Chapter 41
Chapter 41
41 New Mate
Lily POV
We are supposed to meet with Lincoln and Amelia in twenty minutes. My mother can’t stop smiling at Neal, who is walking in front of us. She is so thrilled I found him and she hasn’t stopped gushing over how lucky we both are. “I’m so happy you found such a handsome loving beloved, Lily.” I smile because she is whispering, but I know he can hear her with his wolf hearing. “Me too, mom”, I say wiggling my eyebrows up and down. She taps my arm “that is not what I meant.” I laugh and I hear Neal chuckle. We reach the dining room to grab breakfast before our meeting. We head over and take a seat with Charles and Lorraine. John will join us later. He took my aunt to his cottage this morning after the doctor discharged her. Hopefully, Michael will let Pheobe leave the room for our meeting. Wolves can be quite possessive during the mating and marking. I remember how long Neal and I spent making love when we mated. “When all this is settled, I plan to take you away for a week where it’s just you and me”, Neal links me. I can feel the blush on my cheek as our eyes connect. I roll my eyes and start to eat again.
“Where are the Elders” I ask Charles, knowing they were released last night from the pack hospital. “They wanted to ready their men for the battle.” “They will be back this afternoon.” I nod and take a sip from my coffee. “We may have to wait until Lincoln and Amelia finish speaking to Walker before we head up for the meeting.” I see concern on Neal’s face. “Why would Walker be here after he just went back to the pack?” “I’m not sure Lily, Lincoln is meeting with them in the office” Lorraine says. Neal stands and I do the same. We both head toward the stairs. “Lily I’m coming with you” my mother calls from behind us. She catches up and we walk down the hall toward the office. Neal knocks before he opens the door for me to walk in. As I walk into the office a wolf growls. I turn to see Walker growling and a woman I have never seen pick up a little girl. “Mate” he says looking in my direction. I can feel
Neal’s anger through our bond and I know this isn’t right. Neal is my only beloved. Neal steps in front of me as Walker comes toward us. He walks around us and now I’m even more in shock.
Walker POV
When the knock sounds on the door, the scent of wild flowers invades my nose. Rowan growls “Mate” he says. Lily is walking in followed by the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen in my life. I can scent she isn’t a wolf. Maybe she is related to Lily, a sister or cousin. “I don’t care who she is, she is ours.” “Go to our mate”, Rowan says and I walk toward her. Neal steps in front of Lily but I side step them wrapping this woman in my arms. I bury my head in her neck and breathe in her scent. “Oh, my goddess” I hear Lily say. “Lily, what’s happening” I hear my mate say and I stiffen at her words. She doesn’t know who I am to her. I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Walker step back and look into my mother’s eyes.” Her mother, this beautiful woman, is Lily’s mother. I do what she asks despite Rowan’s protest. I look into her gorgeous eyes and she gasps. “Beloved” she says, but she doesn’t look happy. “Mom” Lily says but my mate raises her hand at her daughter. “Come with me please” she says and Rowan whimpers in my mind. “She’s going to reject us.” “Don’t say that.”
We walk two doors down and she checks to see if anyone is in the office. Once she sees it’s empty, she walks inside and I follow her. She turns looking at me in my eyes. “I know that your wolf wants me because of the bond but,” I step closer to her. “We both want you.” She takes a step back and I hate that Rowan may be right. I have waited for her since I was eighteen. I refused to take a chosen mate because I wanted who the goddess chose for me. “Before you even think about accepting me you need to know some things.” Her words lessen the dread I feel but I just listen and hope.
Iris POV
I can’t believe this happening right now. I never expected to have another beloved. Conrad and I were not fated beloveds. I never told Lily that my father insisted I mate with a coven leader’s son, but for a different reason. I was an only child and Conrad took control of our coven when my father died. I wasn’t
strong like Lily and I didn’t fight my father’s wishes. I can’t regret my choice because I have Lily. I never knew what it was to be drawn to a beloved, but it is intense. When I looked into his eyes, I could feel my soul start to bind to him. Despite how composed I look on the outside, my heart is ready to beat out of my chest. He needs to know what happened before he makes his decision. I take a deep breath before I start to speak.
“I know you want me because of the bond, but I need you to know some things about my past.” He doesn’t say anything, he just listens. I was mated to a man that was evil to the core. He never loved me and he used me to grow his coven. He growls but quiets quickly. “He promised a warlock my daughter for protection and I helped her escape.” “When she wasn’t there he gave me, to the warlock as payment.” I see his beautiful green eyes turn black before they return to green. “Please” he says and I continue. “The warlock is a monster and he did things to me that are unimaginable.” This time he picks me up taking me over to the couch and sits me in his lap. “I know you need to tell me more but I need to have you close to hear this before Rowan takes control.” I don’t protest and I continue. “He violated and tortured me in every way imaginable.” He puts his head in the crook of my neck again breathing deep. After a few minutes, he picks his head up and looks in my eyes. “None of that changes that you are mine and I’m yours.” He puts his hand on my face and the warmth from his skin against mine, warmth blooms in my chest. I’m afraid to believe that he is really accepting me and all I just told him. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“We can’t make it official right now and after all you have been through, I will not rush you.” “What is your full name beautiful?” “Iris Louise Bloom”, I say and he smiles. “I, Walker James Teller, accept you, Iris Louise Bloom as my mate and beloved.” I smile at his words as I know wolves don’t use the word beloved. I say a prayer of thanks to the goddess before I accept this man the goddess sent me. “I, Iris Louise Bloom, accept you, Walker James Teller, as my beloved and mate.” “May I kiss you” he asks and the fact that he cares enough to make sure I’m comfortable before he kisses me makes my heart beat a little faster. I press my lips to his and the kiss is like nothing I have ever felt before. When he pulls back, he stands but he never lets me go. “I think we need to get back to the meeting.” He starts
for the door but then stops. “Iris, the coven that is a threat to the Nightfire pack.” He stops and I nod my head. “I promise you that ba**ard is going to suffer for what he did to you.” He presses his lips to mine one more time before he takes my hand leading me back to the office.
Maureen POV
I hold my breath for Walker as his mate leads him from the office. “Mama, why did he roar” she asks and I chuckle. “It was a happy roar little one.” The Luna laughs and I remember we aren’t alone in the office. I carry Penny over and take my seat again. I turn to my mother with a smug look on my face and whisper. “See, I saved her mate.” She rolls her eyes at me. The Alpha clears his throat and I look back at him. “Since Walker will be busy for a little while, let’s talk about you ladies.” “Alpha” Lily says with disgust in her voice. “I meant talking Lily” he says with a chuckle. I’ve never seen an Alpha who seems so kind and approachable. “So, can you tell us who is trying to hurt you.” I stiffen at his words. “What my mate means is how can we help to keep you safe?” “Amelia is right, that is what I mean but we also need to know if someone will be looking for you.” I look to mother and she is shaking her head at me. If it was just mom and me, I wouldn’t care about fending for ourselves, but I have to think about Penny.
I look down at Penny and back to the Alpha. “Lily, can you and Neal take Penny to get a snack.” I hold onto my daughter. I don’t know these wolves. The witch walks toward us. She bends down. “My name is Lily, do you like ice cream?” She starts to bounce in my lap. “I promise you she will be safe and we will get the ice cream and come right back.” I turn her in my lap so she looks at my face “you be a good girl, Penny.” “I will Mama” she says and takes Lily’s hand. Once the door is closed, I turn back to the Alpha. “We were part of a collective and the leader wanted to use me as a breeder.” He growls and the Luna places her hand on his arm. “When I refused, he threaten to harm Penny, so we ran.” “Walker insisted we come here but honestly you are putting your pack at risk by us being here.” “He isn’t exactly a nice person and he wants me.” The Luna stands coming around the desk. “This man that would threaten a child is he Penny’s father.” I take a deep breath. “No, he was killed after we joined the collective during an attack.” She takes my hand. “We are going to set you up in a cottage and we will
figure out the rest later.” I look to the Alpha waiting for him to protest. “My mate is right.” “I understand your worried that your presence will pose a threat to our pack but we cannot know you need help and do nothing.” I look to my mother and she looks as shocked as I feel by his words. “I’m going to take you to one of our open cottages if you want to come with me” the Luna says. We stand and the Luna takes three steps before she stops dead. I look down at the floor and my heart drops.