In The Beginning, Chapter 93
After our shower, and no nap, I tried to give Daniel his gift, but he asked me to wait until Christmas, so we could share not only the pack’s and Lycan traditions, but mine too. Lunch with my mother was eventful as always, especially when she announced she was able to stay for Christmas dinner with his family, and we brought up moving to the pack. Just as I thought, she refused to leave our town, as that was where she told my father she would be waiting for him but agreed to come back for a vacation in the summer. Once she had gone back to the cottage, but not before ordering me to get some sleep, and after I ate far too much of the pasta Kathy made, Daniel and I cuddled up on the couch and spent the day dozing in front of the TV.
The next few days were a welcome break from the stress of work and training. Appletree had shut down the day before Luna’s Day, only a skeleton crew for security, had to return before December twenty-sixth. Daniel insisted on taking me and my mother shopping, spoiling us both by trying to buy anything that caught our attention. The only sour note was the attention his security detail garnered as they practically closed down different departments in the store to the public, making them intrigued, then disappointed when they didn’t recognise us as celebrities.
“Just how rich are you?” My mother blurted after a store manager nearly peed himself with excitement while running around and shouting into a headset for additional staff.
“Rich enough.” Daniel chuckled, while I stared at her open mouthed until Daniel kissed my temple softly. I knew he wasn’t offended, but it was still mortifying.
On Christmas morning, I woke up in Daniel’s arms, his legs tucked behind mine, his beard tickling the nape of my neck. It quickly moved down my spine, as his lips kissed my skin.
“Good morning my Luna.” He murmured, his voice gruff with sleep, that sent a little shiver through me. “Goddess, you smell incredible.” He mumbled, and I couldn’t contain a little giggle.
“Good morning, my Alpha.” I whispered mischievously, he moved on top of me so fast I didn’t feel his hand press me into the mattress, before his lips were moving down my chest. He pressed his forehead into my sternum, his hands moved around me, holding me close to him, and I frowned confused, and trying not to feel rejected. I knew he loved me, and found me sexy, I just had to repeat it to myself a couple of times.
“I need to talk to you about something, before... we... do anything.” He sighed, and I was getting worried. He moved back against the headboard, pulling me with him so I was practically sprawled across his chest, he did this when he wanted to talk about something serious. Sometimes because he didn’t want to see the hurt in my eyes, like when the man Anore tricked into thinking she was his mate killed himself after he was told the truth. Or when he wanted to give me a moment to react in private, like when the pack found out, and the elders and other Alphas agreed to tell the whole pack about how vampires manipulate the mate bond. And their reactions to it.
“I’m listening.” I prompted when he didn’t say anything.
“A wedding ring is impractical for a Lycan, I know Ben often wears one at work, and I’m happy to do the same. There’s not going to be much call for me to shift there, so it won’t be an issue, but... but here is different, I could have to shift without any warning, and I’m gonna lose it. Probably several until I get used to wearing one. Never been one for jewellery really.” He muttered, making me feel we had gone off on an unscripted tangent from his original, and obviously rehearsed speech.
“What are you asking me, exactly?” I asked, turning to look at him, resting my chin on my hands, mostly so he could see I had no idea where this was heading.
“Well, there’s this heirloom thing that we could wear when we are home if you wanted.” He said guiltily, and I was still lost.
“Okay, I mean I thought our mate marks were enough, but if you want something to symbolise our marriage as well, I’d like that, but its not needed, for me.” I said softly, but he still had the look, like I was going to hate it.
“Okay.” He leaned over to his bedside draw and pulled out a brightly wrapped gift. “This actually belonged to Orvar and his mate Astrilde. Orvar was son of Lounn and Tyr, who was son of Odin and Snotra. She was considered a goddess of love, and when Orvar met Astrilde, he had this made, it was modelled after one Odin had made for Snotra, his first mate.” He explained as I carefully unwrapped a quite large felt box. Inside was a thick chain in a Viking pattern, it was wide, but flat, with several sections removed or if they melded strands of silver together, I had no idea. Hanging from it was a silver disk with a howling wolf’s head on it.
“It’s beautiful.” I said, and it was...
“But?” He asked nervously.
“No but... just a little shocked. Its bigger than I thought it would be. I had no idea women uses to wear jewellery this- wow that’s heavy!” I interrupted myself when I tried to lift the piece, while Daniel chuckled beside me.
“Yeah, I was supposed to explain, it’s not one piece, but two.” He picked up the disk, and twisted, the disk came away from the heavy chain, revealing a crescent moon. He handed me the silver circle, and I saw a long modern chain attached. “This would be your half, and that would be mine.” He explained as I ran my fingers over the intricately designed wolf that had actually been etched into the disk.
“Is that why it’s so big? So, it will fit your wolf? Won’t he feel like its a collar? Would-?” I began, my questions flowing like word vomit as I worried, he was only doing it for me.
“Yes, it is big enough for my wolf, no, he will not feel like he is wearing a collar, I wondered the same thing. He loves it, was strutting around like an idiot.” His wolf made the groaning noise making me smile. “It fell out of fashion I suppose but it's taught in our schools as part of our histories. Odin had one made of gold for Snotra, not the best idea for a wolf, so Orvar went with silver, it isn’t as noticeable against our fur. Ben had a theory Snotra was a nymph or fae.”
“I thought Odin’s wife was Frigga?” I asked, in between work, studying and learning Lycan rituals I had started reading about Norse mythology to understand more. I had tried Greek mythology too but reading about Zeus raping women just made me feel sick.
“She was his second chance mate, and half fae, they met on the battlefield, while he was fighting to avenge Snotra’s death, at the hands of a rival Alpha. Frigga was a shield maiden in an allied pack, fighting on Odin’s side.” He replied with a chuckle and shake of his head.
“What?” I asked, fighting back a giggle at his amused expression.
“It’s just... of course you’ve been reading up on this stuff, when is what I’m curious about?” He asked, a mischievous smile on his face.
“Just when physics and chemistry were starting to stress me out, I would switch to Lycan ceremonies, or stories, but they were confusing before you told me the story of the First Lycan King, so sometimes I’d read a little Norse mythology. How exactly did Heimdall have nine mothers? I still can’t wrap my mind around that one.” I blurted, still holding the pendant in my hands. Daniel took it off me, and put it around my neck before he answered.
“I doubt he did, the human stories got more wrong than right I’m afraid, the same with Greek mythology?” He teased, and I had to concede his point. “Don’t worry too much about that, we have the rest of our lives for me to tell you our stories and history.” He breathed against my skin, as I admired the pendant that rested just above my breasts. His lips moved over my mate mark, snapping me out of whatever daze he had put me in.
“Wait, I have something for you too.” I smiled as I slipped out of his arms and off the bed, over to my dresser, where I had stashed his gift. I got a little nervous as I handed it to him, sat on the edge of the bed. “Merry Christmas.” I said, when he didn’t say anything, the paper was open, and he was staring at the record in his hands. “Is it the wrong one?” I asked, worried I’d been conned and he didn’t have the heart to tell me.
“I’ve been looking for this for years, how did you find one?” He finally said, like he couldn’t quite believe it.
“Maria, Kendra, and I think Ms Michaels helped.” I shrugged, he kept looking at me and then the record, like he wasn’t sure what to do. “Everything okay? I asked, looking at him concerned.
“I don’t know what... how did you know I wanted this record?” He asked, I could almost see him trying to remember when he had mentioned it.
“During our fifth or six dream date? You were asking questions about my life, childhood. You asked me what was the best gift I ever got-”
“Little Women.” He interrupted with a smile as he remembered the date. It was in a restaurant I had read about in New York, but never been to.
“Yeah, and I asked you-?” I started.
“What would be the best gift I could receive.” He finished, then suddenly placed the record on the bedside table and pulled me into the middle of the bed, trapping me against the mattress. “Thank you.” He whispered against my lips, before capturing them with his, his hands roamed my body freely, as he pressed his body into mine. “I love you.” He groaned against my neck as I clung to him, his erection moving between my folds, coating himself in my arousal.
“Daniel!” I gasped as he wrapped his mouth around my nipple, sucking on it roughly.
“I love hearing you moan my name.” He growled, capturing my lips again as he entered me. One hand hooked behind my knee, bringing it higher, the other entwined in my hair as we moved together.
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