The cruise ship stopped by the small port. A huge ramp was set up for them to disembark.
Dylan held out his hand. "let's go home,
Nicolai hesitantly took it.
His warm palm gently cradled his.
Taking a deep breath, they both walked down.
Hundreds of werewolves dressed in brown leather shirts stood there in attendance. They all bowed down deep right as they took a step on the port.
For the first time, Nicolai felt the pressure of being on the top. He stood there unable to step forward.
"Straighten up your shoulders," Dylan gently whispered in his ear.
Nicolai glanced up at him.
"You can do it. You're my mate Nico," he caressed his cheeks.
Nico pulled himself together and pushed his hand away. He took one step forward. Then the rest of the steps felt easy.
The invisible pressure that was building up on his body disappeared.
He felt the power that the position of the alpha king had. He walked one step ahead of Dylan.
The rest of them followed behind them.
Some of the werewolves who were in higher positions did not have to bow low. They were standing at the end of the port waiting for them. Their eyes reflected the confusion they felt.
Their alpha king was walking behind while his new mate was walking ahead of him with a powerful presence.
Even from this distance, they would feel the power the young man held. With just one look, he was able to keep their alpha king in the palm of his hand.
They all straightened up their stance. 'our pack hierarchy is going to chance.' Was the thought in their heads.
Nicolai walked closer. The ones who were standing, in the end, all bowed slightly. "Welcome to our pack Luna. We have prepared a carriage for you. Welcome home."
Nicolai slightly nodded. "I hope you will treat us well. My brothers have also traveled with me. Prepare carriages for them as well."
It was a horse-drawn carriage with golden trims and it looked very luxurious.
'Isn't this just overwhelming…. Why did they have to make it out of gold? Won't the horses find it very difficult to pull this.'
"Next time prepare a simple carriage." He mumbled to the one nearby.
The wolf nodded. "yes Luna."
Nicolai smiled and stepped onto the carriage.
A hand suddenly grabbed his waist and lifted him in.
"You!" he glared back.
Dylan stood there with a bright smile on his face. His blue eyes looked like the calm ocean in the afternoon sunlight. "Careful…." He whispered.
Nicolai pulled his hand off his waist. He sat on the carriage waiting for the man to get on. but to his surprise, he just waited outside.
'What is he doing? Why is he standing out….'
He raised a brow his way.
"I will wait here and make sure your brothers are well settled." He said and closed the carriage door.
Nicolai felt a small amount of disappointment.
'No I'm not disappointed… he's an annoying ass. Why would I miss him..' he frowned slightly as the carriage started to move.
The older werewolves standing by the port waited for the new Luna to settle in. "how is his character?" was the only thing he asked his son.
Killian looked up at his father. "he is a good man. But he is never going to be on our side. He will always love his kind more than ours,"
"You see Killian when it comes to ruling a pack there is no differentiation between kinds. I believe that our new Luna can bring out positive changes." He said, patting his back.
Killian smiled. "I believe that too,"
"so…."
"What?" he glanced up at his dad, who gave him a weird look. "why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something?"
"I see your gaze following after a certain blond-headed vampire. It's apparent who he is to you."
Killian blushed red. "Am I making it that obvious?"
"Yes you are looking at him like a starved man. It's not good, son. He is a young one. Keep your eyes to yourself for a few years…"
"Has this happened before…. Werewolf mated to a vampire. Well, except our alpha, has it happened to anyone else?"
"No," Killian's father shook his head. "it's unprecedented and new. But you both won't have a problem. You guys have an alpha and Luna settling and example for this relationship." He gleefully smirked.
Killian looked at Nico who was glaring at Dylan. "Yeah they don't make a great example. Nico, our Luna, hates our alpha."
His dad suddenly chuckled loudly. "Oh the young ones are truly blind. He loves our alpha so much. I believe they will make a great couple."
Killian cleared his throat as he felt a certain person pass by him. His senses were overwhelmed by the floral scent. "I.. I have to help the vampires settle down. I'll meet you at the pack house," he bowed to his father and ran to the group of vampires. He held them get into the carriage along with his alpha.
Nicolai glanced out the small window. He noticed his brothers getting into another, bigger, simpler carriage.
"Nico! Nico!" Kiran shouted, running after his carriage.
"stop!" he patted the top of the box.
The carriage stopped.
Nicolai threw open the door. "Come in," he lifted him inside. "Why did you run behind the carriage like that? It's dangerous!"
"I wanted to be with you," he mumbled softly.
"Okay.. it's okay. But don't ever do that. It's very dangerous," he gently pinched his pale cheeks.
For the kids, this territory and wolves might seem very intimidating. The wolves and the human were the ones who were massacring their kind.
It was hard to adjust to this environment.
He understood that but if they had to reinstate their vampire race, they had to first establish themselves in the arctic wolf pack.
"Kiran, you have to be strong from now on. this place might be difficult but it is going to be our home. You and your brother have to tell me everything. If anyone makes fun of your or tried to hurt you, tell me, got it?"
"Got it,"' he cutely smirked. Suddenly the kid frowned and touched his front teeth.
"What is it?" he pulled his hand away and take a look. There was blood pooling in his mouth.
"What happened? Why are you…"
Kiran held out a bloody tooth. "it fell out…"
"Oh god…" Nicolai sighed loudly. He checked his mouth again. The gums had stopped bleeding.
"Is it bad…am I dying?" he mumbled silently sniffling.
"oh no no…. you are growing. This is your baby teeth. Another stronger adult tooth will grow in that spot." Nicolai chuckled.
"so.. I am an adult,"
"No but when all your baby teeth had been replaced by adult teeth then you are considered an adult," he kissed his cheeks.
"I'm so jealous," a breathy voice whispered beside him.
Glancing to his side, he noticed Dylan popping his head inside the window like a literal puppy. "Can't I get a kiss…"
"What are you doing out there?" he gave him a disapproving look.
"Your brothers have been settled down. I've instructed my men to take good care of them. Don't worry they will never go against my orders. They can be trusted….." he still stood in the same position.
With him standing like this, the carriage could not move obviously.
"so?' he gestured for him to leave.
"Can I sit with you?"
Nicolai peered at him without blinking. Dylan had black circles under his eyes and his upper eyes lid looked very puffed up and swollen. This was probably due to his loud wailing.
He felt a wave of guilt just crashing in his soul.
"Get in," he threw open the door. "But you have to be quiet. Not a word,"
"Yes my dear," he jumped in happily and sat beside him.
"I asked you to come in, not sit beside me. There is a perfectly good seat in front of me. Go on," he gestured for him to move.
Instead, Dylan scooted close. "I get sick when I'm sitting on the opposite side of the carriage." He sheepishly mumbled.
Nicolai rolled his eyes and pushed him away until the end of the carriage. "there is your spot, stay there. And what the hell did you do with cars? Where the hell are they?"
Dylan sat up straight. "Technology was destroying our world so I decided to get rid of them all."
Nicolai glanced at him. "just like that. You one day arbitrarily decided that the world was a better place without technology…"
"yes, it took me ten years to achieve the result. Initially, humans and werewolves were very reluctant to part with their cars and mobile phones and WIFI but as time went on, they got used to it,"
Nicolai gaped at him. "so that was what happened… you one day arbitrarily decided that vampires should not exist… boom vampires are extinct,"
"no no.. Vampires had already disappeared when I took control." He hurriedly corrected him.
"What? that's' not possible. we are not that weak. we could not have been killed off in a few years,"
"Hundred years actually. In hundred years vampires all went extinct."
Nicolai looked at him with a disappointed sigh. "you told me you were not ruling then?"
"I.. I was not.. I was going through a rough patch. And when I came to and started to take control vampires had already disappeared. I swear I didn't do it deliberately. It was accidental. I never realized it would happen. Nico, please understand that,"
Nicolai did not wish to listen to his bull crap anymore. He silently petted Kiran's hair and glanced out the window.
"Nico.. I'm telling the truth… That's what happened?"
"I see…"
A hand gently touched his own. "I swear I will help your vampire kind. I love you."
"Don't say that. I don't wish to hear you say that again…" he pushed his hand away. "Not until you can restore our position in this world."