Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“I will admit I led him here under false pretenses. I told him I wanted to show him Fhomhair, but I didn’t tell him that I wanted him to stay.” Notalus was getting nervous the more he thought of Dustin getting angry over the truth and trying to run away from it. He had to trust that he’d done the right thing by bringing Dustin here. His alpha was strong; he was one of the greatest descendants of a pack of wolves nurtured by the agricultural goddess. Notalus had faith in the man he knew he was destined to spend his final millennia with.
“I would not worry, Father. If he is truly an alpha of the Copii Cerealelor pack, he won’t want to leave Fhomhair any more than I do.”
A light tap on his door disrupted Notalus’ silent thoughts. “The lord consort is waiting for you in the conservatory, my lord.”
Notalus accepted the encouraging hug from his son before he followed Iulien into the hall. His seven personal guards quickly fell into formation behind them, their steps and presence as unimposing as the wind. “Are preparations going well for the official announcement tonight?”
“Yes, my lord.” Iulien’s smile was sincere when he added, “It will be the grandest of celebrations, Your Majesty. Your house has waited many years for you to declare your betrothed.”
“You probably thought I never would,” Notalus confided in his old friend.
“Indeed, I did.”
“What do you think?” Notalus asked nervously. Despite that it was his kingdom and he was the Lord of Fhomhair, his court had been with him from the start of his reign, and they were more than just servants in his home. They were his family.
“I think you picked a fine one, sir.”
“He picked me,” Notalus clarified. “The last time I was on Earth at my oldest brother’s aid, Dustin assisted me with repairing the Volkov pack lands after a source of evil had ravaged it. I knew he was different—someone special by the way he not only felt for the lives lost on that day but how he also grieved for the land, for the crop. I felt his pain from losing his harvest as if it’d been my own, and I didn’t recognize what I was feeling until his gratitude for what I did for his fields imprinted on my soul.”
Iulien led Notalus down another grand hall that was lined with bronze and gold-leaf wallpaper. “The alpha is truly humble, my lord. He would not allow anyone to help him clean up or to dress properly. He is kind and respectful but also quite prideful.”
“He is an alpha wolf that’s been on his own for too long,” Notalus reasoned. “He just needs some time to get adjusted.”
Iulien was about to announce his arrival when Notalus put his hand up to stop him. Dustin was dressed in Notalus’ house colors of green and brown. His linen pants fit him snugly but comfortably, his thick chest filling out his tunic in a way that made Notalus’ heart lodge within his throat at the sight of his crest over Dustin’s right pec. He wore a shoulder shawl clasped with a single bronze medallion that was the same as Notalus’. His betrothed looked like heaven standing there beneath an orange sassafras tree, fingering the delicate leaves in amazement. Seeing Dustin happy and content in his home set a fire inside of him so hot that it was almost overwhelming.
“Unique, is it not?” Notalus came further into the room as Dustin spun around to the sound of his voice. He looked freshly showered and shaved, his beard and hair shinier than before, his skin glowing within the autumn atmosphere.
Dustin looked Notalus up and down with possessive hunger in his eyes. “It is. I’ve never seen an orange sassafras. Red, yes. But orange… no.” Dustin chuckled. “Can you imagine how beautiful these would look blended into the dogwoods I planted around the pack property line?”
Notalus took Dustin’s hand and brought it to his lips, making the big alpha blush at the tenderness. “If that is your desire, then you can have orange sassafras for the Volkov lands.”
Dustin looked confused.
“Come take a walk with me across the grounds. There is much to discuss.”
“You mean to explain,” Dustin clarified. “Iulien told me that he thought you’d never name another consort. Imagine my surprise when he told me exactly what that title is?”
Notalus turned to scowl at his friend, only to find him slinking out of the room. “You had better leave,” Notalus sent on a gust of wind that was strong enough to make Iulien trip as he fled.
“So we are betrothed… to be married,” Dustin growled. “Well, after all these years, it was nice to be asked.”
“That is because titans don’t ask… we announce,” Notalus countered. “It’s not as if there’s a chance of you saying no.”