Falling into the White (The Ancients Series) (27 page)

“Jess,” Mikael found me standing off to myself, staring out over the crowd of my pack, but not belonging. “Do you want to get out of here, now?”

“An idea was just forming in my mind, for what I want to do, one day, when I take up my place as the white wolf ruler.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“I want to know the minds of my people. I want to be able to have a council in every clan and pack that I meet with. I want them to tell me their hopes, dreams, and desires for the future of their people. I want the councils to change every year, and to include both men and women of varying ages. I want to be able to get a feel for what is lacking, and what is right with each group of people.”

Mikael leaned over and kissed the top of my head, “already you are a far better ruler than my father ever has been.”

“Take me home, please?” I wanted to be able to sit down and gather my thoughts, but I also wanted to just go curl up in Mikael’s arms and feel safe, cared for, and content for just a little while before the burdens of our world were placed on my shoulders.

“Anything for you. Let me do one thing right today, and go inform your parents that I am taking you home though.” He smiled, and kissed my hand before he walked away.

“He’s a brave man to approach Jameson today,” he cleared his throat, “after what went on earlier.” Avery Daniels had walked up as Mikael had gone off in search of my parents.

“He is, indeed.” I looked up into Avery’s deep brown eyes then, a deep contrast to the blond hair that framed his face. “You have my apologies for our lack of decorum earlier.”

“Oh no, my dear, that is not necessary. I remember what it was like to be young and in love. Were my mate still of this Earth, she would remind me that we too were once careless, but passionate.” The smile on his face was genuine, if tinged with pain. “Your father has confided in me about your condition, and what you will become for our people.” He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “I would be very interested in learning what you see for the future of our kind. I have concerns about certain trends I am seeing in the young.”

“I was just speaking to Mikael of forming councils within each clan to find out what their desires and concerns are.”

Avery nodded appreciatively. “Very good. Mikael, he is-is to be-your bonded mate?”

“Yes, he is. We will have the proper bonding ceremony during the solstice celebration, as his father required.”

“I see. Well, may I suggest that you keep distance between one another when Antoine is lurking about then?”

“That obvious, huh?”

“Without a doubt, my dear. It’s the only reason I was able to talk your father into a walk earlier instead of a very angry trip upstairs.”

I laughed then. “Thank you for that.” I noticed Mikael headed back towards us then. “Avery?”

“Yes?”

“What did you discover this afternoon at the caves?”

“It was as you thought, Jessica. A pretty disguise was set up to fool those who didn’t think they needed to look closer. Jack and Andy will be coming back with me. Your father is posting men on this end, and we will flush Zach out by tomorrow evening.”

“Please, be careful, and look out for them. I don’t know Andy that well, but Jack is my brother just as if he were blood.”

“I understand. They will be under my watch, Jessica. I promise.”

“Thank you.”

Mikael was there then, and when he offered his hand, I took it and let him guide me out of the great hall, and into the night where my Jeep, instead of his motorcycle awaited us.

“What’s this?”

“I thought you might want to bring some more of your things over than just a bag, and we couldn’t fit a lot of extras on the back of the bike with us.”

“So, I guess this means you plan on keeping me around for a while then, huh?”

He laughed at me, “we’ll see. You play your cards right, and maybe…” I smacked Mikael playfully on the arm.

“Hey, now!” He turned and grabbed me up in a tight hug, “I am yours until I take my last breath.” He placed a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose then. “Let’s go home.”

REAP AND SOW

Mikael and I spent a few hours just enjoying being together, alone, where there weren’t any interruptions, no one listening in, or finding evidence of our interactions. When I fell asleep that night, I was completely content with my life. I was still worried about the Zach situation, coming out to the wolf-world as the fated white wolf ruler, and dealing with Antoine. Those things were dancing at the periphery of my mind, but with Mikael’s arm wrapped around me, snuggled up, and breathing gently behind me, I was lulled to sleep despite everything that should have been keeping me awake.

“Congratulations on the true bond, Jessica St. Marks. It glows from within you, so that we may see.” The conglomeration of white wolves past was speaking in that eerie echoing voice they used.

“About that…” I stood before them in the cave with the dais at its center, as I always did in these dreams. “We bonded, but then something else happened afterward with so much white light, and we glowed…”

“Yes, this is the sign of a true bond. It is rarely seen anymore, and even when it happens, the light has faded for many people. We hoped you’d be the one to bring it back to our people. Now, all true bonds can experience it for themselves too.”

“So, this is something that has happened before?”

“Yes. When the white wolf finds a true bond, the ability renews itself in our people. Some of us were not as fortunate as you were, and it has been lost to our kind for some time now. This is why mates became chosen by packs instead of by hearts. This is what weakens our people. The true bond, it breeds stronger wolves, and should be cultivated. The true bonding is a soul-share. A piece of each goes into the other. It is what lights you up so brightly for one another. That is where the immense connection comes from. Do you understand, that you are two pieces made whole only when you are with your mate?”

I nodded at the white wolves. Everything they were describing made sense. It explained the intensity for what I felt when I was in Mikael’s presence, and the awareness I had of him when I wasn’t. What struck me was that I had already thought about what packs choosing mates for their people was doing to our kind. Being paired with Zach in the beginning had given me a clarity into the situation that I was thankful for. It would have been a disaster had I been forced into that union. Luckily, my father was already taking steps to dissolve chosen mates for those who weren’t already bonded. He was giving everyone a choice. I wanted to take it a step further and make sure all packs had the same choice, and that they got to intermingle, because I didn’t believe everyone’s perfect bond existed under their own roof so to speak. That certainly hadn’t been the case for me.

“Is there a way for us to hide the bond, until the solstice? I have this feeling,” my hand was clutched tight over my stomach, “deep inside that it is imperative, but we are doing a miserable job of it so far.”

The women who were cycling through the white wolf persona on the dais smiled down upon me. “Such a problem to have. Some of us wish we had been as lucky as you. When you approach Antoine, he will see what you want him to see. All you have to do is use your voice, and tell him.”

“You mean influence him with power?”

“Indeed. You are more powerful than he is, now. You can take your place when you see fit.”

“When Mikael is gone from me, I feel like I know where he is. That’s not just me imagining things is it?”

“No, that is part of the true bond. It allows you to locate one another in times of need. You will also be attuned to each other in ways most are not familiar with. These are things you will discover along the way though.”

“We have to deal with a rogue wolf who is causing trouble before we deal with Antoine or figure anything else out.”

“Yes, we see that too. He has help. We cannot get a clear picture though. There is a block on the one you seek.”

“It’s okay, I think I know where he can be found.”

“But you do not know who helps this rogue, yet.”

“We’ll find out soon enough, I think.”

“Be wary, young wolf, there are those who do not want to see another of our kind. There are more still who fight to keep us from a true bond.”

“I understand.” The world started to go fuzzy around the edges, as the dream began to slip away from underneath me.

“You are blessed, Jessica St. Marks De’ Lune. Go with the blessing of the white wolves, carry forth our legacy, give birth to our future, be the conduit for the prosperity of our kind. This is what you were born for, blessed with, we honor you, and our faith has been placed within.”

The dream faded out before I could respond to their blessing. I felt every word, there was a heat in it that began to course through my veins, and settle deep within my bones. It was also the first time I had been called by my mate’s name. That part thrilled me to no end. As the haze of the dream spilled away from me I found myself waking up, still in Mikael’s arms. I shimmied my body a little closer, and his arm flexed tighter around me for a minute. I felt deliciously full in that moment. He was mine, I loved him, and every new thing I learned about him just intensified that feeling. This was absolutely where I was supposed to be, by his side.

I allowed myself a little time to revel in the feel of him pressed up against my back, arm holding me securely, his even breaths lulling me back into a quiet comfortable place. Before long I was back in the dream world. When I first became aware of what was happening, I was in the caves near the pack lands, the one where Mikael and I had bonded. As usual, with my dreams, I couldn’t hear anything. I could sense that I wasn’t alone though. When I turned around the witch was there.

“You are not safe,” she told me urgently.

“Of course I’m not. How did you know about this place? Are you the one secretly helping Zach?”

“I am not, but I know the one who is. She is a formidable opponent on her own, but she too is being aided in her endeavors.”

“You are not Estella Sophia Marquez!”

“No, I am not. I used her name, because it is known, and it would generate interest from those around you. My apologies for the deception. The fact remains that Sophia is a great threat to you and your line.”

“Great! I don’t suppose you know when your sister plans on killing me then?”

“You are mistaken. They don’t want you dead. They want you broken. You’re far more of a symbol to them broken than just gone. Gone, you become a martyr. Broken, they show that they can take down the strongest, and not bat an eye.” She looked closely at me then, “You’ve bonded though. I can feel the magic in this place. Worry not, they don’t know. Sophia can no longer feel the kind of magic that comes with a true bonding. She lost that ability when she got into the business of breaking bonds.”

“Wait, you’re telling me she has no way of knowing?”

“Indeed. Trouble is coming. You need to heed the dreams, and learn from them tonight.”

“Oh, trust me, I am learning a lot already.” My hackles were still raised as I spoke with the witch, but my gut was telling me she wasn’t the one I had to be concerned with. I felt the truth in her words when she spoke.

“Jessica,” she seemed almost sad as she said my name. “Use everything at your disposal to make it right.”

“To make what right?” I asked, but was not answered as the vision blurred and faded to something else. I was launched into another dream vision, far removed from this one.

I was standing near the lake, but it was years ago. Jack was there, and he’d recently undergone the change to become a wolf. He was smiling up at me, but I realized it wasn’t me he was looking at. I turned to see Sierra standing there, and she actually looked almost shy as she approached him.

They were speaking to one another, but I couldn’t hear anything again. Jack was luminous. He radiated light as they came together, and then Sierra caught fire in white light too. She wasn’t burning, she was just glowing, all over. A true bond, I realized. They may not have seen the light the way I was seeing it now, but it had been there. This was when they bonded, and I wondered briefly why I was seeing what seemed like a very personal memory belonging to Jack and Sierra. Then the blissful look on Jack’s face was replaced by one of aching pain and sorrow. He was hurting, and I couldn’t see why or hear anything. He wasn’t near the lake anymore. At some point the place where we were shifted, and there were others coming close. But before they did, I saw a silver wolf with a black stripe down its back and another wolf, a black one, hidden back in the shadows, watching momentarily, then taking off again.

“NO!” I screamed in the dream. No one around me was affected by the sound I made, but I willed the dream to change. “Show me from the beginning,” I demanded. To my surprise, I stood still as the world shifted around me, and recreated itself. When it did, I was standing there amongst Avery Daniels, Jack, and Andy. They were together with a couple other men I couldn’t identify, and Daniels was talking. “I need to hear them.” I shouted out loud to no one in particular.

The volume turned on in my dream, for once, and I was listening in as Daniels gave directions to the men. “Mike picked up the scent we’ve been looking for out by the caves. It seems running through the tunnels earlier flushed the little shit out. We’re going to go in with caution. Andy, Jack, you’re both with me. I promised a little white wolf you’d be coming home safe and sound. I intend to keep that promise.” Andy simply nodded, but Jack looked slightly pissed.

“We don’t need a babysitter. Jessica knows that.”

“You already lost one member of your pack. I will be with you this time, to aid if needed. Mike, Drew, and Ian you three flush them out of the tree line by the river bank. Bring them back in this way,” he was pointing down at a map. We’ll come at them from over here, and herd them straight to the pit.” The pit appeared to be an old pond that was no longer filled with water. The men all took off then, having gotten their orders. I stayed with Jack and Andy as they ran. Avery dropped back a couple paces behind them, taking up a rear guard position, as he watched the tree line intently. A howl went up from somewhere off to the east, and they all glanced that way, but continued on to their destination. Once they were near the tree line, Andy picked up the scent, and then Jack caught it a second after. “Got him!” Jack yelled, and shifted on the spot to wolf so he could better track his subject. Jack was a natural, and the others followed suit in order to keep up.