Romanian Proverb #14

Nu e trandafir fãrã spini.
No rose without a thorn.


One year later.

“Mina,” Vasile said staring up at the night sky as he reached for his mate. It had been two days since he had been able to truly speak to her through their bond. He was constantly engaging Emilian’s wolves and when one would fall another would take his place. And he was not the only one being distracted by Emilian. Alina had informed him that Emilian was growing more and more paranoid by his inability to kill Vasile. He was constantly sending out warriors into the villages, questioning pack members, convinced that someone was assisting Vasile. He was also beginning to give weight to the possibility that Serghei’s claim that Vasile was not mated was a lie. A mated wolf was stronger than an unmated male, and Emilian could not believe that Vasile was still more powerful than he since he was no longer Alpha. The only way that could be was if he indeed had a mate.
“You live another day, Alpha of Mine,” Alina teased as she answered him.
In the past year his mate had already begun to come into her own. Her confidence had grown; he could hear it in her voice and felt it in her teasing and occasional flirting. Circumstances had played a part in how quickly she had had to grow up, refining her already self-assured nature. She had an old soul, one filled with the need to care for others. When there were so many in need of her care, there was nothing she could do but answer those needs. He knew that he did not help her burden because he needed her most of all and she gave of herself freely to him. Her heart was al-ways overflowing with love for him, and her mind was an open book so that he could see just how much she missed him, needed him, and wanted him. Vasile was quickly learning that to know he was needed, wanted, and desired by the woman he loved made him feel as though he could move mountains.
“I have indeed, and it is a good thing since today is one that I could not possibly die on without having the chance to tell you happy birthday.”
“You remembered?”
He heard the surprise in her voice and wished so deeply that he could be with her to stare into her eyes so that she could see into his soul and know that there was nothing about her that he could ever forget. “How could I ever forget the best day of my life?”
She laughed. “You were not even there when I was born.”
“Perhaps not, but the day you were born was the day I was guaranteed to be loved by the most incredible woman I have ever had the privilege to know.” And he meant those words with every fiber of his being.
“Thank you, my love. Perhaps, next year you will be able to say those words to me as you hold me in your arms.”
Vasile’s heart clenched in his chest as though her fist had wrapped around it and squeezed. How badly he wanted that. “If I could be with you now, if it was safe, I would be by your side before the dawn.”