King Bailey's POV
She's beautiful. So beautiful that I'm in awe. I never expected her to be able to transform and now as I stare at her wolf, in full lycan mode, it's all I can do to keep up with her as we dash through the forest, her wolf playful and teasing as she leaps and frolics in front of us. My lycan is amused.
Her wolf is playing games with us. Snow is gorgeous though he comments should we let them win?
Wouldn't your pride be hurt if we did that? Besides, since when do you not want to show off just how fast and powerful you really are? Are you telling me you would let her win for the sake of it?
You're right he grins wickedly let's show her what we're capable of.
We spring forward, surprising her wolf as we bound fast, our form becoming a blur. She gives a small yip and follows behind. To our shock, she keeps on our trail with ease as we press on, and we continue to run, leading her to the edge of a cliff and then halting in our tracks. She slows and walks up, both of us looking towards the sky where the moon is shining brightly overhead and I shift, back to human form, sitting on the edge of the ravine, Riley doing the same.
"It's beautiful up here" she breathes, looking down at the scenery, where it's just acres and acres of beautiful forest and a gorgeous view of the night sky up above us.
"I come here to think sometimes," I tell her.
She turns her head and looks at me "I wouldn't have pegged you as being a romantic."
I chuckle "Sometimes when the stress becomes too much I go for a run and we almost always end up here. It's calming" I muse, glancing down below "and it's enough to make me realize just how lucky I have it compared to some."
She yawns and leans against me "Snow says it's pretty" she says drowsily "how is it that I didn't know I had a wolf until now?"
I had been wondering that myself. I cleared my throat "Is it because I mixed my lycan blood with your own? Did it somehow give you the extra strength needed to shift?"
She blinks at me "That's what Snow says. I just never thought I'd ever shift into a wolf you know" she shrugs, a wide smile on her face "and now I can. It's amazing" she breathes.
She's amazing, I think to myself studying her. The moonlight makes her blue hair glisten and her eyes are like big bright jewels as she gazes up into the sky. She's beautiful. Like a goddess. I wrap my arm around her waist as she snuggles against my shoulder. I can hear her heart beating. It's fast and it makes me grin to myself.
"I wonder if this broke the mate bond" she mutters.
I frown. "Mate bond?" I enquire "you're not talking about our mate bond are you, because I hate to tell you but this would have just strengthened it" I teased.
She giggles "Not our mate bond. The one I had with my first mate, the one that refused to accept my rejection. Would it have severed it?" her tone is hushed.
"I don't see why it wouldn't have. Now that you are marked it should have killed whatever bond you had left. If anything he would have felt the pain of you and I um" I pause and try to phrase it delicately "making love" I finish and see her eyes widen.
"Good" her tone is fierce "bastard deserves nothing less."
I chuckle. "You're a bit vindictive" I kiss her on the forehead.
"You have no idea what it was like" she protested.
"No, so I have no right to judge you," I told her solemnly as she relaxed against me "but there is something we might need to discuss further along the line."
She looks confused. I try to think of a way to phrase the words and give up "you would have been highly fertile during your heat. There's every chance you might have gotten pregnant."
I wince. I feel like I've just blurted it out brashly. She blushes and then puts a hand to her stomach.
"You think that I might have gotten pregnant" she whispers, her body trembling slightly.
"It's a possibility" I corrected as she looked down at her stomach "and neither of us discussed what you wanted."
I felt bad about that. I had just made the assumption that when it came to children she would want them. It wasn't right to assume. I should have asked. Riley looked a little stricken. She furrowed her brow. "Well um," she stammered.
I took a deep breath "Whatever you decide you have my support although I would like children in my future."
There, I laid it all out. She looks surprised and then her eyes widen some more "oh, oh my god you think I would" she gasps "no, no, no" she shakes her head in denial "if there's a child I would want to keep it."
I relax. But she's not finished yet "But I don't know the first thing about being a mother" she bites her lip "and what if they turn out to be half siren or half lycan or a tribrid?" her voice is rising in panic.
I laugh. "I don't care if they are any of those things. We'll research it. I've never heard of a male siren though" I said thoughtfully considering it "only female ones. So maybe if we had a daughter..." I trailed off as she began to understand "as for the half lycan is that such a bad thing?" I asked.
"No," she said instantly "I just don't want our child to be feared because of who they are."
"They won't be. Not in our pack" I assured her "our pack is different remember? It's not prejudiced. Nobody fears you" I added as she bit her lip.
"That's true but then again, I haven't exactly been formally introduced as your mate" she murmured.
"Would you like to be formally introduced? There is a ritual" I said as she sleepily nodded "it's nothing more than a formal ceremony but if it would make you feel better? We could have a party afterwards and make it a celebration" I added, liking the idea. "In fact I bet its a lot like your Luna Ceremony's."
"That sounds fun" she yawns and I can see her eyelashes fluttering as she fights back sleep.
I'm guessing that shifting and then going for a run has used up whatever reserves of energy she had. I'm impressed she made it this far from the pack let alone managed to stay awake this long. Another testament to how strong her wolf was.
"We can invite other Alpha's to celebrate and you can get to know some of the neighbours and luna's."
She sleepily nods. I fight back a smile. She's so adorable. She almost falls backwards and I catch her as she yawns and begins to fall asleep in my arms.
"I guess that it all caught up to you huh" I whisper as I get silently to my feet and hoist her higher, cradling her against my chest as she snuggles against me, dead to the world.
Be careful with her. She's weak as a newborn pup chuckles my lycan heaven knows how long she'll be out before she wakes up. I have a feeling it might be days he warns.
That long? A shifter will normally only take one day I protest as I begin to walk slowly through the forest.
She's not a normal shifter and that transformation took a lot of energy. She had to use some of her powers to do it. I can't wait to see a pup in her belly he commented wistfully she's going to make a wonderful mother to our pups.
Can you tell if she is? My tone was curious.
Nope, too soon to tell. I can only hope my lycan informs me with a sigh.
I begin to jog towards the pack house, keeping my grip tight around Riley so that she isn't jostled too much. She murmurs sleepily as she lies there. I sigh. Her hair almost looks like it's glowing in the moonlight. It fascinates me. How could people be so fearful of something so beautiful? Of somebody so innocent and loving? Her first mate was an asshole I concluded, who had no notion of the treasure he possessed. Riley had done well to get away from him, I thought with a shake of my head, the bastard really hadn't known what he had. Imagine being so afraid of someone you wouldn't accept the mate the moon goddess had bestowed upon you! Foolishness. His loss was my gain, I thought smugly, as the pack house came into view. Each day Riley impressed me even more, not because of what she could do, but because she continued to give me a glimpse of who she was inside and that was the girl I was falling in love with, not the siren and not the wolf, The girl.