Ivory Snow

The farm was silent with Adam gone.

There were still plenty of males there to keep Ivory company, but it wasn’t the same. She stayed in her room for most of that first day. Until she realized she had no idea when, or if, that small bite on her neck would heal.

She braided her hair and pulled it over her shoulder. It worked for the most part. No one else seemed to notice.

Everyone went about their chores every day.

They ate together.

Fitz created his ridiculous stories.

Brian fell asleep next to the fire regularly.

Charles whistled as he worked around the farm.

Dean read his books.

Eric sneezed constantly after being outside.

And Gabe followed Ivory around, always willing to help but too shy to speak up. She rarely needed him too. They had their own method of communication.

The only thing missing was her grump. The male that was easy to make cranky and hard to make smile. She enjoyed making him do both.

As the days wore on, the anxiety on the farm could be felt.

If Ivory didn’t know Charles so well, she would have thought he wasn’t fazed by any of this. In reality, the more worried he was, the more he whistled and laughed. He took it upon himself to make them all smile.

Adam had been gone for over a week and they were all ready for him to return.

Ivory was getting ready for bed when the voice she was beginning to enjoy in her head was louder than normal.

Something is coming. Soon. Things will be changing. Our time in the shadows is ending, Princess.

I know. I feel it too. Ivory looked at her bedroom door. I don’t want to leave them.

We may have no choice. Our kingdom needs us. This is what we were saved to do.

Ivory was overcome by an incredible itch running along her skin. She looked down and saw traces of white hair popping up everywhere.

Her bones began to feel like they were breaking. She wanted to scream out in agony, but she didn’t want to scare the others.

Especially not Gabe.

She wasn’t sure what was happening to her. It was too soon for her to shift. She was still only sixteen. Even her mother had shifted closer to eighteen.

Ivory bit her tongue and swallowed the screams of terror.

It felt like it took an eternity for each and every one of her bones to break and realign themselves. The older brothers had made it sound like it had happened so fast.

Maybe they were just trying to save face in front of the others.

Maybe she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was.

By the time she had fully shifted into her wolf, Ivory was in a corner on the floor, sobbing silently. Soon after, she passed out from the immense pain. Her last thought was that if it hurt that much to shift, she would stay a wolf forever and never go through that again.

Adam woke up well after dawn. He was confused, having never slept that late before. They had pressed hard during their journey home though.

Given the late hour of the morning, he didn’t stop next to Ivory’s door. They would all be downstairs eating now. He could barely contain the joy he felt at the idea of seeing them all. He entered the kitchen with a giant grin.

“Morning!” He stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips.

He only had to wait for the count of one for the shock to wear off.

Gabe was the first to reach him, and the only one not shouting.

“Adam!”

“You’re back!”

“Welcome home!”

“When did you get in?” They were all speaking over each other, making it hard to tell who was saying what.

Adam laughed. “Calm down, calm down. I got back very late last night. It was a very long journey. One we were all ready to be done with.”

“What was it like there? What are the people like?”

“Was it dangerous? Did you have to fight your way through anyone?”

Adam had to laugh at Fitz’s exuberance. He looked around the room for the one person he hadn’t seen yet. Her scent in the room was fading, she hadn’t been in there yet that morning.

Adam looked at Brian. “Where is Snow?”

Brian shrugged. “She hasn’t come down yet. I figured I would feed these mutts and then go check on her.”

Something in his tone was saying more. Adam’s heart skipped a beat. Brian tipped his head up, signaling that Adam should go up.

“Why don’t you pups eat? I will tell you everything you want to know when Snow is with us. I’m sure she will have a hundred questions about the big city as well.”

The young ones nodded like they should have known that and sat back down to eat. Brian followed him out.

“I have to warn you first. The bite mark has not healed. She still carries a slight tint of your scent as well. She heard enough the morning you left that I had no choice but to tell her everything.”

Adam would have kicked himself if he could. His wolf on the other hand felt pride.

“How could that small mark still be there? Has she shown signs of shifting? Do royals shift earlier than normal?”

Brian shrugged. “Dean has been reading up on it all, there is no set age, just like the rest of us. I am still the only one that knows anything about the marking. She has been trying to hide it.”

Adam turned and ran up the stairs, feeling the pull to her strengthen the closer he got to her door. He knocked on her door with Brian right behind him. He grew more and more aggravated and worried by the second.

Why wasn’t she answering?

He lifted his hand to open the door, but Brian grabbed it, stopping him.

“Listen.” He mouthed to him.

Adam focused on his hearing and listened to the sounds coming from her room. It was soft, but he could hear whimpering.

She was scared and hurt. But why would she be scared of him?

“Ivory?”

She still didn’t answer.

Adam slowly turned the doorknob and stepped inside. He smelled her before he saw her. Her sweet, sugary scent had grown tenfold. There was a hint of the ocean and hay in there as well. A scent he recognized as his own.

His wolf perked up, as he caught the scent, and growled possessively. Adam felt Brian flinch at the sound.

Adam’s eyes followed the sound of the whimper again.

And there, hiding in her usual corner, was a trembling wolf. With fur as white as the clouds. Her eyes were still the same vibrant green, only a shade or two darker. The white fur acted as a perfect backdrop, enhancing their beauty.

Adam barely made it a few feet before falling to his knees.

The Innkeeper had been right. A strong enough wolf would be able to feel the pull even without the help of their wolf. Ivory had felt it. She knew. And she gave him the time he needed to see it for himself.

Brian began walking around Adam, trying to get to the female he thought of as his baby sister.

Adam’s wolf gave a deep warning growl, causing Brian to freeze. He looked down at his brother and saw the flat black eyes.

Brian’s eyes widened in response as he took it all in. A grin slowly spread across his face.

“She was yours. All this time, and she was yours?”

Adam blinked, his wolf retreated, regretting his gut reaction. “So, it would seem. I’ve been a fool all this time. I hurt us both unnecessarily.” Adam took two breaths, working to keep his wolf chained down. “Take the pups fishing. Let them swim and play. I don’t care. Just get them out of the house for a while.”

Brian patted his back and walked out, locking the door, and closing it behind him. He skipped down the stairs, whistling a tune he heard from Charles.

In the kitchen, he was met with an incredulous and curious audience. He wanted to shout it to the roof tops, but it wasn’t his news to give.

“Who wants to go fishing today? Maybe even play in the water a bit?”

The three younger pups cheered and ran out of the room to grab their shoes and rods.

“What about Adam and Snow?” Dean asked.

Brian grinned. “Snow had a rough night. It got a bit hairy for her. It made Adam leave the house of denial. We are going to give them time to work it out.”

Charles was confused but Dean caught on fast. He looked at his twin and started laughing. “You of all people should have understood that. Mister, “I knew it all along.”

“Huh... Oh... oh… Yes!!” Charles fist-bumped the air. Then, froze. “We better get out of here. I hope they open a window. That smell was bad enough before my enhanced sense of smell kicked in fully.”

The others shivered and half ran out the door.

While Brian shepherded the pups outside, Adam raised his hand toward Ivory.

“Love, come here.”

Ivory’s wolf crawled across the floor, needing to be near her mate.

As soon as she was close enough, Adam buried his hands in her fur. Ivory felt a shiver of pleasure spread through her body, wiping away most of the fear.

The pain had been gone when she woke up. She debated on trying to shift back, then she realized she had no idea how! The voice, which she now realized was her wolf all along, was no help. She was as new to this as Ivory was.

Ivory had heard Adam walk by, hoping he would stop, but he didn’t. She could hear when he surprised the pups, which made her smile. She wished she had been able to see that.

Gabe especially missed him when he was gone.

She had whimpered as Adam called out to her. She was scared, she couldn’t shift back. And what’s more, she feared he would reject her again.

She could smell him, even through the door. Her wolf had been chanting mine over and over again.

Would knowing that he was made for her change his opinion at all?

“Shift back for me, sweetheart. I can’t talk to you in this form, yet. Please?”

Ivory’s wolf sank down to the floor, whimpering again.

Adam quickly realized what the problem was. “You don’t know how, do you?” He gave her an encouraging and gentle smile as he ran his hand over the back of her head and down her neck. “I remember. I was alone when I shifted too. I forget how like me you are sometimes, even in shifting early. I’m so sorry that I focused on all the wrong things, love.”

She bumped her head against his and he chuckled.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you through this. But we will talk about that later. First, you need to focus. Picture your human form. Imagine yourself changing back, one limb at a time.”

Ivory did not like the sound of that. She gave one long mournful sound and turned away from him.

Adam closed his eyes. “Did it hurt that bad?” Ivory huffed. “And it felt very long and slow.”

Ivory turned her head back to see him.

“I never told my brothers, but mine hurt like hell! If I hadn’t known that my brothers needed me, I probably would have just stayed a wolf.” Adam looked deep into her eyes. “We still need you, Ivory. I need you. I… I can’t live without you anymore. Especially not now. I love you so much.”

Ivory closed her eyes and pictured hugging Adam. Remembering what it felt like to have his arms wrapped around her. She went through all their private moments together, the good and the bad. She ignored the pain, which wasn’t quite as bad this time. When Ivory finished shifting back, her body collapsed. Adam leaned forward and caught her before her head could hit the floor.

He swiftly stood and carried her to the bed. Since the hour was still early and there was a chill in the air, Adam pulled the blanket down her bed and climbed under it with her.

“You left me.” She accused him in a whisper. She had meant to be firmer and lecture him, but the shift had taken too much out of her. “You’re mine, and you left me. You even marked me. A small bit, but still. Why, Adam? Why did you fight it?”

Adam buried his face in her neck, pulling in her scent, fearing she would never let him get so close again.

“It was the hardest thing I ever did. Every time I turned away from you. You’ve always had a pull on me. The moment I breathed air back into your lips, you shocked me, literally. There was this spark. Since then, there has been a pull. It got stronger just over a month ago. I thought it was because I saw you wearing your shirt in that way you do when you work. Now, I think it may have been more. The Innkeeper spoke to me during our travels, he thinks the strongest wolves can sense their mates even before they shift. You must be the strongest wolf I know because you never doubted. I am nothing but a farmer, Ivory. A craftsman. I have nothing to offer you. I am so far below you. I am not worthy enough to be considered a royal mate.”

Ivory put her hand over his lips, which he kissed, bringing a smile to her lips. “My mother was the baker’s daughter. She worked in the castle kitchen. And yet, she was the perfect mate for my father. Mother Nature does not make mistakes, Adam. She knows who is most suited for us. She created them from our very soul. You are mine and I am yours. Whether it be here, running a farm and selling things in the market. Or in a castle running a kingdom. We will do it together and we will be happy. We will be together.”

You said it last night, if she was ours, we would follow her anywhere. Adam’s wolf reminded him.

Ivory sighed. “What now? Are you still sending me to my uncle?”

Adam winced. He’d forgotten Brian had told her about that plan. He looked down and saw the small piercing he made in her neck.

“In time, we will go to your uncle together. That is something I want to discuss with you. Later.” He smiled at her as he slid his hand from her waist and up until he had what he wanted, and she gasped.

“Now, I am going to finish what I started before I left.”

Adam slowly leaned down, aiming for her lips. Ivory was a little more impatient than that. She grabbed the back of his head, and he laughed as she smashed her lips into his.

Adam wanted to take his time, relishing the fact that she was his and he could do this as often as he pleased. Which he fully planned to do. As he kissed her, he let his hands roam freely.

Ivory was more than happy to go at whatever pace Adam set.

While he did what he wanted, she began unbuttoning his shirt, and then pushing it off his shoulders. He only let go of her long enough to let her slide it off.

They worked together to make quick work of his pants. Adam tossed them across the room, making her giggle. He then turned back and began devouring his mate, becoming intoxicated by her very scent and taste.

She tasted way better than her apple pies.

The way in was smoother this time, both of them sighing with relief, as though their missing piece had just been found.

Adam’s wolf surged forward, shifting certain parts of him, locking them in place. He leaned down and bit into her neck, in the same spot he had in the kitchen. This time was different though. This time, he would finish what he started and do it properly. As his teeth sunk deeply into her, his wolf released inside her body. This was a one-time thing, it would blend their smells, completely, and make it possible for her to get pregnant. Prior to this marking, it was impossible for either of them to reproduce.

That action pushed Ivory right over the edge, causing her to bite down into Adam’s neck. He was still wolf enough, that he let out a howl. Had his brothers still been close by, he would have been embarrassed.

Then again, maybe not. He was happy and complete.

Both Adam and Ivory could feel that part of their soul that the other possessed.

No more fears of the unknown, no more worries about anything. The world vanished and nothing existed but the two of them.

Their wolves slid back, relinquishing control to the human side.

Adam’s wolf was finally satisfied. He finally got to mark Ivory as his. No one could take her from him now.

Adam rolled them to the side, holding his mate close. Ivory burrowed herself into his neck and let out a contented sigh. Yes, she had felt safe and loved over the last few years. But that was nothing compared to how she felt at that very moment.

Within minutes, they both fell contentedly asleep.