Mate for Life

"I could stand a bit more," Fitz said with a roguish grin.

Laughing, Bran hauled a spare pair of breeches out of his pack and tossed it at the ranger. Daegon slipped them on, grumbling about the fit. "I don't suppose my boots survived?" he asked generally.

"You teleported barefoot," Mendel reminded him, grinning as he drew out Daegon's pack and handed it over. Emily blinked, wondering aloud how he managed to stow a bulky bag in his robes without making a bulge. "Trade secret," Mendel winked at her and went to confer with his Guild Master.

There was a sudden rumble, and the whole building started to shake, chunks of stone and rubble raining down. Meg screamed, and Emily clutched at Daegon.

"Get out, NOW!" roared Mendel, and they all bolted for the door, Emily calling the wolves as they ran. Daegon was last out, refusing to leave Emily, who wouldn't go until she saw all twelve creatures were safe.

Bran counted noses once they were clear, and they all watched as the tower rippled and collapsed in a cloud of dust. The ground shook as if in the grip of an earthquake. The horses whinnied in alarm and the wolves circled, whining in fear. Emily, Taris, and Daegon had their hands full calming them all.

"What about the guards?" Mordan looked around.

"Dead," Bran said flatly. "The wards apparently alerted them. Caught us on the stairs."

"No loss," Mordan said with a bitter bite, gazing at the remains of the tower. "What happened to the tower?"

"It was built by magic," Balthar said quietly. "My guess is Cain had it triggered to collapse upon his death."

"He wouldn't want his secrets plundered," Mendel explained with a shrug.

"And now it's his grave," Glenna nodded, a fierce look of satisfaction on her face. "Seems right to me."

Emily was kneeling, nose to nose with the alpha wolf, speaking to him in low tones. With a tender pat and a kiss on the nose, she rose, and Daegon felt the ripple as she released the animals from her influence. Strangely, they didn't run off right away. They circled her and Daegon, sitting straight on furry haunches, and howled, noses pointed at the moon, before slipping off into the dark. Emily wiped away a tear and turned to Daegon.

"They'll always be yours to call," Daegon said, pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head.

"I know," she shook a little, sniffling, then looked up at him with a sad smile. "But they're better here. I can't exactly have a pack of wolves following me in town, can I?"

"Does one count as a pack?" Daegon teased.

"It does to me," she laughed.

Daegon chuckled, taking her hand and pulling her up in front of him on one of the horses. Glenna and Fizzy also paired up, Glenn cozily in front of Bran, Fizzy lightly swinging up behind Taris. Daegon tightened his grip on Emily, who protested mildly.

"I'm not going to disappear, Daeg," she chided gently, turning her face to kiss his cheek. "Cain's dead, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," Daeg grumbled. "You know we're at least three days from town, right?" he called to Bran, who shrugged.

"Balthar could magic us back, I suppose," he observed, "but these are awfully good horses. Shame to waste them. I see you've already claimed the best." He gave the horse an admiring look and grinned at Daegon.

"I'll teleport back in the morning," Balthar said rather abruptly. "I for one don't fancy three nights in the woods. Mendel, report back with that stone as soon as you're settled."

Mendel nodded, and conversation died as they picked their way through the trees. By unspoken agreement, no one wished to camp anywhere near the collapsed tower. Daeg felt the shiver down his spine fade the further they got from the clearing. Once they found a suitable place to build a fire and rest, he helped hobble the horses while Emily shook out their sleeping rolls. Fizzy gathered firewood, and Mendel waved a hand at the pile, instantly igniting it. Taris and Daegon disappeared for a while, coming back with several rabbits, skinned and ready for the fire, and they all rummaged their packs for hardtack and cheese. Dinner was makeshift but pleasant, augmented by a couple sips each from Dehn's flask, and water from a nearby stream. Daegon volunteered him and Emily for first watch.

As everyone settled into silence, Daeg automatically tuned in to the thousand minute sounds of the night, while watching Emily concentrate on doing the same. There was a line between her brows, and he guessed she was tracking her pack, making sure they were safe and content. Her face cleared, and she smiled at him.

"All is well?" Daegon asked, and she nodded.

"They're not far," she said softly. "The leader is very protective; they'll be all right." She smiled. "Kind of reminds me of someone."

"Yeah, Bran does look out for his own," Daegon deliberately misunderstood, and Emily scowled.

"Glenna told me you fought half the party to try and get to me when she was healing me," Emily said softly. "She said you were...crying."

"Yeah, I was," he said simply. "You were dead. At least for a moment." He paused, his dark eyes black in the flicker of the campfire. "I don't ever want to feel that again."

"What did you feel?" she whispered, moving closer.

"Like nothing would ever be right again," he answered in a low growl. "Is that what you felt when...when Garrick died?" He looked as if he wanted to touch her, but didn't quite dare yet.

She considered this. "No," she answered honestly. "It felt....it was awful, ripped me apart. But...." She swallowed, her eyes sad. "The pain was a lot of things, wishing I could have done something different, that we'd had more time together, missing my friend and husband. But I didn't feel insane about it, just....unable to cope for a while. I was numb, and then it hurt so badly...being in the Order got me through, but I never felt..." She stopped, looking stricken, and Daegon almost didn't ask, but had to know.

"Never felt what?" he asked gently.

"Never felt like half of me was gone," she whispered. "I missed him, oh, gods did I miss him, and still do. But I didn't know, would never have known if he hadn't died..." she stopped again, gathering her thoughts and words like picking herbs for healing; deliberately and with care. "I hadn't known there was such a thing as a true mate, the other half of me. Until now."

"I did. I just never expected to find mine," Daegon said, tugging her close. He kissed her then, slow and hungry, possessively, and she sighed into his mouth, her arms winding around him. A persistent nudge under her arm made her jump and break apart from Daeg.

One of Cain's dogs was at her feet, liquid brown eyes soft in the firelight, sitting on his haunches looking hopeful. It was the former pack leader, the biggest of the half-wolves, now gentle and tame as a kitten. He chuffed at her, the slight whine in his throat making her smile and scratch him behind the ears. He made a little growly sound of ecstasy and settled his head in her lap. Emily laughed in delight and pet him.

"You need a name, fella, if you're staying," Emily told him, and the dog grunted as if in agreement. "How do you like Ulfric?" The dog made a happy whining sound, and Emily laughed. "Ulfric it is."

"Looks like you've got a friend for life," Daegon commented, holding his knuckles out for Ulfric to sniff. The beast recognized his scent immediately, licking Daeg's hand and rolling for a belly scratch. Daegon laughed, obliging, then caught the glowing look on Emily's face. "What?"

"He came back," she said simply, her fingers gliding through the rough fur of the dog. "I let him go, but he came back."

"You're pretty hard to resist," Daegon said seriously. "This one recognized the real leader of his pack, that's all." He paused, and drew her close, looking into her eyes. "You're kinder than me," he said quietly. "I won't give you the chance to go. I want to keep you."

She looked back, eyes shining. "You wouldn't be able to get rid of me if you tried," she assured him.

"Wolves mate for life, you know."

"I'm not a wolf," Emmy pointed out.

"Tell that to Ulfric," Daegon said, and claimed his mate with a kiss.