Chapter 195: Stephen
*I know yeh don’t love her like that. But yeh can wait and watch her put on yer ring. – Grams*
Werewolf followed his wife, Charlotte, and kids along the forest foot path to the manor. He had thoroughly objected to being so far away. Moira told him that she would know if Nessie was in danger before he would.
Fiona gave them a cottage with a suite downstairs and kids rooms upstairs. The two sets of bunk beds in each room meant that all four kids had a top bunk. Fourteen-year-old Colton stopped on the trail and waited for his dad.
“What’s up?” Werewolf asked putting his arm around his son’s shoulders. It did not seem like that long ago that we were bringing him home from the hospital. Now he had a light five o’clock shadow.
“This is really cool, dad.” Colton said. “I’m glad we got to come.”
“You better thank Nessie. She insisted that you guys come.” He told his son as he scanned the car park for the Land Rover.
“She doesn’t seem very upset about her grandmother dying.” Colton observed as they entered the dining room through the back door.
“Who? Nessie?” Nana Bee asked as she set out a platter of scones. “She’s not losing her Grams. She’s gaining a ghost.”
“Mum.” Fiona said coming in from the hallway. “The Coven is arriving.”
“Any sign of yer daughter?” Nana Bee asked with a knowing smile.
“Nacht.” Fiona scoffed. “Makes me wonder if the legend of the stones is true.”
“Yeh can ask.” Siobhan suggested. “Where is me bairn?”
“I believe yer grandah has him.” Nana Bee sighed and turned to the table where ten of Fiona’s children sat. “Elsbeth, will yeh go find Seanair?”
“He’s in the front parlor with the baby.” The blonde teenager replied and smiled at Colton.
“Go on, son.” Werewolf chuckled and his own teen grabbed a scone before dashing away.
The backdoor opened and Nessie walked in just before Knuckles did. They were both smiling and looked exactly like what they were. A couple who had spent all night fucking.
As they approached the small group at the end of the buffet, Nessie stopped. A look of sadness and loss covered her face. She closed her eyes to stop the tears that slipped out and down her cheeks.
“Yeh dinna go. Why lad?” She whispered softly. “Aye. Tell me what yeh need me to do for yeh.”
Knuckles suddenly jumped and yanked on the chain around his neck. The two rings on the chain were suddenly ice cold.
Nessie opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Yeh said yeh didn’t care when or how…”
“Right.” He nodded letting the chain drop on the outside of his shirt. “I suggested a priest, a judge, Trigg. And you want a priestess. I’m fine with that, babe. Whatever gets this ring on your finger and our last names the same.”
Knuckles pushed her wild curly fire red hair behind her ears and gently cupped her face. “I love you, Ness. You and only you. No other. From-”
Lollipop placed a hand over his mouth. Nessie giggled and Knuckles glowered at him.
“Oh, let the mon finish.” A regal woman dressed in silver and white smiled. Her long gray hair fell around her and her pale blue eyes held a glint of mischief. As she walked forward, the use of her white Shillelagh more for show, the long skirt moved revealing her to be barefoot.
“I think that he should at least know what he’s saying.” Lollipop replied.
“Say that to each other a lot?” the woman asked as she stopped next to him and held out her hand.
He had seen the motion with Nessie enough to know what she was silently asking. Left hand, palm up, flat. He placed his own left hand in hers, also palm up and flat. Just as Nessie would do with others, the woman ran her finger along the various lines of his palm.
The woman looked at Nessie and she placed her left hand above his. She repeated the same actions with her hand. Once satisfied, the woman closed their hands together.
Still holding their hands together with both of her own, the woman closed her eyes. There were several emotions that crossed her face as she stood there. When she opened her eyes, there was a flash of brilliant blue before returning to light blue.
“Hold tight to each other. The road ahead is dangerous. Could yeh hear the Stones?” the woman asked Knuckles with a smile.
“Yes. It was…” he trailed off not knowing the words to use.
“Aye, it is.” She gave a small laugh. “I may be old now, but I was once young. I know what they do to a mon.”
“I guess the legend is true.” Fiona said to her sister.
The women of the coven smiled and Knuckles used his hand on the back of Nessie’s neck to pull her to him. He kissed the top of her head and she snuggled into him.
“Was it worth the wait?” Siobhan asked him.
“Hell yeah it was.” He kissed her hair again. “She’s always worth it. No matter the sacrifice.”
“Good.” Moira said as she gave him a key to their cottage. “Kitchen is already stocked. Grandmother Olivia?”
“Aye, my Irish sister, I bless the union. Although, if he can hear the Stones, my blessing is not needed.” The woman said as she met Knuckles eyes. “Yer friend says that yeh have his grandparents’ rings. Are those them?”
“Yes ma’am.” He answered as he moved to take off the chain.
Accepting the jewelry, Grandmother Olivia nodded. “We shall bless them before yer union. Now go, rest, yeh had a very busy night.”
She started to turn away, but paused and looked back at the couple as they left. “Thomas. Do yeh make that declaration to her very often?”
Knuckles smiled down at Ness before turning his attention to Grandmother Olivia. “At least once a day.”
“Words have power.” She said and he nodded in agreement. “Those words, do yeh know what power they hold?”
“They are the words that your Coven uses to bind your sister to her soul mate.” He answered with a grin.
