Winter's Dawn (50 page)

That was the solution they came up with.

Even now, Susie paid little attention to the notion of an Autumn Queen. She had already moved onto an excitement for a Spring King instead.

“What if we separated them, Max?”

Max turned to Susie, having been unaware of her studying him as he pondered their destinies. “What?”

“The pairs.” Susie sat up in bed, showing off bare breasts that had gotten fuller as her pregnancy progressed. She rested her hand on her rounded stomach and scooted back against the headboard. “We could separate them.”

Max laughed. “You can’t separate pairs.”

“Why not?” Susie raised her eyebrows. “Then our sons wouldn’t have to know they were kings. They could live a normal life. I’ll school them with humans and keep them hidden from other werewolves. They wouldn’t know about the burden they bear until they’re old enough to properly handle it.”

Max was still gaping. “And what of our daughters?”

“You can have them.” Susie shrugged. “They’re yours anyway. You’ll keep them here. They’ll have to know they have mates, but they can wait for them. They’ll have a daddy to care for them until they are ready.”

Max shook his head, trying and failing to comprehend what Susie was suggesting. “What of us? What am I supposed to do for a mate for the eighteen years it takes for him to get ready? I won’t be without hormones forever. They come back after puppies are born, Susie Bee.”

“You’ll come for the runnings. We’ll tell them you’re their uncle or something. Their father died and you mated with me out of family obligation. It happens all the time between packmates when one loses a mate. It’s nature.”

Max looked out to the grounds again and mumbled, “You’ve been thinking on this.”

“I have.” Susie sounded determined. “I want my sons to have a normal life. This is the only option. Let them live free of being king for their puppyhoods.”

“You won’t be able to free our daughters from the burden of being queens if they’re here with me. That seems unfair to them.”

“It’s easier to be queen,” Susie argued. “I ought to know. The burden was never as great for me. I serve no one. I have a king to carry the weight of guarding the moon.”

“Your puppyhood was never easy,” Max grunted in disbelief. “You felt the burden.”

“But not to the level you did.”

Max couldn’t argue that, but that was largely due to him working hard to shield Susie from their difficult existence. He had lived and breathed for her since the moment she was born.

“I’m not so certain pairs should be separated,” he mused. “They share a soul. I was miserable when you lived at college.”

“Only because we knew each other. It’ll be different for them. They’ll get to meet and know each other as full-grown wolves, when they have the thrill of hormones to pave the way. Sort of like how humans do it. I was always quite jealous of them for that. The excitement of falling in love was lost on us. We’ve just loved each other forever.”

Max considered Emma’s words from years earlier, complaining when Max and Susie had first decided to go to school humans.
Susan could pick up bad ideas.

“Think of how you mourned my puppyhood,” Susie went on when Max remind silent and contemplative. “That was horrible for both of us. You’ll save them from all of that.”

That had once been a terrible burden to bear and Max found himself nodding in agreement. “That is very true.”

“Do you agree?” Susie asked uncertainty.

“Perhaps,” Max whispered, still considering the novelty of raising daughters free from their mates like other wolves were allowed to do. As pairs their loyalty would always be to each other first and their parents a distant second. “It would be nice to have one normal life experience. Raising daughters sounds easier than raising pairs together.”

“It does,” Susie agreed. “I think this is the right choice, Max.”

“We probably ought to seek spiritual guidance.” Max turned back to her anxiously. “Others will disapprove of this decision. We need to be certain it’s the right one.”

“I’ve already sought guidance,” Susie said quickly. “And we have a few more weeks to decide.”

“Okay.” Max nodded and walked back to bed. “I’ll ask also.”

“You’re a wise king,” Susie said when Max set his drink on the nightstand and crawled back into bed. She rolled up next to him, draping her naked body over his. “I love you.”

She started twisting his hair between her fingers as Max rubbed her back soothingly. “Love you too, Susie Bee.”

Max felt a kick in his side and he lay awake for a long time after Susie drifted off to sleep trying to decide if it had been an angry kick or one of approval.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Late Summer 1967

Max and Susie didn’t speak on the topic of separating the pairs again. Life became hectic in the final days before the Autumn Equinox. Against Max’s better judgment, Katrina, Emma and Danielle had worked together to throw a massive Autumn Equinox party, the first one officially thrown in the name of the new autumn pair.

Max thought that was all a bit premature. Their son wouldn’t officially be king until his mate was born. That was a full year off, perhaps more, not that Max would willingly go along with waiting longer than needed. The deed was done. He had committed to the autumn pair the night he took Susie on the Winter Solstice. He would never torture his son with waiting longer than he had to for his mate.

For a time he had hopes they would be twins, as was common with pairs, but the doctors assured them they only heard one heartbeat. Max too had put his head to Susie’s stomach, using his keen wolf hearing and could only sense one steady heartbeat. The Autumn King would have to wait. There were consorts in his future. How very unfortunate for the poor wolf. Max was still dealing with the complications from his consorts.

“You really must get over this sullenness.” Katrina stood in front of Max’s desk with a hand on her hip. “It’s not good for her as she prepares for this birth.”

“What happened to moving to Canada?” Max raised his eyebrows at her. “If I remember correctly, that little announcement was the cause of all this.”

“Oh, hush, it was the Gods’ bidding,” Katrina huffed because she had gotten more maternal and authoritative with each new son. “You should be thankful for it.”

“So thankful,” Max intoned sarcastically as he looked back to his work.

“I smell lies,” Katrina said in a singsong voice.

“What do you want from me, Kat?” Max growled as he lifted his head to look at her. “Don’t you have your own a newborn to care for? Stop worrying about mine.”

“The equinox is the day after tomorrow. You need to be joyful for Susie if not for yourself.”

“Katrina,” Max’s voice was low with the wolf in him. “I’m going out of my mind with anxiety. I watched Susie’s mother die in my father’s bed the day my queen came into the world. The fact that I’m not leveling this palace right now is a testament to my dedication to my queen. So stop hounding me.”

“Fine.” Katrina threw up her hands in surrender. “At least be cheerful for the party tomorrow. We’re throwing it early so Susie can attend. She’s very excited.”

“Look, if my puppyhood taught me nothing it’s how to smile for the masses when I’m miserable.” Max grimaced, considering Susie’s idea of separating their pairs again and deciding it was becoming a better idea by the minute. “I’m sure I’ll be cordial.”

“What are you wearing?” Katrina asked seriously. “I was thinking white in celebration.”

“Definitely, not.” Max shuddered at the thought.

“It would look good.”

“I’m wearing black.”

“It’ll look like you’re in mourning.”

“Oh well.” Max waved her off. “Go attend to your new son.”

“You are so difficult. I have no idea how I tolerated you for all those years.”

“I’m sort of thinking the same thing.” Max lifted his head to glare at her once more. “I’m king. You cannot tell me I’m difficult. Apologize.”

Katrina gave him a look. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” Max nodded. “I’m going to make my presence as annoying as possible to you because I’m officially sick of females telling me how I’m supposed to treat my mate. You can pass that message on to Danielle and Emma as well. Now, say sorry.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Max gave Katrina a look and arched an eyebrow at her obvious sarcasm. “I’m not impressed with that. I think Susie and I have taught you bad habits.”

“Fine.” She growled. “I’m genuinely sorry. I just want Susie to have a good birth. This is such a cause for celebration. Why can’t you see that?”

“I’m working on it,” Max sighed in defeat. “I truly am. If I can make it through the birth and see my queen healthy I’m sure I’ll be as happy as the rest of you.”

“Very well,” Katrina gave him another long look. “Gods’ blessings that the birth is kind to both of you.”

“Thank you,” Max nodded and looked back to his work. “Go finish with the party you plan to torment us with.

****

Fortunately, Max was mostly invisible for the party, which was clearly for Susie’s benefit. She was surrounded by admirers who all wanted to touch her stomach one last time as she celebrated her last day of pregnancy. He had learned early on that her pregnancy put his protective instincts in full gear and every time someone reached for her Max had to stomp down the urge to growl and leap at whatever wolf was touching his mate.

This party was a horrific idea.

Four pills and ten glasses of whiskey and he was still on edge. He was never more than arms reach from her, but he was fighting the instinct to toss Susie over his shoulder and run far away from this entire situation. There was no running from this. Tomorrow would come no matter what and for all of Max’s power there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.

“How are you?”

Max turned to Adam and gave what he hoped was a genuine smile for one of his only true friends in the world. “I’m still breathing.”

“Blessings for tomorrow.”

Max nodded and looked back to Susie, who was wearing a long, white gown in celebration that clung to her stomach rather than hide it. “Thank you, Adam.”

“If it helps, I believe she’ll be fine.” Adam touched his elbow in a friendly gesture.

Max shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out and either way, I won’t be around long to mourn if things do go terribly wrong.”

“Your mind can’t be there, Maxwell.”

“But it is,” he growled at his friend. “It’s been there for over eight months now. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in all that time.”

Adam growled and said under his breath, “She can hear you.”

Max sighed and turned to Susie, who had stopped talking with the Swedish President and was looking in his direction instead. He held up his hands in a form of apology and mouthed, “Sorry.”

Susie nodded and gave him a wan smile before she turned back to her conversation. Max’s shoulders slumped and he rubbed both his hands over his face. “I only have to last another day.”

“I told Danielle this party was a poor decision.” Adam shook his head. “The protective instincts make you confrontational. There’s a reason wolves are giving you a wide berth. You smell of violence.”

“Do I?” Max asked curiously.

Adam nodded. “Very much so. How many wolves have spoken to you since this party started?”

“You, my father, Katrina and Danielle. Emma stopped to complain about my scowling.” Max shrugged. “A few.”

“Only those who know you well and have learned to ignore your moods.”

“I suppose.” Max sighed and looked back to Susie, his eyes narrowed defensively. “This party cannot end fast enough.”

Chapter Thirty