36
The drive home was silent and when the lionesses were all dressed and warm, they met out our den and we sat outside around a fire Micah made.
"It seems the mummies may have some interest in us again, like they had hundreds of years ago." Mother started as she stared at the flames. "I have thought about having us all return to Africa, so our forces would be unmatched."
"We cannot leave, this is our home." Emery said freely.
"Some of us will give birth soon, we cannot travel." One of my aunts said.
"We never let anyone chase us from our homes. Why start now?" Leonardo replied. Mother looked around at everyone, her eyes warm and soft.
"Do you all wish to stay? Speak freely." she told. There was a soft chatter that moved about the pride.
"We stay and fight any threat that comes our way." Another aunt said. Father stared at them with pride and authority. Mother smiled warmly and nodded.
"Then we patrol with the wolves. If Sam wants you to do something then you do it." she told and bowed her head. We all responded bowing our heads. Everyone seemed mildly cautious now after our meeting. Maybe they felt they were still being watched by the vampires. But we would smell them if they near. Paul's truck was coming up the driveway and I smiled as I was waiting for him. I was in a black dress with a red blanket wrapped around my shoulders and he was in a black shirt beneath a wool coat and blue jeans. He smiled as he got out and we approached each other. We took each other's hands and leaned in kissing each other softly.
"Come to the beach with me? We can talk on the way." he said. I nodded and I turned and saw my parents standing on the porch with smiles, yet I could see the dominance in them both. I smiled at them and left with Paul.
"So did you know that the vampire was moving about the area?" I asked. He sighed heavily and nodded.
"Yes. We thought he was just coming to check on the Cullens maybe spying and gathering information for the Italy coven. But Alice says he never went to their homes, he was strictly coming to our side." he explained, and I nodded looking down some before looking up at him confidently.
"I am not worried. With our forces, we will protect the land and maybe find out if they truly are after us." I said. He shook his head slowly now, his eyes paling a bit.
"I don't like that you specifically will be joining the patrols." he said and I looked at him confused but he continued speaking. "Our minds aren't linked… so that means if something happens or you get into a fight, I won't know. It's bad enough there's a chance they're coming for you." My eyes softened on his face. He looked afraid and gravely concerned. I took his hand and he curled it around mine.
"You're a warrior… I am a warrior. No one is allowed to fight for me and risk their lives for me. In your case I know you can't help it. But this just means I will risk my life for you as well. I will risk my life for your pack as you all have risked your lives for us." I explained. He glanced at me and smiled warmly.
"We'll handle this threat together." he told and I nodded.
"Together." I said and smiled looking ahead. "Now why have you chosen the beach?" He shrugged.
"I figured a walk on the white waves of snow would be nice as we looked at the crystal blue waves moving about." he said. I nodded at the thought.
"I like the sound of that." I replied. The ride was warm and peaceful. Holiday music was playing on the radio and I just leaned back and smiled at how nice this was.
At the beach, I noticed the snow covered the sand and mirrored the white pale sky above. The waves were steady like a stalking predator. I was immediately drawn to is and I trotted down into the snow kicking into it and twirling about it as the snow still fell above us. I felt something cold pelt me in the back of my hair and I hissed in shock and turned to see Paul staring at me with a challenging look. I gasped and just smirked before scooping up the snow and quickly pressing it together and forming a round ball. Paul mimicked me, but with our body heat the snow kept melting and so we moved quicker in collecting snow and throwing it at each other. We laughed and ran after each other pelting each other with snow. I'd run after Paul coating his back with snow and then he'd come after me with snow and he got me right in the shoulder. I turned away faking pain.
"Ow ow ow ow!" I said and he rushed over to me with wide worried eyes.
"What's wrong, was there a rock in that one?" he asked trying to look me over, and when he was close enough, I picked up a handful of snow and stuffed it down his shirt. He yelled out and grabbed me before grabbing me and spinning me around. I giggled and just held on to him as he sat me back on my feet and we just stared at each other for a moment. I could see it, the deep love he felt was in his orbs. The aura we had combined and bound us together. He began to kiss me all over my face now. I closed my eyes and melted into the feel of his lips.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked and I nodded as he took my hand and began to walk down the beach. "You're my imprint…" I nodded.
"I would hope so." I teased and he laughed now and nodded.
"And you've accepted me?" he asked and I nodded.
"Yes. I have accepted you." I replied and he nodded once more, his eyes looking ahead as if distance and now serious.
"So this means we're in it for the long run? We're in this for forever." he said. I had never really thought about what forever meant, but he ages slowly and I age slowly. We may very well experience forever together. I nodded up at him.
"Yes. We are in this for forever." I said stopping and looking at him. "I know you're worried about all of this-" I stopped speaking as I smelled the scents of my parents and I just turned toward the distant forest across the street from the beach. My mother and father and brothers stood there in their lion forms as now all of the pride was coming and standing beside my parents in a perfect row. What was going on? Why were they all here standing here as if waiting for something? "What are they doing here?"
"You are my anchor to this world and without you, I would fade away into nothing. If something were to happen to you, I would become hollow and would never love again." Paul said and I turned to look at him, but I saw nothing. I slowly looked down to see Paul on one knee with a black box in his hands opening. His eyes were bright and a smile was playing on his lips. "Let me be your medjay, your protector, your guard." My eyes widened as I felt my body shake in utter shock at what he was doing.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice trembling gently.
"Vitanja Rania King… will you marry me and become Vitanja Rania Lahote?" he asked, and I watched as he opened the box. It was the Danette, vintage inspired, oval engagement ring with a blue sapphire, the only ring I had ever wanted as a cub when I saw it. The 1.60 carat sapphire stone caught my attention immediately inside the milgrain accented halo. A second halo creates the frame and is fashioned with intricate patterns of shimmering channels of diamonds accented in milgrain borders. It was perfect. My mouth dropped as I looked at Paul with watering eyes. I nodded slowly.
"Yes." I replied feeling tears streaming down my face as he exhaled hard as if he had been holding his breath. He removed the ring and slid it onto my left ring finger and I looked at it for only a second before looking at Paul as he stood up and I threw myself into him, crashing our lips together. I was drowning in overwhelming happiness. I pulled back and caressed his face.
"This was the ring I had always wanted, how did you… you spoke to my family?" I assumed and Paul nodded with a nervous chuckle.
"I thought of asking your dad… but then I realized he probably wasn't the first person I should ask. So I asked your mom first then him, then your brothers, then the rest of your pride." he said and I whimpered a bit.
"And they all said yes?" I asked and he nodded.
"They all said yes!" he said and just yelled in happiness and hugged him again, his arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me into another deep kiss. It was more official than anything. Paul and I were officially one. We pulled back, but continued to hold each other as we looked at my family to see them still there roaring loudly in response, their own way of congratulating me. I smiled lovingly at them watching as they all began to descend back into the trees. One by one they left and finally it was only my mother standing there. Her eyes were calm and content and I just smiled at her lovingly. She knew I was safe. The snow fell over her like a gentle blanket. She was beautiful in the snow. Finally she turned and moved into the forest. I just looked back at Paul with a smile before thinking of his pack.
"Wait do they know?" I asked. Paul grinned.
"They knew I was proposing today. They should be finishing up with their patrols now. Want to Emily's to tell them the news?" he asked. I nodded swiftly.
"Yes." I replied and he took my hand and we hurried to the truck and took off. I had never been married, I had never been anything with another who was not my family. I was a daughter and a sister and a cousin. I was some lion's littermate. But never a fiancé or a wife. The title felt like an honor and it was an honor to be Paul's fiancé and soon wife. The truck pulled up in front of Emily's house and Paul honked the horn of the car. In seconds, Emily and Sam led the pack out as they all came out in hoodies and jackets. Jacob came out with Ness's hand in his and now Paul and I just exited the truck and walked around the front together.
They looked at us with excited and questioning eyes. I held up my hand happily.
"I said yes!" I yelled and Emily and Seth were the first to yell out happily throwing their hands to the air. Emily ran down the steps to me and jumped into my arms.
"I'm so happy for you!" she squealed. Seth and the others huddled around Paul patting his shoulders and back. Leah just gave a light smile and nod which I accepted. Ness approached but kept her distance. Her smile was warm and genuine.
"Congratulations, Vitanja." she said, and I smiled at her.
"Thank you," I said before looking at Sam. "You know what this means right?" Sam nodded.
"Our prides and packs are officially family. We are one." he said. My mom knew that when she gave Paul her blessing to marry me.
"We have to throw a party!" Emily said looking at Sam who just nodded and looked at Paul and I.
"What do you say?" he asked. Paul and I looked at each other before smiling.
"Sure. That sounds like an amazing idea." I said and Paul nodded.
"Let's do it!" he said.