regularly, Erik. The den is quite full of them. We simply didn’t have to reimburse them for this one.”
“It’s not that and you know it!” Erik snapped, literally, teeth clashing together in his elongated mouth.
An equally powerful alpha, Erik shouldn’t have been fighting to maintain human form, no matter how emotional he grew. Whatever had gotten her nephew so agitated as to lose control? Eydis tried to keep satisfaction from her voice. “Oh? And what else could bring you out here tonight, then?”
The man who’d been named pack leader upon his father’s death, and whom Eydis had faithfully served as regent until he grew of age, reminded her of the whiny cub he’d once been. “I’ve waited forever! All my den mates have long since been joined. The babe of prophecy should have arrived years ago. And been human! The prophecy must be wrong.” He poked out his bottom lip. “I don’t care to wait another eighteen summers.”
“Well, maybe next time,” she said, patting his arm. She knew her brother’s son very well, Erik being so very much like his father. All she needed to do was say the words, “The human is your mate,” and her nephew would suddenly change his tune and most likely flee into the forest with his tail tucked firmly between his legs. While he may have wanted someone with whom to share his life and the responsibility of ruling, having that someone picked out for him by another, or in this case a manuscript more ancient than Old Jarl, wouldn’t sit well. Eventually he’d rebel.
Since her nephew was undeniably an alpha male, clan lord, and head of the family, Eydis couldn’t pick his mate like she could for a beta like Ragnar, regardless of human customs that stated only after being mated could a youth fully join society. But if she bodily shielded the human, screaming, “Don’t you dare come any closer!” Erik would waste no time in devising a plan (several, since the first three were destined for failure, if past evidence held true) to get him. “Did you happen to see the human who brought the child?” She kept her tones light, as though merely discussing the weather. “Rather fetching, wouldn’t you say? In a mortal, only-has-one-form kind of way.”
“Yes,” Erik replied, just a bit of surliness bleeding away.
Good, good. Must take this slow. “And, if I’m not mistaken, he appeared quite impressed by you, too.”
Erik’s eyes left whatever they’d been studying to focus on Eydis. “Really?” His muzzle retreated, leaving his face fully human-looking again.
What had gone wrong in Erik’s mother’s pregnancy to produce so dim a candle as Erik could be at times? “One form? Human? Knows human ways?” By the great mother wolf! Rulers were only as good as their advisors and inner circle, and everyone knew that the Alpha Bitch supplied the true power behind the throne. I hope this human has enough sense to be the Alpha Bitch. Someone’s got to be the brains of this outfit.
“Yes, really. In fact,” she leaned in to whisper into his ear, “being that you’re the forest lord, I think it appropriate that you get to know this visitor. To make him feel welcome, of course.”
She added the words she trusted to pique Erik’s curiosity like none other. “I mean, he has no close kin after being outcast. I think you should offer to arrange a match. He is of age. When the first snows fall, Tomas will be of age also and will be looking for a male to share his bed.”
Erik’s jaw clenched and a vein protruded from his forehead, confirming Jarl’s claim that indeed a joining of destined mates would soon take place. Interesting.
Eydis decided to test the theory. “Tomas is very handsome, don’t you think? I wonder what our village lad will think of him. They’re nearly the same age, and I believe they’d be such a lovely couple.” She faked a dreamy smile, observing Erik from the corner of her eye.
The vein throbbed, and Erik’s breathing deepened.
“And his mating will raise Tomas in the ranks. His family will gain position.”
Erik said not a word, probably due to the wolf’s snout he now wore—a full snout this time.
Precisely the response she’d hoped for. “I believe I’ll check on our guest before retiring. He’s in the guest quarters, I’m told. That’s the second floor guest quarters, third room on the left. You know, the door with the big brass knocker.” Her nephew now wore a stern visage. Had