Chapter 7: Mate Advice

Jiro POV

Was this what being an Alpha would be like?

It wasn’t even midmorning the day after his world shifted into a new dimension and he’d already talked to just about everyone in his inner circle.

From the moment he opened his eyes with his new mate lying asleep in his familiar bed with the star-patterned bedspread and sheets, he didn’t even have a moment to take in the newness of having a mate. He’d retired gladly to his bedroom finally and made a point of knocking on his own bedroom door. When he hadn’t heard Garnet answer, he turned the knob, opened the door with all the care he would use on an intelligence operation, and slipped inside only to find his mate sound asleep in the bed.

The feeling of peace and restfulness he got through the bond when she slept lifted a weight off his shoulders. Plus, with her hair tousled, she looked adorable and innocent beyond description. He wondered just how much sleep she’d gotten since she, Barrett, and the council had made their landmark decision. Probably little to none, judging by the way she slumbered soundly. He quickly washed himself in the bathroom, then joined her, slipping under the covers beside her.

He didn’t remember if he cuddled her or if he fell asleep on his side of the bed, but he awakened with her nestled against him and with someone tapping on his door. Reluctantly, he rolled away from the warm softness next to him. Although waking up beside a woman was a brand new experience, it felt … right.

He slid out of bed and tiptoed to the door, opening it just enough to see Lilia’s triumphant smile and the tea tray she offered. With a nod and a smile, he accepted the tray and gently shut the door. He needn't have bothered, because Garnet’s nose twitched and she awakened, sitting up.

“Good morning,” she yawned. “Well, this is unexpected.”

He carried the tray over on legs that felt like a newborn pup’s, then set it down on the bed close to her. “Your tea, Luna.”

She grinned, accepting the cup. “My favorite kind, wild bittersweet. How did you know?”

He smiled shyly. “You spilled some on one of your letters and the perfume lingered.”

“Well, thank you for noticing.” She sipped her tea. “Although I do take a bit of honey.”

“How much is a bit?” he asked, noticing that Lilia thoughtfully included a small pitcher of honey.

“A teaspoon.”

“A single pour should do it,” he said and reached out.

Garnet lifted the pitcher at the same time and their hands touched. A jolt went through him and he let go. She didn’t seem to notice, pouring enough honey to suit her taste, and then stirring it four times.

“I stir mine five times when I have honey,” he said, adding honey and stirring.

“You should have it always, it keeps you healthy,” she said. “I know we don’t get the diseases humans do, but health isn’t just an absence of disease.”

“You’ll fit right in with Lilia, Anneliese, Azandra, Ravyn, and Tulaska.”

She sipped her tea and sighed with pleasure, which made him smile, watching her. “I’m sure they'll make it their mission to ensure I’m always healthy.”

“Yes, to the point of bedeviling you. In fact, they want to do that today, if that suits you. There’s much to do.”

Why couldn’t he overwhelm her with seduction, charm, and romance? A discussion about how many times to stir tea didn’t seem suave or alluring.

They enjoyed a delicious breakfast with the rest of the family, with Garnet as the star attraction. Dane gave Garnet the Big Brother treatment, while Dirge and Patch teased her gently and Kyon acted like she was a helpless baby bird. Ravyn was in full Pack Mother mode, with Lilia backing her up, and he hugged and kissed both of them spontaneously. Not surprisingly, Azandra had already formed a friendship with Garnet.

After breakfast, with the witches and Lilia dragging Garnet off, Jiro began packing and had all of his brothers interrupt him to find fault with the way he packed his belongings. Dirge grabbed the few items of clothing he’d collected and said he needed to leave them. Patch agreed, provided Jiro left the ugliest ones. Aunt Ilya and Cousin Reinald brought a figurine of Fenrir to place somewhere in his new home to guard it.

The statue gave him inspiration and he bustled through Cresta House, headed for Kyon’s studio, where his brother had retreated. A piece of Kyon’s art, or two or three, was just the thing to, as Lilia put it, change the energy in his new home. He’d also be taking his crystals … ironic, considering that the Evenhide Pack had gone to war to free Lilia and her crystals from Cyran’s evil.

Titania Hemming bent his ear about what he needed to do to be a good Alpha. He’d never been overly charmed by Titania, but she was one of the only people in the family who shared his opinions on how to run a household, which they both discussed enthusiastically.

As he resumed his journey, Serra, the housekeeper, intercepted him and he came to a complete stop. She shook her finger. “Alpha or not, you know better than to tear up the house like an ermine elephant. Do not make a mess for Sarina Mena in your new home.”

Jiro’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of the Sinsworth, now Cresta, housekeeper. “My apologies. I do know better. What can you tell me about Sarina Mena?”

“She has a daughter named Selene the same age as my little one, for a start.”

That name clicked in Jiro’s mind. “I think Lilia talked with her after the battle and said her mother was down to earth. What else can you tell me?”

Serra gave him an archive full of information about Sarina Mena from a housekeeper’s perspective. He made a note in his ever-growing pile of notes to ask Garnet about Sarina and Selene.

He parted ways with Serra at the door to Kyon’s studio and stepped inside. He immediately saw three or four finished pieces that he could help wrap up and have them shipped or take them personally in a supply wagon.

Kyon grunted. “Will you move? You’re casting a shadow.”

Jiro skirted the center of the studio, his attention Kyon, whose brush moved faster than a hummingbird’s wings. Kyon blocked Jiro’s view of the canvas.

“And no peeking,” Kyon added. “It’s for you. I’m going to bring aesthetics to the Crimsontails. That’s my contribution to your success as Alpha.”

Jiro grinned wickedly. “My thoughts exactly. I have my eye on three or four pieces …”

“Take all you like … your supply wagon can hold them. Although I would think Garnet would have a say.”

“Listen to you. You just bonded with your mate a few days ago. Do you have any advice for Barrett about managing an Alpha, too?”

His brother waved him away. “Go find her. And my advice to Barrett is to stay a beta and keep you in line.”

Jiro moved at a leisurely but steady pace through the hallways, but Patch and Dirge waylaid him.

“We have to do more of our share of the dishes and cooking?” Dirge burst out. “How can you leave us with all that?”

Patch elbowed him. “When you find your fated mate, you won’t be thinking about dishes.”

Dirge scoffed, then turned his pup eyes on Jiro. “Can you tell their council to wait?”

Jiro put his hands on his little brother’s shoulders. “I swear your shoulders are becoming as big as Kyon’s.”

“Sure, if I swallowed some kind of growth potion or powder,” Dirge said, flexing his muscles.

Jiro tapped his own shoulder. “Well, compared to me, you are. Your shoulders are already broader than mine at your age.”

Patch snickered. “It’s not hard to be bigger than a skinny twig.”

Jiro took that in stride. “You’ll both need to shoulder more responsibility now. Patch, you’re the new Intelligence Chief. Dirge, you’re our enforcer, but you need to have backup.”

“Thanks,” they both chorused.

Jiro fumbled for something to say that would help all three of them brave the unknown. “And if you could help me pack, maybe even pick something from home to remind me of each of you, I’d be grateful.”

“Oh, so you’re going to forget us,” Patch teased.

Dirge sniffled and rubbed his eyes. “But you’re not leaving yet, are you? You can tell them to wait.”

Jiro pulled the pup into his arms and hugged him. “I wish I could, but then we’d risk a bigger mess that–”

“Fine! Just go with your new pack.” His eyes full of lightning, Dirge shoved him hard in the chest, then darted away in a huff.

Jiro stood as still as a statue and Patch hugged him. “You’ve always had time for him when Dane and Kyon didn’t, to help him with his lessons or teach him how to hunt. Dane likes to think he taught him how, but we won’t tell him the truth.”

Jiro’s arms closed around Patch. He never wanted to let his next-to-youngest brother go. “No, we won’t.”

Patch sniffled.

Jiro’s voice was hushed. “Did you just—”

“My nose is stuffy, I think it’s that scent Garnet wears.”

Jiro squeezed him, feeling the bundle of love and happiness that was Patch Cresta. “My spy network has been informed that they better not turn their back on you.”

“Thanks. I better make sure Dirge doesn’t imitate Kyon’s explosion over the pack gossip.”

Reluctantly, Jiro let his little brother go and headed off in search of Garnet, but Dane came toward him at a fast clip and tugged at his arm. “If you’re looking for Garnet, Lilia and the witches and Azandra are treating her to a healing session. They don’t call it ‘magic’ because Cyran has ruined that for now.”

Jiro scowled. “Something else he has to answer for, and that list is already so long I need more parchment. These Crimsontails need a leader like you to repair the damage, but they’ve got me.”

Dane shook his head and threw up his hands. “Because you’re being so thick, I’ll tell you what every Alpha and every Beta secretly whispers. You terrify them.”

Jiro lifted an eyebrow. "I suspected."

Secretly, he hugged that nugget to his heart.

“Well, now you know,” Dane said, sounding proud. “And as for being Alpha, I may be a good leader, but you have it in you to be magnificent. Especially for the Crimsontails.”

Speechlessness seemed like his new state. “That sounds like a challenge.”

“It is. And if you’re leaving, and taking the rock I rest upon with you, then you d*mn well better become that magnificent Alpha.”

Jiro leaned on his brother. “Anything else?”

“Yes. Your Luna is as important as the pack, if not more. Garnet has found her voice now.”

Jiro thought about how she advised him to have honey with his tea all the time and the way she took charge in the library and in the dining room afterwards. “She surprised me.”

“Her pack needs her, which means she needs you and your love to become the Luna they deserve.” Dane ruffled his hair. “Any Luna needs that, but you saw the way she shrank from Kyon of all people.”

Jiro let out a hiss. “My wolf wants to kill Cyran for that. Slowly.”

“Keep those instincts,” Dane told him, his eyes reminding Jiro of rough seas. “And show Garnet what we all see in our family every day … the real you, not what you think is the image of the Perfect Alpha. After being deceived and betrayed, she needs your heart and your honesty.”

Jiro couldn’t speak, because his heart was too full.