Her Grey Men

Time to face the Dragon

Brian

It’s been two weeks since we went with Dave to his home pack, and it’s a full moon tonight. The pack elders, Jenny, and Dave all decided to have the Alpha, Luna ceremony because of this. Things around the pack house have been calm so far, even after we found out the wargs were back.  I will admit that it was disconcerting to see the mage transform, and a wolf that was a really good friend wield magic. Demitri didn’t tell us the full extent of his bonding with his mate.

It was bittersweet to see the wolf find his mate. He had been waiting for her for years. I could see the joy in his face just being with her. Unfortunately for us, he would be leaving with her. Undeniably Maggie’s job was more important than a pack captain’s. The whole pack would miss Mike. 

Dave stood talking to the man, I could hear him mutter. “Well so much for my beta.” I smirked, I knew that he had grown fond of him already. 

“Hey man, you know when your mate calls you have to go.” Mike laughed. “Besides Jen took you, isn’t it fair that Maggie takes me?” 

“True, true. Well good luck, don’t let the mages push you around too much, and if you need any of my contacts let me know, I can see you becoming a good grey man, especially the way you handled the city council with the school issues.” Dave patted his back before turning and welcoming me into the office. “Hey brother husband what’s up?”

I huffed, shaking my head. “Come on man, we need to get you ready.” 

“Oh right, yeah.” Dave followed me out of his office to our apartment. It was strange but having him occupy the same rooms as me didn’t feel weird, it was weird in its weirdness. “Hey, Maggie said that Ahearn contacted her. He wants to meet with you soon.”

“Why now?” I had wished that the dragon would just forget about it.

“She wouldn’t say. Said he didn’t give her a lot of info either, just that he needed to meet with you, and it needed to happen before you took the throne.” Dave shrugged out of his jacket and headed into the walk in closet that we all three shared. 

I pulled out my forest green silk button up, and black pants. I had to be part of the ceremony to hand over my ‘head male’ status. I was fine with that, I never used my status anyway, just kind of floated in the background and used my abilities to warn the pack of any dangers or noteworthy events that were coming our way. “Fine, I’ll have to take Jenny for that one though.”

Dave nodded. “Don’t worry, I pretty much have everything under control here as it is.” 

“Yeah you do. I don’t know if it’s because our mate had everything polished beforehand or if your strange aura just pulls everyone’s attention to you.” I mused fastening my tie in place before deciding to go without and just ripping it off.

“I don’t know, I wish that I had more info than that mad man message on the computer.” he walked out of the closet in a deep blue shirt that almost looked like mine. “Uh I’ll change”

I heard giggling from our bedroom door. “Oh but you are so cute as a matched pair!” I looked over to see my wife leaning against the door frame in a stunning white sheath dress. It draped to her shins and had a faint pink filigree detail that ran up her sides. 

I asked over my shoulder. “Dave, how much time we have?” 

I could hear the rumble of approval in his chest. “It’s our ceremony, we have all the time.” 

I saw Jenny shiver in anticipation and excitement. It was suggesting something that she hadn’t voiced wanting to try, but I knew that it had been running through her head since she first met Dave. I reached out, grabbing her hand to pull her all the way into the room. Dave closed the door behind her then locked it. She began to tremble.

“We really don’t have the time for this.” She chewed her thumbnail, she only did that when she was nervous. 

Dave pulled her worried thumb out of her mouth only to place it in his giving it a good suck. Her eyes fluttered reveling in the sensations and the lewd images that that simple action spurred. “Didn’t he already say, it’s your ceremony, you have all the time?”

Her soft breaths came faster as I began pulling her dress up her legs exposing her skin. “But we will have more time after?” She pleaded.

“Hmmm, what are we doing after honey?” The other man teased pressing her to say what she wanted out loud. We both have been sucked into her wild dreams at night, and they excited me. Not ashamed to say that she looks good wrapped up in Dave's arms, as long as her legs are wrapped around me.

Her breathing was getting ragged. I pushed. “Words doll. Tell me what we are doing after?”

“Oh gods and planets.” she cried out as my fingers reached her panties and began stroking the thin fabric covering her s*x. “I. I. I want you both at the same time!” her face was as red as paint and it was spreading down her chest.

I dropped her dress letting it cover her legs. “See that isn’t so hard now is it?” Dave smirked and held the door open for us. He never changed his shirt, but since Jenny liked it, we were okay. 

We went down to the training grounds that had been decorated with lights and lanterns. There was a buffet concession set up near the seating area, and coolers with drinks. We invited our two neighboring packs, they agreed to come hoping to see some of their warriors mated to ours seeing as our pack was the only one in the area finding mates right now. The three of us walked down to the small platform that was put together yesterday and stood before the elder that came down from the council. Dave and Jenny said their rights, all three of us cut the heel of our hand and let a few drops fall into the chalice before watching it ignite formally bonding Dave into the pack taking mine and Jenny’s place. 

The gathering erupted into cheers and applause. The rest of the festivities went well, greeting the neighboring Alphas and introducing Dave. there were a few raised eyebrows when they heard that Jenny had two mates, but the judgment fell as soon as our closest neighbor smelled his mate out of the crowd. Our pack doctor Jannet came rushing up to him kissing him passionately before they even got around to introducing themselves.

Dave cleared his throat. “Um as happy as I am to see this Alpha Greyson, I’m going to need you to replace my pack doctor. I can’t leave my pack vulnerable without her.”

Greyson nodded, I’m not sure that he actually heard Dave say anything before Jannet began pulling his hand towards her cabin next to the pack clinic. I spoke up. “Just talk to them tomorrow. So um Alpha Derrick? You, find your mate yet?” I tried to change the subject.

“Yeah, but seeing the luck I’m going to send my son this way once he turns eighteen next month.” He responded with new found appreciation on his face. 

Jenny nodded. “My sister Astra turns eighteen on the fifteenth the month after, he can come for her birthday party. Make it an occasion instead of a mate hunt.” She said evenly. 

Derrick eyed her appraisingly, “That’s a fantastic idea. If the young lady is anything like you I hope they match. The boy is reserved and is reluctant to become the alpha, but everyone listens to him and he has a sharp mind. He’s hard to anger, and that alone makes him a better leader than me.”

“Well if the goddess is listening, may it come to pass.” I said simply before wishing our guest a good night as the party was winding down. 

Jenny smirked at me as I began guiding her to our rooms, leaving Dave to shake hands and say good night. I had been thinking about this all evening, I wanted her to beg for mercy before we were done with her. I felt her shiver next to me and heard Dave quickly catching up to us as we walked into the pack house. The three of us headed to our rooms, grateful that Jenny’s sister was watching Sammy for the night, I had no intention of holding back.

David preceded us opening the doors, but he stood in his tracks confusing me. I looked around him to see what held him up. I didn’t like what my eyes landed on. The Dragon emperor, and his wife, the wolf queen were lounging in our living room with their little girl and our son. He looked directly at me and smirked. “You made me wait long enough. We need to talk.” 

I was stupefied. I just stood staring blankly at the man till I felt a little hand grasp mine. I looked down to see the dragon’s daughter smiling up at me. “Come sit.” I followed her, trailed by my mate and Dave. We sat on the couch across from the couple. 

“Um welcome?” my wife nervously said.

“Thank you, beautiful home, adorable little boy.” the dragon quickly said. “Asha, go play with Sammy please.” The little girl nodded, grabbed my son’s hand and pulled him to his room. My little boy looked like he was enraptured by their little girl, like he...found...his mate. I quickly glared at the Dragon and his wife. “Probably, but I don’t know who did it.” Ahearn shrugged.

I sighed. “Okay so there is something about your family that I need to understand. What are you?”

The wolf queen laughed. “At one point we were like you, but we were chosen.”

I was confused, “What do you mean chosen?”

“By the Gods, we each have a patron god, we have gained and shared their powers, for some of us it was great, longer lives, stronger, better mates. Others… not so much.” Her words hit me, like they were from direct experience.

Jenny muttered, “The aura…” I nodded in agreement.

“Okay, I’m assuming that isn’t why you came today or wanted to meet with me before I took the throne.” I stated

“It sort of is actually.” Ahearn said. “You are a chosen as well. All three of you. And maybe you can help me with a problem.” Stunned was an understatement for my reaction. 

I sat dumbfounded, not knowing what else to say. The uncomfortable silence stretched out before me like the eons between the beginning of time and now. “How can I help you? I can’t even rule my own kingdom without my siblings permission.” 

“Because the god that selected me, and you to be chosen is dead, leaving us to inherit. I don’t want it. I have already lived hundreds of years, I’m tired, I'm ready to ride my life to the end now. I want to give you the rest of Smite’s power, not just your immortality.” The dragon stated. 

Dave sat forward bracing his arms on his knees. “What does all that entail? What if he refuses?”

“I will relinquish my powers to him, giving him the option to become a god. Smite was very tricky. She had many chosen, and I had to find all of them, giving them all the same offer. Instead every single one handed the powers back to me. You are the last. If you take the powers then you can become a god, or you can release the life force back into the universe and continue to live as a mortal. If you refuse, I become a god automatically.” my head was swimming. I couldn’t understand why I had to play a role in this.

Ahearn continued. “Smite was a water dragon. If you reject becoming a god, then no more water dragons will be born in this realm, but there have been no water dragons for over five hundred years. The problem is if I gain your powers I won’t have a choice. I just become a god, then all of my children if we choose to have more, will be water dragons, leviathans, destroyers, uncontrollable elements of the world.” 

I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t understand why that god would have chosen me, I’m not even a dragon! So I asked. “Why did she choose me?”

Ahearn’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, betraying the sorrow that he felt. “She also locked your dragon away, she knew that if your dragon were to wake up that you would be able to forcibly take her power from her, because you were always supposed to take the throne from your mother. If you choose to take my power, your dragon will wake, and you will have a very short time to give it away to the universe.”

I have a dragon! I am a dragon! I’m not just some freak that my parents couldn’t figure out. My heart was racing, I felt like the floor was moving under my seat. Sammy! “Is my son a dragon?”

Ahearn nodded. “I’m not sure why, but he doesn’t even have a wolf. His dragon is strong. Probably more so than mine.”

“Is this why you needed to talk to me before I took the throne? Because I would have been ejected because I’m a dragon?” I asked. The man sitting across from us nodded. 

The dragon grimaced. “I admit that my motive of giving you the power is mostly selfish, but I suppose in a way it’s not selfish, as I know that I’m not fit to affect the world in such a way. I need your help, and I am making myself vulnerable to you, as at this point if you really wanted to you could give up your share of Smite’s power and force the issue.”

I was taken aback by that, did he really think that I would do that to him? “So what happens if he chooses to do nothing? Not take your power, nor give his?” My wife asked.

“Nothing I suppose, we will live forever circling around each other until the sun blinks out.” He shrugged in answer.

“So we are immortal because of this? Doomed to watch all of our loved ones die and leave us?” The prospect of immortality was seductive at first, until you really get to thinking about it, and how it will affect your entire life. You have to watch the world change around you, while you never do. I had already lived a hundred and thirty years, I know that my mate wouldn’t be able to match that life span no matter how long wolves live naturally. I refuse to live without her. “So If I take your power then release it we lose our immortality? I, what, start aging again? Or do I instantly age to what I’m supposed to look like?”

The wolf queen rolled her eyes, but her mate answered genuinely. “At present you could think of each person as their own movie. You have millions of movies playing around one another. Some are short, some are epics, but ours is paused. So yes we will begin to age once more after you release the powers, but it isn’t going to be fast forwarded to catch up to match the others around you.”

I ran my hands through my hair and thought about it all. I couldn’t force him to become a god, that seemed like a horrible idea for several reasons. And I know that I didn’t want to become a god myself. I knew that I would be letting the powers go as soon as I gained them, however that left me with the problem of becoming a dragon. I know that I never wanted to be the king of the vale, however I felt that it was my duty to do so. “I need to speak with the fairies and the council before I make a decision. I’m leaning in your favor, but I need to at least confire with my people so they know to search for another royal.” 

The dragon smiled. “Thank you for this. And I understand. If I can help your people in the search please let me know. My first mate was a descendant of your parents.” 

Does this man just keep a stash of information to keep my jaw on the floor? “What?”

“My grandson Drake, studied with Minerva, she knew that he is one of her descendants, several generations down, mind you. Meaning his children, Mini is a descendant as well, you basically met your niece.” Ahearn smuggly explained. 

“Gods and planets if she wasn’t a wolf she would be perfect, her aura alone says power and royalty.” Dave interrupted adding his thoughts. I couldn’t help but agree. 

The wolf queen laughed at Dave’s remark. “Yes, she would be perfect for that role, but her life has a different path than ours. Something big is coming, and she will be in the middle of it. Your particular situation has informed us that the rest of the gods have gotten restless. I’m not upset with the match, however, I just wish that I was asked my opinion before it happened.” 

It seemed like this was a lot for this woman to say. The last time that we interacted she was just quietly watching. Until this point in the conversation she was silently scrutinizing my mate and David. It felt like if this woman spoke it was for very specific reasons and she needed to be listened to. She was accustomed to respect and wore her authority humbly. 

One thing was for certain, this woman was not to be trifled with, she commands attention. I had a feeling that I was going to walk away from this meeting different, and for more reasons than making a decision to awaken my dragon. We didn’t have much more to speak about so the wolf queen collected their child and they said their good nights.

“Thank you for letting us intrude on your home. I will be back in one week to make arrangements.” the ancient dragon declared. Then suddenly they were gone. Just gone, disappeared like they blinked out of existence. They were far more powerful than mages in this. It left me feeling small and quite fragile. 

The mood completely depleted with the revelations of our conversations left us mentally exhausted. Instead of acting upon my wife’s wild desires we collapsed in a heap in our bed after putting Sammy to bed.

My dreams were troubled and filled with a voice that was comforting and strangely familiar. The voice was guiding me through a labyrinth filled with enemies and obstacles. Great beasts with no true form that constantly shifted from one shape to another to land attack after attack on me. It wasn’t until I started trusting the voice that I was able to land even one blow defeating my first target. I was turned around in the fluid landscape of walls and clouds, and again the voice guided me through avoiding traps and hazards. 

Eventually I found myself in a crystalline field with a pink sky spread before me. In the distance I could see the grand giant forest of the vale, but somewhere deep I knew that I would never be able to return to my first home. It would forever be out of reach. Again the voice calmed me and kept me company in the knowledge that I wasn’t alone, and home can be a point of origin, as well as a destination. Something that I can make, but never need to search for. Maybe in this journey I have created my space.