Chapter 152: Nervous Lovers

Talon POV

"What's a walk in, Daddy? Mommy acts like it's a bad thing. Is Jude hurt?"

Talon couldn't answer him for sure. He knelt to look his little boy in the eye. "It seems like it's not a lot of fun, pup. A walk in is like an uninvited guest, only instead of invading your home, a spirit intrudes in your body."

"But why?" William shook his head. "I don't understand."

Talon didn't understand it himself, but he believed in the concept of a walk-in soul. He'd never encountered one personally, and, to be sure, he'd seen strange and bizarre things in his life. He believed Kelara and the witches and the pack wise women and Daxius. If hey thought Jude's consciousness was sharing his physical body with a departed soul, he trusted their judgment.

"I guess the simplest way to think about it is that the spirit that's doing the walk in is not ready to move on to be with the gods," he said softly. "And the person whose body the spirit enters is in a sad place. Jude was sad after being in that Nightmare Realm and what happened."

William scrunched up his face. "But he had all of us. We could have helped him."

Gruffly, Aldwin gave his opinion from the bed where he was supposed to rest overnight in the Healarium. "Sometime it's hard to help someone, pup. Remember the stories we learned in your lessons? About the mad king who thought no one would believe him when he had a vision about the orcs attacking Lugdunum? He was mad, yes, but his vision was right."

William thought deeply. "Didn't he invite all the orcs to a celebration and put something in their drinks so they'd tell the truth?"

Aldwin slapped his knee, pleased, then winced as he felt the stabbing pain in his side, which had been healed and bandaged. "Yes! You learned your lessons well."

Talon remembered the story well. "I'm not sure we want to compare Alpha Jude to some mad king. As I remember, because I studied the legend too, the mad king was mad throughout his entire like. Up until now, Alpha Jude has never shown any signs of wild or crazy behavior, from what I know. That's why we believe this is a case of a walk-in. Most Alphas don't just go mad without a reason."

"But his mate was killed," William objected. "You tell me all the time about the mate bond."

Talon held his son's shoulders. "Yes, but Papa Jude fell in love with Nana Ravyn, who is also his fated mate. He loves her. He loved his mate who's gone, and he will never stop loving her or the memory of her."

William's eyes were wide. "She didn't die, but does that mean you still love my original momma, Genevieve?"

There was a time when he couldn't even hear Genevieve's name, or even about her parents, Jago and Serafina, without shutting himself up in his study in Hightower Castle until he calmed down. Or going riding and hunting on his estate. But now, he only felt the pang of regret over not being a better husband to her. 

"She'll always be a part of me, pup, even if I don't like some of her choices," he said honestly. staring into the boy's eyes, so like his own. "I want her to get away from the man that hurt you both. I hope she does someday. And she's a part of me because she gave me you. So yes, I still love her in a way. Jude still loves Emer, but he's happy with Ravyn, just as I am with your momma Kelara."

William scrunched up his face at the complicated adult concepts. "I guess I understand. But then why did Alpha Jude just let someone use his body?"

Aldwin coughed. "He might have been vulnerable after we escaped the Dark Goddess."

Talon focused on him, relieved to have something other than Jude's mental state to focus on. "How's the wound?"

Aldwin rubbed his bandaged and semi-healed wound. "Still hurts."

Talon looked at him sympathetically. "You could have healed sooner if Caden hadn't taken matters into his own hands."

Aldwin looked away, staring at the pale walls. "I don't know what he was thinking. Where is he now? Silly thing to be thinking about."

"Not so silly, my friend. He did try to save you, in his own rash way." Jude placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And he's probably your fated mate, so it's natural to worry about him. Even if he wasn't, he still risked himself for you." He pointed to a partitioned area where the pack healer treated the less serious cases. "He's resting. Go and see him."

Talon intended to go and see Jude, but first, he waited until Aldwin went to Caden's bedside. Then, he loitered near the partition, watching the silhouettes of the lovers.

* * * * *

Aldwin POV

"You idiot," Aldwin hissed. "Why did you run for the stinkweed-choked hills instead of taking me to the healer?"

Caden, naked as a newborn, lay on his back, staring up at Aldwin with a cocky smile. "I was trying to get you away from those rabid rogues."

"D*mn, wolfy. You have an answer for everything."

Caden bared his teeth in a triumphant smile. "Wolfy?"

Aldwin flushed. "Well, what would you prefer I call you?"

Caden said simply, "Mate."

A warm rush of feeling swept through Aldwin. Feelings he never even knew he was capable of feeling. His weathered and scarred skin heated up. 

"Mate?"

Caden's pink lips stretched in a smile. "Yes. Mate. I was taking you away to heal you by turning you into a wolf, and then make you my mate."

One disadvantage of being naked, Aldwin decided, was that you didn't have clothes to fuss with when you were nervous. He felt more anxious than he'd ever been fleeing with bags full of loot and evading His Majesty's soldiers. 

"Do we have to do that in that order?"

Caden sat up, energized. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"

Aldwin gave a sharp nod. His heart beat as fast as a horse's hooves. Sweat slicked his palms. "I do. I'll be your mate after you did such a d*mn fool thing to save me. But wait ..."

Caden gripped his arm, the hand burning him like a hot iron--more pleasant than one, though. "Wait for what?"

"I'd have to move to be with you," Aldwin mumbled. "Leave Master William and His Lordship and His Ladyship after only a few short months, after Lord Talon gave me a fresh start."

That glorious old castle that once seemed so cold and impressive had become a home, especially because of young William. And to leave His Lordship ... it just didn't seem right.

Caden bared his teeth once again. "And, of course, you'd have to live in a frozen, harsh land--starkly beautiful for all of that."

Aldwin scoffed. "Bah, I'd have you to keep me warm, I expect."

Laughing lustily, Caden reached up to stroke his cheek. "Why don't you ask your Alpha and Luna for permission? Your Alpha understands the mate pull, I'll wager."

Aldwin peered around the partition and beckoned for Lord Talon and Lady Kelara. "Your Lordship? Your Ladyship?"

Lord Talon and Lady Kelara hurried to join them. From the look of her, Lady Kelara had already sensed or supposed what was happening between Caden and Aldwin. "You took a desperate chance, Alpha Caden," Lady Kelara said with her knowing stare.

"I wanted to save my mate." Caden fixed Lord Talon with a penetrating gaze. "Surely you can understand that. Just as Alpha Jude would defend his mate, and she would protect him--she is protecting him, from whatever afflicts him."

Lord Talon snarled, "Whatever it is, he's an honorable ally and he's suffered an ordeal in the Nightmare Realm that you should thank the Moon Goddess you never experienced."

Caden held up his hands. "I meant no disrespect."

Lady Kelara intervened delicately. "Alpha Caden ... are you still serious about courting Aldwin as your mate?"

Caden's gaze was steady. "As serious as a blizzard."

Aldwin rested a hand on Caden's shoulder. "And I'd only accept being his Luna if you both accept, and young Master William does."

Lord Talon exchanged a charged glance with Lady Kelara, and they both smiled privately. Lord Talon spoke formally. "Aldwin Brocius, you have served the Blackthorn Pack honorably. I release you to become the Wolfspeaker Pack Luna--and I'm sure Alpha Jiro sends his blessings from the Crimsontail Shadows."

William peeked around the partition and smiled. "I'll miss you, Teacher. But at least you'll be with a wolf pack! And maybe we can visit. I'd like to see wolves in the snow." He wrinkled his nose. "Wait to kiss until I leave, okay?"

And he slipped away as fast as only young children could.

Aldwin stammered a thank you, and both Lord Talon and Lady Kelara left with parting smiles. Before Aldwin knew what was happening, Caden slid over. "Join me, my little omega."