Anastasia hesitated going to the Silver Vales again, but Ileus insisted. "It is going to give you some relief from all the tension you've been going through, love," said Ileus as he massaged her shoulders after shackling her wings. "You will also see my group of friends." They had come to their room in the east wing. A guard had given her the offering he had seen in front of the garden and after giving her the offering, he stationed himself as near as possible to her room. All he could think of was how to protect the deity.
Anastasia picked up a strawberry and ate it. She did want to unwind and just relax. After Adrianna had asked the council for their support to wage a war against Aed Ruad, Anastasia had been wondering if the council members would agree or not. Thousands of thoughts ran in her mind. The foremost is that she wasn't that popular amongst them, and that her popularity ran pretty low considering the circumstances. Because of one person who had attacked the kingdoms and blamed her for everything, she was suffering. She pondered whether the Lore would ever trust her. It wasn't her, it was that one person and his mother who had created all the misunderstandings. She sighed and sagged against his chest.
She wanted to make sure that the subjects of Silver Vales or Draoidh did not consider her as a threat. She wanted them to think that she was an ally and together with them she wanted to work towards the betterment of the kingdom. After Ileus had massaged her shoulders and removed the knots between her shoulder blades, she felt relaxed.
"Anastasia, you should spend time with us. Enjoy life. You've gone through a lot the last two days. I can't imagine that you were locked in that cellar with chains," said Ileus. He kissed her shoulder blades then her nape. "The gathering is going to be fun."
Anastasia gave a soft chuckle. She did need it and so that was what she did.
When they came to Silver Vales, Anastasia met Kaizan, Darla, Aidan, Guarhal and a girl who they introduced as Paige. Paige bowed to her. Wearing a black shirt and black leather pants, she matched her group. The entire group except Anastasia were wearing black leather pants paired with their choice of shirts. It was some kind of group code, she thought.
"Guarhal!" Anastasia exclaimed. She went and hugged him. "Gods, it's great to see you. How are you? And where is Tadgh?"
"I am very fine," said Guarhal, as he flexed his muscles and showed her the bulging bicep. She laughed and swatted his bicep. "Tadgh has gone to see his family. It was a much-deserved vacation for him. And thankfully Haldir allowed it."
They had stepped out from the portal into the outskirts of the town. They walked along a gurgling creek, past small houses with neatly maintained gardens and alfresco dining places that were packed with people who were chattering over mugs of beer and food. Anastasia had never seen this kind of a setting in Vilinski. It was all so warm and fun loving that an amused smile tugged her lips up. "What is this place?" she asked as she watched people going about their business.
"This was the place where most young werewolves meet and generally chill out," said Kaizan. "But over the years, this place looks like a human realm café. Would you like to step in one of them?"
"No, we would rather go to our place," said Ileus and placed his hand on the small of her back and directed her away from there. She was attracting so many stares and amused glances, especially from men that he was growling all the way. Anastasia was wearing a lavender silk shirt paired with a long tight white skirt with a thigh high slit and leather boots. With her sunshine hair falling down and a flower wreath to cover her pointy ears, she was clearly the most beautiful girl in the whole place.
Suddenly a girl with a wicker basket full of roses came to her. She bowed to Ileus and then took out a red rose from her basket and gave it to her. "This is for you," she said with a grin. "The boys over there," she pointed to a group of vokudlaks on the far left, sitting together at a table under alfresco bars. "They have sent it."
Anastasia giggled as her cheeks flushed red. She accepted the rose from the girl and bowed to the boys. Ileus's jealousy was flared as hell. He had this dangerous look on his face that was so dark that he felt like going and killing all those boys. "It seems that they have a wish to die!" he muttered under his breath. He tugged her closer to him to show them who she belonged to.
The girl started to leave, but Ileus stopped her and asked, "How much is the basket for?"
"One gold coin," she said shamelessly.
Ileus gave her ten gold coins and took all the roses from her. The girl squealed out of excitement and ran away from there crying, "Mom, mom!"
Ileus knelt on one knee on the ground and presented the bunch of red roses to her. With eyes as warm as honey and a deep rumble, he said, "Will you mine?"
Kaizan shook his head. "Gods, you are so fucking dramatic, Ileus!"
Anastasia blushed a thousand shades of red. She knew that every pair of eyes was on them. Her husband was the most jealous vokudlak she had ever known. Her breath ragged, she took the bouquet from him and bent down to whisper. "I am yours, forever."
"Then kiss me," he whispered back, sexily.
She lowered her lips to his and kissed him lightly. The next moment she felt her waist being grabbed and she squealed. She was face to face with him, her feet dangling in the air. Before she could comprehend anymore, his lips crashed on hers and mashed hers. His erection pressed her hard on her belly and he groaned in her mouth.
Ileus passed the group of the boys while kissing her passionately. It was like showing them—bloody bastards, she's mine! Once he had kissed her for a long time and once, they had come at least a hundred meter away from there, Ileus set her to her feet.
She sucked in a sharp breath and said, "Gods, you are one jealous vokudlak."
"Ask me!" said Kaizan, rolling his eyes. "Ever since his wolf marked you as his mate, there was not a day when we were not worried about him."
"What do you mean?" asked Anastasia even as Ileus led her in the front of the group and whispered, "They are spouting nonsense."
"He would come to meet us out of Vilinski during the times when he was completely frustrated. These were the times when apparently, he had seen you closely. He would simply let his wrath out on all of us. We used to have a boxing match in which he would challenge all of us and then we would just have to beat him… badly. He had spent many hours bruised and battered over ice outside Vilinski and trust me Anastasia, he would laugh through all of it. At one point of time, we thought he had gone insane."
