A Promise

My skin crawled and my wolf whimpered as she pleaded with me to let her loose. Mate. She chanted the word over and over while she paced back and forth in my chest. If it weren’t for the twelve years of practice we’d had in ignoring him, I would’ve already lost control.

Across from the dais, on the other side of the ballroom, stood General Farrow, my wolf’s obsession and the reason for tonight’s celebration. A week shy of thirty, the massive dark-haired wolf chatted with my father’s other generals. The older wolves laughed and drank while their much younger compatriot stood bored and unsmiling. Those eyes that shined like bright tree moss when happy had a dull sheen to them as he assessed his new equals.

 I’ll love you until every single star in the sky has turned to dust and then some, my love. The beautiful line that Riordan Farrow had delivered every day for two years with a dimple and a hard kiss flittered through my mind, almost bringing me to my knees.

I’d waited for him for months at our spot in the meadow when he’d disappeared. Never having grown out of my childish hobby of climbing trees, I’d tested treacherous heights thinking I’d find him if only I could see far enough. When news of a legendary Captain Farrow’s exploits had started circulating, I’d realized the truth. He’d left me.    

 Keeping my smile in place, I attempted to take a calming breath, but my violet dress was too tight and my long brown hair had been curled and primped so intricately my head pounded. I exchanged an exasperated look with my twin brother Finn right before three booming thuds interrupted the party.

“I have an announcement to make,” my father said. The entire room quieted as the auburn-haired wolf king stood from his throne. Rising to six and a half feet and decorated in gold and velvet, King Leon gestured to Lord Winthrope, one of his advisors, and his son to approach.

Alarm bells rang in my head. Lord Winthrope was a sniveling shit with no spine but his son Conner was another matter. Wickedly handsome with curly black locks and a chiseled jaw, he was almost as well known on the battlefield as Riordan. Lesser known was his addiction to whores and wolfs-bane.

“Captain Conner Winthrope, please join us,” King Leon said, smiling at the devil in front of us. My wolf whined, sensing my concern, but I kept my body relaxed. In a room filled with wolves, they’d scent any distress.

Without knowing why, I looked for Riordan. Gold and emerald flashed across his eyes. He tightened his fists at his side and stepped forward, jaw ticking, while the navy uniform strained against his shoulders. It looked like his wolf was wrestling for control.

I’ll love you until every single star in the sky has turned to dust and then some, my love. My wolf replayed our last memory of Riordan nudging me toward a conclusion I didn’t have the map to.

Shaking my head, I faced my father as he forced Conner to stand next to me. Servers came out with champagne laden trays and the alarms graduated from ringing to screeching. I glanced over at Finn, who wrinkled his brow. He hadn’t been warned that we’d advanced to the next level in our father’s twisted games, either.

“If I could have your attention.” The false humility in my father’s voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “We have much to celebrate this evening.”

He lifted his glass toward Riordan.

“We have a new leader amongst us. Congratulations on your promotion, General Farrow.” The crowd applauded as Riordan prowled closer and his nostrils flared as he gave me a quick once over. Judging by the amount of gold still covering his eyes, his wolf had yet to recede. Did he also sense the impending doom?

“Thank you, your majesty. I’m honored to be chosen,” he said, dipping his head. My father cackled, dark and sinister.

“Chosen? No, it was commanded. After such legendary exploits on the battlefield, there was no other option.” A slight edge lined the words. “Now, I hope you don’t mind sharing the spotlight, General, but we’ve some additional happy news to share this evening.”

The devious look in my father’s eyes as he turned toward me and Captain Winthrope would haunt me until my dying days. “My daughter has found her mate!” Cries of surprise and joy erupted.

My smile remained only because my entire body had frozen. Conner threw an arm around me, grinning. He’d must’ve known this was coming. He leaned down and whispered into my ear.

“Don’t be shy, Maura. They’re happy for us.” His arm tightened around my waist to the point of pain and a miserable life flashed before my eyes. Rumors circled that Conner lost control more often than not when he indulged in his favorite pastime.

My wolf protested. Not mate. Wrong.

“I know, I know,” King Leon chuckled. “Occasionally the bond needs a little extra time to snap into place. To the happy couple.” He raised his glass before taking a sip and smiling. No one else saw the evil glint beneath it.

“Now, please enjoy your evening.” The king turned his back to exit the platform, but Riordan stepped forward.

“No,” he said, and again, silence permeated the ballroom. My father paused, turning half-way back.

“Excuse me, General?”

“I said ‘no’,” Riordan repeated. “We had a deal.”  His nails descended from his fingers and his canines elongated. My wolf mewled, sensing his distress, but I held tight.  

“We did, but the terms haven’t been fulfilled,” King Leon said.

I cocked my head.

“What deal?” I asked.

“Maura, he forced me,” Riordan began, but Conner cut him off.

“Do not dare address my mate.” Conner stepped forward to shield me, but I peered around him. Riordan’s lip curled.

“Your mate?” he scoffed. “Not a fucking chance is she your mate, because she’s mine.”

Several of the guests gasped.

“Is this how you’d like the evening to go? The descent from general to resident in my dungeon is very steep.” My father had moved to the edge of the dais.

“We had an agreement, your majesty. Are you going back on your word?” Riordan asked. His eyes were pure gold now. My wolf ached to reach him. Mate. Mate. Mate.

“What deal? I asked again, whirling on my father.

“Seize him,” he bellowed and guards spilled in from every which way, grabbing onto Riordan. He struggled, trying to pull away.

“Maura, please,” Riordan said, as he fought off the king’s men.

I’ll love you until every single star in the sky has turned to dust and then some, my love. A small kernel of doubt that he hadn’t lied so long ago began to trickle in through my mind at his desperate plea. Finally, my wolf huffed.

“I’d like to hear what he has to say,” I said, raising my voice over the din.

The guards ignored me, pulling my mate away. Guests scattered, giving the snarling beast who yelled my name, plenty of space.  

“Take him to the dungeon,” King Leon screamed, spit flying from his mouth as Riordan begged me to listen to him.

The guards pulled him further away and I tried to follow, but Conner pulled me back.

“Don’t even think about it,” he hissed.

“Wait. I challenge the king,” Riordan shouted before the guards pulled him fully out of the room.

Everyone halted. A formal challenge could not be ignored. Even a farmhand could walk up to the castle’s gate and issue a challenge. It was an important rite of passage leftover from more primitive days.

“I said to take him to the dungeon,” King Leon snarled.

“A challenge is a challenge, your majesty,” Lord Roarke said, stepping forward.

The eldest wolf on the council was one of the few who dared to speak against the king.

“It’s an embarrassing attempt to avoid death, not a real challenge,” my father said, flicking his hand.

“Then it should be no problem to complete it,” Lord Roarke said, arching a gray brow.

“Now? We are in the midst of a party,” King Leon sneered.

“And what better entertainment than a challenge?” Lord Roarke asked.

“Fine,” my father said, voice clipped. The guards brought Riordan back over, but it took at least five of them to restrain him while my father took his finery off. He handed his crown over to Finn. “I’ll be right back for that,” he said in a smug voice.

Riordan’s growl ripped through the room before he met my stare.

“I’m sorry about this,” he said, right before he pulled himself free and launched himself at my father.

Riordan shifted mid-air into a massive black wolf, attacking as the king met him head-on in his equally large brown form.

They collided in a blur of fur and roars and for several minutes they moved so fast it was difficult to tell who was winning. Riordan swiped a paw and blood went flying but the king bit down on Riordan’s back leg and Riordan yelped before he shoved my father off of him and they started another round of grappling.

My wolf paced, snarling, furious. She didn’t like that we couldn’t interfere. Or the smell of our mate’s blood. I pressed my fist to my mouth, heart in my throat. I didn’t understand anything that had happened here tonight, but I knew that I needed to hear what Riordan had to say.

Suddenly, a loud snap echoed followed by a wail, and Riordan’s jaw clamped down around my father’s neck. Riordan snarled through his clenched teeth. A clear sign for the king to surrender. My father refused even though bone poked out of his hind leg. Riordan clamped down harder, and the tendons in my father’s neck strained. If Riordan kept going, the king would die.

“Admit defeat,” I called, hoping my father would see reason.

The king bared his teeth, refusing.  

A moment later, another, more final snap rang out and the brown wolf fell limply on the ground while the black wolf threw his head back and howled. Every person in the room, including me, bent their knees and bared their necks in submission as Riordan shifted back.

He stalked, naked, bloody, and chiseled, toward where I knelt beside Conner. Without hesitation, Riordan jumped up onto the platform.

“General Farrow,” Conner started. Riordan grabbed him by the neck and shoved him off the platform.

“It’s ‘your majesty,’” he said, before looking down at me. “Stand,” he commanded.

I rose on wobbly legs but kept my head down. A calloused finger slid under my chin and lifted my face. Waiting for me was my favorite shade of green.

“He caught me, the last time we were in the meadow. He gave me an ultimatum. He would send you away to a place where I would never find you or I could join his army. If I stayed away but achieved the rank of general before my thirtieth birthday, and you were not yet spoken for, he would allow us to mate.”

My heart pounded, all pretense of being unaffected gone.

“You left me.”

A single tear slid down my face.

“I left for you. I have clawed my way through this life, killing and maiming and tearing down whoever would stand in my way for you.”

My wolf preened, hearing what she’d known all along, but another thought plagued me as I recognized the truth in his words.

“You would still want me after I doubted you?” Riordan palmed my face and pressed my body flush to his.

“I meant what I said, Maura. Whether you want me or not, I will love you until every single star in the sky has turned to dust and then some,” and this time the words were a promise, not a memory.