Chapter 144 The Morning After
The first light of the morning filtered through the dense hedges of the private garden, hitting the dew-covered grass.
The scented candles from the previous night had entirely burned out. And the tray of fruits and meat was half empty.
The air was slightly cool, but the couple still felt warm under the first and blankets.
Ryker was the first to wake. He didn't move, afraid that even a small shift would break the peace of the moment.
He felt lighter than he had in weeks. The crushing weight on his chest was gone. The iron grip of the Blood King had snapped during the night, replaced by the strength of the mate bond.
If he thought he'd been closer to Lyra before, he was wrong. This was the closest he'd even been.
He looked down at Lyra. She was tucked against his side, her head resting on his chest. Her skin was warm, and her breathing was deep and steady.
The shimmering blue-grey tint of her hybrid form had faded back into her human skin, leaving her looking soft and vulnerable in the morning light.
Unable to help himself, Ryker reached out, his fingers tracing the line of her shoulder.
He felt a surge of possessive love so strong it made his throat tight. He had almost lost his mind, almost lost her, and now, for the first time, he felt like they truly belonged to each other.
He leaned down and placed a soft lingering kiss on her forehead, tasting her supple skin.
The gesture made Lyra stir, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks. She groaned softly and buried her face deeper into his chest. "Is it morning already?" she whispered, her voice husky from sleep.
"The sun is up, so yeah, let's just say it's mid morning," Ryker said, his voice a low, satisfied rumble.
“More sleep," she drawled and burrowed deeper into his arms, tucking the fur blankets over her face.
“Sorry to wake you, sleeping beauty." He pulled her closer, his chin resting on the top of her head. "But we're outside and it's only a matter of time before someone runs into us."
That finally made her groan and lift her head.
“How do you feel?"
Lyra shifted, stretching her legs beneath the furs. She let out a small wince and then a soft laugh. "I feel like I was tackled by a giant wolf. Multiple times."
Ryker smirked, his eyes dancing with a playful light he hadn't shown in a long time. "Well, you were. And you didn't seem to mind it at the time. In fact, if I remember correctly, you were the one who wouldn't let me shift back."
Lyra blushed a deep scarlet, hiding her face in the furs. "Be quiet, Ryker. I was... influenced by the moon. And the potion."
"The potion only helped the wolf stay focused," Ryker teased, rolling onto his side so he could look down at her. He brushed a stray hair from her face. "But the rest? That was all you. I loved the way you looked under the moonlight when you shifted. You were terrifying and beautiful at the same time. I loved the way your claws felt on my back. I think I still have the marks."
"Good," she whispered, finally looking up at him. "I wanted to leave my mark on you. I wanted the Blood King to know you’re mine."
They lay there for a long time, talking in low, loving tones.
They discussed the way the bond felt now, solid and almost unbreakable. Ryker told her how the darkness in his mind had simply vanished the moment they mated, replaced by her scent and her presence.
It was the most peaceful he had felt since the war began.
“I'm glad I listened to you," he smirked and kissed her shoulders, licking his way down.
"I'm glad you did, you stubborn oaf.”
"I'm stubborn?” He smiled, "you seemed to like that stubbornness last night. You couldn't get enough.”
"I did it for the bond,” she lied but he kissed her neck and she moaned loudly.
"Is that cat sound for the bond?” He teased playfully and she groaned.
Suddenly, the sound of snapping twigs reached their ears.
A young maid, carrying a basket of fresh laundry, stepped through the gap in the hedges.
She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening as she saw the romantic setup in the center of the clearing, the candles burned down to stubs, the blankets tossed in disarray, and the Alpha and Luna tangled together under a pile of furs.
"Oh! Oh, gods!" the maid stammered, her face turning as red as a beet. "I... I was just taking the shortcut to the drying lines! I’m so sorry! I didn't see anything! I’m going!"
She turned and bolted back through the hedges, her basket clattering against the branches as she ran.
Lyra gasped and pulled the blankets up to her chin, her face burning. "Oh moon! She saw us. The whole pack is going to know by noon."
Ryker threw his head back and laughed, a loud, booming sound that echoed through the garden. "Let them know. Let them know their Alpha fucked his Luna and that his wife is the most beautiful woman in the territory. I don't care about a laundry maid, Lyra."
He leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, slow kiss.
The playfulness vanished, replaced by the simmering heat that still burned between them. His hands wandered under the blankets, finding the soft curve of her waist.
"Ryker," she breathed against his mouth. "We should probably go inside. People are going to start looking for us."
"Let them look," he muttered, kissing her jaw and moving down to her neck. "I’ve spent too much time away from you. I want to enjoy this for at least another six hours."
"Six hours?!” Lyra gasped and he winked.
“Are you already sore?"
“You know I am. You wouldn't let me rest last night. And you weren't very gentle like you promised."
Ryker stopped immediately and looked at her face. “I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?"
Lyra looked down. “I didn't feel any pain last night, Ryker. Stop worrying. I just feel a little sore and you were perfect."
“You kept telling me to go deeper and hold you tight. I couldn't resist, I'm sorry."
Lyra smiled at his vulnerability before her. “It's fine, babes. I loved it.”
They were lost in another kiss when a loud, familiar voice yelped.
"Yuck! My eyes! My virgin eyes!"
Rex marched into the clearing, holding a stack of scrolls under one arm.
She stopped at the edge of the blankets, squinting at them and then yelping again as she realized exactly what she was looking at. She quickly spun around, turning her back to them.
"For the love of the Moon Mother, put some clothes on!" Rex shouted, though she sounded more excited than annoyed.
Ryker smirked, not moving an inch. He kept his arms wrapped around Lyra, who was trying to disappear into the furs. "What do you want, Rex? Can’t a man have a moment with his wife?"
Rex turned her head slightly, peeking over her shoulder. "Did it work? Did you finally do it? Did the link break?"
Lyra peeked out from under the blanket, her face still flushed. "Yes," she whispered. Then, she added with a small, shy smile, "Twice."
Rex let out a high-pitched yell of joy and began jumping up and down on the grass. "Yes! I knew it! I knew the ancient texts wouldn't lie to me!"
In her excitement, Rex turned around and started to lunge toward the blankets to give Lyra a hug, but Ryker quickly reached out a hand, stopping her.
"Whoa, stay back!" Ryker barked, though he was smiling. "Rex, we aren't wearing any clothes under here. Sit down on the grass and give us a second."
Rex stopped, her face turning pink. "Right. Sorry. I’m just so relieved! I was about to go back into the library and start reading that incredibly boring book on mating rituals for the tenth time. I was losing my mind."
She sat down on a nearby stone bench, facing away from them again. "So? Give me details. Was it intense? Did the hybrid form make it different? Did you feel the surge of power?"
"Rex! Stop!" Lyra shouted, her voice muffled by the furs. "I am not giving you details. You’re being weird."
"I'm a scholar!" Rex argued. "I need data for the records!"
Lyra just groaned and hid her face again. Ryker reached for his trousers, which were discarded nearby, and pulled them on under the blanket before helping Lyra find her dress.
Rex sat there with a smirk, pretending to hum a tuneless song to give them privacy.
Just as they were about to get fully covered up, Ryker heard someone screaming his name.
"Ryker! Ryker, where are you?"
It was Dax. His voice was really loud and he sounded terrified.
Ryker became alert instantly. He pulled the thickest fur blanket over Lyra, shielding her body and holding her close against his side as he sat up.
He didn't want his brother seeing her like this.
Dax burst through the hedges urgently but he stopped when he saw the scene.
His eyes moved over the blankets, the candles, the unmistakable scent of arousal still hanging in the air.
He stared at the two of them with cold eyes. He didn't look happy; he looked like he had been punched in the gut.
His gaze lingered on Lyra’s bare shoulders for a second too long before he looked at Ryker.
"What is the matter, Dax?" Ryker asked, his voice dropping into his Alpha tone. "Why are you interrupting us?"
Dax didn't apologize. He didn't even acknowledge the romantic setup.
He just stood there, his hands clenched into fists. "I hope you’re cured, Ryker. Truly. Because the pack needs an Alpha right now. Not a man hiding in the bushes with his wife."
Ryker stood up, letting the blanket stay draped over Lyra. He stepped toward his brother, his eyes glowing gold. "Watch your tongue. What’s happened?"
Rex stood up from her bench, her excitement vanishing. "What is it, Dax? Did the vampires hit the border?"
Dax shook his head. "No. It’s not an attack. At least, not one we can fight with swords."
He looked back at Ryker, his voice shaking. "Two of the scouts collapsed at the gate ten minutes ago. Their skin is turning black, and they’re coughing up blood. The healers don't know what it is. It’s spreading fast through the lower barracks."
Dax paused, his eyes darting to the forest beyond the garden walls. "I think it’s a plague, Ryker."