The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 59

Cam went into the house and, a couple minutes later, two wolves came out of the back door. I had been admiring Bellamy, Jean-Claude, and Dillon's wolves when the scent of sun-warmed linen became stronger. That was the part of Gray that was his wolf. A large black and gray wolf trotted up to me. He had Gray's eyes. I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around his neck. This was my mate. He was a handsome wolf.

"They're at least twice the size of normal wolves." Val said to Marius.

"Note that Bellamy is much larger. She's smaller than her mate, but that is how you can spot the difference between ranked wolves, Alpha wolves, and standard wolves. Grayson is Alpha blood, so he is as big as a ranked male. Dillon and Cameron are both standard blood wolves, and the smallest. Jean-Claude is a ranked blood male and as big as Mercy, who is a ranked female. It's a way for wolves to identify their leaders in wolf form. It makes them more intimidating to their enemies." Marius told him.

I pulled back from hugging Gray and he licked my face. I giggled and kissed his muzzle.

'Rex. I'm Rex, not Gray! I heard in my head.

"Rex. I could hear you!"

'Of course you could. You're my mate. This is the only way I can speak. It's harder to talk to you, but will get better when you let me mark you! He replied.

"I'm not ready yet. I need to figure out what's going on with Victor." I admitted.

'He gave you to us. You should be with us. You're ours!

"Stop that. I don't like it when you talk like that. Gray's doing so much better. Don't ruin his hard work. If you love me, you'll learn that Victor is mine as much as you are and respect that. I worry about him as much as I worry about you and Gray. Don't force me to choose, Rex. You won't like my decision." I warned.

"There's the fire I knew you had." Marius said from behind me.

I turned to look at him and Rex growled a little. He raised his eyebrow at Rex and rolled his eyes.

"You can't intimidate me, wolf. A child like you is no match for a vampire of my years. Now, go run with your people. We'll wait here for you to get out your frustration. Make sure you come back with better manners. My daughter will not be cowed or controlled." Marius warned.

Marius helped me stand and guided me back to the patio. I needed to talk to Victor about furniture for it. There were only some built in benches, but I could imagine that this would be a great place to be able to hang out.

The wolves all ran off, taking my sister with them. I was so proud of her. I wanted to get better at talking mentally to other people, so I could actually meet Mercy.

-

[Gray]

-

I couldn't believe Rex had almost ruined everything. I was working so hard and learning to not act like that. It was like he didn't care that our mate could still reject us, even though she marked us.

It wasn't common, but rejection before the bond was sealed was something that could happen. It would be even more painful than the normal bond breaking. It would hurt her more than it would hurt me, though. I never wanted Echo to hurt. We ran with everyone. Mercy was fast. Faster than me and Cam. She seemed almost wild in her running. She bounced off trees and flew off of outcroppings.

I remembered when Rex came out for the first time. It was like that for us. The excitement of being free for the first time and the feeling of flying through the forest. This wasn't as big as the place I'd had my first run, but it was a good size and beautiful. Rex and I wandered away from the group and found a stream. We needed a drink after trying to keep up with them all. I drank, then sat by the stream and listened to the water rush past. The breeze in the trees making it sound like the ocean's waves. Suddenly, something landed on me, pinning me to the ground. I tried to get up, but there was a growl from behind me. The scent of Harmony and Mercy reached me before I tried to fight back.

'What are you doing?' I asked.

'You nearly messed everything up. Do you know how hard I was pushing for Echo to pick you? I didn't hear your side of the conversation, but you can't pressure her. I'm her sister, so it's different for me. If you push, she'll back out of whatever your arrangement is! She replied, getting off of me.

'I didn't do anything! It was Rex. I have been letting her take the lead in everything I can. I wanted to make her love me. She marked me and Victor said she should let me mark her back. Rex took that as him giving up. When I talked to him, it seemed like he was giving up as well. Rex became more possessive. I explained.

'He hasn't given up. If you think that Victor will ever give up on my sister, you're wrong. He's stepping back so you make a mistake and he can show her that he's a better fit for her. Right now, she's upset with him for it, soon, she'll start sympathizing with him. Harmony told me.

'Why are you fighting for me so much?'

'Cam loves me. It's just the most caring and protective love I've ever felt. I want that for Echo. She deserves to be cared for and safe. I think she will be with you. Just look what happened? We left her here thinking she'd be safe and she was taken. 'You can't blame Victor for that any more than you can blame Val for it. There was nothing to indicate that there was anyone after Echo. They thought everyone who knew about her was dead!

'I can blame him. If he'd just given her back to us, then she wouldn't have been taken.' She insisted.

'No. The vampire would've just known where all three of you were. He wanted all of you, not just Echo. She kept asking me to keep you safe. That was why Trent was keeping you and Val on the pack land. He would probably have left as soon as he had all three of you. We wouldn't have had a chance to save anyone!

'That doesn't make sense. Trent told us why someone would take Echo. Why would they want a witch and a werewolf?' She asked.

'You're only half werewolf. Hybrids are always stolen from their mothers. Victor told me that they're used as warriors. Witches and vampires don't spend time together. Their magics are at odds with each other. So a half witch, half vampire would be a valuable being to have. I may hate the people who raised you for what they did to Echo, but I'll always be grateful that they ended up saving all of you from whatever that leech was planning to do to you.

'You have to beat Victor for Echo's heart. I don't want to be away from my sister. I want her to come live with us with the pack. Harmony admitted.

'You and Val miss her. Everyone understands. This is just how life worked out. I know you can come over whenever she has free time and she will come visit when she can. You can talk on the phone, since you're switching to the community college, you two could take classes together and study together. Echo will always make time for you, but controlling her life isn't going to get you any closer. How do you think she'll feel when she figures it out? What if you slip up and say something that makes her think you're trying to run her life? If you want her to have the same love you do, stop trying to control her. It'll make her more likely to run from me. Let me take care of this. I explained.

'Gray, you're her mate. She has to love you.'

'Victor is her mate, too.'

'Just because she accidentally marked him too?' She asked.

'No. She's his Solus Amor. That's what vampires call their mate. She was born to love us both, she just wasn't supposed to meet him until after she'd become a vampire. I told her.

'I thought she was just mistaking gratitude for love, if she's his mate too, how does this work. No one can love two people at once. Not the way they deserve to be loved.

'If anyone could, it would be Echo. I love her. I want her to be happy. If she can only be happy loving both of us, then I'm willing to take a step back to make room for him. The problem is getting him to be okay with it. I'll do anything for Echo!'

'I don't know if this is a good idea for you, or for her. I won't stand in your way, but I'm going to keep telling her how much better you are than him!

'I can't stop you, but I can ask that you don't push her too hard. Echo only had love from you and Val. She's learning more about herself and trying to be comfortable. She kissed me today. I'm afraid pushing her will make her stop being affectionate. Please, don't make her fall out of love with me.

'If she really loves you, Gray, this won't harm it. If it does, I'll get on my knees and take full responsibility. I'll tell her that you had nothing to do with it and that it was all my own decision. Now, let's go. Mercy wants to try hunting something. It sounds fun, and a little gross!

'Alright. Rex would like that too. Plus, your mate is probably starting to get worried. I chuckled.

'Yeah, he's been trying to mind link me. I told him I was busy and blocked him. He'll understand.'

'You have a lot to learn about being a werewolf, Harmony' I sighed.

Cam's wolf, Brut, was hunkered in the bushes watching us. He had been for a while. The possessiveness wasn't just reserved for ranked wolves and idiots. Every male who found his mate, but remained unmarked, had it to some degree.

I nodded to him as I stood and ran off, leaving Mercy behind. I wasn't going to get in the middle of whatever was about to happen. I just hoped he didn't push it too far, she was bigger than him and not as in control as we were.

We hunted for a while. There was much, so we ended up chasing squirrels and birds out looking for evening meals. It was fun, but I wanted to head back to the house and see Echo again.

After I let Cam and Harmony know where I was heading, I took off for the house. When I arrived, only Marius was on the porch. He stood a picked up a bundle.

"Echo wanted you dressed before you came back in the house. Here are your clothes." He said.

I shifted back and went up to retrieve it from him. Marius handed me the clothes and returned to his seat. I put on my clothes and sat next to him.

"Victor told her to mark me back. She wants both of us, but he says he'll wait until she turns. Can you help me? Echo needs both of us still. I don't want her to suffer because he thinks he's doing the noble thing." I told him.

"You want me to convince him to share her with you? You don't seem to understand. I'm not here for your relationship with my daughter. I am here to ensure that she is happy. She can be that without either of you trying to slip into her bed." Marius replied. "I'm not trying to sleep with her. Echo's barely started being affectionate with me. I'm not going to push it. I'm not talking about getting her to sleep with us. I want her happy, too. Marius. She's found her mates. We can make her happy and care for her in ways that you can't. I don't know what it's like for vampires or dhampyrs, but, for wolves, I know that it's painful to feel like you're being rejected by your mate, even if that's not what's going on. Echo feels like Victor is rejecting her. He was cold to her. It broke her heart. I felt it. I can feel how much she loves him. It's more than she loves me. This will only hurt her more. Please. Talk to him. He won't listen to me." I pled.

He looked at me in an assessing way. I didn't meet his eyes. I'd learned from doing it to Victor that meeting their eye was how they got you.

"I have no Solus Amor. I don't know what it is to have one close off from you. I know that we are not as... attached... as wolves. Echo isn't like a vampire in that. I could see their relationship growing even before the bond was formed. I have to believe you if you say Victor is harming my daughter. Perhaps I have been closeminded. You do not plan to make her choose between you?" He asked.

"There was never supposed to be a choice. I've been thinking. Forest Song is on the other side of the country. Cam and Harmony would have met at the national mating conference. I would have come for the wedding, as Cam's best friend. That would be how I would've met Echo. She would've been healthy and felt the bond. I would've joined her pack and become her husband. After a lifetime together, I would pass. She would go on. I have no idea how long it would have been before she found Victor. Maybe before she died, maybe after. We weren't supposed to have her at the same time, but we have to accept the things we can't change. Life threw us together at the same time. I don't want to have some weird relationship where we all share a bed or anything like that. But we can share a home and a love. Help me give her what she needs to be truly happy." I requested.

Marius looked out over the dark yard. He seemed to be thinking it over. I waited patiently.

"Fine. I will speak with Victor. Echo deserves to be without worry. She will make her own decisions about what to do with both of you, but you can never make her choose after this. You cannot change your mind about what you want. I do not play games. Go. She is making a meal for all the wolves. I need to think on what I will do to Victor as punishment for harming Echo." An evil smile crossed his face.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I insisted.

"Of course you didn't. Run away, little wolf. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Your name will not be mentioned." He said, shooing me away.

I got up and walked into the house. There was no arguing with vampires. I was quickly learning that. They didn't change their minds easily. I hoped I wouldn't regret changing his.