Storm of Shadows Ch. 15

Here's the next chapter! For my peeps on the FB Group... sorry no squished wolf in this one LOL. Thank you to Alli once again for proofing the chapter for me. You're a star!

Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

Natalia slowly opened her eyes and found herself staring up into an early evening sky. For a moment she was completely disorientated, and then she remembered opening her eyes earlier and seeing Kothari staring anxiously down at her. She could tell straight away that it was Kothari watching her. Gone were the hard edges around his mouth, but it was his eyes that told the true story.

They were quite frankly the most beautiful eyes she could ever recall seeing. The harsh silver irises were now a deep vibrant grey though a thin sliver of red still circled his pupils. She had stared into those stunning eyes and it had made her heart soar with happiness. She remembered saying hello to him and he had kissed her softly and then a smug smile had crossed his beautiful face and he'd said, "Mine."

She had wanted to keep staring at him, wanted to touch his face and echo his words, but she was so weary she could only close her eyes again and drift back into the obsidian darkness that welcomed her into its comforting embrace.

Now she was awake once more and she could tell that her body was healing from its trauma. She wasn't quite sure what had happened and why she wasn't dead, but she had a vague memory of telling Kothari she didn't want to die as her blood pulsed out of her body and an awful lethargy engulfed her.

"You're awake," a soft feminine voice said to her left, and Natalia turned her head to see a stunningly, gorgeous woman leaning over her, a woman she hadn't seen before. She had long dark brown hair secured in a high ponytail, and her eyes were a deep dark green, her pupils ringed with a wide ring of silver. "Hello, Natalia, I'm Rayne, Kothi's mother."

She knew that, could tell by the other woman's eyes, and she felt a lump form in her throat knowing how happy Kothari would be at finally finding his parents safe and well. "He found you," she breathed out, surprised to find tears in her eyes. She didn't know this woman, but her mate clearly adored her, so she knew she had to be pretty special.

"He did," Rayne smiled softly, holding a bottle of water to Natalia's lips so she could sip a little and take some of the acrid taste from her mouth as well as some of the croakiness from her voice.

Natalia drank gratefully and then rested back when she'd had enough. "Everyone calls me Tali," she said with a shy smile, feeling a little overwhelmed by the other woman's poise and kindness when she didn't even know her. "Except your son. He does so persist in calling me Natalia."

Rayne laughed softly and put the bottle away. "He gets that from his father. Everyone calls me Rayne except that stubborn mate of mine. He insists on calling me by my full given name of Sarayne, even though he initially knew me as only Rayne when we first met."

It was obvious she adored her mate and wasn't shy about letting the world know it. Natalia found herself liking Rayne more and she was hopeful that the other woman found her just as likeable. She moved to sit up and almost fell back she felt so weak. Rayne caught her gently though and helped her sit up so she could look around her surroundings.

"Your body has healed but you're still transitioning, Tali. It may be a little while before you will be strong enough to do things unaided."

Natalia had been perusing her surroundings, wondering just where they were when Rayne spoke and her surprised gaze turned back to her mate's mother. "Transitioning?" she asked, a sliver of apprehension running through her. "What am I transitioning into to?"

Rayne sighed and bit her bottom lip, as if she were unsure of how much to reveal. They were currently alone in the clearing so there was no one else she could turn to for guidance but that didn't stop her looking around before she answered the question.

"Kothi should really answer your questions, but he's checking out the area with Gard, Demetri, Nors and also Joshua and Louis, to make sure no one is following us. We've travelled about half way down the mountainside. The others are at the small pool not far away cleaning up while Freya and Dayton have gone ahead into town to purchase fresh clothing for everyone. They were the only two who had fresh clothing, due to Freya's previous nomadic lifestyle where she always travelled prepared. Your pack is beside you for when you're ready to clean up and get changed."

It wasn't exactly answering all of her questions but Natalia was grateful for the additional information. She hadn't recognised this place when she'd looked around. She must have been really out of it if she hadn't been aware that she had been moved. Had Kothari been the one to carry her down the mountain? She was fairly sure that he would have been because she couldn't imagine him allowing anyone else to do it, perhaps with the exception of his father.

Her brown gaze met Rayne's steadily and she gave her a small smile that probably looked more like a grimace because she was afraid of what the answer would be to the unanswered question. "You didn't answer everything, Rayne."

Again, the other woman bit her bottom lip and then she let out a long sigh. "That's because we don't know what you're transitioning into, Tali," she finally admitted. "You're a tad unique. All previous matings with the Vârcolac have been with vampires to date. And the Vârcolac children born in this generation have tended to favour either their Were side or their Vampiric one. You're the first human to be turned to this life. We don't know what you will become. You may favour either of the supernatural species or you may favour none of them but retain the speed, strength and longevity of the Vârcolac. We will discover that at the same time you do, I'm afraid."

That didn't settle any of Natalia's concerns but she appreciated the honesty. It did sort of answer part of her question though. If Rayne was alluding that she was becoming some type of Vârcolac, then that meant it could only have been either Dara or Kothari who had given her their blood when she was dying. And she was one hundred percent sure that it was her mate who had saved her life. There was no way in hell he would have allowed anyone else to turn her to the supernatural life. He was far too possessive for that.

"Are you okay with all this, Tali?" Rayne asked softly when she didn't speak. "Kothi was so unsure about giving you his blood without consent. You told him you didn't want to die. I truly hope that this is what you wanted because he will blame himself if it wasn't, and he's blamed himself his entire life far too much for things outside his control as it is."

Natalia blinked at her in surprise and then gave her a tremulous smile. "It isn't that I wanted to remain human. I'm just a little frightened about what I may be becoming," she whispered, a tear falling down her cheek which she quickly wiped away. She didn't want her mate's mother to think her weak and pathetic. She wanted to be worthy of being Kothi's mate.

"I had made the decision to transition to a wolf after the attack on our pack. I wasn't strong enough being human to help, and my father died sending my mother heading towards turning rogue. If I had made the change before then maybe some of my pack would have lived. I didn't ever want to be in that position again so I decided I would become a wolf once our Alpha returned. I guess being some type of Vârcolac is a kind of an upgrade on being a wolf. Dara and Kothari are insanely strong. I want to be that strong, Rayne. I want to be able to protect everyone that I love."

The last part of her statement came out so fiercely that she was surprised when the other woman started to laugh softly, joy shining from her eyes. She couldn't think of anything that she'd said that would cause this much amusement to Kothari's mother. Something must have telegraphed on her expression because Rayne reached out and pressed a soft caress to the side of her face which startled her but felt kind of nice.

"Oh, Tali, I'm not laughing at you, sweet girl. I'm just so overjoyed to have you in my son's life. He has been so alone, so detached from everyone he holds dear for his entire life. With you at his side, I have new hope that he can finally let down his defences and allow his true emotions to shine. Already I can see a change in him since he healed you. I believe Agony is no more, but only time will tell if that is truly the case."

Rayne was accepting her, Natalia realised, and she was astonished that it was that easy for Kothari's mother to just welcome a stranger into their family with no apparent qualms. Would his father be the same when she officially met him? Would Kothari even want her as his mate once her transition was complete and she wasn't a helpless human girl anymore? Perhaps it had been that vulnerability that had called to the side of him that was Agony? She'd heard of instances where a proposed mate bond had failed because one of the couple was not compatible in strength and dominance levels.

Was that why it had been so easy for him to leave her here with his mother when she was badly hurt? Wouldn't a true mate have refused to leave her side? Natalia's mind was suddenly filled with so many doubts and questions that she couldn't hide her unease from her expression. And it appeared Rayne had some kind of weird mind reading skill because she seemed to know instantly where her thoughts had gone.

"Would it ease that haunted expression if I told you that my mate had to literally grab our son by the back of his neck and force him to go along with the others?" she asked with a wry smile." We're usually the only two that he listens to without a fight but he argued with Gard quite vociferously." She appeared relaxed about that, even amused, as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders.

Her amusement surprised Natalia who would have thought she would be concerned that her son had stopped listening to them. "That didn't worry you?" she asked, her curiosity at learning more about her mate and his family taking hold.

Rayne laughed, and there was joy in her laughter as she shook her head. "He was showing his emotions, Tali, instead of burying them deep inside himself. Kothi was, not Agony, not any other persona he's used to hide from his emotions. Our son was being a normal, obstructive pain in the ass. It was the most beautiful thing to witness, and we have you to thank for that. So, please don't think that he may change his mind about you or find you lacking in some way because you're no longer human. You are perfect for him. You are what he has been searching for his entire life."

The confidence in Rayne's tone had her silly doubts melting away in a heartbeat. He must still want her, mustn't he? After all, who would know him better than his mother and she was completely confident about that. Natalia relaxed a bit, and rested against the boulder her back was to. She guessed she would have to wait until the others returned to truly know Kothari's feelings on what had happened, so for now all she could do was rest and recover and wait for his return.

~~~~~

Kothari could feel his irritation levels escalating and for the first time in his life that didn't scare the crap out of him. Always before he'd had to be so careful and controlled to keep Agony at bay, but now that wasn't an issue anymore and that was still a bit of a shock to him. He kept expecting his beast to start fighting him for control and yet nothing happened. Oh, he knew that part of himself was still there deep down, but it felt more integrated with him and his panther now, more accepting that they needed all parts of his personality to be the true mate Natalia needed.

Natalia... his beautiful little mate he'd been forced to leave behind in his mother's care. And forced was the operative word for it. His father had actually laid hands on him! He'd never done that before. Gard hadn't hurt him in any way, he'd just made it known in no uncertain terms that he expected his son to go with the others to make sure there were no stragglers following them and that was that. The fact he'd had to reinforce that by escorting him out of the clearing by the scruff of his neck was quite frankly humiliating though.

It had angered Kothari even as he'd respected the firmness his father had displayed. There were some conventions that even Agony had always followed, and one of them had been to always respect and listen to his parents. They'd lived millennia longer than he had, so their wisdom was never to be ignored and they loved him unconditionally, despite everything he'd done in the past.

That still didn't make him any happier though. Natalia hadn't woken up since the first time when he'd kissed her and made his declaration. He knew she was recovering and transitioning and needed time to get through that but he wanted her to wake up so badly. He needed to know that he'd done the right thing, that she wasn't angry with him for changing her without asking if she wanted to be a wolf instead. She was pack orientated and her mother was a wolf. She might have wanted to be one but he hadn't wanted Dayton to bite her, he hadn't wanted anyone to touch her other than himself. He'd been too selfish in that. He should have considered what she truly wanted not what he had so desperately needed.

"I think that dead tree trunk is completely pulverised, son. You can probably stop kicking it now," Gard said in an amused tone, and Kothari started because he hadn't even noticed his father arriving.

They were supposed to making sure no one was following them! He needed to have his ass kicked for not even noticing Gard's approach. Kothari looked down at his feet and saw a mass of sawdust on the forest floor and his boots caked in it too. He hadn't even realised he'd been kicking the damned tree trunk either he was so deep in his mental chastisements. He heard his father let out a long sigh and turned to meet his gaze.

Gard stared at his son for a long moment and then shook his head with a wry smile. "It's going to take a while to get used to that, Kothi."

Kothari frowned, giving his father a quizzical look.

"One, I can see your eyes, which is most definitely not the norm." Gard laughed softly at his confusion. "And two, they've turned the most unusual shade of dark grey. Sometimes there are little glints of silver dancing in them, and other times little flecks of green. It appears to be dependent on how you're feeling at any given moment. When you're pissed, like you are now, I see the silver and when you're more relaxed there's that hint of green. It's quite fascinating especially with the red circle around your pupils. Reminds me of your mother's eyes."

Kothari's mouth dropped open in astonishment. His eyes had changed? He was aware that he'd misplaced his customary sunglasses in his haste to save Natalia's life, and whilst he'd initially been a bit concerned about that, when no one else appeared to be, he had just presumed he had everything under control now he was more settled in who he was, and his subconscious confidence in that was transmitting to everyone else. Was that what Natalia had seen when she'd opened her eyes and her beautiful face had glowed with happiness as she'd greeted him? Had she noticed the change in his eyes and that had been why she'd known he had accepted all parts of himself?

"That's also going to take some getting used to," Gard commented, and there was a hint of concern in his tone that had Kothari tensing slightly.

"What is?" he asked, holding his breath because he had no clue what it was that had put that expression on his father's face.

His father regarded him silently for a long moment as if thinking of the best way to phrase his words and then he gave him a wry smile. "Your vulnerability," he answered. "I'm just so used to seeing you not give a fuck about anything, to seeing your hard outer shell, that witnessing my son looking so uncertain and almost afraid calls out to my fatherly protective instincts. It's not a bad thing, Kothi," he hastened to add on. "It's just a new thing. I finally feel that there's a chance that I can be the true father that you need, and not the pale imitation I have been for all of your life so far."

His words were like a punch to Kothari's gut. He could hear his father's self-recrimination in his tone and he immediately railed against it. His father doubted his worth to him? It was unconscionable and he refused to accept that this wonderful man who had quite literally kept the majority of his demons at bay his entire life could believe that.

His guilt knew no bounds and he found himself doing something he couldn't recall ever doing before. Kothari reached out and pulled his father into a tight embrace, feeling Gard's surprised hesitation for a moment before he wrapped his arms around his son and hugged him as if his life depended on it. It had to have been the first instance that Kothari had ever initiated tactile contact between them. All previous times his mother or father had embraced him had always been instigated by them.

"You have always been the true father I have needed." The words hissed out in a sharp whisper, so vehemently that Kothari was stunned by the level of emotion he felt. "Without you, without Mother, I would most likely have gone feral long ago. Don't you ever say that again, Father. Don't you ever believe that you or Mother were not what I needed. You were my rocks, the very foundations I relied on. I may not have always shown that but it is how I always felt."

He could feel his father's body shake with emotion, and his guilt and sorrow threatened to overwhelm him. Gard was the strongest, most amazing man he knew. He hated knowing that he was responsible for making him feel as vulnerable as he was right now. He knew they had to talk properly and that now wasn't the right time, but he had to find some way to take away some of the guilt and recriminations his father felt. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He uttered four whispered words.

"I love you, Dad."

Gard's heart soared as he heard his son whisper those words. Oh, he knew their boy loved both him and Rayne, but to hear the wealth of emotion in Kothari's voice was like being given everything he'd ever desired in his long life. Which, he was being given because, apart from his beautiful mate, hearing his son tell him that he loved him was the most precious gift in the world.

"I love you, my son," he sighed softly, stroking his boy's neck gently and kissing his temple. "We have always loved you, Kothi and always will. When we get home we can sit down and talk, me, you, your mother, and Natalia too if you wish it. Whatever you need, we are here for you and will always be."

He held his son for a long moment and then he slowly released him and gave him a warm smile. "So, do you want to tell me what that poor tree stump did to you to merit such a violent end?" His tone held more than a hint of humour, and that softened some of the tightness around Kothari's eyes.

"I'm just not used to questioning my decisions," Kothari admitted gruffly. "I guess Natalia isn't the only one who is transitioning right now."

When Gard quirked an eyebrow at his admission he gave him a resigned smile. "I need to learn how to be more open and how to show my softer side. That doesn't come naturally to me so can be a tad overwhelming. I am sure I will work through it, though it may take me a while. And maybe a few more tree stumps to annihilate," he tacked on, making his father burst out laughing.

"Yes, it is going to be a journey for you, son, but you have your mother and I, plus Natalia and Rafe and the rest of the pack. If you allows us in we will be able to provide whatever help and guidance you find you may need. And if that doesn't work you can ask Freya how she copes with all our bothersome emotions. She appears to manage okay."

Now it was Kothari's turn to bark out a short laugh. "You call hiding out in her mountain cabin retreat coping, Father?" He was amused at the thought. Freya was one of the few people he'd actually understood before Natalia came along and turned his world upside down. Yes, she might be less volatile than she once had been, but the vampire still maintained a level of aloofness from the pack. The same aloofness that he had always shown and understood because they had been cut from the same cloth. They both feared their inner darkness and their ability to keep it subjugated so they didn't hurt those they loved.

His father gave him a wry smile. "You might have a point there," he admitted. "But she did manage to get through to you earlier. If that is the level of guidance you feel you need then perhaps it's not so wide of the mark to consider it?"

Kothari considered that for a long moment and then he shook his head. He had Natalia now if he had moments when he struggled with his darkness, and he anticipated that those times would be fewer now that he had accepted that Agony was a part of him just as much as his panther was. He didn't think he would stop favouring his vampiric side because perhaps he was just more like his father than he had considered before, but he would stop trying to push his panther away.

His panther connected him more with the pack so perhaps finding a balance with that part of himself would be enough to integrate him more. Because he didn't want Natalia to be kept from the warmth and love of his family, the Vârcolac, and the rest of the pack. She had been brought up as pack and that was all she knew. She needed some form of familiarity around her, and if that was what he could give her then he would find a way to be more integrated.

Oddly, that thought would have be anathema to him before meeting Natalia, now it didn't feel quite as unappealing as it once would have. He had been right telling his father that he was transitioning too. He could feel the change in the way he thought already and could accept the slowly growing warmth he could feel inside himself, his emotions that he had long buried now returning. He wasn't expecting the changes to be easy but he wasn't fighting them either. He couldn't fight his transition because Natalia's was a hundred times more confusing for her and he was determined he was going to be the most perfect mate ever born. She needed him and he was going to be there for her no matter what.

"No," he finally replied meeting his father's gaze. "Natalia and I will work out a new way forward, just as you and mother did and all the other mated pairs in the pack. It might take me a while to get there, and there may be a few bumps along the way, but if I can be half as good of a mate to her as you are to Mother, then I think I'll be doing an okay job of things."

His father's response was unexpected when he burst out laughing and gave him a wry glance. "I wouldn't be asking your mother about my skills as a mate at the moment, son. She's still a bit peeved at me for throwing her into a cave wall to stop us both being blown to smithereens by a bomb up there." Gard's gaze went back up the mountainside as he spoke and there was a strange expression on his face for a moment before he shook it off and smiled once more.

"I wouldn't worry about your skills as a mate either, Kothi. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mate to Natalia, and you don't have to be like me or anyone else. You just need to be the mate that she needs as she will be yours. That's the true secret to the strongest mate bonds forged between a couple, and sometimes the one that takes mates a little while to figure out if some sage old family member doesn't give them a hint at the start of their journey."

Gard grinned at his son's surprised expression and then clapped him lightly on the back. "Now, how about we head back to the others so you can stop trying to pulverise any more wood? I think we can safely say that we've most likely found all those who were involved here. Especially as all that commotion you just made didn't flush anyone out."

Kothari's heart kicked up a beat and his gaze turned instantly further down the mountainside to where his mate waited for him. His feet were moving before he realised he was in motion, Natalia's pull like a drug he couldn't escape. He heard his father laugh softly behind him but he didn't turn back. He was going to be reunited with his mate, and hopefully she would be awake and missing him as much as he was missing her.

Gard let Kothari go and paused. He connected with his own mate, keeping his mental communication on a very narrow bad so their son didn't inadvertently pick anything up on their familiar link.

"We're on our way back, love. You'll be amazed at the difference in our son but try not to be overly effusive about it. He's still adapting to the changes he's going through."

Of course, Rayne immediately picked up on his own wealth of emotions through their mate bond.

"Are you okay, love? I felt a lot of different emotions through our bond but didn't want to interfere."

Gard smiled even though there was no one around to see it. He knew Rayne would sense it. "He hugged me, Sarayne. He did, not me. He told me he loved me and called me Dad. Our boy called me Dad." His mental tone was both awed and overjoyed and he felt a tear slip down his cheek and wiped it away.

He hadn't wanted to be too effusive with his reaction in Kothari's presence, in case it made their son feel uncomfortable. But he could be that with his Kitty, and that was what he'd meant when he'd spoken to Kothari about the secrets of being a good mate. You could be as strong or as vulnerable as you felt with them and they loved and supported you regardless.

"That's because you are his dad," she laughed softly, her own joy at hearing the news trickling through their bond. "You always have been, my love, and you always will be. Just as I will always be his mom. I can't wait to see him and I can't wait to see you. So get your ass back here, lover. I'll let Natalia know he's on his way."

Gard considered asking how the girl was and then started after his son. He could see with his own eyes once he got there, and it probably would be helpful if Rayne had enough time to forewarn the girl that her mate was about to descend on them.

~~~~~

Natalia stared at Kothari's mother and bit her bottom lip. Rayne had been in the processed of retrieving some more water for her when she suddenly paused and looked off up the mountain.

"Is everything okay, Rayne? You're crying."

The sound of her voice appeared to startle the other woman and she touched her cheek gently before she smiled and wiped away the few tears that had flowed down her face and handed the bottle of water to her. "Sorry, Gard was just checking in and letting me know they're on their way back. Everything is perfect, Tali."

Natalia was sure there was more to that but she didn't ask getting the impression that it was personal between Kothari's parents and not any of her business. Her gaze went to the treeline as her heart kicked up a beat. Kothari was on his way back. This would be the first time they'd properly seen each other or spoken since she almost died, and she couldn't help feeling a little nervous about it even as she was excited.

Rayne had settled her concerns that Kothari would still want her, but she was aware that she was a bit naïve when it came to relationships with the male species. She'd had a couple of boyfriends and one developed into an intimate relationship that lasted about a month one of the times the pack had stayed longer than usual close to a town, but it had ended when they'd moved on and she hadn't been with anyone since. Natalia was very sure that her new mate would be used to more experienced women. What if he found her lacking in that department?

She would have kept on in that same frame of mind but then a branch parted and he was standing there between two large trees, his gaze immediately fixating on her and pinning her to the spot. Natalia forgot how to breathe, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she met Kothari's intent gaze, everything around her fading away as if they were the only two people in the clearing. She wasn't aware of Rayne rising and walking over to greet her own mate when he arrived. She wasn't aware of the sounds of Freya and Dayton arriving back from town, or the others returning from the search in the surrounding area. All she could focus on was the beautiful man standing watching her silently and the fact he most likely could hear how hard her heart was beating.

Kothari couldn't make his feet move. He knew he had to but they suddenly felt like lead weights as his eyes roamed slowly over Natalia's face, his heart probably beating as hard as hers was by the sound of things. She had always been beautiful in his eyes but she was quite literally stunning now. Her long brown locks hung in glossy waves down her back, her skin glowing with vitality as well as her startling eyes. They were still dark brown but now they had tiny flecks of gold in them and a thin gold ring around the pupils. Kind of like his eyes and his mother's. They had no idea what she was transitioning into, but there were signs that his mother's genes ran strong in both himself and now his mate.

He couldn't just keep standing there staring at her so he swallowed hard and took a step forward, ignoring everyone else as he made his way over to the woman who now owned his heart forever. "I'm so glad to see you awake, Natalia. How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do for you?" Kothari wanted to groan at how stiff and formal he sounded. He'd never had a problem communicating with women before, but it was different with Natalia. She made him feel uncertain and vulnerable. He wasn't used to feeling that way and wasn't sure how to show her what was truly in his heart.

Natalia bit her bottom lip as if she was trying not to laugh and then she patted the grass beside her and did smile. "You can start by sitting down so I don't get a crick in my neck. And can you please call me Tali? Only my mother calls me Natalia and usually that's because she's irritated that she's had to call me five times because my nose is buried in a book."

At the mention of her mother her expression turned sad, and it was that which had him sinking to the ground beside her, automatically reaching to take one of her hands in his. "My pack is amazing, Tali," he said in a quiet voice. "Aaron has saved more than one wolf from going rogue, including Rafe our Alpha. If anyone can help your mother it is them. Don't lose hope." The need to comfort her was strong especially when it wasn't that long ago that he'd been volunteering to put her mother out of her misery.

Kothari watched her eyes shine with moisture and a few silent tears fall down her cheeks, and they wrenched at his heart viscerally. He had always been a protector deep down. He may not have shown it but the need to protect his family, pack and friends had always ridden him hard. He'd saved Lily when she fell from a cliff. He'd watched over Pietro when he had been so badly damaged from his poisoning. And he'd rescued Reasa when she tried to sacrifice herself for Pietro and the pack as her own personal form of atonement for her past actions. All of these things he'd done because they were part of his pack and his need to protect them was strong. But nothing compared to seeing tears fall down his mate's cheeks. It was a visceral punch to his gut and his need to soothe and comfort her was all he could think of.

Kothari reached out and caught a tear on his finger, watching it as it glistened wetly on his skin. He raised his finger and pressed the tear to his lips, feeling a need to taste her sorrow so he could share it with her. He wiped away her other tears, pressing his forehead to hers. "Whatever happens you are not alone, Tali. You will never be alone as long as there is breath in my body."

Natalia swallowed hard, raising her hand to touch his cheek in a brief caress. "I know," she whispered, her voice shaky as she swallowed down more tears. "I'm afraid, Kothi. I don't know what I'm becoming or if my mother will survive losing Dad. Everything is changing so quickly and whilst I know that there are some pretty magical things happening, it's kind of overwhelming too."

He gave her a wry smile, pressing his lips gently to hers in a soothing kiss rather than the kind of kiss he ached to give her. But that wasn't what she needed right now, and in truth, it wasn't what he did either. He needed to connect with his mate on an emotional level first. Intimacy would follow on naturally, but for now they both needed to learn each other as they transitioned together.

"I suppose now isn't the right time to tell you I love the way your eyes have changed," he said sitting back a little but keeping hold of her hand. When she blinked at him in surprise, he smiled at her quizzical expression. "My father told me how my eyes had changed," he admitted. "You saw that earlier and recognised it signified the beginning of me coming to find some inner balance. Well, your eyes have changed too, Tali. They're the most beautiful shade of brown, with gold flecks and a gold ring around the pupils."

One of her hands automatically flew to her face and her surprise ratcheted up a notch. "Oh! I've just realised that I don't have my glasses on and yet I can see everything perfectly. In fact, I've never been able to see anything this perfectly before. Are my eyes really like yours?" She didn't appear worried about the change, in fact, there was a hint of excitement in her tone.

Kothari nodded, smiling for a moment and then his expression turning a little uncertain as some of his earlier doubts came to mind. He needed to know that she didn't hate him for changing her, for effectively mating them both together when they had only just acknowledged their bond. "Is it okay that I was the one to save you?" he asked with a small frown. "Did you want to be a wolf, Tali?"

She watched him intently for a moment, her expression soft and almost amused which wasn't what he expected. And then her small hand reached out and she traced her fingers down his cheekbone and along his tense jawline.

"I was raised in a wolfpack, Kothari. I have firsthand knowledge of just how possessive mates can be. Would it have been better to have gotten to know each other a bit better before we became mated? Probably. But circumstances took that away from us. And whilst we may not know yet what the outcome will be from being turned to this life as a human, I wouldn't have wanted anyone other than you to bring me into this world. If I'd been a little braver before we met you most likely would have been mating with a wolf, but I always held back from making that decision. I only thought about it becoming a reality after our pack was attacked and I was powerless to help. But as I said to your mother earlier... being a type of Vârcolac is technically an upgrade on being a Were. Who knows how big and strong I will be once I've finished transitioning."

Natalia looked so pleased at that prospect that any lingering concerns he'd felt melted away instantly. Kothari had no doubt that she would be something unique and amazing. She was his mate after all, she was going to be glorious no matter what she became as far as he was concerned.

She gave him a rueful smile, as if she knew what he was thinking just from watching his expression. "You're not the only one who was worrying about silly things," she admitted. "I thought you might not want me anymore because I wasn't a fragile human to be protected. You appeared to respond to that when Agony was in dominance."

He blinked at her, frowning as her words registered. "Fuck, no!" he bit out, surprised that the thought had even crossed her mind. "You are mine, Natalia, whether you are human, vampire or Were!" He stressed the words in a low whisper. "I don't care what you transition into. All that matters is that you're with me."

She gave him a shaky laugh reaching up to touch his cheek again. "I told you it was a silly thought. Your mother told me the same too. I like her a lot, Kothi. She's been very kind to me."

Her change of subject appeared to distract him from the small scowl he was still wearing at her confession. He appeared torn between gazing into her eyes and feeling her small hand pressed to his face, and turning to see his mother who he could sense wasn't too far away probably watching their interaction. "She's put up with a lot from me. I haven't been the most affectionate of sons and she is so empathetic and tactile that I know my aloofness has hurt her."

His expression was hidden from everyone else, but Natalia could see the hint of shame in his beautiful eyes and she managed to move a little closer to him, sighing softly when he put one of his arms around her back to steady her automatically.

"Rayne loves you so incredibly much, Kothi," she said softly. "The joy on her face because you argued with your father about leaving me was so beautiful to see when she told me. Her inner sadness isn't about any past actions you may have done. Her wounded soul is because you blame yourself for things that were no fault of your own. Like I was trying to tell you as we climbed up this bloody mountain. You are not responsible for what happened during your birth, Kothari, just as your parents were in no way to blame either. You were something new being born into a world that hasn't experienced you before. No one knew what to expect so no one could foresee what was happening. It's time to let go of the guilt, Kothi. It's time to finally heal so everyone else can heal too."

Kothari swallowed hard feeling a tightness in his throat that he wasn't used to. He didn't cry... he couldn't remember the last time that he'd truly cried. But hearing his beautiful mate connect instantly with his mother, her sweet soul as beautiful as the woman who had loved and nurtured him so unconditionally his entire life, it brought a lump to his throat and one lone tear to fall down his cheek.

How could he deserve to have this beautiful woman to be his mate? She has almost died and could barely move on her own she was still so weak. Her entire world had been shattered too, her pack all but gone, her father dead and her mother in danger of turning rogue. But instead of being overwhelmed and turning inward, Natalia was trying to heal him by reaching past his defences and dragging him into a world that he'd only ever viewed from the outside. She was fixing him, one small step at a time and her huge, generous heart quite literally blew him away.

"I don't deserve you," he whispered, feeling another tear fall which she tenderly brushed away. "But I'll never let you go, Natalia. I don't think I could ever be whole without you in my life. I know the timing for this is all wrong and we both probably need some time to adapt, but I hope you can accept me with all my many faults and forgive me when I mess up. Because we both know I'm going to do that no matter how hard I try not to." He laughed shakily, swallowing again to regain some composure.

She laughed too, her beautiful eyes soft and warm as she gazed at him. "Most probably," she agreed with a warm smile. "But we'll deal with that together, just as we'll deal with everything else that comes our way together because that's what mates do. And Kothari, that's the last time you ever say you don't deserve me. You deserve as much happiness as everyone else does. It's time you started believing that."

When she pressed her lips gently to his he sighed softly and kissed her back, a slow, loving kiss that was full of tenderness and love even though neither of them had said the word yet. For the first time in his life Kothari truly let someone into his heart and soul and the joy of that almost threatened to make him cry again but he managed to contain himself though it was a tough ask. He was aware of the sounds around them, aware of eyes on them. He should have felt uncomfortable being so tactile but in truth he couldn't help himself. Natalia was like a drug he couldn't refuse. She was his mate, that one special person put on the planet just for him.

"I'd tell you to get a room but as we're halfway up a mountain that would prove difficult," Freya said drolly, a hint of humour in her voice as their private moment was rudely interrupted.

Kothari let out an irritated growl but his annoyance soothed when Natalia flushed a pretty shade of pink and giggled. If his mate could see the amusement in the moment then perhaps he could too. Her flushed cheeks were adorable and made his stomach clench tightly. It made him think of the warm life's blood flowing through her veins and made him suddenly salivate to taste her essence. He stiffened and realised that he had to move away and do it now. Otherwise he might bite her and she'd lost far too much blood for that to happen right now. Perhaps later once she'd finished her transition but for now, he had to get control of himself.

"If you're feeling so tactile perhaps you would share some of that with your mother, boy?" Freya continued in the same droll voice. "I'm sure Rayne would be happy to be on the receiving end of that after countless years of being held at arm's length by her boy. That will give me an opportunity to escort Tali down to the pool so she can wash and change her clothes."

It was instinctual to want to argue with the Ancient, not because he didn't want to spend time with his mother, but more because he wanted to be the one providing for his mate. But then common sense actually kicked in and he realised that perhaps Natalia wasn't quite ready to be naked in his presence and she might appreciate another female assisting her.

"Are you okay with that, Tali?" he asked sitting back and giving her some space.

Natalia stared up at the fierce vampire who had been the first to take care of her when she'd been hurt. The older woman gave off a vibe of impatience and detachment but as she examined her carefully, her breath caught in a startled gasp. The strange silvery aura she had previously see around everyone else flared into life as she regarded her, and then it slowly began to morph into swirls of colours that appeared to reach out and connect with others around her. The strongest colour was a deep red and that swirled in a mad pattern around Dayton who was smiling at his mate with some amusement.

More muted shades of red wafted in the air, dancing across Kothari, Gard and Rayne, and then Dara, Demetri and finally Nors and Louis. The huge auburn-haired vampire's strand of colour was deeper than the others, close to matching the hue surrounding Dayton, and Natalia gasped again as she realised what she was seeing.

Freya Eriksson was the world's biggest fraud ever!

Those beautiful strands of colour were her feelings for those within her pack. The deeper the shade the more she loved the individual, hence why her mate and brother had the strongest hues. Natalia followed the link back to her own mate, and was surprised to see how deep the colour was surrounding him. Freya had a special place in her heart for Kothari and that settled any nerves she might have had about being alone in the other woman's presence.

"Natalia?"

As soon as Kothari spoke her name with a hint of concern in his voice, the colours surrounding Freya disappeared again, and she realised that this was something new happening, a new skill that was developing that tied into her other skill of knowing when there was danger coming. This new ability had tested the vampire subconsciously and had shown her that she was no danger to her.

"That's very kind of you, Freya. I appreciate it immensely," she quickly answered so Kothari didn't start getting needlessly anxious. "I'd really like to speak with Mila afterwards, if that would be okay?" Natalia looked around and frowned when she didn't see her friend or Dante. "Where is she? She is okay, isn't she?" Someone had reassured her Mila would heal. She thought it might have been Dayton or possibly Freya.

The vampire looked around the clearing and frowned. "They were there when we arrived back. Perhaps they have gone down to the pool so Mila can cleanse herself. We may see them there."

That settled Natalia and she smiled at Kothari. "Go spend some time making sure your mother is in one piece. I'll be fine with Freya."

"I'm going to check in with Dara and then with Rayne too," Dayton announced. "I haven't had a chance to spend any time with Rayne since the battle. I want to make sure she's okay too."

His mate nodded. She'd been surprised that he hadn't wanted to smother Rayne with affection as he was often inclined to do. The Vârcolac was his best friend, and they didn't get to spend nearly as much time as they used to before they returned to the pack three decades or so ago. She knew he missed the time that he'd once shared with his friend, though he never complained about it.

"I may be a while with Natalia," she told him, kissing him softly because there was still a level of anxiety leaking through their mate bond which he tried so hard to mask but failed miserably. "Do not embarrass me with needless overprotectiveness, mate. Rayne needs her best friend as much as she needs her family. Spend as much time with her as you need to."

Dayton gave her a soft smile and brushed her cheek gently. He'd been quietly going out of his mind with worry since Rayne had disappeared, but he'd thought he'd been concealing it well. Apparently he may have been fooling everyone else with the exception of his mate. "I'll let Kothi spend some time with her first, and then I'm going to kick her ass for being so stupid as to let herself get abducted," he laughed softly. "I'll go check on Dara for now. Be safe, love."

And just like that, Freya knew that he was going to be okay. Yes, they had a lot of things to talk about especially the bear thing, but Dayton was balanced enough for the moment if he was able to allow her out of his sight for however long it took for her to care for Natalia.

The group melted away until it was only Natalia and Freya, the vampire staring down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"So, do you wish me to carry you or are you going to attempt to walk?"

Natalia swallowed at the abruptness to the other woman's tone and then she gave her a tentative smile. "Walk?"

The eyebrow rose further. "Is that a statement or a question, girl?" Freya answered in a droll tone, her expression expectant.

If Natalia hadn't seen the vampire's connection to the others, her curtness might have been a little frightening but she had seen it and she couldn't help smiling as she held up a hand. "I believe a gentle stroll may be just what I need right now, Freya," she answered, her smile broadening when she saw the quick nod of approval in her direction before the vampire gently helped her to her feet.

"Inform me if you need to rest," the vampire said in the same clipped tone. "Do not be stupid like these males can be and continue when your body is telling you to rest. I can't abide idiocy." Though her words were blunt, there was no meanness in them. Freya was simply stating a fact.

As Natalia leaned on her arm they began a slow walk through the clearly, Natalia smiling when Louis approached to ask if she was okay. He was a surly male at the best of times, but she could tell that underneath all that, he wasn't so bad.

"I will be fine, Louis. Thank you," she smiled. "For everything. We couldn't have done this without you and your friends, and I am so sorry about the one you lost to the enemy."

He stared at her intently for a long moment and then he nodded. "You have a generous but strong heart, young one. It would have been a pity to lose you. Though tying yourself to that crazy bastard over there may not be the smartest move, but then who am I to comment. I have yet to meet the woman or man who may be my fated mate."

"With your personality that's hardly surprising," Freya remarked dryly and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Charming as always, Freya. I see mating hasn't improved your disposition any."

"I am what I am," the vampire replied with a small scowl. "Now can you get the fuck out of our way? This girl's legs are barely supporting her weight and she's too polite to tell you to fuck off."

With another roll of his eyes, Louis headed back over to his remaining coven members and Nors who appeared to be fascinated with something one of the females was telling him.

"Why do you do that, Freya?" Natalia asked as they slowly made their way into the trees towards the pool area.

"Do what?"

She wanted to sigh at the response but instead she took a deep breath and signalled that she needed a moment to sit down and regain her breath. Her legs were shaking with the effort of walking and she didn't want to incite the vampire's wrath by not telling her she needed break.

"Pretend that you don't like Louis and be curt to everyone other than Dayton?" Natalia qualified her questions. "You know you're fond of that vampire and you adore everyone in your pack. I'm curious as to why you don't show how much they mean to you."

Freya stilled, her expression going blank, her eyes turning frosty for a moment before the ice melted and her posture relaxed. "You have gifts, girl?" she asked, not answering the question but correctly guessing that Natalia had some form of gift to be able to discern that about her.

Natalia nodded. "I had a sort of sixth sense about potential dangers when I was still human," she admitted. "It was strong enough that my Alpha heeded it and would change course if I became ill about the direction of travel. We managed to skirt around some nasty vampires because of it. Then on our way up the mountain that defensive gift appeared to expand and I started noticing that everyone appeared to have a silvery energy around them. I didn't pay it much attention at first until I noticed that one of Louis' coven's energy wasn't the same, it was black. I spoke with Mila and then Dante and finally Kothi and Dara. We discovered that the vampire's mind had been overtaken by whoever took Gard and Rayne. That's why I was saying sorry to Louis. He had only brought his most trusted people and the vampire had to be dealt with."

Natalia had sat on a fallen tree trunk as she spoke but Freya had remained standing, her expression speculative.

"And since you've awoken, have you seen this energy field again?" the vampire asked quietly.

Natalia shook her head. "That's why I think it' part of my defensive talents. I only saw it when the vampire was compromised. I don't see it now though I have tried to call it forward. Kothari told me to keep the ability secret but I don't believe he meant to include you or anyone else from his pack in that."

Freya nodded her agreement. "We need to know all of the assets we have at our advantage, Tali. You were right to tell me. I was wondering if that was why you asked me that very personal question." There was slight rebuke in her tone but it wasn't too intense.

Natalia shook her head and a small smile graced her lips. "No, that was something else, but I think again it's linked to my defensive instincts. I'm not sure and that was why I wanted to talk to Mila. She's a very powerful Seer. I thought perhaps she might have heard of something similar in her travels. When you offered to bring me to the pool I saw a red flow of energy coming from you and reaching out to some of the people around me. It was deep and strong with Dayton and your brother. It was a bit lighter with Kothari and all the rest of your packmate, and it even stretched to Demetri and Louis. It took me a moment to work out what it meant, and that you're an incredible fraud, Freya."

She didn't mean it in a bad way and she laughed at the outraged expression that crossed the vampire's face before her new friend bit her bottom lip and then slowly smiled at her. "I think I like you, Tali. And I think you may be exactly what that boy needs."

Freya sat down beside her and let her gaze sweep around the small clearing they were in. "You want to know why I behave the way I do?" she asked after a long moment. "Mostly it's because it's what they expect of me," she admitted with a wry smile. "Some of it is habit too. I'm over two thousand years old, Natalia. I've done some horrendous things in my long life, things that I'm ashamed of, that often haunted my dreams until I met Dayton. Because of those things I adopted a hard shell to keep everyone away. It became second nature and even after three decades of being mated and part of a pack, I still can't shake it off."

She paused and Natalia had the feeling there was more to come so she remained quiet, giving the vampire more time to think though what she wanted to say. Finally, Freya turned to look at her and gave her a wicked smile. "Plus, I do take a certain amount of enjoyment out of messing with their heads. I know I drive Rafe crazy trying to keep me in check, and that expression on Louis' face when I told him to fuck off just now was priceless." She laughed at that one, amusement turning her already beautiful face into something glorious to look at.

"I have considered being less acerbic with everyone, but honestly, Tali, I think it would freak everyone out more if I suddenly started smiling and being nice to them. They expect me to be who I am so I give them what they expect. But you are not wrong in your assumptions. They are all dear to my heart in many different ways, and I would die to protect each and every member of my family and my pack, including that idiot coven leader Louis."

"He's special to you," Natalia said, a soft smile on her face because she liked the surly coven leader even though she hadn't talked with him much. He'd cared enough to come and check that she was okay after her near fatal experience. That told her a lot about him, and it helped that she received no warning signs whenever he was near.

Freya considered her question for a long time and then let out a small sigh. "Apart from my brother, Louis has been the only person in Europe who has ever given a fuck about me," she admitted though her expression indicated that admission was being dragged from her.

"Everyone stepped lightly around me when I lived here in Europe. Everyone only saw a crazy female who was barely a handful of steps away from going feral. Louis was the only one who looked past that and tried to help me by taking me into his coven and giving me boundaries to live by. It didn't work in the long run, but I stayed with his coven longer than I had stayed anywhere else that Nors wasn't. He earned my respect for what he tried to give me. And yes, I do care about the idiot and I would fight to protect him if needed."

Natalia could understand that. She knew how difficult it was for Weres to survive in Europe. She hadn't realised that it was so hard for vampires too, that their societal cruelness was probably why they behaved the way they did. They didn't know any better. They hadn't been lucky to have anyone show them a different way to be. That hurt her heart for some reason that she couldn't quite place. It was something she was going to have to think about at a later time.

"I think I'm ready to continue now, Freya," she said giving the vampire a smile. "Thank you for answering my question. I promise I won't share what you've told me with anyone else, not even Kothi. I appreciate the trust you've shared with me, and for the record, I really like you too. Perhaps when we return to your pack we might spend some more time together? If that wouldn't be uncomfortable for you?"

Freya rose and helped Tali to her feet and they slowly started towards the pool again. "I think that would be acceptable, Tali," she answered quietly, her expression thoughtful. "And perhaps I may smile at Rafe when I return. That might be fun and have him considering whether he should be pissing in his pants."

Natallia almost stumbled, her expression turning surprised and then she burst out laughing. "Yup, you are a terrible fraud, Freya."

To be Continued