Chapter 6 - Arriving in the homelands
2440 Words
Leo
“Hi Little Girl …” Eurus growled at her as she walked up to us.
“Hi Eurus, will you please return Leo to me? You will scare my family and I would really like us to do the life ceremony, so you can mark me.” I could hear her, but Eurus didn’t want to relinquish control yet.
“So, Leo can mark you, you mean.” Eurus softly growled, but I felt how amused he felt.
“Yes, so Leo can mark me, please.” Giselle kept eye contact and didn’t waver for a second.
“Since you always ask me so nicely, I will grant you this wish.” Eurus gave her his signature evil grin and a royal bow before he turned control over to me and Giselle ran into my arms.
Giselle
“Leo! Are you okay?” I caught him just as he was about to pass out. My parents arrived ready with water and a wet cloth.
“I don’t know what happened. Did Eurus hurt you again? One minute I was fine and the next …” He started checking me for any marks Eurus might have left behind.
“The protection spell … It made you sick, my love. Stop it now! Eurus was actually a gentleman. I am not hurt! I was trying to be careful, but I was so happy to see my parents. I didn’t think about you going too close to the spell. Please forgive me, my love?” We were on the edge of the homelands … Once we crossed, everything would change.
“I will be fine, beautiful.” He drank the water.
“You sure will be Leo, that wasn’t just water. It was a tonic to protect you from the spell. You will not get sick from it anymore.” My mom’s calm, sweet voice interrupted us and I smiled at her.
“Yes, and this should help you clean up and feel better.” My dad handed me the wet cloth.
“Thank you.” Leo sounded a bit cautious, and I could understand why.
“You don’t have to worry, my love. Our coven marries out of the bloodline, as you can see with my parents. We are not like some of the other covens out there.” I tried to calm him after I read his thoughts.
“It is irritating when she reads your mind. Isn’t it?” My dad gave me a wink and a smile.
“Yeah, she gave me a big fright the first time she talked back to me in my thoughts, like a wolf. I thought I was going insane.” Leo blushed. Both my parents couldn’t help but laugh.
“She has this way of hiding her gifts and showing them when you least expect it.” Mom co.cked her one eyebrow at me with a look of amusement on her face.
“Hey! Leo is called the Joker of the pack! He is forever pulling pranks on everyone!” I tried to defend myself and he was the easiest target. I gave him my brightest smile, throwing him under the bus, as he looked a little terrified.
“Don’t you pay her any mind, Leo; we don’t believe a word she says in any case.” Dad grabbed Leo by his elbow, and they walked off to the car.
“So how are you two doing?” Mom hooked her arm into mine and we followed the men.
“We are doing okay. I am just very nervous about the ceremony and how he is going to react.” I frowned.
“Everything will be the way your deity planned for you.” We packed our things into the Cadillac and drove off to mom and dad’s house. It was a pretty blue, two-story with a white picket fence. Mom thought it was average … I think somewhere in the 60’s.
“This is where I grew up” I sighed as we climbed out of the car. I was almost completely out of breath and I didn’t know why.
“It is picture-perfect, beautiful. Just like you and your mother.” He gave me a chaste kiss and left to help my dad unload our luggage.
“Come on Giselle, you have to tell me everything that you have been doing and seeing.” Mom was such a snoop.
“Mom, I have been away for hundreds of years. It will be impossible to remember everything.” I rolled my eyes.
“Ugh, okay fine. Then let’s talk about the two of you. I want each and every detail.” She grinned at me like a two-year-old in front of a Christmas tree. I rolled my eyes again, not being the creative storyteller type as she was. I was more like my father. I have given you the facts, knowing that it would not be enough for her curious mind. How the hell was I going to avoid this question?
“Do you mind if I try?” Leo mind linked me and I breathed a sigh of relief nodding.
“Please, my love. Anything will be better than what I can tell her.” I giggled, and he dropped the suite cases in the foyer. The inside of the house was different from the outer light and bright house. There were dark reds and wood, an old staircase, with a gorgeous design and next to it was a passage that led into the kitchen. To the right of the stairs were a big family library, office and relaxing area. It seemed that mom had redone this area. It was in a peach color, which was not one of her favourites, so dad must have had a hand in that one. Mom’s favourite place was the kitchen, where she could feed you and nurture you like a real house hen. She made coffee and tea and put out biscuits without a word, while listening to Leo.
“Well, Lorelei, the first time I laid my eyes on your daughter, I was captured. There was no way I was ever going to leave her, or let her go. No pun intended, but I was under her spell. I walked up to this precious girl, too scared to run to her and frighten her off. She stood there smiling at me and my whole world lit up with fireworks.” He explained. I looked at him, wondering where this came from. He never told me this. Was he just embellishing to make my mom happy? That was not how the first couple of minutes played out, was it? “When we reached each other, we immediately accepted one another, without hesitation. That was the first time the pack found out that Giselle was a witch. Their faces were priceless.” Now he is embellishing.
“Oh, that sounds so romantic!” Mom was in her element, hanging on his every word.
“Oh, this is enough already! We met, we are mates and we are here. Isn’t that enough mother?” I cringed a little to think that Leo was spilling the details so easily in the presence of my parents.
“No, it is not! Please stop thinking you are going to scare me with that tone of voice. I wasn’t there and I want details. I have not seen you in forever, and I missed you.” She was going to make my life hell if I didn’t give her details.
“I looked into his eyes and I knew. My friends somehow made sure I was right in his path and nothing stood in his way.” I told her, and he smiled at me, knowing the feeling because he felt the same. “Leo is not giving you the facts. He is merely giving you the romance.” I played with my spoon, letting it spin on my plate on its own, not even noticing Leo’s look of astonishment.
“Well then? Tell me your side!” My mom sounded a little irritated with me.
“He did not rush, run or storm down on me like others would. He was right about that part. He almost made me disappear in his hug. Taking my face in his big hands, he said in a whisper: ‘Mate’, and I answered ‘Mine’, which shocked everyone. Being a human according to them, how could I know that he is my mate?” I waved my hand through the air as if what I had just told her was nothing.
“Yup, she made my heart skip a beat.” He sat there grinning like an i***t, putting his arms around my small waist. Picking me up, he kissed me, and when he pulled away, I smiled at him.
“I, Giselle Moonwater, witch from the east, accept you, Leo, as my mate.” I looked deep into his eyes and said the words again.
“I, Leo, Wolf from the Shadow pack, accept you, Giselle Moonwater, as my mate.” Leo did the same and I could just feel my mother going “Aaahhhhh”.
“And that is all there is to it. Mom! Close your mouth!” I broke eye contact with Leo and looked at my mom.
“Wow!” She sounded out of breath.
“Mom, are you okay?” I was about to jump up and check on her.
“Sweetheart, I have never heard you talk about anyone like this.” She started to look a bit more normal. “I have never seen your face with such a soft expression. Life Council will be nothing for the two of you. You are perfect for each other.” She stood there with tears in her eyes as her hands covered her mouth.
“Mother, we need to unpack!” I quickly changed the subject as I got up and pulled poor Leo with me, to grab our baggage and go upstairs. “We will see the council after breakfast. We will introduce Leo then.” I shouted over my shoulder as we left the kitchen.
“Have you brought the cloaks?” She yelled back as we walked up the stairs.
“Yes, mother. I know tradition. I had a cloak made for Leo. We will be ready for introductions.” Leo pulled me aside. “Wait, what Council, meetings, introductions? I am feeling a bit lost here, beautiful. Help me understand. Please.” He was looking so confused. I guess I had put it off long enough. I will have to tell him.
“It is tradition that we meet with the council. They are the elder witches and I have to introduce you to them. They will decide if you are in fact mine, but we know you are, so there will be no problem.” I shrugged.
“Why did you not tell me this?” He frowned.
“I was scared Leo. I was scared you might leave me.” And there it was.
“Why would I leave you?” He frowned. “You are all making this life ceremony sound like something serious, beautiful. Is it something to worry about?” I couldn’t tell him. I just … couldn’t.
“No, Leo, they will just be comparing us, to see if we are compatible. I am just scared that they will overwhelm you, and you may then decide to reject me.” I was so sad at that moment. He took my face in both his hands.
“I will never reject you, Giselle Moonwater, witch from the east. You are my destined mate and I love you.” He let me go, grabbed my hand and walked to my bedroom.
“We hardly know each other, Leo! I wasn’t sure what you would think. I still am not sure.” I tried to defend my decision not to tell him right away.
“What else haven’t you told me, beautiful? It feels like there is more.” He frowned.
“Well, once the council has found you to be the true mate of ‘Mine’ … You will be asked if you would like to mate with me.” I shrugged.
“That’s easy enough.” He gave me a big smile and a wink.
“If you agree, the council will do a life ceremony, in which you will receive my mark. It is a magical mark that only shines when necessary. Not a bite like yours.” He sat listening intently, and I was getting more nervous by the second.
“What is this life ceremony? Is it anything like our mating ceremony? Will we share a mind link?” Why was he worried about the mind link?!
“Sort of, you will receive immortality first off. Then you will also get some of your own gifts and our bond will be stronger, even stronger than the wolf bond you are used to. You will live an eternity with me as your mate. Or, at least, as we call you ‘Mine’. This bond cannot be broken, even if you try, you cannot be killed. You cannot die … Ever. You will never be able to leave me.” I needed to make sure that he knew that he would never be able to leave me.
“Immortality …? As your mate?” He frowned.
“Yes?” My answer came out as a question.
“Beautiful. Spending an eternity with you? I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” I nearly fainted at his reply. We settled in my old bedroom and unpacked. All of us had to prepare for the council. I put Leo’s outfit on the bed for him.
“Nice, I am going to look like a king or something.” He laughed. “When did you arrange all of this?” I tried hard not to look concerned.
“Some of the clothes we grabbed out of Anthony’s closet. Mrs. Greywolf helped me with the cloak. It has to be one of a kind, because you are one of a kind. You will become the first immortal wolf in our coven. You are my own Wolf King!” I gave him a kiss. “Now go shower, there is a special shower gel I put in the shower for you to wash with. It is made of all sorts of herbs. I will be preparing in another area. Once you are dressed, meet us downstairs, okay?”
- Writer
