Sold To The Alpha
Blood L**t Chapter 45

The following day, Auriele gave Vallance a final check up before announcing that she would be taking her leave that day. Gathering up her things she bowed in acknowledgement as Viktor took her slender hand in his own, thanking her profusely for her help with his Justin stepped forward and gave the witch a quick hug as he murmured his thanks, kissing her cheek as she smiled down at him serenely.

son.

Turning to the door, she started toward it before stopping and turning to Iris who was stood silently to the side, playing nervously with the amulet that still hung around her neck.

Beckoning the young woman over, Auriele studied her face intently before waving her hands in front of the necklace and lifting it from Iris' neck.

Pulling the woman's hand open, Auriele placed the amulet into her outstretched hand, closing Iris' fingers around it loosely.

'You are in control of your own destiny now Iris' Auriele said quietly, 'pick your path with care!' Iris nodded as she quickly replaced the amulet around her neck, placing it gently against her skin.

Stepping back, Auriele gave a regal wave as she walked out of the door, making her way down the steps and through the boundary. Once on the other side, she turned back to the castle, giving a farewell smile to the Vampire King and Alpha who had followed her out of the castle, before turning on the spot and disappearing.

Viktor shook his head in amazement, 'why didn't she just do that when she came here? Why did we have to go and get her from the forest?' he murmured.

Justin chuckled, 'Auriele is an entity like no other, she works to her own agenda, no one else's!

Shaking his head, Viktor turned and led the way back into the castle where the rest of the group were all still waiting.

Smiling over at his son who was leaning happily on his match's arm, Viktor cleared his throat, 'well it looks like it's time to plan a blood ceremony' he announced as the Vampire servers bowed respectfully to the new couple before bustling off to start arrangements. Carter grabbed Iris's arm gently and steered the young woman toward the kitchen as the warriors dispersed toward their rooms.

Daniel took Vaya's hand and led her upstairs to their room where she dropped exhausted onto their bed, sprawling across the blanket as Daniel crawled up the side of her, laying down and pulling her into his embrace.

'So, when are you going to tell your father about the baby?' he asked as Vaya groaned, pulling one of the pillows over her face and holding it there.

Laughing, Daniel pulled the pillow away from his mates face to reveal her uncomfortable expression. 'He is your dad, that makes him out baby's grandfather' he chided as Vaya let out another loud groan.

'I know, but.. I hardly know him, I feel a bit odd saying, hey dad! I just found you, oh and by the way you are going to be a grandfather! Yeah, that wolf you just met a few weeks ago, yep, well he knocked me up' she muttered miserably. Daniel roared with laughter at his mate's pained expression, laughing harder as she pushed him annoyed, growling, 'shut up stalker!'

Pulling her body tighter to his, Daniel peppered her neck with kisses as she moaned under his touch, 'Babe, you need to realise that in the werewolf world, this is perfectly normal, most mates don't take two years to produce a pup!

Vaya looked up into his eyes, a small pout playing around her lips, 'I know but i'm a dryad, I was raised a dryad, in my world you don't just hook up with your mate and have a kid!' she grumbled.

Daniel smirked, 'try telling that to your mother' he whispered as the dryad gasped and slapped his arm.

'Oh my goddess! That was different! They were like, I dunno, soul mates or something' Vaya scowled as Daniel's face fell

'we are not soul mates?' he asked a flash of hurt in his eyes.

Covering her mouth, Vaya pulled him quickly to her, 'of course we are, you are my everything, ugh! Stupid pregnancy messing with my head, I can't get anything out straight' she growled covering her face with her hands.

Leaning over, Daniel gently pulled at his mate's hands, smiling as her face came into view, tears running down her cheeks as she stared at him horrified.

'I didn't mean it' she whispered, gulping, 'I didn't mean what I said, like I said it'.

Daniel pressed his lips to hers hungrily, tasting her salty tears as he calmed the emotional hybrid down. 'i know' he said softly, 'I know what you are trying to say, your mum nursed your dad back to health, they fell in love fast which is not normal in the dryad world. Nodding tearfully, Vaya buried her head in his shirt, wiping her eyes on the cotton fabric as he stroked her hair.

'Ugh, why am I so all over the place' Vaya moaned as she lay back on the bed.

'Because you are pregnant my angel, so you get to ride the emotional roller coaster, and I get to ride right along with you' Daniel replied pecking her lips.

Standing up from the bed, Daniel held out his hands, waiting for Vaya to place her own in them before slowly pulling her up.

'Come on, we are going to have a shower and get cleaned up before dinner' Daniel said with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes, Vaya gave him a look, 'and by shower you mean me dealing with your roaming hands?' she asked archily.

Shrugging his shoulders, Daniel pulled her toward the ajoining bathroom, 'I can't help it if my girl is so unbelievably sexy right now that I just want to run my hands all over her soft skin' he replied, his smirk widening.

Walking over to the door, she spoke over her shoulder, 'come on then stalker, but I expect to be thoroughly cleaned' she said with a seductive smile of her own that had Daniel growling possessively as he hurried after her.

Down the hall, Jason and Vallance were sat on the bed, Halle perched on one of the chairs as she smiled at the pair.

'What?' Jason said irritably after she had been staring at them for five minutes.

'You two are just so cute' she giggled clasping her hands to her chest, 'I didn't think I'd ever see my big brave brother all smitten over his mate like this'

Jason grabbed the pillow from behind his head and threw it at his sister who caught it easily, placing it behind her back and leaning into it with a smirk, 'thanks big brother, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable' she smirked as Jason scowled at her in annoyance. 'Halle, don't tease my match like that, you'll make him all tense and I'll have to use all my energy I've built up to relax him again and I need that for our ceremony, and wedding night' Vallance said with a grin, enjoying watching his love go pink at his words. 'eww! To much information guys!' Halle groaned covering her ears, 'I do not need to know anything about your wedding night!'

Jason suddenly grinned evilly, 'what? You don't want to know about what we'll do once that door shuts, little sis? How I'm going to peel that Vampire's clothes off his body so slowly that he'll be a moaning mess underneath me, and then..' 'shut it!' Halle hollered looking ill, 'Val, put your nasty mouthed mate in check, he should not be telling his sister this stuff!'

Vallance started to laugh as Jason put on an innocent look, 'I was just going to say I'd be tucking him up in bed all warm and giving him a good night kiss Halle, what did you think I was going to say?' he asked, his eyes wide as Halle threw him a dirty look. 'Still an a*s hole' she muttered to herself as the two men laughed at her annoyance.

'I think he's perfect' Vallance replied as he leaned his head on the warriors arm.

Halle made puking faces as Jason traced a finger over the prince's cheek, 'please, I have lived with that werewolf for sixteen years, he is far from perfect! He smells bad after training, he eats like a pig and his room is an absolute tip because he is too lazy to clean up after himself' Halle growled as Jason feigned hurt.

'I do NOT eat like a pig!' he protested, 'I am a healthy warrior and I need a lot of food.'

Vallance just grinned, 'I don't care how sweaty he is, I love his smell, he can eat anything he wants as I am determined to make sure he burns as many calories as he eats and as for cleaning up, my fiancée will never need to do that as the match to the future King of the Vampires' he said as Jason smirked over at his sister, flipping her his middle finger as she threw him a contemptuous look.

'ugh, is this what replaceing your mate does to you? I'm thinking I might opt out and just remain single' she mumbled.

Before long, everyone was called for dinner, each member traipsing their way downstairs and taking a seat in the dining room. Vallance sat on his father's left with Jason and Halle, Justin to the Vampire King's right, with Leo, Daniel and Vaya beside him. The rest of the warriors spread themselves out along the table, everyone chatting as the servers brought out the meal, placing plates of lamb cutlets with pan fried vegetables and sweet potato mash in front of each guest before filling up everyone's glasses with wine, the two Vampires having their usual glass of blood.

Eating the delicious meal, everyone was soon full, the warriors sitting back in their chairs groaning under the weight of the food they had consumed.

Viktor rose from his chair, picking up his glass as he smiled down the table at everyone.

'Guests, friends, allies' he intoned as he looked into each man and woman's face, 'We started out as enemies due to my own inability to ask a simple question about my son's match. He rolled his eyes as the table laughed, 'but, if I had not made that mistake, and my son had not suffered at the hands of an enemy, we would not be here today, sat at this table, bound in friendship born from our joint search for the cure!

Raising his glass, Viktor grinned, 'A toast, to every being in this room, we are not only joined by the union of our two species but through the friendship we have forged to make sure these two men live the long life together they are destined for.'

The room raised their glasses as each one murmured, 'to friendship' and took a drink from their glass.

Sitting down again, Viktor engaged Justin in conversation as Vallance and Jason chatted happily with Halle, Vaya and Daniel about the upcoming wedding and what Halle would do when she finally got to return to the pack.

Soon it was time to retire, each member slowly taking their leave with a bow to the two leaders and their offspring, until it was just Viktor, Justin, the two heirs, two Beta's, Halle and Vaya left. Rising from his seat, Viktor held out his hand to allow his guests to leave the room first, everyone filing out as they chatted happily. Stepping into the foyer, Vaya and Daniel started up the stairs laughing at something that Vallance had said, as the two men followed closely behind.

Viktor paused for a moment so that he could speak to Justin and Leo, the three talking quietly among themselves as Halle placed a foot onto the bottom step, preparing to return to her room. Hesitating, she slowly turned around, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as her eyes roamed the open space.

Her eyes widened as a figure stepped out of the shadows, their eyes trained on the three figureheads as they stepped silently toward the group.