Chapter 5

(Morrigan’s P.O.V)

I was just beginning to tell Rian that I was chilled and wanted to go back inside when my body turned to fire, and my body was wracked with unbearable pain. What was happening to me? The only thing I could do was scream. I could see that Rian was saying something, but I couldn’t hear him through the pain. I hardly noticed that my family had somehow made their way outside along with Tabitha, who was holding a dress and a cloak. I wonder why? Suddenly, there was a shift and I felt pressure in the back of my skull.

Morrigan, I need you to let me in, please. This would go a whole hell of a lot faster if you would just let me in.

Umm, what the fuck was that?

It’s me, your wolf. I’m Winter and we are shifting since it’s your birthday and it happens to be the full moon. So, if you could please stop shutting me out that would be fantastic.

I try to calm my mind when another wave of pain breaks across my body and I feel my first bone pop. This continues for what feels like hours until my screams have turned into a howl and the pain stops.

Fucking finally. Yeesh. Thank the Goddess above that’s finally over.

The weirdest sensation comes over me, and it’s like I’m on autopilot but I’m not in control of my body. Winter is. Through her eyes I see we are walking over to Rian and my parents, Winter places her snout in Rian’s palm as they hadn’t seen that we had walked over to them. Rian was asking me to shift back because there were things that needed to be talked about, but I didn’t know how to do that, and to be honest, I was afraid of the pain even though he told me that it wouldn’t hurt as badly.

Like he said MoMo, just think of your human body and I will hand over control back to you.

Ugh, PLEASE for the love of the Goddess Danu and Goddess Selene DO NOT use that nickname with me, Winter.

Sorry babes can’t help but tease you. Now do as I say, and it will be quicker this time since you know what you look like as a human. Obviously.

I take a deep breath and imagine myself as a human once more, and Winter was right. It didn't take any time at all before I was standing in front of Rian who pulled a cloak closely around me. He escorts me up to my bedroom, with Tabitha in our wake with a new dress for me to wear. I leave Rian outside my bedroom door while Tabitha helps me dress. Once finished, Rian and I begin our walk back down to the ballroom.

” So, what were you and my parents talking about when I shifted?” I ask.

He looks nervous, was it something serious?

“That’s a conversation we will have tomorrow, I promise mo grá.” He says, bending to kiss my cheek.

I sigh, not having the energy to argue as we make our way through the double doors of the ballroom. A hushed silence falls over the room as we make our way down the staircase and once done, applause breaks out amongst the crowd meaning my father had told the assembled guests that Rian and I were mates. The party continued without a hitch after my shift. Rian and I danced several times throughout the night before mom and dad declared the party to be over.

“Rian, would you and Beta Killian like to have rooms in the palace? Since you are now staying for the week, and I know that you and your wolf will want to be close to Morrigan now that you’ve found her.” My mother asks.

“Yes, Aunt Raya, that would be wonderful. If I could have a room next to Morrigan's, that would be lovely.” Rian replies with a hint of a smirk on his face.

I want to know what’s going through his mind because I certainly would entertain a midnight rendezvous with him and Stark.

Horny ass wolf stop it! You’re going to get us in trouble.

Why? The only one who can smell our arousal right now is Rian, who is our mate by the way, and his Beta.

Wait, he can smell that we are turned on!?

I’m seriously horrified at this turn of events.

Duh, we have super noses girlfriend. He can smell us from at least a mile away, even further when we go into heat.

Heat? What’s that?

It’s a female wolf’s “time of the month” when we get even more sex-obsessed in the hopes to make pups.

Oh, good Goddess when does this happen?!

Umm, every month. Like I just said. Goddess humans can be so dense.

Hey now! I know the basics about werewolves but nothing so in-depth like that. So, hush your mouth!

Fine but we’ll probably go into heat in a few weeks so be prepared for that.

Fucking fabulous.

Fucking is rather fabulous, and I can’t wait to be fucking our mate.

All of a sudden, I heard a throat clear, and it was pretty obvious that there had been a conversation happening while I was talking to Winter. It was my father.

“Umm sorry dad, I was talking to Winter. What did you say?” I ask.

I notice that Rian’s eyes have gone black, and his nostrils are flared.

Oh shit. He smelled our arousal.

Winter! Are you fucking serious right now!?

Afraid not babes. He’s one seriously turned-on Alpha right now.

To make matters worse, this wolf has the audacity to fucking purr like she’s excited that Rian is horny! If only praying to the Goddess Selene to give me a wolf who wasn’t so horny was a thing.

“I was saying that we will be having a leaving feast for you and Rian at the end of the week for the kingdom to say goodbye and to have one last party before you leave.” My father says.

“Sounds wonderful daddy. Well, I’m super tired and I think Rian is too so goodnight.” I say in a rush.

Without skipping a beat, I tuck tail and run to my bedroom, my haven where he can’t smell my horny wolf. Or at least that was the plan. I barely made it to the top of the stairs to my floor when huge hands engulfed my waist and fling me over a shoulder, and I could tell by his scent that it was Rian.

Hmmm, he does have a fine ass. I wonder if I could bounce a coin off of it.

I hear a small growl coming from my mate as I hear a chuckle from someone that was walking behind Rian. I look up to see Beta Killian, and I’m pretty sure I turned 50 shades of red with how embarrassed I was with the situation.

“Rian! Put me down!” I yell.

“Not happening Princess. I’m taking you to your room and we are going to get to know each other.” He said in a husky voice.

My body shivered in anticipation and a low ache began to make its way to my core, my panties becoming soaked. Again, Killian laughed and waved goodnight to us once we reached his room in the middle of the hallway. My room was at the end and Rian’s would be right next to it, though I’m sure that he won’t be using it. We reach my room, and I’m still slung over the broad shoulder of my mate as he opens the door and closes it with his foot. He makes his way to the bed, and he tosses me on it. I shriek in surprise at his swift movement and bounce a bit landing in the middle of the bed.

“Well, that was unnecessary.” I huff in annoyance.

“That’s what you get little mate, for teasing me with your arousal.” He huffs.

“It's not my fault I have a horny wolf.” I retorted.

“Well, she needs to calm down or I’m going to claim your body right here and now.” He growls.

I can get down with that. Winter chirps in my head.

I said down you horny beast!!! I’m not ready for that yet. I hardly know Rian, we never really interacted much as kids or teens because he was closer with my brothers. I want to GET to know him before that.

Ugh, fine. I suppose we can wait. Winter huffs in irritation.

It’s so nice to have such a sweet and understanding wolf like you Winter. I say sarcastically.

I can tell she rolls her eyes at me and retreats to the back of my head. In the time that I had been talking to her, Rian had removed my shoes and had just come out of my closet with pajamas in his hands for me.

“Here babe, change and get that makeup off your face. I’m going to go to my room and change myself. Your parents had a maid bring clothes for Killian and me since we didn’t bring any luggage.”

He hands me the pajamas, kisses my cheek, and walks out of the room shutting the door softly. I let out a breath I didn’t know I had been holding as I walked into the bathroom with my pajamas and began to remove my make-up and take down my hair. By the time I’m done getting changed, Rian is laying on my bed flipping through his phone. He must have heard the bathroom door open because he looks up at me with a wide grin and pats the empty side of the bed.

“Umm, do you think you’re sleeping in here or something?” I ask.

It takes me a second to notice that all he’s wearing is a pair of pajama bottoms, and his tattoos are on full display. His Celtic dragon runs the length of his right arm and a shield knot above his heart. His left arm is covered in a tattoo showing two wolf heads coming out of a forest line, one on his bicep and one on his forearm. His hands have tattoos of two different flowers on them; on his right a rose in a deep red and a bundle of lavender on his left.

Goddess, he is deliciously sexy. Who knew tattoos could be such a turn-on?

You don’t have to tell me twice, sister. I just wanna his abs.

I’m stirred out of this dirty thought when I hear a warning growl coming from Rian. Whoops, there goes my arousal…. again. I felt like at this point I’m just going to be a walking arousal beacon when it comes to him. I give him a small smile to indicate my apologies as I walk to the empty side of the bed and crawl under the covers.

“To answer your question before you decide to get all horny, yes I do intend to sleep in here with my mate. I won’t be able to sleep well, and neither will you if we sleep separately.” He states firmly.

Well, alrighty then, the decision has been made I suppose. I grumble in annoyance as I don’t like sharing my bed. It’s mine after all. Rian scoots himself under the covers and brings me towards him, so my head is on his chest, and he wraps his arms around me. My eyelids begin to feel heavy when I feel him brushing his fingers through my hair like my mother used to do when I was little and having trouble sleeping. Soon enough, I succumb to the mighty temptress that is sleep.

(Dream)

“My Queen we must leave, the uprising is on their way to the castle gates!” The man shouts as a heavily pregnant woman, fast waddling her way down the stairs.

“I’m not leaving my mate. I’m not leaving Conri, Leland!” The woman shrieks.

“My dove, you need to leave with Leland. There is nothing you can do here. I will be fine; I will take care of this along with my army. I promise you, but you need to leave, and you need to protect our pup.” A man says as he approaches the woman, placing a loving hand on her swollen belly.

“No! I can’t leave you Conri. I can’t do it. I won’t do it!” She cries.

“Amelie, you need to leave. I cannot command you, but you need to think of our pup.!” Conri yells.

With that, Conri kisses her passionately and tells the man with Amelie to take her away. As Amelie stares at Conri’s retreating figure, unease settles into her stomach but there is no time to figure out why. Leland is pulling her along to get her to the garage to get her out of the castle and away from the war that is brewing. After driving what seemed like hours, Amelie feels a gush of water leak down her pants and that is when she knows that there is no time to wait, they need to get to the safe house now.

“LELAND! THE BABY IS COMING!” She shrieks, and at that moment a contraction hits her full force.

Leland was already driving dangerously fast but now it was more important than ever to get her to the safe house that borders Eferhile. In mere minutes, Leland is parking the car and carrying Amelie out and into the house. It takes a few more hours and as Amelie pushes for the final time, she feels her heartbreak and the tether to her mate snap. Amelie can die in peace with the baby safely delivered, knowing that her child will be in safe hands.

“Leland, he’s gone. Conri is gone.” She chokes out.

Leland goes to hand her the baby but sees that Amelie is in the last moments of her life. He brings the baby to her so she could at least gaze upon her child once before her time is up.

“My little princess, my little Emerald Leigh. With pretty eyes like those, you will court attention and break hearts. Be strong, my child. Be fierce and a storm to be reckoned with. Leland, take her to Raya and Leonard, I know that they will look after her.”



“Of course, sister. I will be back momentarily, I promise…”

Before he could finish, Amelie lets out a painful cry, one that only speaks of heartbreak before she silences, and her eyes go dull. She’s gone. Leland, holding true to his sister-in-law’s wishes, wraps the baby up in a blanket and rushes the tiny princess to the palace of Eferhile. He places her gently on the doorstep and disappears into the night. The cold makes the tiny princess shudder, and she begins to cry until suddenly a light appears across her tiny form and a woman, who exudes warmth and love is cradling her to her chest.