Chapter 229- Roger Forges a New Bond
Sinir
RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Sleeping with my pregnant mate is bing increasingly challenging as her body grows with our pup.
Even though E takes as many naps as the pups in the nursery these days, she’s still exhausted by
the end of the night and I’m not faring much better amidst all this stress and activity. Still, exhaustion
isn’t enough to get us off to dreand when getting Efortable enough to rest is a nightly
struggle.
The nest is a blessing, as the incredible abundance of pillows surrounding her on all sides can easily
be shifted and fluffed to perfectly cradle her precious form – the difficulty is figuring out where I fit into
the cozy retreat. Most of the time E just treats me as an extrarge body pillow. More than once, I’ve
woken in the middle of the night to find her sneakily trying to rearrange my limbs to her liking. Each
time I’ve told her to simply wake me so I can help, or to turn the light on for herte night bathroom trips
so she doesn’t risk running into something or tripping in the dark. Of course, my instructions go in one
ear and out the other because E feels too guilty to willingly rob me of my sleep.
This morning is worse than most, because I have to be up at the crack of dawn despite the fact that
E managed topletely sprawl herself over my bodyst night. If it wasn’t for my prior
engagement, it would be picture perfect: she’s on her side with her arms and legs tangled around my
own, her round belly resting on my torso. Her long rose-gold hair cascades over my chest, and her
heartbeat is in perfect sync with the baby’s. Rafe and E’s sweet smells overtakes my senses, and my
groggy wolf sighs with utter contentment.
I mentally curse this summit. Thest thing I want to do is get out of this bed, shortly followed by
waking the angel on top of me. I try to extract myself as carefully as I can, rolling her small body away
from me and attempting to rece my mass with pillows. I almost manage it, but every time I manage
to free one limb from her clutches, shetches onto a different part of me. Eventually she stirs and I
emit a hushed swear, knowing the battle is lost.
“See is not nice waking your mate.” She mumbles, her words slurred with speech as she nuzzles my
bare chest.
“I’m sorry baby, I have to get up.” I confess, kissing her her hair. “I have to meet with Roger before
todays’ events get started.”
E sighs, snuggling closer, “uh-huh.” She sighs, her soft breath fluttering over my skin. “Stay.”
“I wish I could.” I answer honestly, once more trying to pry her determined paws from my body. “I’m so
sorry little wolf, but you have to let me go.”
“But you’re my pillow.” She murmurs. Her wolf begins whining pitifully in my head, which only upsets
my own wolf and sends my temper spiraling further downward.
Exhaling miserably I make a third escape attempt, to no avail. “Goddess you’re like an octopus, when
did you get so strong?”
E’s eyes stay closed as a glorious smile splits her cheeks. “I’m not. You just don’t have the heart to
deny me.” She’s right, I could easily overpower her and walk away, but that is ast resort.
I finally manage to get out of bed, but I’m in a right foul mood by the time I reach my brother’s suite. To
make matters worse, Roger has clearly slept through his rm. The lights are off and I can hear a
persistent beeping from the direction of the bedroom. Groaning, I bang on the door with my fist, not
giving a damn how boarish I’m behaving. “Wake up!”
After some grumbling and fumbling around inside, the door swings open and Roger appears. He
squints at me in the low light, lookingpletely baffled. “What crawled up your ass?”
“Damon. This war. The bloody delegations. Take your pick.” I bite back.
Roger purses his lips and nods, “Fair enough.” He swings his door wide and ushers me inside, yawning
and stretching. “Care to tell me why you wanted to meet at this ungodly hour.”
“I don’t want to meet now.” I growl. “There’s just no other time.” As I enter I notice that my brother’s
once impable rooms now look like the scene of some natural disaster. All the furniture is broken,
now neatly leaned against the walls and leaving a huge empty space in the middle of the room. And
though someone has clearly been sweeping, there is still ayer of dust and sawdust on the floor.
“What the hell happened to your room?”
“I lost my temper.” Roger shrugs, but there’s an expression I don’t recognize on his face. “It didn’t feel
right to have Gabriel’s servants to clean up after me, so I’ve been trying to put it to rights slowly – but
there’s not much time.” He waves the wreckage away. “It’s not important, don’t worry about it.”
Abruptly, I recall my brother’s ferocious energy when I returned from the storm forest pack alive and
well. And without asking, I know exactly what caused Roger to lose his temper. I feel a deep pang in
my chest, and without thinking I pull him into my arms, enveloping him in a bear hug. He tenses, but
quickly rxes into the embrace. It’s an improvement from the hugs we’ve shared in the past –
normally it takes him ages to ept the affection.
“Look at you, big brother.” I tease in a sharine voice, “you’re learning all about feelings aren’t you?”
“Oh shove off.” Heins, pushing me away. “Enough of that, tell me what’s going on!”
I drag one hand through my hair, “Listen Roger, obviously when a new Beta takes power under normal
circumstances, there’s a ceremony and celebration. I wish I could give you that, but everything is
moving so fast and I need to be fully bonded to you before the summit really takes off.”
Roger’s lips quirk, “you’re going to have me take the oath at five o’clock in the morning, without any
witnesses, in a dark room when we’re barely awake?”
“Can you think of a better way?” I question, hating that I can’t honor him the way he deserves.
Rogerughs, and shakes his head. “Okay, how do we do this?”
I extend my fangs and raise my hand to my mouth, quickly slicing a gash in my palm. I use my left
hand, because my right still bears the scar where I forged this bond with Hugo, and I can’t bear to mark
over it. Hot, sticky blood seeps from the wound, and I offer my bleeding paw to Roger. He follows suit,
biting his own palm and letting the blood pool forth before taking my hand in his.
“We already shared blood, but the bond of an Alpha and a Beta goes beyond brotherhood.” I dere,
needing to make sure he’s truly ready for this – to submit to me from here on out. He may have felt
confident he could go through with this arrangement in the high emotions following my near death, but
reality may seem colder now that the shock and grief have passed. “As my second inmand, it will
be your duty to support and bnce my wolf. But it will also be your responsibility to carry out my
orders, even when you don’t agree -even when you think I’m being as dumb as a brick. You may
advise, you may debate and I will always do my best to listen and understand, but at the end of the day
my word isw.”
“I understand, Dominic.” Roger replies soberly. “I’mmitted to serving you, as well as the pack.”
‘Thank you.” I exhale, feeling that the worst is past. ’You will be my right hand in all things, and the pack
will rely on you as a cornerstone of our leadership. If anything should ever happen to me, it will be your
obligation to take over from me until the Alpha Council confirms your permanent role, or another Alpha
steps forward.”
“Assuming we ever have an Alpha council again.” Roger quips, earning a low growl.
‘These oaths weren’t made with the apocalypse in mind.” I remind him. “Do you, Roger Sinir, vow to
always put the united packs before all else? To be loyal and just in all matters, to serve me and our
people until your dying day?”
“I do.” Roger confirms.
“Do you vow to govern and protect the united packs, advise and inform your Alpha and Luna to the
best of your abilities, further the aims and agendas of shifter kind, and always maintain the naturalws
imparted to wolves by our Goddess?” I ask, recalling these words from very long ago. Already I can
feel the magic beginning to take hold, sparking through our joined blood and entering our veins.
“I do.” Roger says again.
“Do you vow to take my ce as leader should I perish or be otherwise incapable of governing, and to
act as a mentor and guardian for my family, if there everes a time that I cannot?” I continue,
deciding that it may be time for a new line in this ancient oath, one to address the tumultuous future
we’re facing. “And do you vow to make these samemitments to non-shifters in our territories,
should our societies unite?”
Roger’s eyes widen only slightly. “I do.”
‘Then I shall vow to always appreciate and respect your opinions, expertise and perspective. I vow to
do everything in my power to help you be sessful in all things, and to honor your service and
sacrifice.” I profess.” I vow to never ask you to do anything in opposition to these same values, or to put
you in a position which might risk you and your family’s health, safety and happiness. I vow to always
appreciate the demands andplexities of your role, and to care for you as you care for me.”
In that moment a searing pain pierces my hand, and white light fuses our palms together. I feel as
though a grenade is detonating in my chest, as if my entire being might be torn to shreds with the
intensity of these strange sensations. They end just as quickly as they begin, and when the rush of
magic fades, I feel a new bond taking hold in my heart.
I’ve heard my brother’s voice in my head a thousand times in our wolf forms, but this is the first time
we’ve evermunicated through this kind of bond, and I feel steadier and more connected to Roger
than I ever have before.
Alright brother, let’s get to work.