The Wolf Wars - Valentine's Special
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Michelle Torlot
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9
Chapter 1
Ellie
I stare out the upstairs window toward the grounds below. It’s beautiful, it really is. Just as I imagined it would be when I first approved the plans for the new building.
Our home, and the home of the people who work here. Humans and werewolves working side by side. Working for their king and queen.
Of course, there are still occasional issues, but each pack’s Alpha or the human liaison mostly deals with them.
Seth and I are not much more than figureheads. We’re only asked to deal with issues that the Alphas can’t handle or issues with human/werewolf relations.
It’s vastly different from when humans and werewolves shared the world. If a werewolf finds his mate to be human, now everything is discussed in the open with their families.
There will never be another war because the humans think their daughters or sons are being stolen away from them because they are the mate of a werewolf. It’s been a year since the war ended. I should be happy, but I feel like something is missing.
I look out at the small garden and hear the screams of the pups as they chase each other, laughing and playing.
I sigh heavily. Perhaps I’m being impatient, but there is always that thought in the back of my mind.
What if Seth and I are never blessed with pups? What if, because we weren’t first-chance mates, we can never have children?
My thoughts drift back to my grandfather. The last words he said before the poison blade killed him.
“The last of your grandmother’s gift. Use it wisely.”
Would it be selfish to use it for myself to allow us to conceive a child?
I don’t think so, though. Olivia became pregnant almost as soon as Murdoch had marked her.
Now she has two beautiful boys.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I only realize Seth is there when his strong arms wrap around me and pull me into his chest.
He nips the mark on my neck, and I moan, immediately removing the negative thoughts that plague my mind.
He looks down into the garden.
“Perhaps we should close off the private gardens for now?” he suggests.
He knows exactly what I’m feeling. He feels it through the bond.
That’s why he suddenly appears, seemingly from nowhere, when my mind wanders. I shake my head.
“I like to watch them play. I just…”
I don’t have time to finish the sentence as I’m turned around in his arms.
Seth rakes his fingers through my hair, then his lips press roughly against my own in a dominant kiss. I moan as his fingertips slide underneath my shirt.
Little shockwaves trail in the wake of his touch, and suddenly feel like I’m on fire.
A small gasp escapes me, and as my mouth opens, he takes the opportunity to plunder my mouth with his tongue.
I can’t get enough of the taste of him as I kiss him back just as greedily. It’s always like this when he touches me. The mate bond is as strong as ever it was. At that moment, I forget about any worries that may be coursing through my brain.
I love that he is trying to distract me, but when we stop, the worry and sadness will return. The fear that I may never be able to give Seth the child that he craves.
I know he wants a child. I can sense it through the mate bond. In the same way, he can feel my sadness at the fact that I haven’t been able to give him one.
Perhaps there is something wrong with me. I think of Olivia and her two boys. It doesn’t seem fair that she has two pups, and I can’t even have one.
I know I shouldn’t be, not with everything I have, but I feel a little jealous of Olivia. What I wouldn’t give to have two little pups running around the place.
She often comes to visit, and I love seeing my godsons, but it’s not the same. Not the same as having your own. Seth reluctantly pulls away.
“We should really get ready,” he reminds me.
I smile, and this time it’s not forced.
***
It’s been six months since I last saw my dad. Years since I’ve been back to the pack that first took me in.
Seth has never seen my dad’s pack, and I’m excited to show him the place.
I want him to see where the only few moments of happiness in my childhood were spent.
My dad’s lovely house, where I used to sit in the kitchen while he made me chocolate chip pancakes. Or if it wasn’t him, it was Millie.
I wonder if Millie is okay. I feel a little guilty that I didn’t ask after her. I hadn’t known her for long, but she was always kind.
I should have asked him the last time he was here, but that was at our mating ceremony and coronation. Everything was so busy that I didn’t get a chance.
My dad doesn’t know we’re coming. One of the perks of being the Queen and King is that you can make surprise visits to each of the packs.
Last month, we visited Clayton. The look on his face when we appeared in his office—first it was shock, and then happiness.
I know Clayton misses Seth, and Seth misses Clayton just as much. They were overjoyed to see one another.
I’m sure my dad will feel just the same.
“Did you manage to persuade Arvid?”
Seth looks at me and chuckles.
“It took some doing, but yes. He will follow in the car with the luggage.”
I grin like the Cheshire cat.
Seth and I are going to travel in our wolf forms. With everything that’s happened, our wolves never really had a chance to bond.
We run together occasionally when we get the chance, but this trip will be the longest that our wolves will have spent together.
They can run and play. Be themselves for once and forget about their duties as King and Queen, just as Seth and I will be able to.
