the pit of her stomach. The kiss caused searing pain to his cut but he didn't care. He kissed her harder until loud footsteps startled both of them.
"What in Hades are you trying to get me to do?" Tami yelled at Tia, the Voodoo queen, through the phone. Tami was just walking into the kitchen when Reika broke free from Blaidds kiss. Turning to the fridge to hide her embarrassment.
"It's the only thing I've found! Do you really think I would even give it a second thought if we had any other options! Don't forget I warned you about all of this, but YOU didn't listen to me!" Tia yelled back.
Things were already so crazy around here before Tia called her with a crazy ritual that could help Tala, but it also has an extremely high chance of killing her first. Tami brought her free hand to her temple and began rubbing it. A stress headache was approaching again.
"What's going on?" Reika asked "What does Tia want you to do? Is it to help Tala?"
"Yes, but we can't." Tami explained.
"What do we have to do?" Reika asked "Why can't we?"
"It's too dangerous!" Tami snapped.
"That's not for you to decide! Diana?! Dad?!" she yelled. "We decide this as a family. No more leaving us out!" she demanded with frustration in her voice.
Soon everyone was in the kitchen to see what the commotion was.
"We're here, what's going on?" Diana eyed their mother suspiciously.
"Tia has something she wants to share with us." Tami said submitting and putting the phone on speaker and setting it on the counter.
"Wait!" Rick said looking around. "Where's Luke? He needs to be here too?"
"Why would Luke need to be here?" Tami asked.
"Because she's not just our Tala anymore, she's his too. He has a right to hear about anything that has to do with Tala. He has been by her side since last night. The poor guy is just as worried as we are. So again, where's Luke?" Rick replied.
"He went for a run, I don't know when he'll be back, but the mind link isn't working so I don't think he's anywhere close." Explained Blaidd.
"We will fill him in when he gets back." Reika reassured him. "So what's going on Tia?
"There's a way to wake up Tala but in order to do that . . . we have to poison her with wolfsbane. It will suppress her wolf enough to help Tala wake up."
"But even being near the flower will cause us to go into an allergic reaction and poisoning her with it will kill her." Tami stated shaking her head "I vote no!"
"Will she wake up otherwise?" Reika asked quietly, afraid of the answer.
"No." Tia said dryly.
"So, the only way to save her life is to risk it? How is that fair?" Diana asked throwing her hands in the air in frustration.
"You have to do it at the rise of the moon tonight. You can't wait or the wolf will be too strong. So, if you do it, do it now." Tia hung up shortly after.
"Do we even have Wolfsbane?" Diana asked her family.
"Yeah, in the cellar." Rick stated "I picked some up after the rogue attack"
"Tia just sent the instructions to me. she said we need to fill the bathtub up with warm water, the wolfsbane, salt and lavender for calming. Would we have enough?" Reika asked showing her dad the recipe.
"We should have more than enough. I'll go get it but everyone stay away from the second floor bathroom." Rick advised.
"You guys aren't serious? It could kill her!" Tami demanded.
"It would be better than lying in that bed, slowly dying!" Reika snapped.
"I agree with Reika mom. Tala's been through so much. She doesn't deserve to just lay in that bed like that. She didn't deserve any of this." Tears we're rolling down Diana's face. "We have to try anything we can."