Alina’s eyes darted away from his the second he said eighteen. He did not know that two years was not all he would be waiting, but he was about to.

Vasile’s eyes narrowed on his mate as he watched her shut down once again. She looked anywhere but at him. It was not long until he had his answer. It moved swiftly through her thoughts, and then was gone as she attempted to conceal it. “He expects me to wait until you are twenty to bond with you?” Once again he felt his ire rising. It was beginning to get on his nerves how little control he had around her. He could only imagine what it must be like for her.

“Yes,” she said nothing more. What could she say, he thought. At this point it was not her decision. She was still under the care of her parents, and she was not of age, essentially she had no say in her future, not yet.

He started to stand up, biting back the growl in his chest. “I need to have a discussion with your father, now.” Her hand on his leg froze him in place. He had a feeling her touch would be doing that a lot to him.

“Maybe you should cool off a bit before you go all Alpha on him,” she suggested attempting to pull him back down.

“I do not want to cool down. I want your father to know that I will claim you the second you turn eighteen.” He stood all the way up brushing his trousers off and then helped Alina to her feet.

“Have you considered that maybe trying to reason with him would get you further than just commanding him?”

“No.” He grabbed her hand and began walking in long, purposeful strides.

“Do you not want to try to see his side of it, so maybe then you could formulate a more convincing argument for why you want to claim me at eighteen?”

“No.”

“Could you possibly walk any faster because I really prefer to be drug by my arm instead of using my feet?”

Vasile immediately stopped and looked down at her. She was breathless from trying to keep up with him and her face was flushed. What a caring mate he was turning out to be. Maybe it was not only Alina that was not ready to be mated. Perhaps, he had some things to learn as well. He considered it for several breaths. No, I’m ready, he told himself. He was just under a lot of stress at the moment, and his emotions were running on overload. That was all. If he could take her home with him, know she was safe, and know she was marked as his, then he would be calmer, and less brash.

“I am not used to asking. I command and it happens. That is what I know. And when it comes to you, I do not feel I should have to ask. I should, however, pay more attention to how my anger affects you,” he admitted.

“I am fine,” she answered curtly and started forward again.

Vasile pulled her gently to a halt and tugged her arm to get her to look at him. “I am sorry. I should be more careful of you.”

“I am not breakable,Vasile.”

He stepped up to her and took her face gently in his palm, being careful not to lean to close because he knew he would kiss her. “You do not have to be breakable to be damaged.” They stared at one another, lost in the connection that they shared only with each other. He could have stood there all day just to get to touch her, to be close to her, and have her undivided attention. He made himself step back and drop his hand. Turning them in the direction of her home once again he said, “I am calmer. Now, I will talk to your father.”

“Are you going to listen to what he has to say?”

Vasile huffed. “No. Being calmer does not mean I am more tolerant.”

Romanian Proverb # 7

Va rãsãri soarele si pe ulita noastrã.

Every dog has his day

“You have not been yourself since you returned home,” Eveline told her mate, Anghel, as they sat in the library of the Western Romania pack castle.

Anghel knew that sooner rather than later she would say something about his withdrawn behavior and the closed off areas in their bond. They respected each other enough to allow the other privacy until they were ready to discuss it, so he knew she had no idea what was upsetting him.

“Stefan and Daciana have passed on.” There was no emotion in his voice not because he did not hurt but because he knew she would need him to be strong. As his mate’s tears began to fall for the couple, and especially the woman who had been a dear friend, he pulled her into the shelter of his arms and let her weep. There were no words that would give her comfort, so instead he offered his strength and his love.

It was a long while until she finally was able to pull herself together from the shock of the news. She dried her tears and took several deep breaths. Anghel waited for the questions he knew would come but was not sure how he would answer. He and Eveline had been mated a long time, and they had never kept secrets. He was pretty sure he could not start now.

“How?” she asked her voice hoarse from crying.

“I was asked not to tell you the truth,” he began and her eyes snapped up to meet his. “However, we have never kept secrets because we have complete trust in each other. What I am going to tell you must never leave this room. If this information were to get in the wrong hands, it could cause an uprising in the Eastern pack and a challenge to Vasile’s ability to be Alpha.”

“They were my friends, Anghel. I would never do anything to hurt them in life or in death.”

“I know, my love. I simply need you to know that I am the only one you can discuss this with if you need to work through it.” Anghel proceeded to tell his mate everything that Vasile had. He left nothing out and spared her no details because she would see it in his mind anyways.