Page 27 of Whisper Woods (Legends of the Whisper Woods #3)

Autumn - Three Years Later

“Seff! Seff!” Cringing at the sound of my name being screamed down the halls of the palace, I consider, just for a teeny, tiny moment, whether I’ll be able to escape down one of the secret passages Elianora showed me. But really, it’s just a pipe dream.

Like the responsible being I am now, I take a nice deep breath and remind myself that this is my job now. And I love my job.

Because I do. Really.

Just not when my assistant is screeching my name like a valkyrie battle cry. Turning on my heel, I watch Mathensiu’s glowing orange body dodge the other beings as they run as fast as they can to catch me. It’s what I get for hiring the family of friends. The kid is Red’s nephew and while he’s helpful and eager, he’s got a lot to learn.

But we’ve all been there, I guess.

I wait patiently for him, arms crossed over my chest as other palace officials dodge my flailing assistant. He almost knocks me over when he skids to a stop. I wait even more patiently as he braces his hands on his knees to catch his panting breath.

“They—are—here. Your—guests—are—here.” Mathensiu gasps, his orange glow flickering so bright it’s almost blinding.

Shit. I really must have lost track of the time if everyone has already arrived. But in my defence, the day has been murder. I wasn’t even meant to be in today, but one meeting had turned into another and boom, now I’m here at the palace when I have a house full of guests and a party to host.

Rafe is gonna be so mad.

He can punish me later—in fact, I’m kind of looking forward to it.

Rolling my neck, I place a hand on Mathensiu’s back, trying to not flinch at the heat radiating off him from his panic. My hand raises and falls with his gulping breaths.

“It’s fine, Mathensiu. I’m done here anyway. I was just about to leave.”

Only a teensy, tiny lie—one I don’t think Mathensiu would have believed anyway. I’d actually been off to see the Grand Master in charge of Munish Affairs to rip into him about vampire discrimination. Again.

It turns out, when I love what I do—and who I do it with—and I’m not labouring under a lifetime's worth of obligation, I am a bit of a workaholic.

Sure, there are days when I miss the camaraderie of the crew at the site and the physical nature of my old job, but working here at the palace has given me something that working at Everfyr Construction Co. didn’t—a sense of purpose.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m not having to twist myself into the right shapes. I can just be.

My job here as Officiant of Munish Relations began pretty loose. My role has changed and evolved over time. It’s really just meant rolling with whatever Tathys needs from me. At first, I kind of thought I was just put on the payroll so Elianora didn’t lose her childhood friend to the Mundane when she was going through such a horrendous time.

But it became pretty apparent just how badly I—or someone like me—was needed around here.

The path to reunification hasn’t been easy for Tathys, or the Mundane—not that the rest of the world particularly likes being called that—but it hasn’t gone as terribly as some beings feared.

When Elianora made her entrance to the world at the Coalition of Nations in the weeks after the walls fell, she caused more than a little stir. There were some risky moments, where it looked like the diplomacy and peace the world has enjoyed for the past couple of centuries was over, but between Elianora's diplomacy skills and the work of the Tavishers—who have become ambassadors to the world—things worked out smoothly .

I mean, winter helped a lot too. Perfectly timed “unprecedented snowfall” blocked land entry to Tathys for a big chunk of the season, and the dragons took care of the seaside entrances. It allowed everyone time to adjust to the new reality and an agreement to be brokered where Tathys would be open, but access to our city is limited.

But that was the outside world.

Here in Tathys, there was a lot of work to be done. In the aftermath of Heylor’s betrayal and the subsequent arrests, the beings of Tathys had a lot of healing to do, all while learning about the world that was now open to them.

I started by helping the Tavishers get families in contact with their families in the Mundane. Then it was the beings who wanted to enter the Mundane. I ended up running a series of seminars on life in the Mundane. It was wild .

Me . In charge of a classroom .

We also had a lot of work to do to get accommodations ready for the Munish guests. In particular the esteemed ambassadors being sent our way from around the world. I don’t know how many times I had to explain that the average Munish being does not have the ability to conjure heating for cooking, or the light in a lamp, or even set wards, but it was a lot. Too many times.

It took a while. But we got there.

And true to her word, Caelan, Tor, Seldon, Roan, and Theo were amongst the first visitors to Tathys.

Deep in my core, I feel the familiar tug of Rafe—and his growing frustration. Rubbing the spot in my chest, I try to channel as much warmth and affection through to him, but I’m not sure it’s working. Mind reading isn’t a part of the bonded mate deal, but I can still hear him getting all hot and growly about me being late and leaving him with a houseful of guests to entertain on his own.

It’s because my parents are joining us.

My parents make him nervous, which is so adorable I give him as much shit as I can for it.

It’s all because in the months after we mated, when we finally found the time to visit Twin Heads, there was an unfortunate incident. Sien—who hadn’t been made aware of my newly mated status—suggested we visit my parents’ guest room together.

Rafe overheard and, long story short, Sien had ended up barrelled up against the wall with Rafe’s beastly teeth gnashing in his face.

Which was also how my family and former pack learnt about dragonkin.

Between that, my revelations about Tathys, and my formally leaving the pack, things have been tense and Rafe has spent the last three years trying to make up for his “devastatingly appalling first impression and reprehensible manners” as he called it.

I think being bonded mates has given him some of my dramatic, anxious tendencies.

“Right, come on Mathensiu, we better get going before my beloved gets all grouchy dragon on me again.”

Breath recovered enough, Mathensiu follows me like an eager puppy out of the palace. On our way through town, I have to remember to check my steps—the poor guy is only half my height and struggles to keep up with my pace at the best of times.

With each step closer to home, the feelings in my connection to Rafe grow, starting as a familiar warmth to a bubbling fizz as I approach the back entrance to our gardens. If our guests are really here, I don’t want to tempt fate by going through the front.

Eldrid and Sed are hard at work in the kitchens, giving me a warning look when I slink past them and the dozens of staff helping for the evening. Mathensiu abandons me to chat up the pretty girls in the kitchen, earning him his own jobs to help with.

I manage to sneak all the way to our bedroom before I’m caught.

“And where have you been? Jeddy asked your mother about sex. With vampires, Seff! Vampires ! I’m going to kill the little—” Rafe’s words cut off abruptly when I remove my suit jacket and turn to face him.

With my shirt already unbuttoned, revealing a taunting expanse of skin exposed, the frantic energy flowing from my mate changes from a chaotic frequency to a throb that ricochets low in my core.

Lingering in the door, claws digging into the door frame, his good eye trails down the bared skin to rest on the growing bulge of my cock in my partially undone slacks. I catch the sight of his tongue darting out to quickly lick his lips, before he rolls them over his teeth. To stop himself from doing something, I guess.

I don’t want to stop him, though.

“I’m sorry, babe. I got caught up.” Slowly, I unbutton my pants and shove them down over my ass. They drop with a loud clunk of the floor from my belt. Rafe’s eyes don’t move—focused on my cock valiantly attempting to break through my briefs. It’s like he’s mentally calling my dick to him, the way it strains in his direction. But Rafe definitely heard me. His nostrils flared threateningly at my paltry excuse for being late for our party.

To be fair, I’m pretty sure the guests are early. But also, I’m not exactly sure when it was meant to start.

“I cannot believe you left me here to greet everyone on my own, Seff. That was not good behaviour, my darling, sweet, kushinavya. Not good at all. I think you’ll have to make it up to me.”

Why the fuck do we have to have a house full of our friends and family again? Because from the dark look in Rafe’s eye, I can see we both have some ideas for other ways to occupy our night.

I palm myself over my briefs, giving myself a good squeeze, enjoying the way Rafe shudders in the doorway. He’s physically restraining himself from coming into the room. I can feel the weight of the effort of it through our bond.

“Do we have time for quick hand jobs in the shower?”

My offer is enough to distract Rafe from his intense inspection of the outline of my erection. The dark look on his face is a lot less “fuck you into oblivion” and more “actually pissed”.

“ Sex. With. Vampires. Seff .” The words are barely audible with the way he grinds them out. “You don’t even have time for a shower. Your suit is on the bed. Get dressed.”

With a last huff, he spins on his heel and stalks from the doorway. He doesn’t go far. I can hear him slumping against the wall outside the room.

Taking pity on my adorable grouchy dragon, I get dressed quickly. The magnificent midnight blue suit matches Rafe’s black outfit in more ways than one. Our jackets are both the frock coat style, with the high-band collars and dragon glass and chainmail epaulettes favoured here in Tathys. But where his suit is black, mine perfectly matches the colour of his scales. The fabric maker here spent ages finding just the right colour.

Not the old owner, the one who booted me out of his shop before reunification. His daughter ended up taking over after he was arrested with Heylor. He’s since been released, but like most of those involved, he’s been ostracised pretty hard.

It’s just another one of those things we’re all still trying to deal with.

My efficiency is rewarded with a quick, dirty kiss that promises I am still going to pay later. Hand in hand, Rafe and I walk down the hallway. In between the art hanging on the walls, hang the photos from our adventures together over the past three years—holidays overseas, escapes deep in the Woods, get togethers with our friends.

Us together amongst the pack at a barbecue at my parents’ home. Another of us dancing at Theo’s wedding. A group shot of the gang outside the Black Stump. Rafe against the sunset on our camping trip to the hot spring. Me on the black sands of Alluyes, surrounded by brightly glowing water. A red-cheeked selfie of the two of us, freezing our asses off to watch the auroras over Tathys in the winter.

Each one a special memory, a thread in the life we’re weaving together.

Standing shoulder to shoulder on the balcony, we look over our guests. I finally understand the size point of the giant entry. The room overflows with floral decorations and, more importantly, guests. Clutching their glasses of nanosh wine, and plates of delicate finger food, they filter in and out of the dining room and sitting rooms, gathering in the entry to hear the band playing quietly in the corner.

Not Mundane Madness. They are here tonight, but only as Brydon’s guests. A much more refined string quartet is entertaining our guests. The sounds of their happiness drift up to the cavernous domed ceiling.

In the crowd, I can see Caelan and Tor dancing slowly together, completely oblivious to everyone around them. Roan is chatting to Vansh. Mauvy has joined them, smiling coyly at the valkyrie bar owner. Theo isn’t too far from his mate, within arm’s reach, as usual. I spot the recently sprouted little horns poking through his ginger curls before I realise it’s him. They started sprouting not long after his mating ceremony, confirming that he and Roan had performed the bonded mate ritual and been blessed. It’s not a shock, considering he’s basically the Chosen One as the Protector of the Woods and all. Over margaritas one night, he told Seldon and me they did the ceremony in the vegetable garden. He’s chatting to Ain and Red, the three of them laughing louder than anyone else in the room.

I spy my mother smiling, deep in conversation with Jeddy—matching horrified looks plastered on the faces of Dad and Brin. Bree is here too. She’s the one with the red face, choking on her laughter at Dad.

I wasn’t sure how she was going to take me stepping back from the pack, especially as the unofficial—and reluctant—number two.

Turns out, it was a good thing all round. Without me in the way, they all remembered I have a whole-ass sister. One who was not only ready, willing and capable to take over when and if Dad ever wanted to step down—and they wanted to stick with the hereditary thing—but she also has all the relevant degrees to take over Dad’s business when the time comes. Plus, her arms are nearly as big as mine. She can definitely help out on the lifting heavy things front.

To say she was grateful that we all pulled our heads out of our asses about me being the heir to the kingdom, was an understatement.

Most of the Everfyr pack and some of the crew made their way here tonight too, including Bix, who fit in so well Dad ended up hiring a few others from his troupe. I can see them between our other Tathissian guests.

Edith is holding court amongst some of the more prestigious of them, Yorin on her arm. The older, unmated shifter has spent the past few years trying to convince her to move to Tathys with him as his companion. She puts him off every time, eternally refusing to be tied down.

She cares for him, though, considering how often she visits. It’s always a precarious time in Tathys when she does, since the Grand Master insists on bringing her to the Palace, where she doesn’t hold back on being herself.

Elianora isn’t here yet, but she should be soon. At least I wasn’t that late. I would have been in real trouble if she’d gotten here first. And not like the fun and sexy type of trouble.

I scan the crowd, trying to find Brydon and Seldon, but they’re either in one of the rooms with the guests, or they are… elsewhere. And quite frankly, I don’t want to know. Tarook and his mages are also out of sight, but I have little doubt they are out in the gardens, where they always like to gather on their visits.

Leaning against the balcony railing, I look over the people gathered here in mine and Rafe’s home. There are some missing. Nanna Berry passed away in the spring after reunification. Rafe’s parents passed not long after. It was a devastating loss, especially to lose both at once, but it’s the downside of bonded mates. Rafe mourned them deeply, and I’ll always regret not having the chance to know them better. We only met a handful of times.

“Hello everyone and welcome!” Rafe’s magically amplified voice bursts out, startling me out of my thoughts. His arm snakes around my waist, pulling me tight against him, his other arm raised in greeting to everyone gathered below. “My mate and I thank you for joining us in celebration tonight. We felt three years was a rather impressive milestone for reunification for Tathys. It is something that, before our walls fell, I do not think many of my Tathissian brethren could imagine.”

Applause rippling through the crowd, he takes a breath from the speech I had no idea he was going to make.

“We have faced challenges, we’ve experienced triumphs. But most importantly, we’ve faced them together. Our united future would never have been possible without many of the people in this room who risked their existence for our future.”

Ah, now I see why Brydon’s disappeared. He’s grown and healed a lot after his traumatic experience with his father, and all that he went through in the time after. The anniversary of the reunification always brings up difficult memories for him. No doubt Rafe prepped him so he wasn’t caught off guard.

“We thank them for their efforts and their sacrifices. May the Gods continue to bless Tathys and those who serve her!”

A cheer goes up amongst the crowd, small firework-like explosions of magic rising from the crowd making me instantly anxious. I know it’s safe, but it always puts me on edge when they do that.

Rafe steps back, and our guests go back to the party. I can feel his eyes on my back, but I stay pressed against the railing. It reminds me of something. A flicker of a memory washes over me.

The cliffs.

It’s been so long since Wolf or I felt the need to run through the Woods, I’d almost forgotten. Not that I could really forget. It’s how I met Rafe, after all. Eight years ago now. It almost makes me feel old.

But I’ll take feeling old if it means I don’t have to run through to Woods to feel free ever again. If it means I get to spend each day wrapped in a level of contentment and acceptance I never thought possible for someone like me. If it means never feeling too big, or out of place, or having to twist and bend and reshape myself to fit ever again.

If it means I get to spend forever with him.

“You okay?” Rafe asks, stepping behind me to wrap me in his arms, his sweet, and smokey smell invading my senses. Eyes drifting happily shut, I lean back into him, resting my head on his shoulder, tipping my face to bury my nose in his hair.

He grunts, rocking us back and forth ever so slightly, my hands laying over his where they are folded on my stomach.

“Never been better.” I whisper back. No words have ever been truer. I feel the press of his lips against my forehead.

“Come on, let’s celebrate.” He coaxes me into standing, taking my hand again.

Together we walk down the stairs, not separating even when our guests attempt to pull us apart. Because I’m his, and he is mine.

And together, we have forever.

The End.

** *

Thank you for reading Whisper Woods, the final book in the Legends of the Whisper Woods series .