Chapter 2

Mystrel Romanov and my father

His wolf was so beautiful I went to pet him and hesitated momentarily unsure if he'd allow me to touch him. His wolf lowered its huge head and I ran my fingers through the thick soft fur.

"You're adorable," I laughed excitedly and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head. He laid down and moved his head toward his back and I nodded as I laid across his back. I scooted upward so I was straddling him and he stood slowly. I watched him grab a duffel bag in his jaw and start trotting towards the open door. I laid down and rested my head on my hands as mystrel ran at a relatively slow pace. I glanced at the sun and realized that I wouldn't make it home til late. I sighed knowing that I would probably get questioned. Half way through the ride I'd turned to my back and fell asleep. I was snoring loudly when Mystrel rolled me off of himself. I felt something cold poke my cheek then a wetness across it. I opened my eyes to see I was getting licked by Mystrel's wolf. I yawned and sat up seeing I was at the edge of the forest by the palace. I heard bones crunching and Mystrel came out from behind the trees fully dressed and running his fingers through his black hair.

"Fenrir likes you and he doesn't like anyone," he said softly. 

"Who is Fenrir," I asked curiously and he chuckled saying that was his wolf.

"Well I think he's a very handsome wolf and I like him as well," I replied and he smiled. He said he should head back home and I nodded.

"Thanks for feeding me, it was delicious," I said simply and he nodded and said he hoped to see me again. I told him I go into the forest every day and he said perhaps our paths would cross. I grinned slightly and said I hope they did.

"Should I introduce myself to your father," he asked roughly and I shook my head and told him a letter would be sent. 

"Okay, well goodbye then, Madeline," he growled softly and left behind the trees once again. A few moments later Fenrir, his black wolf appeared and rubbed itself against me before running off into the dense woods. I watched until I couldn't see him anymore. I smiled and headed to the palace, still a little tipsy. I ran past my parents and straight to my room and pulled out my art supplies and began sketching lifelike portraits of Mystrel and a few of Fenrir. I drew until I'd filled an entire sketch book. I looked at my drawing and ran my finger down his cheek. I like a lycan and I don't even know if that's acceptable, I thought to myself and headed to the kitchen for a bag of blood from the fridge. I sat at the kitchen table and bit the plastic bag and let my fangs suck up the substance. My mother came in and sniffed the air.

"It smells like a wet dog in here too," she said in irritation. She huffed and looked at me.

"Can you smell it or am I just losing my mind," she asked me. I shook my head and she turned frowning.

"Are you hungry for some food, you missed dinner," she asked me and I told her I was good. She nodded and told me goodnight before returning to the mission of finding the wet dog. I looked at the clock on the wall and it was almost midnight. I finished my blood and headed to bed. 

The next morning I was woken by my older step sister and her son Rainier looking through the pictures I drew of Mystrel. I growled angrily and asked what the fuck they were doing.

"I think she's got a thing for the mystery man, she's getting all red in the face and drew a whole bunch of him. Look there's an entire book full," Rainier stated and I headed towards him and pulled the drawings from his hand.

"He's hot sis, is he real or just a fantasy," she laughed and I gritted my teeth.

"He's very real Effie, now leave me and go bug your husband, Xander," I growled, as I collected all of my drawings. She grabbed a couple and ran out of my room. I yelled loudly. I rushed after her but she was already showing the drawing to my father and uncle. Ambrose, my father looked at the paper and then up to me.

"Yellow eyes sweetheart, that's very unusual," my father stated and I exhaled deeply and pulled the drawings away from him and Zander.

"They're just of someone I saw in my mind, nothing more," I lied and they both nodded their heads.

"Oh, just so you're aware, the alpha is joining us for dinner tonight with his beta. I want to give him a good impression of us vampires so we can work something out together," he added and I smiled uncomfortably and nodded.

"Okay father, I'll be on my best behavior," I replied and he smiled. I hurried to my room and cursed vehemently. Great now they've all seen my drawings and when he shows in the flesh, fuck, I think and cringed. I looked at my drawings and smiled. I had to admit that he was very attractive. I chuckled and put all the drawings into a dresser drawer and headed to my closet for clothes. I put on shorts and a tank and jumped out my window to the tree branch. I traveled to the river and jumped to the ground. I went to the edge of the water and watched the clouds moving overhead. The sun was warm and I laid down underneath the rays to darken my tan. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth soaking into my skin. Several hours later I felt a splash of water and sat up quickly. I saw a strange man swimming in the river. He saw me and swam over quickly.

"Hey gorgeous, what are you doing out here all alone," he smiled showing me fangs. I saw the flash of red and knew instantly that he was a rogue vampire. I scrambled to my feet and started to jump upward to the trees when talons buried into my flesh as he jumped on my back. I screamed and saw a blur of black fur. I turned and Fenrir was ripping the vampire's neck. I fell to my knees, the poison from the rogue vampire was coursing through my veins. Mystrel came to my side bare assed and helped me to my feet. His large arms held me against his side and I rested my head against his chest as my blood worked to get rid of the foreign substance. I looked up at him and his face was covered with vampire blood. 

"Are you alright," he asked me. I nodded my head and watched Dominik sniff around the vampire that turned to ash. 

"Rogue bastard, they suck," he growled menacingly and I nodded. 

"What is going on? We heard screaming," Xander stated angrily, eyeing the naked man holding me to himself. Mystrel glared at him with shining yellow eyes and Xander gasped.

"Ambrose, get out here quickly," he yelled and both my parents rushed over. My mother, Hera, raised her brow and smirked at the nude male. My father scowled angrily and told her to get inside of the palace.

"Nice male, Madeline," she quipped as she headed back to the palace and gave me a thumbs up. I was still shivering from the poison and not in any mood to joke.

"Why would you allow your daughter to roam without an escort if those creatures are snooping around," Mystrel growled menacingly to my father. Ambrose rolled his eyes.

"Because my daughter can easily take care of herself and has ditched her escorts repeatedly in the past. Ask her, she'll tell you," he stated firmly.

"I have a shower if you wish to clean yourself and dress," he added.  Mystrel chuckled, turned and dove into the river. I watched his tight tan ass disappear underneath the water. I looked at my father and he was looking at me oddly. I headed towards him and he asked if I was ok. I told him the injuries were healing and he nodded.

"Yellow eyes huh," he mumbled and glanced at the river as I grinned slightly.

"Yeah, strange isn't it," I replied. I stood next to my father and watched Mystrel step out of the river in all his natural glory and allowed my eyes to wander over him entirely. There was no doubt about his manliness, it hung a bit to the right and was as thick as my wrist. He would split you in two if we mated, I thought as I crossed my legs. I looked up at Mystrel's face and he was grinning at me. My cheeks flushed and I turned and headed into the palace. The living room was full of family. My father adopted all of my mothers former mates' or what we call pereche, children so I had a brother, Faris and two sisters, Emily and Effie.  My older brother Silvar was on his honeymoon with his mate Everett. I fanned myself to cool my heated thoughts of a naked well endowed Mystrel. When my father returned with the two men in tow. We all lined up to greet them kindly.

"These are all my children. Faris, Emily, Effie and Madeline. My brother Xander and my lovely wife and queen, Hera," he announced proudly. 

"I can see where Maddy gets her looks, very stunning," Mystrel said softly as he kissed my mother's hand. My mother eyed him then me with a questioning glare. I felt her pull my arm.

"You've met with him before," she said, and I told her only once. We all went into the dining room to feast. Mystrel sat next to me between my siblings and against what my father had planned. I smiled at his boldness and offered to pour him some wine. He accepted with a smile. I watched beta Dominik keep eyeing my sister Emily. She would sneak glances at him too. I grinned slightly. It was cute to watch. Ribeye and t bones were served with baked potatoes and seasoned asparagus. The lycans were impressed and ate their fill. 

"You were correct about the meat choice," Mystrel whispered in my ear. A shiver went down my spine at his hot breath caressing my ear. I turned and looked at him.

"Of course silly, I know what we had in our freezer," I teased and he nodded.

"After dinner we can head to my office and discuss the land issue," Ambrose stated and both lycans nodded in agreement.

"Is she your pereche," Faris asked Dominik,  noticing their earlier glances. The beta looked confused.

"What's a pereche," he asked curiously.

"Your mate, Dominik. Pereche is what vampires refer to as soulmate," Mystrel answered and I was impressed. Dominik on the other hand turned red and shook his head. 

"Lycans and vampires cannot be pereche, our blood is toxic to each other," he stated firmly and he exhaled deeply. My heart dropped and I looked up at Mystrel and felt my soul withering. He looked at me with the same pain in his eyes.

"There have been pairings, I know, I'm older than everyone here and your blood isn't deadly to your mate, " Xander stated firmly. 

"What's with his pink hair," Mystrel asked me and I shrugged. The meal was finished and my father took the two lycans into his office. Emily ran towards me and pulled me into her room.

"Tell me now all you know about Dominik. He's so gorgeous and makes my heart weep in my chest," she squealed excitedly. I chuckled and asked why she thought I knew anything.

"Rainier said that you drew pictures of the other huge man so I figured you met them," she said bluntly and I sighed. 

"Is he really your pereche or are you just horny," I asked her bluntly. I watched her chew on her bottom lip and nod.

"He's my pereche, my soul is yearning for him," she sighed and I had to nod, understanding that feeling completely.

"I think Mystrel's is my pereche too," I mumbled softly and Emily gasped and hugged me tightly.

"Well I say we work together and catch ourselves a couple of pups," she chuckled and stood to twist around her room. She stopped and looked off into nothing.

"His eyes are so blue and unique," she said cheerfully. I told her she had unique blue eyes too and she waved my words away. There was a knock at her door and she went to answer it. We both were shocked by Dominik and Mystrel standing there with my father. 

"Could you both come to my office with us," Ambrose said firmly. Emily and I nodded and held each other's hand as we followed. 

"What do you think this is about," Emily asked me quietly and I shrugged. We all entered my father's large office and heard him exhale.

"Madeline, you're my daughter by blood and Emily I adopted you. Emily you may refuse this request, Madeline you may not. We have all decided that in order for the vampires to continue with their village, we would allow the two of you to reside with the lycans to ensure peace between our two species," he announced and I cocked my brow. Emily was clapping her hands happily. I eyed her and then the two lycans. Dominik was watching Emily like he wanted to eat her and Mystrel's eyes were shining happily down at me.

"I can help you pack your things," he told me softly and I exhaled deeply and looked at my father with an, are you serious?

"You can handle yourself Maddy, you're like your mother and a hellcat," he grinned slightly and ruffled my white hair. 

"Go on and let him help you pack," he said firmly and I growled low as I waved Mystrel to follow me. Mystrel followed me as his eyes lingered over the palace.

"This place would make an amazing pack house," I heard him say. I turned and told him NO.