Page 13 of Henri's Little One
“Not now, Henri,” Julio scolded him. “Vitas and I need to get in line. Vitas, you walk behind Donal and meet Henri in the front.” Julio ran over and put Vitas next to Donal and took off to stand by Richard. Vitas examined the face of the man who stood ahead of him. “You stayed with me yesterday when I was so sick.”
Donal turned his head back to Vitas, “Of course, every one of us did something to help. You’ll see, you’ve just acquired seven brothers with all the joy and all the arguments that implies. The music is starting, and Henri is coming over to walk beside you. Perk up, you’re loved.”
The music played, something Vitas heard as a boy, Enya, he thought and Vitas, his heart pounding, walked beside his Mate.
Julien and Richard arrived at the altar and faced each other. A man introduced himself asJohn Donaldson, the pack’s Justice of the Peace. He began the ceremony.“It is your duty, Julien, to be to Richard a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband. To support, guide, and cherish him in prosperity and trouble, to behave thoughtfully and enlarge carefully the place he holds in your life. To constantly show to him tokens of your affection, to shelter him from danger, and to take him as your mate in unalterable love for eternity. Do you do as I say?”
“I do.” It seemed to Vitas as if Julien’s eyes sparkled.
“It is your duty, Richard, to be to Julien a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband, to support and cherish him in prosperity and trouble. To give him counsel and help him to bear his burdens with grace, to comfort him in need and rejoice with him in plenty—to love him as your mate for all eternity. Do you do as I say?”
“I do, my whistling wolf.” Richard’s eyes misted as he looked up at Julien.
“I now pronounce you husbands. You may kiss each other, so all assembled know that you are Mates.” Tears ran down Vitas’ face. He glanced across the aisle at his Alpha. He was crying, too.
§ § §
Armand’s Plane
Late Sunday Evening
Out of necessity, the reception was short. Everyone was packed and ready to fly to Anchorage by two. The flight to Anchorage was four hours. Julio tapped a straw on the bar.
Richard was spending the whole flight so far on Julien’s lap, and Henri wouldn’t let go of Vitas’ hand. Finally, the other Mates had enough.
“Richard, you have the rest of your now very long life to sit on Julien’s lap, and Vitas is just as sappy as you are and hasn’t even been mated yet. We want to get to know Vitas. So, both of you get your asses over here and have a drink with us,” Julio demanded. “It’s only a four-hour flight. You can be plastered together for the rest of the night.”
Vitas gazed up at his Alpha who nodded. Vitas followed Julio to the dining area across the plane from where the Alphas gathered at the bar.
“How big is this plane?” Vitas asked Julio.
Julio was only too happy to answer Vitas’ questions. He preened. “This is a modified 747. The Betas and household staff sit in the back where they have nice roomy seats. We get the front and upstairs. We have a bar and seats that fully recline big enough for two so you can be strapped in with your Alpha. Now come and join us.” They walked over to the bar with Julio herding Vitas toward the other Mates.
“Obviously, we have to teach Vitas how to assert himself.” Sean gestured to the assortment of beer, wine, soft drinks, liquor, and snacks.
“Can I have a Coke, please?” Sean pulled the tab on a can of Coke and handed it to Vitas.
“You must be starving. I know before I mated I could have eaten a whole cow.” Ian took a sandwich from the tray the steward brought out.
Sean smacked his hand. “Those are for Vitas. He gets to eat first tonight. He’s the one about to be mated.”
Ian frowned. “It’s only one freaking sandwich.”
Colin turned to Vitas and said dryly, “Ian can still eat a cow.”
Vitas stared longingly at the sandwich. “Everyone, help yourselves. I’ll just take one.”
“You will not just take one, you’ll eat the whole tray.” Vitas obediently took a sandwich as Julio glowered at all the other Mates. “Sit down here by me.” He patted the seat. “Tell us about yourself. That Irish lilt tells me you didn’t always live in Russia.”
“Mama and Papa met in Ireland while Papa was on vacation before Chernof challenged Alpha Mefodiy. They settled in Ireland and then I was born, an Omega with a gift. When I was sixteen, Alpha Chernof became First in Russia and commanded my father to come home. Since Mama didn’t belong to a pack, they had no choice.”
“Couldn’t they have appealed to the European Council?” Colin took notes.
“Since Ireland had so few loup garou, we didn’t even have a representative on the council to whom we could make an appeal. Russia took precedence.”
“My papa came from Alpha Davidoff’s pack, so when we went back to Russia, we were protected because everyone knew Alpha Davidoff could take Alpha Chernof, and Alpha Chernof knew it, too. We lived in peace in Russia for five years.”
“I asked my Papa why Alpha Davidoff didn’t act. He said that some resentment still lingered over Alpha Chernof taking over from Alpha Mefodiy, and a second council change in such a short period wouldn’t be well received, so Alpha Davidoff was biding his time.”
