Chapter 2: Verity's Story
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Daemeon carried a tray of tea things into the room. "Here we are ladies. You want me to stay so I can give a werewolf's view or should I make myself scarce?"
Verity poured two cups of tea and added honey to hers. "Go work in you workshop. I'll call for you if we need to see through the eyes of a Child of the Moon."
Daemeon dropped a kiss on her cheek and left.
Verity handed Hermione a cup of tea. "Go ahead, ask your questions. I know you have them."
Hermione sat her cup to the side and pulled out her list of questions. "They mention a mark. It's usually an infinity sign, but they wrote that it becomes distinct, unique to the pair. What exactly do they mean?"
"The Mark is as good a place to start as any." Verity placed her on the table and stood. "It's easier to show you than trying to explain." She unbuttoned her jeans and bared her right hipbone.
A raised infinity sign stood out against the pale skin. What looked like a starburst spread out from where the loops crossed.
The whole of it was no bigger than an inch either way, but what surprised Hermione was the two colors that seemed to be threaded through it.
"The colors and secondary symbol represent the couple. The black is Daemeon and the silver is me. There's more black on mine to show that I belong to Daemeon, while there's more silver on his to show that he's mine. The starburst is from the night I howled to him. There was a meteor shower that night and Daemeon came across me in a clearing, 'bathed in the light of falling stars' as he likes to say." She covered her hip and buttoned her jeans.
"Daemeon has a Mark too?"
Verity nodded.
"But you're not a werewolf, are you?"
"No, I'm not a werewolf. But non-werewolf mates do tend to take on some of the wolfish traits. We tend to like our meat bloodier, especially around the full moon. Which was no problem for me since I've always eaten my meat a little bloodier than most people in my family. Our senses become heightened and we get restless the closer to the full moon it gets. We mark them so that they and any other werewolf knows they're taken." Verity sat and took a drink of her tea.
"What happens on full moons? Doesn't he try to bite you?" Hermione grabbed one of the crème-filled biscuits on the tray when her stomach rumbled.
"No. See, werewolves won't do anything that could hurt their mates. And vice versa. A bond develops that helps you know what they're feeling and thinking. It's a good way to communicate. Like right now, Daemeon is out back in his workshop and getting angry because the anniversary present he's making me isn't turning out the way he wants."
"You can tell that from the bond?"
"Mmm-hmm. We've carried on conversations while talking to other people in two different places. I've gone all the way to Paris and he's been in Dublin and we've talked to each other. On every full moon, Daemeon usually roams the woods and I turn on some music, throw the doors and windows open if it's summertime, and either sit on the porch, clean, or dance around the yard. Of course I've learned never to get on my hands and knees during a full moon. No one ever mentions how randy they are."
Hermione blushed, causing Verity to laugh.
"It's not a bad thing most days, just sort of surprising if you're not expecting it. Werewolves won't hurt their mates or children on full moons. Or those they consider part of their Pack. Why don't I tell you Daemeon and I's story? It might answer most of your questions."
Hermione grabbed another biscuit and settled into her chair.
"I met Daemeon almost five years ago. I was twenty-two and engaged to the man I thought was the man of my dreams." She added more tea to her cup. "Before I get too far into the story, I should explain a few things. I'm American, originally from Indiana, but I moved to Maine to go to college. I come from a long line of Wiccans and have some Native American blood in me. And we Americans define magic and witches and wizards differently than you British. We believe that everyone has magic, but not everyone taps into it. I've been doing magic my whole life without a wand, so you'll rarely see me using one. When Daemeon was bitten, his family moved to Main to escape the prejudice here in England and so he could attend school. My fiancée was what you'd call a Muggle."
~About Five Years Before~
Twenty-two year old Verity Davis removed her marshmallow from the fire and carefully removed it from the metal stick.
"You're such a weirdo, Verity." her fiancée's best friend told her with a grin. "You're supposed to let it catch on fire."
Simon Williams, her fiancée, put his arm around her shoulders. "That's my future wife you're talking about Mick. Just because she doesn't like her marshmallows to taste of ash doesn't mean she's a weirdo."
Verity kissed his cheek. "And you'd love me even if I were a weirdo."
He grinned down at her. "You bet I would."
"So, when does this meteor show start and why is it on the night of the full moon?" another friend asked.
"In less than two hours and because that's the luck of the draw." Verity replied.
A howl came from the woods nearby where their beach fire was.
Verity looked at the woods. "I love wolves. They're so beautiful."
Simon exchanged a look with Mick.
The howl came again, and Verity howled back.
Simon stood up. "If my lady likes wolves, then a wolf she will get." He and Mick disappeared into the woods.
Verity scrambled after them. "Simon! Mick! That's private property. We're already pushing it by being on the beach." She barely entered the woods and looked for them. "Oh come on. This is no time to fool around. Simon!"
"O leave them be. If they get bit, it'll be their fault." one of her friends called.
"They'd have to put the wolf that bit them down. And I can't let that happen to such a beautiful creature." She entered the woods to search for the two men.
Little did she know, two bright eyes followed her as she searched.
She got turned around and lost the way she'd come when she heard a branch break. "All right you two, stop playing around. We're going to miss the meteor shower. That's the whole reason I came out here." She turned in a circle. "Great. Now I'm lost."
Picking a random direction, Verity set off to hopefully find her way out of the woods.
Branches and undergrowth snagged at her clothes and hair, slowing her down.
Verity paused to untangle herself.
The large predator stalking her paused and watched as she told off the plants.
"I honestly don't mean to hurt any of you, but really now. I'm just trying to find my way out. You could help me. Don't try to slow me down but direct me by looking thick and tangles." Verity told them.
The trees and plants whispered back to her.
It understood what they were saying and gave a low whine to ask the trees to do something for it.
The trees led Verity to a clearing.
She looked up at the sky and stared in awe at the sight of the large number of meteors shooting across the sky.
It followed her into the clearing, not paying attention to where it was walking since it was watching Verity.
At the sound of a thick branch breaking, Verity spun around and was confronted with a large shaggy black wolf.
"Aren't you beautiful." she breathed as it took a step towards her. She knew that to run would make it think she was prey.
Strangely enough, fear was one of the farthest things away from what Verity felt.
The wolf made its way closer to Verity.
She slowly sunk to the ground and calmly closed her eyes as the wolf stood less than a foot away.
It sniffed her all over, spending a lot of time with its nose buried in her hair.
Verity opened her eyes with a smile when she felt a wet tongue caress her cheek. She slowly and carefully raised a hand to bury it in the wolf's fur, which felt more like hair than fur. "You're utterly beautiful. I've never seen another wolf like you."
The wolf leaned into her touch, and its eyes closed in pleasure.
Verity laid down and watched the sky until her eyes grew heavy and closed.
"Well good morning." a male voice stated as Verity blinked awake.
A pair of silver eyes were the first things Verity saw when her vision came into focus.
"Uh, hello." she replied.
The owner of the eyes turned out to be a good-looking man with black hair. He helped her to sit up.
"Careful now. You've been sleeping on the ground all night from the looks of it. You might be a bit stiff."
Verity blushed as her stomach rumbled loudly.
He laughed. "Let's get you up to the house and fed."
"I'm sorry. This is probably your land and I shouldn't be here. You'd be justified in having me arrested." she told him as she walked next to him.
"Why don't you explain why you're on my family's land and we can go from there." he replied.
"Okay. I'll start with my name. I'm Verity Davis." She offered him her hand to shake.
He kissed the back of it. "Daemeon McCrimmon. So Verity Davis, exactly how did you end up in my parents' woods?"
They fell back into step with each other.
"There was a meteor shower last night and a group of us went to the beach next to these woods to watch it. Well we heard one of the wolves in the woods and my fiancée and his best friend went into the woods, jokingly saying they'd get me a wolf since they're my favorite animal in the world. I went after them to make them come back to the beach and ended up lost. I picked a direction and ended up in the clearing you found me in." Verity explained.
"Understandable. You were trying to be responsible. The clearing isn't that far from my parents' house. It's just past those trees up ahead." Daemeon told her.
The large three story Victorian mansion loomed over them in the sunlight as they broke through the tree line.
"Oh, it's lovely." she gasped, taking in a deep breath of floral scented air.
Daemeon smiled, looking at Verity. "Yeah, it is." He led the way to the back door of the house and let them into the kitchen.
An older woman stood at the stove cooking. She looked up when Daemeon shut the door. "There you are Daemeon. Who's this?" she questioned with a British accent.
"Verity Davis. She got lost in our woods last night while trying to find her fiancée and his friend after they entered the woods. She was trying to prevent them from possibly causing any trouble." Daemeon replied. "Miss Davis, this is my mother Amelia."
Varity gave her a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am. I apologize for trespassing and would not hold it against you if you call the police, but I couldn't let Simon and Mick possibly be the cause of the death of any of the wolves you have. Especially the big black one I saw last night. It is the most beautiful wolf I've ever seen."
Amelia McCrimmon shot her son a look before giving Verity a smile. "I've always thought so too Miss Davis. And it's quite all right. You weren't on our land with any malicious intent."
Varity looked down at her clothes. "Is there any way I could freshen up? I probably look a mess from sleeping on the ground for most of the night."
"The loo is down the hall, second door from the right as you exit the kitchen." Amelia told her.
"Thank you." She left the kitchen and went to the bathroom.
After taking care of her bodily functions, Verity stood before the mirror and carefully finger-combed bits of leaves and plant bits from her hair.
"Okay, I trespassed and no matter what they say, I have to do something to make up for it." she stated softly to her reflection. "I saw the stables out back and a horse or two in the pasture. I'll offer to come help out with them for no pay for at least a month. Or offer to do something." She washed her hands and face, dried them off, and headed back towards the kitchen. She paused outside the door when she heard voices.
"Daemeon, what were you thinking? She could have been bitten." Amelia was saying.
"And it would be hard to explain to her about it all." an older male voice added.
"She's my mate. I know she is. I could never hurt her." Daemeon replied.
Verity was a bit confused, but got no answers as the kitchen door was opened by Daemeon. "Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it sounded like a conversation I shouldn't intrude on."
"Do you always apologize for things outside your control?" Daemeon asked with a grin.
Verity shrugged. "I take after my grandmother. She does the same thing." She caught sight of an older man that looked a lot like Daemeon over his shoulder.
Daemeon let her go past him. "Dad, this is Verity Davis. This is my father Edwin."
Verity smiled and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you Mr. McCrimmon. I noticed you have some horses."
"We breed them." he replied.
"Which means there's lots to do. Mrs. McCrimmon said something about it being all right that I trespassed since I didn't do it maliciously, but I think I should do something to make up for it anyway. I would like to offer my services free of charge for at least a month either helping out with the horses or doing whatever you need done."
Edwin shook his head. "That's not necessary Miss Davis. Amelia and Daemeon have explained the circumstances behind your trespassing. And there was no damage done."
Verity shook her head. "I insist. I cannot morally let it slide. I have to do something to make up for it."
Edwin looked her over. "All right. You can help out with the horses for a month. And if you're not going to let us pay you, then at least let us provide you with food while you're here."
Verity nodded, planning on leaving them money for the food she'd eat. She'd start with breakfast.
Amelia turned back to the stove. "Set the table won't you Daemeon? And fetch your sister."
Daemeon grabbed plates from a cabinet.
Verity took them from him. "Allow me."
Edwin and Amelia shared a look as Daemeon allowed Verity to do the task he'd been asked to do. They thought it was a bit strange since he never allowed anyone to do so before.
While Verity finished setting the table and carried food over to it, Daemeon left the kitchen and slipped upstairs to wake his younger sister.
Cassidy shrieked as Daemeon stole the blankets off her slumbering form. "Daemeon!"
He grinned. "Breakfast is ready."
Cassidy yawned and stretched. "You have a nice run last night?"
"I found my mate last night Cass. She's in the kitchen with Mum and Dad. She doesn't know I'm a werewolf or that we're magical, so I'd appreciate it if you kept quiet about it until I can break it to her." Daemeon folded the blankets over the foot of her bed.
"Right. Tell Mum I'll be down in a couple minutes."
Verity was in a discussion with Edwin about what all she would be doing when Daemeon reentered the kitchen.
He took a seat next to her and began to fill his plate.
Cassidy entered the room a minute or so later, discreetly using her wand to move Verity's glass of orange juice to the edge of the table.
Verity bumped it with her elbow and reacted without thinking, using her magic to make it float. She grabbed the glass from the air and bit her bottom lip.
"You can do magic?" Daemeon questioned.
Verity nodded. "My mom's side of the family is a long line of Wiccans and my dad's great grandparents were full blooded Native Americans. Sort of comes natural to me."
Amelia smiled. "Well then, no need to hide ours then." She took out her wand and made the dishes she'd cooked with start washing themselves.
Verity looked at them in awe and then grinned at Amelia. "That is just wonderful. Is there any way you could teach me the spell? It would come in handy when I get home late and need to get the dishes done."
"You never went to school for your magic?" Cassidy asked as she put food on her plate as she sat across from Verity.
"No. All my magic is instinctual more often than not. I don't even use a wand."
Edwin chuckled. "And you're very strong. Now, no more talk of magic or work. Let's eat."
The rest of breakfast continued in almost silence until the doorbell rang.
Verity offered to get it and was surprised to find Simon on the other side.
He instantly gathered her into a tight hug. "I thought I'd lost you."
Daemeon and Cassidy had followed her, and Daemeon gave a low growl as Simon kissed Verity.
Cassidy grinned. "Oh yeah, she's your mate." she whispered to him with a grin.
Verity introduced Simon, bid everyone goodbye, left some money for breakfast along with a promise to return later that day to get started, and left with Simon.
Daemeon moped around the house until he heard an unknown car pull up into the drive and Verity got out.
Over three weeks, Daemeon and Verity became very close, and many nights a week, Verity could be found having dinner with the McCrimmons.
It was after one of these dinners that she returned to her apartment that she was going to be sharing with Simon, only to find him and one of her friends in what was going to be their room and bed having sex.
She stood in the doorway in shock as Simon went scrambling for a pair of pants.
"Verity!" Simon exclaimed. "This isn't what it looks like, I swear."
Her shock turned to anger.
"Oh, so you're not having sex with Demi on what was supposed to be our marriage bed three weeks before our wedding? I don't think so Simon. We're through. There's not going to be any wedding." She tore off her engagement ring and threw it at him. "You can keep the apartment. I'll be by to get my things at some point." She fled out of the building and got into her car.
Daemeon was sitting in his room, listening to the rain that was falling hit his window. He sat up when he heard Verity's car coming up the drive. He was standing in the doorway when it came to a stop and Verity got out.
With his heightened senses, he saw that the tear tracks on her face and met her halfway when she ran to him.
She sobbed onto his shoulder as he held her close.
Daemeon drew her inside the house and into the kitchen where he got the whole story from her.
Verity sat there in his arms, her mind whirling. She had no idea what she was going to do.
By the time Daemeon placed her on the chair that had been deemed hers, she had decided she was going to move home. It was the best way to get away from Simon.
Daemeon made a pot of tea and poured her a cup. "What are you going to do?"
She looked at him. "I'm going to move home. That way I don't have to face the two-timing snake and that two-faced slut."
Daemeon felt the bottom of his stomach drop. He didn't want to lose her. "Let me know how I can help."
"Help me get my stuff tomorrow while he's at work. I'll take care of it from there."
Verity was as good as her word. She got all her things with Daemeon's help and was moved back home to Indiana by the end of the week. She found a small job as a secretary at a small law firm and worked a couple nights a week at a friend's bar to pay for the apartment she was staying in above the bar.
Eventually she got over Simon's betrayal and started dating again.
Each relationship went down in flames, no matter what she did.
Almost a year after meeting Daemeon, she stared at her reflection in the mirror above her bathroom sink after a really bad date.
She looked tired and utterly fed up with her love life. She washed off her make-up and changed clothes before deciding to run to the small café around the corner to get their special hot chocolate and some of their handmade chocolate to make herself feel better.
The café was a little busy, but she was able to get what she wanted pretty quickly.
She bumped into someone as she walked towards the door. She looked up to apologize, only for the words to die on her lips as she met Daemeon's eyes. "Daemeon! Cassidy had said you'd left Maine, but never told me where. What are you doing here?"
He smiled at her. "Decided to follow you and try my hand at selling my woodworking here in the Midwest. I've been hoping I'd bump into you sometime." He didn't tell her that he'd been keeping close tabs on what she was up to or who she was seeing.
Verity found a table for them and told him all about what she'd been doing and the disaster that was her love life. She sighed when she was finished. "I'm seriously considering swearing off relationships. I think I'm cursed. My mom keeps saying that I'm not and I shouldn't resign myself to being the Crazy Cat Lady just yet."
Daemeon covered her hand with his. "Your mom's right Verity. I don't think you're cursed. In fact, I'm sure of it."
She smiled at him a bit sadly. "Thanks Daemeon. But I'm not so sure."
"Let me convince you. Come have dinner at my place tomorrow night. We can gaze at the full moon together and discuss this 'curse' of yours." Daemeon offered.
Verity nodded. "I think I'd like that very much."
He grinned. "It's a date then. I'll pick you up at say six?"
"Six will be great." She stood up.
Daemeon stood as well. "Let me walk you home. That way I know where you live."
She nodded and took his offered arm.
They walked in comfortable silence, Verity not noticing that every man who looked at her quickly looked away.
She kissed Daemeon's cheek before she let herself into her apartment.
At exactly six the next night, Daemeon appeared at her door with a bouquet of peach carnations and blue forget-me-nots.
Verity smiled happily as she smelt them. "You remembered my favorite flowers."
"I could never forget anything about you. Shall we away?" He offered her his arm.
She took it and walked out to his car with him.
Daemeon drove them six miles out of the small town near where her parents lived and let them into the house. He hung up her coat and pushed her chair in at the table before fetching the food he'd cooked earlier in the day.
The French doors that faced the eastern horizon were open and Verity turned her attention there once they had finished eating.
"The moon will be rising soon." she commented.
"In ten minutes. Verity, there's something I'd like to tell you. And show you." Daemeon stood and unbuttoned his sleeves and the top two buttons of his shirt.
Verity looked at him and watched as he took off his shoes and socks. "What is it?"
"You're not cursed Verity. You're my mate, which is why none of your relationships work out. You can't be happy with anyone else but me, same as I can't be happy with anyone but you."
"What do you mean?"
He unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. "I'm a werewolf, Verity. You howled to me when I howled for my mate. No other male can be with you."
"Daemeon, that's a terrible joke."
"I'm not joking Verity. I am a werewolf and you are my mate."
Verity blushed as he took off his pants and stood there in his boxers.
The moon slipped above the horizon and Verity could only watch as Daemeon turned into the large shaggy black wolf from the woods.
She plopped down in her chair in shock.
Daemeon padded over to her, sat before her, and whined. He placed his front paws on her knees.
Verity noticed that they were like hands with four fingers and an opposable thumb. She looked up from his hands and met his silver gaze. "I don't believe it. You weren't kidding." she whispered.
Daemeon whined again and nosed his snout under one of her hands.
~About Five Years Later~
"I ended up locking myself in a bedroom until the next morning. He took me home and I didn't speak to him for a week until he broke into my apartment and snogged me senseless. That led to my utterly losing my heart and virginity to him. We Marked each other that night and were married shortly thereafter." Verity drank some more of her tea.
"That made the bond that much more powerful, his being your first, didn't it?"
"Yes. It's even stronger when both Mates are each other's first, such as in Daemeon and I's case. Anything else?"
Hermione looked down at the remains of her cup of tea for a moment before looking back up at Verity. "Does the werewolf of a pair with only one werewolf always make the first move?"
Verity's eye sparkled with humor.
"It all rather depends on those involved. The only reason Daemeon had to make the first move is because I was in shock. You, knowing what you now do, can make the first move. Dominance is determined by not only who makes the first move, but who makes the first Mark."
"And who is dominate in your and Daemeon's relationship?"
"Verity is when it comes to all the domestic side of our relationship. She marked me first. When it comes to protection and the rest, dominance lays with me." Daemeon stated as he leaned against the doorframe with a smirk. "Can I come in now? I'd like some tea and something to eat."
A/N: Not dead as you can see. Just had some trouble getting it written up. Thank you for your patience.