Raven Moon (37 page)

Rave rolled her eyes. “Father, it’s not polite to stare at people, especially an alpha werewolf.”

King Corax smiled at Rave and then turned to Maddox. “Apologies, I was merely honing in on my raven foresight. I see you are not a spy and point in fact rather fond of my daughter.”

Maddox met his eyes, unyielding. “More than fond, sir. We are mates.”

“Lupine laws do not apply to us ravens, so do not think that just because you have had assignations with Princess Ravenna…” His tone deepened. “Or given her a love bite does not mean Ravenna belongs to you.”

“Oh Father, but I do.”

King Corax snapped. “Silence!”

Rave snapped back. “I’m a grown woman and he is mine.”

Her mother placed a hand on her father’s shoulder. “Ravenna, what your father is saying is that you must make a choice.”

Rave grabbed Maddox’s hand and squeezed it. “I have, we have.”

Morgan smiled at her daughter. “We agree, you may keep Maddox as a consort but you must marry and make a nest with a raven prince. Your duty is to become the next queen.”

Maddox bristled and clenched his jaw. The thought of Rave bedding another man and bearing his children was anathema to him as it would be to any werewolf. Impossible! The beast in him roared. It would never allow such an arrangement, even if it was a sham of a marriage. A growl escaped his throat.

Rave frowned. “Maddox is the man I will nest with, my future husband.”

King Corax released a deep sigh. “Then we have no choice but to officially adopt Prince Harold of Alaska to be our next king.”

“Fine. You always wanted a son instead of me anyway.”

“How could you say that? You are the most precious thing in my life,” said Corax.

“I overheard your disappointment when the doctor said you and mother would have no more children. How sad you were not to have a son.”

Corax long tapering fingers squeezed the armrest. “I admit I wanted a son, but never to replace you. You would still have been the next in line to rule. But after what the seer told us, and my foresight confirmed, we knew this day would come.”

“What do you mean, Father?”

Morgan said, “Before we met with my doctor, we visited the seer Aslaug. She said a king would rule after your father. We argued with her that this was not possible, but she confirmed what we sensed, you would someday take a white wolf as a mate rather than ascend the throne. Your father not only lamented we would not have a son, but that we would never have other children to rule our murder. When you and Bram agreed to marry, we were relieved until we read your messages.”

“We hoped Aslaug had made an error and our foresight had been wrong but it has come to pass,” said King Corax. “However, never in our wildest dreams did we think you would mate a Benandanti werewolf.”

Maddox met the king’s fathomless black eyes. “I assure you, I have broken my ties to the Benandanti pack and vow to serve only the Fenrir Arbor packs. I will love and protect Princess Ravenna until the end of my days.”

Rave beamed. “Maddox was not born into the Benandanti but adopted.”

“Yes, Willow Bothwell told us this morning,” said her mother.

Maddox lifted a brow at Rave. “The old witch, Dora told us about?”

Morgan laughed lightly. “Apparently, she was your birth mother’s piano teacher.”

Rave’s eyes widened. “No way!”

Maddox ran a hand through his hair. “Willow knew my mother?”

“Indeed. She taught your mother, from the time she was five until she was eighteen.”

King Corax broke the spell. “I’m sure she’ll fill you in about your mother.” He turned his gaze to Rave. “Ravenna, what is your decision? Accept your duty to our crown and ascend the throne or step down to marry Maddox?”

Maddox braced himself. Their dreams had shown they had a spiritual connection and were mates but was love worth giving up a kingdom?

Rave glanced at him with a smile and then back to her parents. “I choose Maddox my mate and the man I love.”

Maddox beamed. He wanted to howl but instead sighed. “Are you sure you no longer wish to be a princess, except in my heart?”

Corax snorted. “Ravenna’s title remains. After all, I am still king and her mother still the queen. She only forfeited her crown not her royal status.”

Rave cocked her head. “No banishment from the rookery?”

Her mother smiled. “We will not keep you and Maddox from visiting the rookery however, it would be unseemly for the two of you to nest in our territory.”

Rave smiled. “I’m cool with that.” She leapt from her seat and hugged her mother and then her father.

King Corax stood. “A memorial has been arranged for Cashel and Beccan in two days on top of El Capitan.” His tone emphasized. “We will attend in raven form.”

Rave bowed. “I will be honored.”

Would she really be capable of flight? “I can climb and carry you.”

She pressed her two fingers on his lips. “No, Maddox. I wish to attend the memorial without you. Please understand this has nothing to do with our bond. If you love me, trust me.”

Morgan smiled. “Nothing will happen to Ravenna.”

Maddox lowered his head. “Very well.”

Rave sighed. “How about we have an early supper and then Maddox will entertain us with a piano concert?”

“I will?”

Morgan laughed. “We would be delighted.”

King Corax still not won over, shrugged. “Why not? Our day is open.”

“Oh, Father, show some enthusiasm.”

He hugged her and let go. “We’ll discuss a welcome home dinner after the memorial service.”

Chapter 26

Maddox slept curled in wolf form at the base of El Capitan. After waiting at the lodge and going mad with worry, Dora and Dirk had suggested he spend the night nearby.

A splendid idea. If she ran into danger, he’d scale the monolith in moments. This way, he could watch without appearing needy as wolf mates often were. She asked him to trust her and he would respect her.

What she didn’t know would not hurt her.

The memorial ritual had started at sunset and continued until sunrise. Rave told him they would cross the veil to fly with their dearly departed friends.

Would they really cross the underworld rookery or was it a guided meditation?

He needed to learn so much about her raven shifter kind. Rave had given up her future throne for him; the least he could do was honor her raven rituals and culture.

Hours after sunrise, distant raven caws announced their return to the forest. Maddox stood, shook off the snow from his coat and perked his ears. He stared at the fog-laden mountain. The ravens flew away from the monolith.

He crept close, his white fur camouflaged in the fresh snow as a large raven flew toward him. She cawed. Ravenna. How did she spot him from such distance?

So much for hiding from his mate.

He wagged his tail. The accelerating wing repair potion worked. Too well. He had anticipated her flight to be slower and guarded, but she flew as if she had never broken her wing and was on a mercurial mission.

She swooped by, leaving the air fresh with her aromatic essence. Rave soared to the sky and did aerial acrobatics, showing off her flight skills. She cawed and did an upside down maneuver.

He whimpered. Was she in trouble?

She righted and spread her wings, like a dark angel. From what Dora had shared, Rave was the best raven flier.

Rave flapped her wings and lowered herself to the ground. She roused, wiggled her tail, and then walked toward him. She cocked her head at him and uttered a soft ‘prukk’.

Maddox wagged his tail and bowed in play.

She flew and landed on a low branch, teasing him.

He grabbed a fallen feather, sniffed it and let it fall to the ground. He scent-rolled over it, relishing her sweet aroma.

Rave flapped her feathers and released a ‘ha, ha, ha’ before landing and shifting. Dressed all in black including a black woolen cloak that covered all but her pale face and extenuated her purple eyes.

Maddox shifted from wolf to human form. He bowed. “Princess Ravenna, apologies. Forgive my attire or rather lack of it.”

She gawked at him and then licked her red lips. “No apology necessary.” Her gaze travelled to his aroused cock. “I appreciate that werewolves always shift back skyclad.”

Maddox narrowed his eyes. “I’m only showing control out of respect.” He smiled. “How about I give you a werewolf ride back to the lodge?”

“Not as fast as flight but a whole lot more fun.”

He twisted into his monstrous werewolf form. Rave leapt on his back and he dashed to the lodge. At the steps, Maddox shifted and carried her over the threshold.

As they entered, two female werewolves howled. “Oh, yeah, baby,” snickered the one closest.

Maddox ignored them and ran upstairs still carrying his precious cargo.

He opened the door and before she spoke, he removed her cloak and kissed her long and hard. Possessing his mysterious raven. She moaned in pleasure. Still holding her with his demanding kiss, he slammed the door shut causing a wall painting to slant.

His cock pressed against her. He eased away from her swollen lips. “Each second away from you was an eternity.”

Rave pressed a finger to his lips and pouted a frown. “We need to live in a house without breakable furniture.”

He grazed his fangs along her soft throat. “Yes, a den.” His wolf rumbled in feral satisfaction as he gently bit above her pulse.

She moaned as her fingers turned into feathers and fluttered around his shoulders. “I won’t miss my rookery with you by my side.”

Maddox paused and met her eyes. “I’ve no problem if you occasionally hang out with your kind.” He drew her in and nibbled her earlobe. “I’ll do my best to stay away from your raven ceremonies.”

She laughed lightly. “Like you tried earlier?”

“That was my inner wolf’s fault.” He lifted his brow. “Was it that obvious?”

“Raven scouts reported a white wolf pacing at the base of El Capitan. Father announced to everyone the wolf was his anxious future son-in-law.”

“Really, so he’s okay with us having a nesting ritual?”

“Well not yet, but he got the scandal out in open. I announced my official abdication of the throne in order to marry you.”

“No threat of banishment, then?” He said under his breath, “At least they didn’t mob the big bad wolf.”

“Our seer concurred that our mating was directed by our goddess Morrigu.” She shrugged. “I might have lost a few acquaintances and we’ll definitely need to live down here. Allowing us to live in the rookery would cause too much of an uproar.”

“Hmm. I suppose I can get used to this lodge.”

“Are you joking? This place is for Wolf Guard conferences. Mother acquired a cottage for us. About two miles from the lodge.”

“Sounds charming.”

Rave furrowed her brow. “You haven’t officially asked for my hand in marriage.”

He laughed. “But I did introduce you to Mad Moxie as my fiancée. Doesn’t that count?”

“Umm. Nooo.”

Maddox smiled. “Don’t move.” He dashed into the closet and drew out a shoebox.

She clapped her hands together and gave him a bemused smile. “Are you going to propose by offering me a pair of stripper stilettos?”

“No, actually it was Dora’s idea.”

Rave narrowed her eyes. “Who knew a Benandanti would take advice from a Melandanti witch?”

Maddox handed her the box and she opened it. “Oh wow.” She pulled out a simple clump of ten twigs wrapped in a red string. “This is how our ancestors proposed to one another.”

“I know most of your suitors offered you gold encrusted nests layered with precious diamonds.”

Rave laughed. “And don’t forget videos of their flight maneuvers.”

“I do suppose, I’ll have to offer other attributes to make up for my lack of aerial acrobatics.”

“Hot long werewolf sex certainly does,” she purred.

Maddox smiled and his wolf howled. “Naughty bird. However, first things first.” He got on one knee. “Though we are mates, will you still make me the happiest man and accept my nesting material?”

Rave pressed the twigs against her heart. “This is all I need and yes, you big bad naked wolf, I will marry you.”

He sighed in relief and gave her a chaste kiss on the hand.

She met his eyes. “I accept your nest. Let’s tie the knot in a few days. We’ll honeymoon in a den of your choosing before we go off on an ape hunt.”

Maddox stood, drew her in and kissed her. At last, he and his wolf were at inner peace. They parted lips and he gazed in her purple eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay and recuperate?”

“Why? Do you think I pulled muscles to show off my flight maneuvers? Thanks to Dora’s potion for wing repair it feels as though I never had a broken arm.”

“Dark magic.”

“Silly, white magic when it’s used for healing.”

If Dirk could tolerate his mate being in danger, he would have to as well. Though Dora had powers, Rave’s only escape route was flight. Not to mention, Rave was in charge of Avian intel and he could not order her to stay home. It would go against the pack’s needs. “As long as you hire me as your personal guard.”

“Really, I thought you wanted a higher rank within the Wolf Guard.” She poked a finger at his chest. “How about we team up? That way you can earn a rank and be nearby so I can protect you,” she said with smug satisfaction.

“Hah, you protect me?”

“Hello? Who injected you with the cure?”

“Who found you with a broken arm and jumped in a frozen lake to rescue you?”

“Who nose-dived Jaeger while you healed?” She laughed. “Not that I’m counting.”

He smiled. “Touché.”

“Don’t worry, you are always my hero.”

“Good to know. Oh, at noon, Dora is going to introduce me to Willow Bothwell. I look forward to what she can tell me about my mother.”

“Wow, two new Melandanti friends. What will the Benandanti pack say?”

He snorted, “Besides wanting my head? That I have returned to my true roots.”

She smoothed a finger over his hard cock. “Can we make love without breaking things?”

“I’m not complaining, but don’t you want to preen before we go? We only have twenty minutes.”

“I thought we mastered the concept of the quickie?”