James Purefoy as High Lord Raphael 'Rafe' Klyne

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I carry my exhausted mate through the back entrance up to my suite. I run into no one courtesy of Georgiana, thank god. I am in no mood to answer anyone's questions right now. I lay my mate on our bed, undress him as much as I can without waking him up and tuck him into bed. I go to the bathroom to complete my bedtime rituals.

I climb back into bed and pull my mate to me, I draw his back to my front, swing my hand across his chest to hold him closer. I missed him. It is so good to have him in my arms at last. I can't stop thinking about Darric though. I hope Cal forgives him, that's the only way for all three of us to be happy. While waiting for my mate, now mates, I realize that all the god and goddess can do is mate us, it is up to us to take the gift and be happy. I think Darric realized it too late and his paying the price.

Callum has the power to freeze time? Who knew? I don't know why I'm surprised. One power or more is expected from children of Elders. I wonder if Esme can help him learn how to use it. Esme? Oh, hell no, bad, bad, bad idea. I'll rather ask El Dargon.

I hug Cal tighter and tuck his head in the crook of my neck. I take a deep breath and his breathing lures me to sleep.

I open my eyes and my head is on someone's chest, I take a deep breath, Rafe. I smile. I snuggle deeper into him.

"You're awake?"

"Umm, I don't want to get up. I want to stay like this forever."

"That might be a problem. We will waste away in hunger and one thing you need to know about me is that I love to eat. Get up, time to face the day. And you have some visitors; Roland, Raven, and Serena."

"Really? Here?"

"Yes, Salim brought them along with his sister, Summer."

I get up and stop, I don't know where the bathroom is. "Where's the bathroom?"

"This way. Let me give you a quick tour of our suite."

"Our suite?" I ask smiling.

"Of course." And he takes me on a tour of our suite. It is huge, bigger than some apartments. I love the huge tub and will like to try that tub but not now. Gotta get a move on. I step out of the bathroom and I walk to the walk-in closet. He had shown me my side of the closet that he set up for me. I have never had these many clothes in my life.

I choose a light blue and white shirt and a pair of tight dark blue pants. I check myself out in the standing mirror and I must admit that I look good. I turn to check out my booty in the tight pants and just had to smack that ass!

"Did you just smack your ass," Rafe asks laughing, leaning against the door in his 'tighty whities'.

"Shit," I cover my face my embarrassment. I grab my socks and shoes and try to squeeze by Rafe.

"That was so such a turn on. Just remember to do that again for me soon. Naked."

"Naked?" I squeak.

"Naked. I bet your ass will turn a nice shade of red," he smiles, bends down and kisses me. "I'll be down in a few minutes." He takes his underpants off and struts naked into the shower. Damn, my mate has a fine ass.

"Jeffery is outside the suite waiting to take you to your friends. I'll take you on the tour of the whole house later."

"Thanks." Fighting the temptation to join him in the shower, I run out of the bathroom and finished dressing. I walk out and there's Jeffery, stoic and unsmiling as ever.

"Good morning Jeffery, will you take me to my friends please?" To be honest, he scares me, not his size but his attitude. It screams 'don't fuck with me or else'.

"Of course, my Lord."

Did he just call me 'my Lord'? Me? Cal Yorke, Omega wolf. Dang, I guess I am a Lord now. I am a Lord now! OMG!!! I start to hyperventilate. I can't do this. I can't lead a vampire clan. Mate or not I am not ready. I stop and lean on the wall, taking deep breaths.

"Are you alright my Lord?"

"Jeffery, do me a favor?"

"What my Lord?"

"Please don't call me 'my Lord' for a while."

"Yes, my Lord."

"I just said..."

"Of course, my Lord."

Seriously, I push off the wall frustrated and motion for him to lead the way. At least I'm no longer hyperventilating.

We walk into a contemporary style den. It is so modern and sleek. Very stylish and expensive looking. The walls are hardwood all over. Different walls incorporate different things, one has cabinets inserts filled with wines on display racks. Another side has a white granite, standing three quarters the height of the wall with a fireplace in it. There are comfortable chairs all around. The lighting is soft and warm.

My friends all look relax and are chatting when I walk in. "Hi, guys."

"Cal," Serena runs to me and hugs me hard and wouldn't let go. I hug her back, looking at the others and I nod a greeting to them. Raven looks relieved and Roland was just grinning. "We were so worried. Are you okay? Alpha Darric didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine, really, I am. Hello Alpha Salim, Summer."

"Cal, you sure like to keep me on my toes, don't you?" Alpha Salim laughs. "I hope you don't mind, Summer wanted to tag along. So, your mates met?"

"In a manner of speaking. Shouldn't you all be at work?"

"I gave them all day off. They wouldn't be able to concentrate worrying about you."

"Alpha Salim, so good to see you," Georgiana walks in with the ever-present Raul by her side. Does this guy live here too?

"My Lady, a pleasure. How are you, Raul?"

"Wonderful Salim, good to see you again."

Georgiana walks in as regal as ever but her clothes are bohemian at best. On anyone else; a material that is brown with green tiny butterflies, tailored as a hippie long length dress, with a dark brown undershirt, a matching thick dark brown belt tied across her waist, completed with black shoes and dark brown floppy hat, will really, really look awful. But on Georgiana, it just works.

"Hello, Raven, Roland, Serena, and Summer, right?" She shakes their hands as she calls out their names.

"Good morning, my Lady," they all reply, beguiled. Yes, that's what I'll call it. I mean what else will I call three werewolves and one werecat with dumbass smiles on their faces.

"Please everyone, sit. Jeffery, refreshments for our guests."

"Right away my Lady."

"Cal, how are you, dear? You were knocked out when you got home last night." She sits down beside me.

"I'm fine. I slept like a baby."

"Of course, when you sleep next to your mate, it is wonderful, right Raul?"

"Right you are my love."

I say to myself, 'big mouth Georgiana', when I notice the looks my friends are giving me. Rafe walks in with Jeffery. Drinks are passed all around and Rafe takes the seat on my other side.

"Hi guys, I apologize for not personally taking you back to Crimson River, I just had to stay behind. '

"That's okay Lord Rafe, we understand sir," Roland replies.

"And Roland, thank you."

"You're welcome, sir."

"Salim, may I see you for a minute? There's a problem I need your help with. Jeffery will show you to my office. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Of course." Jeffery leads Alpha Salim out of the room. Georgiana and Raul follow him. Rafe kisses me and leaves with them.

"Have you mated with him?" Trust Raven to go right for the jugular.

"Raven! No! We're getting to know each other."

"Don't wait too long."

"Thank you, guys, for checking on me. I must tell you though that going back to BloodRose was not how I expected it to feel."

"How did it feel, horrible, right?" Serena asks.

"Other than my run-ins with my father, my sister, and my mate's parents, the atmosphere has changed."

"I did hear about some of the changes, but I thought they were just rumors," Roland says.

"From who?"

"Betas Cole and Rick. They both reached out to me via email. I replied Cole but not Rick. Rick was part of those who always bullied us. Cole never touched us, and always tried to help. So, I answered his email after his fifth or so attempt. He just talked about the changes the Alpha is implementing. How they lost some diehard old timers who didn't want to change their ways. He said that they're actually building a school, hospital with the help of Alpha Salim. That Alpha Darric is using Alpha Salim's prototype to build theirs."

"I didn't know that. Alpha Salim never said a word."

"So maybe your mate is changing but I wasn't going to take that chance when I saw him with you at Esme's. How was it?"

"We talked a lot. About our history and what his actions did to me, to us. He's giving me time to work through my feelings and we'll see how it goes."

"Good luck my friend. I can't imagine dealing with two strong mates," Roland says.

"This place is huge but why are there no vampires around other than the Lord's family?" Raven changes the topic.

"Vampires are not communal like us. They can live anywhere they choose. Summer, how's Winter?"

"Cold as usual. Where's Freddy? I thought she lives here."

"I don't know. I was knocked out when I got here, and I haven't seen her."

Our conversation then turned into friendly banter as we wait for Rafe and Alpha Salim to conclude their business. I hope their meeting is long, I will like to visit with my friends a little longer.

"I'm torn," I confide in my sister as we walk down the hallway.

"It's to be expected. After what you just told me, the only history is between your mates and it stinks up to high heaven."

"What am I to do? How can I fix this?"

"You can't fix it."

"I can fix it. I am the fixer. I fix everything. They are my mates. I'll just bring them together and we'll work it all out. Callum will forgive Darric and everything will be fine."

"No, it won't."

"And why not?"

"Because neither one of his mates can give him what he needs now. Let me speak with Cal. I might be able to help him, you and the other one."

"His name is Alpha Darric, and you know it."

"Alpha Toxic?"

"Darric! And you may speak with Callum. And Georgiana?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't make things worse."

"When have I ever done that?" she clutches her chest in fake shock.

"Oh, let me count the ways: My fifth birthday when you got me lost and I couldn't find my way home for hours. My sixth birthday when you convinced me that the blood of a raven will make me taller instead it made me stink to high heaven as if I got sprayed by a skunk. My seventh birthday when you locked Julian and me in the dungeon telling us that the Sun god lives there and wants to bestow powers on us, on my eight birthday you told the girl I had a crush on in school that I wet my bed, on my ninth birthday you ..."

"Okay, okay! What's wrong with a little prank here and there between siblings? I always made it up to you though, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, and that's why I still love you," I bend down and kiss her. "Just handle my mate with care."

"Go, go, Salim is waiting for you?" She ushers me down the hall, "I got this."

"That's what I'm afraid of," I say a silent prayer to the Sun god and walk to my office to meet with Salim.

"Salim, thank you for waiting."

"No problem, what's up?"

"I have a problem in my area and at BloodDusk Clan. Someone is turning humans. I assigned a trusted associate to investigate it, and his initial report tells me that we have some weres involved."

"Are you sure? Why would a were help a vampire create 'nightwalkers'?"

"I don't know but they are turning them at an alarming rate."

"I thought vampires stopped that practice a long time ago."

"We did. The only ones we turn are our enemies and..."

"...hunters."

"Exactly. My source says that he believes this is the work of a Lord or Lady with the help of weres. I meant to talk to Alpha Darric about it, but things got a little bit complicated."

"From what I heard, that's putting it mildly. You still need to inform him, because if there are werewolves and werecats involved we need to find them and stop this asap. We have enough problems with rogues, we don't need nightwalkers in the mix."

"I'll talk to him and get back to you. Please be on the lookout for any hybrids in your area."

"Will do. Everything okay with Cal?"

"He's adjusting. He's stronger than he believes. He's going to meet the Clan in a week and all of you are invited to the party."

"Thanks, we'll be there."

My friends and Alpha Salim left not too long ago. A sad goodbye but we plan to meet every two weeks to talk Wood Inc. As Rafe starts the tour of the manor, Jeffery came for him and Georgiana took over the tour.

She took me on a detailed tour of the manor. So many rooms, and hidden rooms. I particularly loved the library. Rafe was right, it is huge. The type of library that has books from the ceiling to the floor. There are two rolling ladders on opposite sides of the room attached to handrails. The books on supernatural are in a section all by themselves. They are not in the open like the other books but in protected cabinets with the touch keypad. I touch the cabinet reverently.

"I want to read them all, but I don't know where to start," I tell Georgiana.

Georgiana opens the cabinet, "may I suggest a few to start with?"

"Which ones?"

She grabs three books and walks us over to a sofa and we sit down. "Read these three first. This first one," a heavy dark brown book, "tells the history of the Ancient One who created the Sun god, the Moon goddess, and humans. The god and goddess are siblings, you know? Makes you and I very, very distant cousins," she giggles. "This second one tells the creation of all the ruling council: The Elementals, Originals, Elders and The Shadows. And the creation of us the original hybrids."

"The Shadows?"

"Yes, they rule the Unri, Fairies, Pixies. There's a lot of supernatural beings out there. Not only weres and vampires you know. And this last book, well, it goes into the worship of Sun god and Moon goddess. The rituals, everything for the followers of the Sun god and the Moon goddess."

"I can't wait, I think this room is my favorite in the whole house," I look around in awe.

"Cal?"

"What?"

"Suck it up!"

"Excuse me?"

"You need to suck it up. So, your other mate was a bullying son of a bitch. I hear he's sorry and changing, even to the point of changing his pack along with him. Listen I get it, bullying is physically painful, not to talk about the emotional part. But that is why when you are given a second chance you either hold on to your pain or let go and forgive the dumbass."

"Watch it, that's my mate you're calling a dumbass."

"Good, you're fighting for him, tells me you are halfway there. I see a little bit of me in you..."

"That's a scary thought," I interrupt her.

"...and may I give you a piece of advice?"

"Sure."

"Get a little revenge that will bring him to his knees and then forgive him totally."

"A little revenge?"

"Yes, ask Raul. He's a recipient of my revenge. I don't subscribe to that saying about revenge is better served cold. Bull shit! When done right, revenge is hot, brewing and oh so very satisfying."

"I don't want to make my mate wait twenty-something years."

"Oh sweetie, you don't have to string him along that far. Think about what will bring him to his knees instantly and do it."

"I thought Esme was the scariest person I know but you are running a very close second."

"Thank you, Esme is a sweetheart. I don't know why my brother and the other leaders have a problem with her. Anyone that is a good friend to my daughter is okay with me. Seriously, you need to do something, Rafe is torn between the two of you and I'm thinking your Alpha is lonely and devastated since he doesn't have either one of mates with him."

"I'll think about it, and thank you."

"Umm Cal, one more thing?"

"Yes, let's keep this conversation between us. My brother believes my suggestions make things either worse or bizarre. I really don't know where he gets that idea from. Brothers, unh?"

"Umm, I wonder why he would think that."

"I like you, Cal, I really do. Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

"I haven't told either one of my mates. It is not time yet."

I know what he's saying must be done but I have two battling mates on my hands, and this is the last thing on my mind.

"It must be done very soon, my Lord."

"I know that, Jeffery. I have another mate and that makes this even harder."

"It is a vampire ritual that must be done, my Lord. I cannot wait any longer."

"I know."

"You have three weeks, if at the end of the three weeks and it's not done, I will have to do it by any means necessary, my Lord. A 'recall' may be needed. I am sorry."

"I know, I understand."

"Good day my lord."

Jeffery leaves me with my thoughts. Three weeks? Dammit, that's not enough time. But for the future of Klyne Clan, it must be done. I have no other choice.

Author's Note: Who is Jeffery? A simple butler? Or something more? I don't know

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