The Council Ch. 12

Nors was running late and was in a foul mood. His day had been a complete washout and his emotions were all over the place. He was really struggling to hold onto his temper and the only reason he could come up with for this unexpected turn of events was it had something to do with the wolf gene within him. He usually had a lot better self control than he was currently displaying.

His disagreement with Ashleigh had started his day off on a sour note and even though they had kissed and made up, the issue wasn't fully resolved. She still hadn't agreed to move into his bedroom and that fact alone was pissing him off big time. Add in Freya's little temper tantrum and Caleb's aborted visit to the office and Nors' patience was just about at an end.

His cell phone rang and he literally barked into it when he answered. Hearing Alexei Romanov's amused voice on the other end only served to annoy him even more.

"What do you want, Alexei?" he growled irritably. Did the stupid Elder suddenly think they were best friends just because they'd had one conversation and shared the commonality of having Were mates? He would disabuse him of that notion very quickly.

Alexei laughed loudly. "Bit grouchy there, Nors?" he asked still laughing. "I think you need to have a little chat with Aaron Alexander of the Hanlon pack. Sounds like your wolf is starting to act up on you."

The scathing retort on Nors' lips died completely at the other man's words, his body tensing as surprise took over. "What does that mean?" he heard himself asking in a slightly more reasonable tone.

"It means we all have to learn how to deal with the wolf gene within us and its reaction to our mates," Alexei answered with a hint of laughter still bubbling under his tone. "It usually hits us bad when we're angry about something to do with our mates. Something to do with our need to protect them. I almost killed Aaron for hurting Cedar so that's how I found out about it. I couldn't control the rage within me."

Nors thought of his sudden rage towards his sister, of how he had almost hurt her when she had disrespected Ashleigh. He blinked slowly and then let out a long deep sigh. If what Alexei said was true then that explained his reaction. "What next?" he growled loudly. "Do you have any other little pearls of wisdom to share me?"

"Only that Caleb's called a meeting at his house tomorrow night," the other vampire responded. "Seriously Nors, set up some time with Aaron. He's not so bad for a wolf and he does know what he's talking about. If you want things to go smoothly with your mate, taking the time to work on handling the more aggressive instincts of your wolf is most definitely the way to go."

Nors sighed deeply again and worked on getting his irritation under control. "Do you know what Caleb wants?" He was perturbed to hear there was a meeting called, especially as Caleb had aborted his own visit to the office. He would have expected to hear this from his friend rather than have it conveyed by one of the Romanovs.

"No idea," Alexei sighed quietly. "Andrei went to see him and came back saying there was a meeting. He didn't elaborate. All the mated pairs and the Weres too so it must have something to do with the current situation."

"Fine, I'll be there," Nors said ending the call and running his hands tiredly over his face. This was just what he needed on top of everything else, a bloody wolf gene creating havoc within him and a meeting at Caleb's house.

What he did truly need was his wolf. He craved to be with her so badly and yet he was afraid to go home because he couldn't get his emotions under control. Which was why he was still at work after seven pm. Ash had made plans to go to the compound so he was giving her time to go out before he returned home. Hopefully by the time she came back he would have himself under more control.

With a weary sigh he left the office and headed home. Why he'd ever thought claiming his wolf would have been an easy task he had no idea. He had assumed their deep bond would work in their favour and it did for the most part. He just hadn't factored in that the wolf gene would impact on him so greatly and that he'd have a hard time dealing with it. He would need to ask Ashleigh to set up a meeting for him with Aaron so he could work through his issues.

He didn't even find it strange that he was meekly accepting that he would need to go to a wolf for assistance. He'd been around the pack long enough in the last year to be reasonably comfortable with them. He wasn't on the same level of friendliness with them as Caleb and Demetri but he liked the Alphas well enough and he'd even met Aaron a few times and he seemed okay too.

He was home before he knew it, sensing immediately that his wolf wasn't home and sighing with relief. He'd have a couple of hours to unwind and work on his erratic emotions before she came home. He would try and avoid the topic of bedrooms as well so no further disagreements arose.

He headed upstairs and stopped in the middle of his doorway, his entire body going still with shock. Ashleigh's robe was lying on the end of his bed and a quick glance around the room showed subtle little differences. His heart beat loudly in his chest as he saw her little bottles of lotions and perfumes gracing the dressing table and a few photographs tacked onto the mirror in a line down one side.

Forgetting how to breathe he walked slowly over to the dressing table and sat down on the stool. Ashleigh smiled out of the photographs on display, her face radiant with happiness as her parents cuddled her on either side in the top one. The next one down she was surrounded by her sisters and they were striking silly poses as they laughed. The last photograph her brother had his arms wrapped around her from behind, a wide smile on his face as he rested his chin on top of her head and she laughed towards the camera.

Nors felt a lump in his throat and his eyes grow moist as he stared at Ashleigh's precious photographs of her family. She looked so happy in them, her effervescence caught forever in those perfect moments that had filled her with such joy. That she had suffered such heartache not long after the photographs were taken broke his heart.

To the other side of the mirror was a lone photograph and Nors blinked slowly in surprise as he looked at it. When has she taken that one? He was caught sitting in the study, engrossed in one of his favourite books, a faint smile on his face as he was reading. He had no memory of her taking the photograph, couldn't even remember what night it had been but at some point in her stay with him she had taken a photograph to add to her collection.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the dressing table and rose to open the closet doors and peer inside. His heart thumped harder in his chest, a wide smile crossing his face as he saw her clothes nestled beside his. He reached out tentatively and touched the delicate items, joy overwhelming him.

His little wolf was taking that final step. Whatever had been holding her back she had finally worked through it and was completely accepting him. The rage within him suddenly subsided completely, the wolf part of his new nature finally satisfied that he had his mate forever.

It was all he could do not to head straight to the compound and bring her home. He should have come home earlier. He should have trusted in Ashleigh's love for him more than he had done. He had just been so scared of her rejection that he had hidden from her because he didn't know how to deal with it.

No, he would wait for his wolf to come to him and when she did he would show her just how much her love and trust meant to him. Smiling, Nors turned and headed into the shower. Suddenly the day was not such a bad one after all.

*****

Ashleigh couldn't get home fast enough. She'd had a great time at the compound with everyone even though her mood had been a little bleak when she'd left to go there. She had waited as long as she could for Nors to arrive back from the office but he must have had to work late because he hadn't shown up or called before it was time to leave.

He would have found her things in his room by now. She wondered what he thought when he had noticed it. He hadn't called so she was feeling a little nervous even though she knew she didn't have any reason to feel that way. Nors was adamant that she move into his room so she wasn't expecting him to be angry that she had. Still, his complete lack of response to her doing so was a little disconcerting.

She took a deep breath and entered the house. "Nors?" she called loudly, pausing to hear where his reply came from.

He was at her side in an instant, so quickly that she didn't even see what direction he came from. She gave a startled squeak as he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, burying his head in the side of her neck.

"I thought you'd never come home," he breathed softly, his grip tight around her, his lips brushing her soft skin gently.

Her slight apprehension vanished instantly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I waited for you as long as I could," she answered slightly breathlessly because he was holding her so tightly.

His grip immediately gentled and he raised his head to stare intently into her eyes, a sheepish smile in his lips. "I was having a bad day," he admitted. "I didn't want to bring my bad mood home to you. But I wish I had, Ash, because I would have felt so much better being with you. I'm sorry I stayed away, love."

His expression made her melt, his eyes shining with such happiness that she had to reach out and touch his cheek gently. "It's okay, Nors," she whispered. "I just wanted to be here when you got home and went upstairs. You don't need to stay away because you're not in a good mood. I'm here for you no matter what. We're mates, love. We're here for each other, through the good and the bad times."

Her easy acceptance of him made his heart swell and also made him feel even more foolish than he already did. He was just so new to the whole relationship thing and being in love. He didn't have any experience to draw from so he invariably made mistakes. His wolf very generously forgave him those little mistakes and he was so thankful for it.

"I can't begin to tell you how happy you've made me, Ashleigh," he breathed softly, his eyes shining brightly. "When I went upstairs and saw all your things in our bedroom I thought my heart would burst it was thumping so wildly in my chest. Thank you, my beautiful wolf."

"Oh Nors, I'm sorry I was being so silly about moving in with you," Ashleigh sighed hugging him tightly. "I was just scared about taking that last step. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you feel rejected. I just kept worrying that something would go wrong, that I'd lose you as I lost everyone else and I was trying to protect myself."

She pulled back, staring into his deep green eyes, her heart beating erratically as she looked at her mate. "I love you so much I couldn't survive if I ever lost you, Nors," she whispered tremulously. "Promise me you won't ever let anything bad happen to you. I couldn't stand it if it ever did."

Nors groaned raggedly and hugged his wolf close to him. "I'll never leave you, Ashleigh," he groaned, his voice thick with emotion. "I swear I'll never let anything bad happen to either of us. You're my world now, little wolf. You're the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, ready to greet each new day because I have you in my life. I'll be here for you forever, my love. Believe in me."

Ashleigh felt tears of joy fill her eyes and she didn't stop them falling against his neck. Believing in her vampire had never been an issue for her, believing in herself had been but Nors' love and constant support had worked its magic on her.

She was vaguely aware of him moving, carrying her upstairs and laying her on their bed. He dropped down beside her, moving to lean against the headboard and cuddling her between his legs so her back was resting against his chest.

"When did you take that photograph?" he asked softly, their positioning giving them a good view of the dressing table.

"A few months ago," she smiled through her tears, wiping at her face as she leaned against him. "I don't know what you were reading but you seemed to be enjoying it so much I couldn't resist it. It was a perfect addition to my collection of most treasured photographs."

There was a little hint of sadness in her voice but nothing as bad as she used to sound like when she'd talked of her family before. With Nors it wasn't so hard to talk about them, to remember the happy times she'd had as she was growing up. She suddenly sat forward turning to face him.

"I have more if you'd like to see them?" Her tone was slightly querulous. She wanted him to know her family even though they were no longer around. They were a part of her life and she wanted to share everything with him.

Nors' heart melted as he stared in her lovely eyes. There was such a look of vulnerability in her expression but also a hint of excitement too. He could see her slowly opening up. It was almost as if he could witness her heart mending in real time as she shook off her sadness and replaced it with happiness. That she wanted to share her past with him filled him with a joy he'd never experienced before.

"I would love to see them, Ashleigh," he smiled softly.

She was off the bed and into one of the drawers, pulling out a leather bound album before jumping back onto the bed smiling broadly. She settled down between his legs once more and opened her life to him.

He listened to her explaining every photograph, narrating her memories of each instance of family life. Her excitement and happiness enthralled him as he travelled her own personal timeline and felt as if he had actually been with her the entire time. God, he didn't think he could love her anymore than he already did but he fell deeper under her spell as he listened to her.

She stopped talking at one photograph, her finger tapping against it lightly.

"Who is that?" he asked, sensing her stiffen slightly. He knew one of the men was her brother David but he didn't recognise the other man from the compound. The stranger was tall and broad as most Weres were. He had longish dark brown hair and a twinkle in his blue eyes. He was very handsome and Nors knew he would have recognised him if he had been around the compound.

"That's Dayton," Ashleigh answered in a sadder tone. "He's one of the Alexander brothers. You won't have seen him around because he left the pack a long time ago, long before I was born. He was David's best friend. They were inseparable, always getting into mischief from what David used to tell me."

Nors was surprised to hear the dark haired man was an Alexander. The rest of the family were all blond so he seemed a complete oddity compared to them. He hadn't heard anyone speaking about a missing member of the family either and then there was Ashleigh's reaction to him too. If he had been gone from the pack for such a long time then she would never have met the man. There was a definite feel of mystery about Dayton Alexander which piqued his curiosity.

"Why did he leave the pack?" he asked softly, stroking her arm soothingly as she shivered slightly.

"It was all very sad from what I was told," she sighed. "Dayton was well loved among the pack and almost a permanent fixture at our house. Ma used to joke she had an extra son he was around so much. Then he met his mate, Faith and naturally he wasn't around as much after that though they still visited a lot."

She swallowed and closed the album turning into Nors' embrace and leaning against his chest. "David told me that he found Dayton crying in the forest one day, holding Faith so tightly he had to fight to prise his fingers from her lifeless body. She fell awkwardly when they were running, breaking her neck instantly. Dayton blamed himself and was beside himself with grief. It took Jared and Aaron months to pull him back from the brink of insanity, to stop him going Rogue."

She shivered as she spoke, imagining Dayton's anguish so well because it so closely mirrored how she had felt when her family died. "He survived the loss of Faith but he was never the same again. He withdrew from his family, became hard and bitter. Eventually even David couldn't get through to him anymore and he left the pack to wander alone. He still called David every now and then. Their bond was really strong and I suppose he found it easier to keep up with pack news from someone other than a member of his own family."

Ashleigh smiled sadly up at Nors. "I thought he would have come to the memorial," she admitted forlornly. "I hoped he would care enough about David to at least come and say goodbye to him. I know I've never met him but I so badly wanted to talk to someone who had meant so much to my brother. But I guess it was just too hard for him. I can kind of understand why he didn't come, that it would have been just one more heartache on top of everything else he had suffered. It would have been nice to finally meet him though."

Nors kissed the top of her head lightly, holding her close. His first instinct was to be angry at this Dayton character for making his wolf so sad but her soft acceptance of the other man's pain made him stop and think. How would he feel if he lost his Ashleigh? Would he ever be the same again if she was no longer in his life?

Just the thought of anyone harming one hair on his beautiful mate's head was enough to make him want to commit murder. He would rip apart anyone who even thought of hurting his Ashleigh. She was his world and he would protect her with his very life if need be. No one would ever hurt her.

He sighed deeply and struggled to calm his sudden rage. A part of him could understand Dayton Alexander's actions because he knew he would probably react just like him given the same set of circumstances.

"Maybe you're right, love," he said softly. "Maybe his pain was still too raw at the time. I'm sorry it's made you sad though." He felt her take a deep breath and then she pulled back again and smiled up at him.

"All memories are either happy or sad," she answered quietly. "It's all part of life, Nors. You have to take the good with the bad. Without the bad bits, you never fully appreciate the good parts. I'm sad for Dayton because I understand his loss. But I'm happy for me because I have you in my life now and I know that I have so many wonderful happy moments ahead of me."

He stared into her face, gently brushing her soft blonde her back. "You do that my beautiful little wolf," he whispered softly. "I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure you never know another moment's sadness." He leaned forward and kissed her lightly, drinking in the soft moan she gave him as his lips moved slowly over hers.

Ashleigh sighed softly and rose up on her knees to wrap her arms around his neck. Nors gathered her in tightly, pressing her against his hardness as he deepened the kiss slightly before pulling back and cradling her face tenderly.

"I love you," he breathed softly, his heated gaze travelling over her exquisite face.

"I love you," she smiled tangling her hands in his long hair and pulling his mouth back to hers for another kiss.

Nors wanted to make love to her so badly but the moment didn't feel right so he contented himself with some loving kisses and gentle teasing strokes against her soft skin. There was just something so wondrously magical about the night that he didn't want it spoiled by lust.

"Oh, we need to go over to Caleb's tomorrow night," he sighed softly breaking his kiss and burying his head in the side of her neck so he could gently run his tongue against her soft skin.

"I was going over to the compound after work," Ashleigh sighed, giggling as he tickled her with a gentle nuzzle.