In The Beginning, Chapter 91
Daniel led me along the jagged rocks that lined the plateau, through a gap that was extremely well hidden, to a natural hot spring, illuminated with two torches that were stuck in the ground.
“How...?” I asked, but there were too many ways to end the question, and my brain couldn’t pick one.
“My family has been camping here for years, I think my grandfather found it? As for the spring, I have no idea where it comes from, or how it was made, but it’s warm.” He smiled, moving behind me and gathering my hair up with a tie I hadn’t noticed on his wrist. When he was done, he helped lower me into the warm water, before disappearing behind some rocks. When he returned, he was carrying what could only be described as a massive wicker chest.
“What is that!?” I cried, as I tried to get comfortable in the water, I was crouched so my body was submerged, but so my hair was kept dry.
“A picnic?” He replied unsure, while I giggled at the absurdity of it. He put the chest at the edge of the water and lowered himself in. “What are you doing?” He asked as I tried to balance using my arms to keep me upright.
“Trying to stay in the warm water without getting my hair wet.” I giggled.
“Just sit down.” He laughed, doing just that, leaning his arms and shoulders on the smoothed edge of the pool. I moved onto my knees, stretching my neck to keep my hair dry, as the water moved up my neck.
“I’m on my knees, if I sit down, I may encounter some issues breathing.” I replied, my chin dipping into the water. As I got back up off my knees, he grabbed my hand as I stood, pulling me through the pool to his lap.
“I prefer it when you’re on my lap.” He teased as he hooked my legs with one arm, so I could sit side saddled on his legs. Once he was sure I was comfortable, he unclipped two leather straps on either side of the chest, allowing the side, rather than the top of the chest to fall open on the rocks, it looked a little like a table. Inside the chest was a mind-boggling selection of foods, I could see cheese, meats, breads, and fruit. Daniel frowned like something was missing, then while refusing to let me get up, he reached around a rock and pulled out an ice bucket with a bottle of Champagne in it. “This is what tonight should have been.” He whispered softly, while I looked between him and the chest, dumbfounded.
“This... you... I...” I kept trying to say something, anything, but words utterly failed me.
“I know it’s not a spa day, or a night in an expensive hotel but-“
“It’s better!” I interrupted to insist, focusing on him completely. “This is why I thought you were imaginary.” I accidentally said out loud, causing him to almost bark out a surprised laugh.
“Not other things?” He teased, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Do you have any idea how perfectly romantic this is?” I asked him seriously, looking around. This far away from the city, and the town we could see thousands of stars above us, I had never seen so many stars before, it was like I was seeing the night’s sky for the first time. The torches’ light was reflecting off of the ripples we were making in the pool, making the whole thing somehow more magical. I gestured around me at it all. “It’s perfect.” I shrugged, feeling a little overwhelmed at all the hard work he did for me.
“You really like it?” He asked, shifting me so he could pop the champagne cork.
“Of course, I do! It’s beautiful here.” I could imagine a sea of green, spread to the horizon in summer, but even in winter though a little bare, it was still wonderful.
“It’s not exactly as I remember... it’s been a while.” He admitted as he poured our drinks.
“How come?” I asked, accepting a glass.
“We used to come here every Luna’s Day, after the celebration. But there is a tradition, no doubt you’ve read about, where you get to run with the pack for the first time after you get your wolf?” He asked, and I nodded, I had read a little about it. When the kids get their wolves, after the howl, the unmated warriors take them on a run, and teach them how to move together. I assumed from the brief description and some of the things I had witnessed, that they teach them the different calls I’d heard. “So, the last time I was here, I was fifteen, the year after I was asked to lead the run, as future Alpha, then it was Ben’s turn, and then I was away at college. I tried to get back for Luna’s Day every yea, but it didn’t always work out. By the time Ben and I were done with college, he had met Maria, and I didn’t want to be the third wheel with my parents... so it kinda died out.” He was quiet for a while trying to find the right words. “I thought about bringing you here, but...”
“But what?” I encouraged him softly.
“But until his mate died... Owen would come with us too, and Aunt Sandra, before...” He trailed off again, struggling to find the words to explain. “One of my first memories is of this place. I remember being tired, and my dad carrying me, so I must have been small, I think Ben was still a baby. My mom and Aunt Sandra shifted and led the way, while dad and Owen carried us, later we would ride their wolves here. It was the only time I saw my mother messy. She and Sandra would run ahead, so by the time we got to the camp, Ben and I would be put straight to bed, but I would try and stay awake as long as possible, because I would hear my mother and Sandra laughing, and giggling as they bathed. When they were done, my mother would change into jeans and one of my father’s shirts, she would leave her hair down so my father could braid it for her... I couldn’t wait to bring my mate when I found her...” He took a large gulp of his champagne, and I could feel how sad he felt.
“You don’t have-” He interrupted me with a kiss.
“I want to tell you, it’s just hard. I was seven? Maybe? When Sandra died... they had some trouble conceiving, at first. I remember Sandra crying in my parents’ room with my mom more than once, while Owen and my dad drank in the kitchen. Then she suddenly disappeared, it’s not common, but even wolves have complicated pregnancies sometimes, and she was put on bedrest. I remember Owen being worried about her, but so happy and excited too... Then we got the call, Sandra was in labour. My mother rushed to the hospital, but... The pup was stuck, they rushed Sandra into surgery, but she started bleeding, the pup had the cord around his throat. It felt really quick, like my mom had just left when dad got the call Sandra was heading into surgery, he left us with Kathy and went to the hospital too, but like half an hour later, she was dead. I found out most of the details when I was older, all I really remember from the time is the funeral. The whole pack came to mourn and offer condolences and sympathy... But everything made Owen angry, and my dad had to take him away.”
“From the funeral?” I asked in disbelief, no matter how angry someone was I couldn’t imagine forcing them to leave a loved one’s funeral.
“No, that was later, but it all started at the wake. The omega that prepped Sandra and the pup, in their pack, it was traditional to keep a token from a dead loved one, so he cut a lock of each of their hair and tried giving them to Owen. He lost it, screaming, crying, my father had to drag him into his office away from everyone, it was awful. We thought he would lose his mind, but he just stopped living for a long time... he just sorta existed. He didn’t laugh anymore, not really, he stopped coming here. He did his job, but not much else... Maybe that’s how the vampires got to him, without his jobs to distract him, his anger consumed him?” He asked, I hadn’t seen him so vulnerable before.
“That makes sense.” I agreed, and immediately felt his guilt. “But he must have known it was coming, that you and Ben would take over? He chose not to ask for help, and to let himself drown in his pain, that’s not your fault.” I insisted, putting down my glass so I could hold him.
“I don’t blame him; I wouldn’t survive losing you.” He whispered into my hair. I held him for a while, allowing him time to sort through his emotions, while comforting him in any way I could, until my stomach growling disturbed us. “I knew you didn’t eat enough.” He chuckled, as he started pulling food out of the chest. We spent about an hour in the pool, drinking champagne, feeding each other, laughing and kissing. Daniel particularly enjoyed feeding me the juiciest fruits, so he could lick anything that burst from the plump flesh off of my skin, until I was breathless and clinging to him desperate for more. Eventually, Daniel got out of the hot spring and retrieved robes and slippers he had stashed somewhere and helped me out of the water. Daniel insisted I sat by the fire, while he carried the still half full chest over to it. “The blanket was supposed to be for now, so we didn’t get the bed wet... but I guess I kinda got that a little dirty too.” He frowned, looking at the crumpled, and muddy in places, blanket.
“The log is fine, I’m close enough, and there’s room for you.” I smiled, Daniel sat next to me, with his arm around my shoulders.
“I have actual clothes when you’re ready to change.” He suddenly announced, as I leaned into him giggling, but suddenly exhausted.
“I didn’t think you expected me to ride your wolf with just a robe, and no underwear.” I chuckled at the image.
“Hmm, no, you’re only allowed to ride one part of me like that.” He purred into my ear suggestively, making my cheeks flush red. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep my hands off of you right now?” He groaned, lifting my chin so his lips brushed mine.
“Who’s stopping you?” I teased with a raised eyebrow.
“You think I don’t know how tired you are?” He chuckled, as he let my hair out of its tie. “We have a few hours until sunrise, if you want a nap.” He offered, as his fingers combed out my tangles. I hummed in relaxation, leaning into him as he played with my hair, which he took as an agreement, grabbing the rucksack and pulling out sweats for us both. “Come on, let’s get into some clothes and go to bed.” The rest of the night was just as magical, despite Daniel’s reservations, when it came time to get dressed neither of us could resist, and we made love in the bed until we fell asleep in each other’s arms.
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