Falk Clan Tales - Chapter 101: Chapter 101

“Can I keep you?”
Minnie flexed her hips, trying to entice the sexy Dragon closer, but she stilled instantly when he asked that one simple question. Her heart damn near ran away with itself. It was all Minnie could do not to throw her head back, and howl at the moon—er, sun, more likely since it was after five in the morning—like some crazy banshee.
She cupped his face in her hands, her earlier tears dried now that he was here, and in her arms, professing love, and offering her the world. Her Wolf peered through her eyes, and she watched his Dragon rise to meet her. Minnie pulled him down, kissing him soundly as she nodded her head.
“Yes, you can keep me, Nicky. Especially if I get to keep you right back,” she returned.
Electrical currents shot through every nerve ending she possessed, and Minnie felt her pulse taking off like a rollercoaster. Nick’s heavy body crushed her into the mattress, but she loved it. Loved how he felt so close, but not yet a part of her.
Unable to control her movements, she arched her back and rocked her hips, needing, wanting more of him. He propped himself up on his arms, chiseled face hovering above hers as his flame-ringed silver stare held her captive. Nick adjusted himself till he was right where she needed him to be, and fuck, he felt good.
The room was quiet, but there was a storm roaring loudly inside her head, filling her ears as sure as he filled her channel with his long, thick erection.
“Es meus,” he growled, slamming into her with one purposeful thrust that had Minnie seeing stars as she clawed at his back.
Nothing had ever felt as good, as real, as right, as Nicholas Graystone claiming her with his body, heart, and teeth. Yes. Teeth. Her Wolf howled appreciatively as his fangs scraped across her neck.
So good. So hot. So mine.
In and out, he thrust his hips, hitting her just right with every slow roll of his perfectly fine ass. He was made for her, built for this, for them. She was getting close, but suddenly she had a question of her own.
“Want to bite you too, Nicky. My Wolf demands it. Can I keep you?” she asked, throwing his question back at him.
“Fuck. Yes.” he gritted, jaw clenched tight. “You honor me, minx. And I swear to honor you, my maiden fair, my topaz rose, my greatest treasure. Es meus,” he snarled, driving into her with unerring focus.
She did not know how long they danced on that bed until the entire universe seemed to explode around her. All Minnie knew was all she could see, feel, breathe, and taste was him. Nicholas Graystone, her fierce Topaz Dragon, had burned himself into every inch of her body, mind, heart, and soul.
She moaned as another round of pleasure swelled over her as his teeth found purchase above her breast, and turning her head, she treated him to the same. Claiming him with her Wolf’s fangs on his hard bicep for all the world to see.
Eons later, she fell back to earth, the steaming sizzle of her skin reminding her that this was not over. Minerva winced and Nicholas frowned, his eyes going right to where he’d bitten her.
“It is finished, love. Are you okay?”
“Okay? I am better than okay,” she murmured, tears of joy welling in her eyes as she looked from his chest to hers.
Twin roses etched in silver with flecks of gold and orange throughout marked both their skins. The heat coming off of them was tangible, but it was the bond connecting them that was really spectacular.
“You have made me the luckiest Wolf in the world,” she whispered, kissing him slowly and allowing him to tuck her into his side.
“And you have given me the greatest treasure I have ever known, sweet Wolf, You have taught me to dream again.”
“Oh! Speaking of dreams,” she said, smiling so brightly her cheeks hurt. “I made you.”
“You made me?”
“Yeah. Sunny sent over this block of quartz, and I couldn’t get this image of you out of my head, so I started chiseling away, and anyway, turned out I was revealing the Dragon within the stone. I know I have never seen your beast, so I know it is not exact, but I would love to show it to you.”
“Really? Come on,” Nick said, as excited as she to see her work.
This was huge. Minerva never shared early glimpses of things she was working on to anyone, but this felt right somehow. She led him to her studio and watched his face go blank as she showed him the twelve inch figure she’d carved.
“It is still rough. I have more to do. But what do you think?”
Nicholas’ silence was troublesome, and she waited nervously for him to respond. Better than words, her man grabbed her and pulled her tight to him.
“It’s beautiful, minx.”
“Really? Thank you, maybe you can show me your Dragon and I can change it to match⁠—”
“Do not change a thing. And yes, I will show him to you, after you finish though, this way you don’t stifle your artistic creativity with reality.”
“I guess you’re right. I am glad you like it,” she replied, feeling happier than she’d ever felt before.
“Come here, mate. Let’s go to bed.”
“Sounds perfect,” she replied, and giggled when he swung her up and into his arms.
They slept till noon the next day, and after going over some plans for the house, Minnie made a quick trip into New York City to bring the cash box back to the gallery with every last check and all the cash that was logged inside. Odd, in her opinion, since Roger typically spent cash first.
Whatever. She was just happy to have the three pieces she’d needed to replace finished and had left with a promise for a dozen more to be delivered at the end of the week. Nicholas had stayed back to get some work done, and she was so over the moon in love with him she could not be any happier.
“Minnie! Come inside,” Sunny said, dragging her into one of the enormous living rooms in Castle Falk. Nicholas had already texted he would be late, and she was fine as long as he showed up.
“I brought a gift,” she said, holding one of her newest designs in a wrapped box.
“Awesome. Hey Fred, Minnie brought something for the castle,” Sunny enthused. “Wait till you see her work, it’s sublime,” her bestie gushed as a tall, lithe she-Wolf came over.
“Thanks for coming tonight. You didn’t have to do that,” Fred said, then grabbed the box and squealed. “But I so love gifts!”
“Oh no, Minnie, bringing gifts is not safe around this one. Fred, behave yourself,” Jozette admonished the older she-Wolf and giggled with a woman who had her hair in dark ringlets that sort of matched Minnie’s own halo of curls.
“OHMYGAWD! This is gorgeous.” Fred gasped and held the small metal Christmas tree Minerva had sculpted using her Wolf strength to bend and manipulate copper and steel wire.
The piece was almost two feet in height. Minnie had been very pleased with the final product, especially since, using her claws, she’d been able to scratch the thin wires in geometrical patterns, so as to resemble pine needles, catching the light, and making the sculpture appear to glow.
“Thank you so much. I can’t believe we have a Minerva Lykos original now,” the blonde she-Wolf exclaimed and grabbed Minnie in a tight hug. “You’re claimed! Girls, she’s claimed!”
“Minnie, you didn’t call me,” Sunny growled, and grabbed her in a tight hug while the others surrounded her and clapped her back and offered their cheers of welcome.
“Congratulations!”
“Welcome to the Clan.”
“Yay!”
“Wow, that was intense, Sunny. You could have warned me.”
Minnie grabbed a large glass filled with ice and soda, guzzling it down while the Clan kids ran amok across the room. They were wrapping gifts to donate to the hospital to be dropped off later that day for children, and adults alike, who would not be able to spend the holidays at home with their loved ones. It was sweet and thoughtful, and once again, Minnie was struck by the amount of community service her Pack, and now her Clan, was responsible for.
“I told you, you loved him,” Sunny replied in a sing-song voice she found particularly annoying.
“Yes, I love him. You love Devine, but I’m not going crazy on you. Seriously, Sunny, why are you being weird?”
Sunny shrugged bumping shoulders with her while the two of them sat together filling out information on the gift tags so the hospital would know who to give the gifts too, for example, a set of coloring books and crayons from a popular TV show was appropriate for children aged 3-8, and so on. Minnie was a fan of making life easy for people, and this set up totally rocked.
“I don’t know, I guess I am excited for you Minnie. You deserve happiness, but I admit, I never saw you settling down with one man, making a home, having kids⁠—”
“Whoa. Kids? Um, Nicky and I have not discussed all that yet,” she admitted nervously.
“Oh,” Sunny replied, biting her own bottom lip. “It’s just that Devine mentioned Nick wanting kids, as much as he does. It’s like a biological imperative for their kind to propagate.”
“You girls talking about a Dragon’s need to make babies?” Jocelyn, Edric’s mate, chimed in, dropping off a fresh pile of packages. “Better start investing in wipes and stretch pants now. I mean, you do want kids, right?” Jos asked, but her smile faltered as she read the sheer panic on Minnie’s face correctly.
“Um, Minnie, uh, has her own ideas about family,” Sunny explained as the room got really quiet.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
Every single female there was a mother or pregnant or planning to be one super soon. She couldn’t rightly express her concern over parenting, giving birth, or anything like it without insulting them, but the truth was Minnie was not ready for kids. Hell, she might never be, and that was something she had always considered to be a valid life choice. But what about Nicky? Was she taking something from him by not wanting kids right away?
“Um, I’m sorry, but I just remembered something,” she muttered, and stood up, racing out of the castle despite the voices calling her back.
She couldn’t do this. Claimed or not, Minerva had to break things off with Nicholas before she became any more bonded to him. It was the only way either of them could survive, but first she needed to run.
Minerva followed a path behind the castle and into the woods all the way to a cabin or hunting lodge. Sunny had told her about this place, and she smiled sadly as she pushed the door open and stripped out of her wintry ensemble so she could take to the woods in her fur.
Thick patches of snow covered the floor of the pine barrens, and more was coming down when she dashed through the door. Taking off like lightning, Minerva released her small brown-gray Wolf into the wild and let her run free. Her heart was squeezing her to death under all the weight of her guilt.
She’d told him about her parents’ experience with her brother Angel. Nicholas had listened and responded kindly, offering support and comfort, but she had not told him the worst of it. That she’d been with her mother when the older she-Wolf had gone into labor. The memories of her mom screaming in pain, and the smell of iron as she bled and bled, waiting for the midwife to arrive and help her deliver the twin pups.
Birth was scary and messy most of the time, but for Werewolves there was a double dose of fear. The Curse of Natalis had rendered their species damn near helpless when it came to their Change and negotiating life with a Wolf inside of them. But it also made childbirth especially difficult. Yes, the curse had been broken, but that did not mean Minnie’s fears had abated.
Fuck.
She should have discussed all of this with Nicholas first and given him the opportunity to make an informed decision about their relationship. How did she allow things to get here? No matter how many times she went over it, it made little sense.
He was supposed to be a no strings fuck buddy, not the love of her life. And why, oh why, did that make her feel any worse?
The woods blurred by as she raced and raced, her heart breaking with every step. Minerva never thought she would find her mate, and now that she had, it seemed cruel her greatest fears would be the thing to drive him away.
If only her parents and siblings hadn’t all gone away for the holidays. Maybe then she could confront her fears and have a heart to heart with the people who were directly involved with the events that had changed her outlook on children.
Sure, she liked kids. Had enjoyed talking to the teens from the Outreach center about art, and she’d enjoyed playing with the Falk Clan’s young, and cuddling Castor and Jozette’s new baby. She did not dislike children, Minnie was just uncertain if she could be a mother.
It was a huge decision, but it was not hers alone. Nicholas had every right to expect to be a father. Didn’t most men and women entering a relationship want that? Not knowing if she would ever be ready was something she had never really thought about. It was never anyone else’s business.
Until now.
The wind grew colder, and she huddled into herself, thankful for her thick fur. The creek was frozen over, and she was getting thirsty now. Minnie knew she’d really messed up. There was no doubt about it. The sky was darkening, and she could not afford to dawdle in the cold any longer.
It was time to deliver the kill blow on Nicholas’ dreams. Time to tell him she was not the right Wolf for him. He wanted a family, and she was not sure she could ever give him one. Not now anyway. Maybe never. Sadness dogged her every step, and before she reached the cabin Minnie turned her lupine head towards the big moon hanging low in the sky.
Can I keep you?
Her brain replayed Nicholas’ sweet question over and over again, and if Wolves could cry, hers would be. She hoped he would keep her. Now and always.
Please don’t hate me. Awooooooooo.