Aiden grasped Wyatt’s hand and smiled. “It is, and you are welcome among us.”
Bel was in a bit of a daze as the other vampires in the house were rounded up and ushered to the library. The ceremony was short and sweet, but Bel was fighting back the lump in his throat as he watched River and Wyatt kneel in front of Aiden, reciting an oath to protect the members of the Varik clan and always uphold its values. Werewolves in a vampire clan. Bel would never have thought such a thing possible. Of course, six months ago, he hadn’t even known werewolves existed, and now he was blessed with two.
After the official ceremonial business was concluded, the Varik brothers left their formal chairs to settle on comfortable chairs and couches. Bel was once again pressed against Wyatt while River sat on the floor, one arm looped around Bel’s leg as if he half expected Bel to disappear.
“There were a lot of discussions and meetings, but I named Jake Tambor the new alpha of the pack. He’s a good man with some solid life experience. He knows how to manage people. I think he’s going to be a strong leader for them. He worked beside me for the entire two weeks. He knows that pack better than anyone else and has a level head,” Wyatt explained.
“You can do that. Just name a successor?”
Wyatt smiled. “It doesn’t always have to be a fight. When I made the announcement, everyone seemed happy, but he must fight any challenges on his own. Right now, his main focus is healing the pack.”
“What about you and River?” Marcus asked. “Will there be more threats from the pack?”
River shook his head. “We’ve been given the special status of Pack Allies.”
“What the hell is that?” Rafe said.
“It’s a little-used title since packs don’t tend to associate with outsiders, but we’re seen as friends. River and I may come and go on the pack lands freely. We can attend social functions if we like. I can visit my sister whenever I want. We may be called upon to help the pack and if necessary, we may ask the pack for help.”
“That’s wonderful!” Bel said, hugging Wyatt. He didn’t know if Wyatt could have any kind of relationship with his sister, but at least one barrier was gone.
Wyatt turned his head and brushed a kiss across Bel’s temple. Something in him relaxed even more, seeming to settle against Bel as if his world was shifting into place again. “Aiden, if you’d be willing, I’d like to arrange a meeting between you and Jake. I think he would like to extend the Pack Allies status to all the Variks. It would be better if you could give him some more background on the original truce and some of the inherent dangers that lie between our two peoples.”
“I would be happy to meet with Jake,” Aiden agreed with a nod.
“And, of course, the pack will once again respect the boundaries between its land and Bel’s land.” Wyatt looked at Bel, his heart in his eyes. “They will be very happy to see your house built again and to have us living close.”
River tilted his head up to look at him as well. “Though Maggie has already warned me that she plans to make weekly visits for tea and gossip once we’re moved into the new house.”
“I look forward to all of Maggie’s visits,” Bel said, and he meant it. The old woman had been charming, and it was intriguing to find himself the focus of so many questions when he was accustomed to being the person asking all the questions.
“Dear God, it’s as if the world has turned on its head. Who could have foreseen the day when Bel would have two mates? And friends outside our little family who don’t have feathers or fur,” Rafe teased.
“Oh, Maggie has fur,” Bel corrected. “She just doesn’t shift often. It’s too hard on her hip.”
Rafe groaned. “Of course she does.”
“Is there any other business now that we know we’re not fighting a two-sided war with the wolves on one side?” Aiden asked.
All eyes turned over to Winter, who was leaning against the wall. The youngest brother shrugged one shoulder. “All is quiet with the Ministry at the moment. The remaining members are keeping a low profile. But I’m sure that will change soon enough.”
“What about—”
Marcus’s question was interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell through the house. Everyone seemed to freeze and stare at each other in surprise. The Variks didn’t receive guests often, fewer now that there was such a rift between the clan and the Ministry.
“Did you order food?” Marcus asked Ethan.
“No. Aiden said that Rafe and Philippe were stopping by for a clan meeting, but I was waiting to see if Lola, Gideon, and Ryder joined as well, so I knew how much to order.” The young man shrugged and pushed to his feet. “I’ll get it, though.”
He didn’t get more than a couple of feet before Marcus grabbed his arm and halted his progress. “No. Vampires are at the door.”
Alarm shot through Bel, and his hands tightened on both of his wolves. It didn’t feel like a good sign. Were they about to be attacked? He would not let any harm come to Wyatt and River. Not now. Not after he just got them back.
Bel looked over at Aiden and was stunned to see a sly kind of smile slide across his handsome face.
“Marcus, you answer the door. I believe the clan is about to meet Sofia Montgomery and her entourage,” Aiden said. He rose and walked over his thronelike chair.
“Truly?” Philippe said in a near whisper.
“I’ve been expecting to hear from her, but it’s fortuitous that she should come tonight. It will be nice for her to meet our two newest members.”
“Bel?” River’s worried voice drew Bel’s eyes to his upturned face. “What do we do? We don’t know vampire formalities and customs.”
Bel almost laughed out loud. He was the last person to ask about vampire society and customs. That was Marcus’s forte. He was the only one among the brothers who made a point of dealing with other clan leaders.
“You’ll be fine.” Carefully extricating himself from where he was tangled with Wyatt and River, he stood while Marcus exited the room to fetch their unexpected guests. “Just remember that you’re a Varik. The rest kind of falls into place.”
Bel crossed the room to the open seat next to Rafe on Aiden’s left. Behind Rafe’s seat, Philippe stood with a proud smile. Ethan took up his normal place standing behind Marcus’s seat directly on Aiden’s right while Winter lounged in the seat next to Marcus’s.
With shoulders straight and heads high, Wyatt and River took up places on either side of Bel’s chair. It was a powerful feeling to have them standing with him. They were there to protect him, protect the clan, just as he would always protect them. Bel looked over at Rafe and smiled at the knowing look his brother was giving him. Rafe knew this feeling all too well. As if to prove it, Rafe reached up and gently took Philippe’s hand in his, brushing little kisses across his knuckles.
“Charmer,” Philippe whispered.
“Mon ange, every beat of my heart is devoted to your happiness.”
“Now I’m going to be sick,” River muttered, earning a loud snort from Winter on the other side of the room.
“No, River, you need to pay attention to Rafe if you want to learn how to be truly sappy and disgusting,” Ethan teased.