Falk Clan Tales - Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Nikolai went through the motions of greeting guests and smiling politely as well-wishers came forward with gifts and praise for his adorable little niece.
It was somehow fitting that Callius, his oldest and most powerful brother, a rare FireDragon, and his Werewolf mate, Winifred, were the first to bear children. The dimpled beauty wore a pink silk gown and grinned at him from her father’s arms.
He smiled as he approached his healthy and beautiful little niece. A shame she would not inherit the Dragon gene, as Dragon Shifters were all male, but still, she’d be a Werewolf and that was nothing to scoff at. He watched as Callius laid the child down with such tenderness Nikolai’s breath caught in his throat.
The babe was precious, as all young were. She had fine blonde hair and big blue eyes, cheeks round as a cherub’s, and a small cleft in her tiny chin. He leaned down to brush a soft kiss over her head as she slept in the small, elegant bassinet his other brother, Sander, had made for her.
Sander had a profound talent for art, usually tapestry weaving. He’d put his talents to great use here. The unique crib was made of aged redwood, He’d carved an enormous Dragon, wings elevated to the skies next to a howling wolf with an enormous rose encompassing them like an umbrella on the tiny headboard.
Three more Dragons circled the bottom of the bassinet, along with other bits of fancy, a magic wand, a Christmas tree, bows, flowers, and some stars here and there. The detail was amazing. He’d stained and polished the wood until it gleamed.
A thing of exquisite beauty. It was perfection itself, as was his sleeping niece. His heart squeezed painfully. He was happy for his brother and his mate, but he secretly longed for what they had. A mate. Love. A family.
“Brother. You’ve joined us at last,” Callius and Fred greeted him with fiery embraces. Nik couldn’t help but return them enthusiastically even as his own emptiness threatened to consume him.
It always did when he observed any of his brothers with their mates. The bond between them beautiful and solid, thriving as if it were an independent living thing. Nikolai was ashamed of the jealousy he felt, but he did his best to keep it under wraps. He thrust the small blue box into Fred’s hand and laughed as she exclaimed over what he considered a trifle.
“Oh my. Look at this. Two tennis bracelets for a child. Nik, it’s too much.”
“Nonsense, this little one deserves the best, besides it’s only a total of about five carats, hardly worth mentioning.”
“Are you nuts?”
He laughed again, always shocked at his American sister-in-law’s outspoken ways. She was definitely something alright. Blonde and lovely, a perfect foil for his darker and formally brooding brother.
Callius was admiring t the emerald tennis bracelets, smiling as he did so. Yes, Dragons certainly loved treasure.
The gift was designed to please and honor both his niece and her parents. He’d called the world-famous jewelers known by their special blue boxes, with express instructions to have one bauble made to fit a child and, to make an exact replica suitable for when she was an adult.
Emeralds to remind her of him. He always wanted her to remember her Uncle Nik on her name day. What better way than with jewels almost as precious as she was? He’d had them shipped raw from their mines in South America and cut and designed by the jewelers at his behest. A fine choice.
Callius kissed his wife indulgently and practically beamed with pride at his newest treasure. He brushed a large hand gently over his precious baby’s head and beckoned Nikolai to follow him as he sought out their brothers.
“Can you believe it, gentlemen? I am a father.”
A round of congrats passed amongst the brothers as they toasted him and his family. Sander smiled blissfully, his own Noelle was pregnant with their first child, and he was soon to join the ranks of fatherhood.
“While we are all here, I want to share the news with all of you,” Edric began.
Nikolai plastered a smile on his face as yet another of his brothers announced his impending fatherhood. I am alone, the panicked thought had his breath struggling to get out. Yet through it all he remained passive on the outside.
“Nik? I said aren’t you going to congratulate me?” Edric held out his hand and Nikolai grabbed it briefly.
“Indeed, but don’t get too close, it might be contagious,” he barked out a false laugh, but the others ate it up.
They rejoined the crowds, each of his brothers joining their mates while he stood to the outside. Crowds of people, some friends, other business acquaintances milled about the ballroom. Enjoying the food prepared by his sister-in-law’s event planning and catering company, Present Tastes. Noelle was radiant in a flowing blue dress that lit up her eyes. The small baby bump did nothing to detract from her beauty as she and Joselyn spoke to guests, their husbands at their sides.
Local Whiskey tycoon Mason Lane and his wife, Abigail were there. So was, Rafe Maccon, Alpha of the Macconwood Pack, and his wife, Charley. His beta, Seff was in attendance with his mate, a renowned White Witch, Sherry Morgan. They all laughed and chatted pleasantly.
Everyone seemed to have a mate. Except him. Always on the outside. He supposed he could mingle with the business contacts who’d been invited, but he was not feeling up to it.
His hiding behind work was like second nature. Fortunately, he had a small office in the main part of Castle Falk. It was nothing like his sanctum upstairs in his own private wing of the castle, but it was fully functional and allowed him to get info down whenever the inspiration hit.
Unfortunately, a certain Witch that he’d been hoping to avoid took it upon herself to follow him in there. Fuck. He smelled the heavily perfumed woman and growled his distaste.
“Hiya, handsome,” she said, pressing her artificially enhanced breasts against his back and curling her hand around his stomach.
He wanted to snap and snarl and fling her across the room, but that would not do. She was a powerful businessperson and he had to keep that part of his life professional. His lip curled in disgust.
Nikolai halted the progress of her wandering, red tipped hands, but he did not push her away. Impeccable manners wouldn’t allow. Plus, it was partly his fault.
She’d obviously misread the bit of oral pleasure he’d given her some months back, for an open invitation. He’d acted the playboy for so long, his reputation was bound to make the rounds. Even at an afternoon family friendly gathering as this was.
“Hello, Ms. White,” he chose to call her by her surname, hoping the formality would speak for itself, “I’m sorry but you caught me at a bad time.”
He hoped to bluff his way out of this without the obligatory performance. As a matter of fact, he was damned determine to avoid it at all costs. She was not his type at all. No one was. But especially not her with her too much make-up wearing, bathed in perfume, and bespelled body. His Dragon snarled in revulsion.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s true, Nicky-boy, you see, I’ve heard some fascinating things about you since we last met,” she said and ran her red tipped fingers up and down his silk shirt.
Nik had to fight to keep himself from pushing her off. His Dragon was repulsed. The Beast wanted no part of any female who was not his mate. Ms. Angie White was certainly not his anything. She held controlling interests in several corporations. In fact, he’d learned that her tiny Coven was devoted to her desires for power in the business world.
Interesting, but not his business. He simply did not want to start anything with the woman. She could find ways of retaliating he was sure to dislike. His Dragon agreed. The beast would rather spend his time searching for his other half.
The obsession with finding his one true mate had started centuries ago, but Nik had been able to hide his obvious lack of interest in the females who threw themselves at him in other ways.
He used to be able to simply fuck them and leave well enough alone. A quick little lay and a pat on the head as it were. He knew it was wrong, but his conquests had all understood. Women simply threw themselves at him. And he hadn’t really wanted a single one of them. Not. One.
A fact that was increasingly obvious to the Witch in front of him. Her pouty blood red lips frowned as she pressed herself more firmly against him, trying to grind her hips into eliciting a response from him.
“Is it possible I heard wrong? And after we had such fun last time?” she narrowed her greedy eyes, and he could see the wheels turning. Oh shit.
“My dear, you wound me. On any other day, I’d be happy to take you for a spin, but my dear, it is my niece’s name day,” Nikolai forced a chuckle and casually distanced himself from her.
Fuck. She knows. She smirked and plastered her lips to his in a skillful tease that did absolutely nothing to garner his interest. Luckily, the gong his brother had installed in the ball room sounded and he was able to extricate himself once again.
“I am sorry, Angie dear, but I cannot miss this. Another time,” he inclined his head and looked at her over-used body with what he hoped she’d think was lust shining in his eyes.
His acting skills were better than he thought he mused as she preened in front of him and turned around like the cat that ate the canary.
“Later, lover,” she purred and slunk away on her too high heels.
Nikolai exhaled and moved to the sink in the corner. It wasn’t that he disliked sex. He liked it very much. The fact was his body had other ideas when it came to coitus. As in, if it did not involve his mate, he wasn’t having any.
Shit. He dried his hands and strode out through one of the many secret corridors in the castle to the ballroom. He arrived in time to hear his brother announce the name of his beautiful little niece.
“We would like to introduce you all to Rosanna Juliet Falk, our daughter,” Callius’ voice boomed across the ballroom with pride and love as cheers broke out all around.
Niko raised his glass and cheered right along with them, accepting congratulations and brimming with love for his brother’s family. But at the same time, he couldn’t ignore the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Will I ever have this for myself?