Saint Ives Whelan Chronicles

Much thanks go out for Jaz, the guild and Asylum for their time and input. Also thanks to my loyal readers, to those I didn't thank personally, it does extend to you all as well. It's what keeps me writing and enjoy it more with each chapter.

Enjoy the second chapter for Chris. Working on the next.

SIW : Christopher Saint Ives Whelan

Chapter Two : Revelations.

Quietly Chris followed Mia into her house. He didn't notice much of her interior, his eyes were glued to her and he didn't want to let her out of his sight for one second. How was this possible? He had never sensed her, not once. Not when they met this morning at the garage she worked and not this evening at "The Vixen".

That kiss! He flexed his shoulders thinking about it. He wanted to feel that again, explore it. Chris knew he couldn't, he needed answers first and he really hoped she had valid ones.

Mine,

taunted his wolf again, but he ignored him, at least for now.

When they arrived in her living room she sat down and made a flimsy movement towards the other side, wordlessly telling him to sit down as well.

"We're inside now. Start explaining and I tell you, you better tell me the truth or there will be hell to pay," he said through clenched teeth. It pained him to still see the fear in her eyes, but he was convinced he needed to see that fear there, to ensure him she was convinced he wasn't kidding.

"This was just the reason I didn't want you touching me. I was going to tell you, honestly, but I needed some time as well," she spoke softly, her eyes fixated on her shoes. "Yes, I'm a wolf. Yes, you felt it right, we're mates. No, I don't belong to a pack. No, I'm not rogue. Think that covers the basic questions?" she said as she lifted her head to look at Chris.

His gaze hadn't softened yet, it felt like he could be ripping her apart at any moment now.

"You think that covers the basics?" he shot back at Mia. "I don't think so. If you're not rogue, then how come you can live in our territory without any of us knowing or even sensing you. Care to elaborate on that little detail?"

Exhaling deeply she knew she had to tell everything and hope that he would keep most of it to himself.

"You want the long or short version?" she asked.

"Don't care which one, I want an explanation, preferably tonight," he answered gruffly.

"Well, I'm wolf, but I'm also part druid," she started.

"There is no such thing as mixed breeds. One part always gives in to the other, mostly the wolf having the upper hand," he interrupted her.

"You're wrong there. I'm as much a wolf as I am a druid. Both my parents are still alive, but we live 'under the radar', as they say. Undetected from all others. My mother took that decision when I was five years old and she noticed me shifting but also being able to do other things. Realizing the implications of someone like me, she taught my dad and me how to cloak our wolves until it was second nature to do so. Every decade we'd move and start over," she told.

"How old are you then?" Chris asked.

"I'm seventy-five years old," she answered. "I need a drink first, before I go on. You want anything?"

"I'm fine," he replied. He watched her getting up and going to the kitchen. His mind was in turmoil. A mixed breed with both parts intact, he never had heard of such a thing being possible. One part always succumbed to the dominant one and stayed dormant and when the pair had kids the dormant part tended to stay that way. There had to be something that would explain this. Impatiently he tapped his foot, waiting for Mia to return.

When she returned, Mia looked revitalized and he smelled the water on her, clean and fresh. Holding a bottle of water, she sat back down on the large couch, this time her feet tucked under her.

"I think telling who my parents are will explain more why we live like this. Barlow isn't my true surname, but MacLachlan is. My father is Richard," she said then waited to see if Chris would piece it together.

"THE Richard MacLachlan? The one that mated to that so called descendent of Merlin?" Chris asked, his eyes wide in surprise now. That's why her surname somewhat sounded familiar. It was told many decades ago the elusive wolf had changed his name to Barlow, after a few years it seemed he had just disappeared.

"That one. My mother is Gwenyth Myrddin. After they got together she took my father's name and shortened her name to Gwen," she answered.

"Let me get this straight. You're sitting there and just telling me like it's nothing that what everybody thinks is just a myth is actually true and with that being true, you claim to be Merlin's granddaughter?" he asked in disbelief.

So not only did Richard change his name, he had found a mate too and Mia was the result of that,

he thought as well.

"Basically, yes. Only he doesn't know about me. Mom made sure I stayed well hidden from everybody, including my elusive grandfather."

"Why would she do that?" Chris asked again.

"My mom is old, I mean really old. She never went into details but she always spoke fondly of him. She didn't see him much, but then he got caught up with that King Arthur dude. Think you are familiar with what happened then. It's when he told my mom to keep to herself and that she had to make sure no one could know who she really was. It was one of the last times she saw him."

She stopped for a brief moment to gulp down a bit of water before continuing.

"She lived a secluded life until one day a large wolf lay wounded in her back yard. If it wasn't for her powers, she never would have gotten him into the little barn she had. He was huge and unconscious. After examining him she knew there was more to him than the obvious. Wolves never got this big and she picked up the torment between man and beast. She did her best to help the creature and put a spell on it to keep it dormant while she tended to its wounds.

"During that night, seeing the wounds heal a lot faster than normal, she also lifted the spell. The wolf came around almost immediately. After sniffing at her, he shifted to his human form. According to mom he was the most handsome man she ever saw in her life, even covered in bruises," she chuckled.

"Do you know what happened to him, to have had such injuries?" Chris jumped in. He knew the stories, but was genuinely curious as to what really happened, he was sure Mia could tell.

"I think the common story tells of him being outcast by his pack because he didn't want to mate with the woman his father had chosen for him. Truth is he had wanted to mate her, it was agreed upon for a long while and it would bind two packs together. Sadly the night of the mating he walked in on her having sex with several of his dad's beta's and she didn't even look guilty when he stood there and took in the scene in front of him. He just turned and left. He knew it wasn't a true mating, but a bonding to bring packs together. He would have hoped his future mate would have had some sense of decency and stay faithful. What he walked in on convinced him she could never be that and he didn't want such a bonding."

"Let me guess? She acted the innocent and blamed your father for breaking the agreement and he got punished for it?" Chris asked.

"Something like that. He had told his father what really happened and still the man expected him to go ahead with the mating, but he refused. That's when he got banished from his pack. He left without fighting the decision but not much longer after he left he was jumped by the beta's. He doesn't really remember much from that fight, he barely managed to get away and only by trusting his wolf he made it to my mom's garden before he collapsed."

"This is the first time I've heard more about him. I know sometimes packs result to such a mating to help get their numbers back up, but in that case it was two big packs. A joining would have made them rulers of this area. The smaller packs wouldn't have had a chance surviving. And your dad first agreed to that? How could he do that?" he questioned Mia.

"He didn't know. His father brought him up in a secluded area and told him many lies. My dad never knew his mother, she died giving birth to him. All he knew was his dad, no other family. He didn't know any better, he was barely an adult. Little did he know that his father wanted to take over the area, but needed the numbers to do so. He found that out much later when his father tried to mate the same woman that was first meant for my father. That is when the woman's father stepped in and put a halt to things, resulting in a huge fight between the packs," she told.

"That bit we all know, I mean him trying to mate with the same woman after he had cast out your father. It's one of the reasons that we don't really support a bonding between unmated people. But go on. What happened after your mom patched him up?" he coaxed her.

"His wolf wanted her, even though it was clear she wasn't a normal human either. She really didn't argue much against it. She knew of were's and their ways. Think you know what happens when mates find each other. Only their mating was a little bit special. Mom was already able to change into different animal forms being a druid, but the wolf became her primary companion after they bonded. With mating she also passed on some of her druid powers to dad," she told him.

"You mean your father has extra abilities now as well?" Chris asked her.

"Yup, he isn't as skilled as mom or me, but he knows a few things," she answered after taking another sip of her water. "They kept to themselves and moved every so often. They never had any offspring in all that time. I'm not sure if it was something my mother prevented or that she was so unlucky. They were over the moon when mom finally was pregnant with me. She loves telling tales of that time. Seems my dad took her pregnancy a bit too seriously and didn't allow her to do anything by herself. After I was born that didn't really change. I'm a daddy's girl," she said and smiled when thinking back at those days.

Looking at Chris next, she saw he was more relaxed now too and had a curious look on his face. She wondered for a second if he would fight his wolf, now he knew the truth about her.

"So tell me, what happened that made your mother decide you had to go 'under the radar', as you put it?" he inquired next.

"Well, nothing special, for us, but something major for the wolf community worldwide if they'd known. As I said before, I am wolf and I am druid, meaning I have the powers of the two. My dad only got a little with their bonding, but I am both. There is only one thing I am not able to do and that is shift into other animals. I only have a wolf. I'm not as strong as my mom but I can do what she can, she trained me well and taught me everything she knew."

"What other things are you capable of then?" Chris asked in return, his gaze glued to hers.

He saw a little smile breaking through on her face and suddenly he found it odd that it seemed he was looking at her from a different angle. He was looking down on her. That's when he really looked down, gripped the chair he was sitting on, and realized he was floating in the air. He hadn't even noticed the change and it still felt like there was a floor under his feet.

"What the hell? Put me down already, will you?" Chris said sternly.

Amazingly he watched her move the coffee table that stood between them and then he felt himself move slowly towards her. Gently she put him down in front of her. She didn't even look like it cost her any effort to do what she just did.

"This is nothing," she reaffirmed his suspicion. "This is what my mom saw me do when I was five AND in wolf form. She realized the implications. That's when she taught us how to cloak our wolf and our scent. She didn't want a pack finding out about us. Can you imagine a pack getting the upper hand when they have a wolf being able to walk anywhere without being detected?

"A wolf being able to move things, make them disappear, listen in on private conversations or pack meetings? A wolf able to perform magic to control other beings and can call in the help of numerous animals. You know what that could mean if a pack didn't have the right intentions and forced that wolf to do those things? Knowing the history of my father's father? She did the right thing, Chris. If I were in her place and knew the same things, I would do exactly what she would have done," she ended, feeling a little out of breath after her pleading.

"I understand," is all what Chris said in return.

"So what now? Are you going to tell everybody now?" she tentatively asked.

"I don't know, Mia, honestly I don't. I will have to tell my brothers at one point, I can't keep this from them. Nick is the Alpha of our pack, Ed and me are acting beta's. I will promise you I won't tell anyone but them. It's pretty clear you ain't a real rogue wolf, and for now I'll keep it between us, but sooner or later it is going to come out," he said in a serious tone.

Mia looked a bit surprised, she had sensed he would have an important position in his pack, yet she didn't expect him to be a beta. Maybe it was for the best that he was, at least now she knew that she could really trust him, beta's were bound to their word. If he promised not to tell everybody, he wouldn't. The only other person able to make him break that promise was his Alpha. Remembering how his brother, Nick, the Alpha, was looking at her best friend Fran that evening, she was sure he'd be as understanding as Chris had just been.

Mia saw a mischievous smile appearing on his face and she braced herself for what was coming next.

"That leaves only one topic left to discuss, Mia," Chris spoke softly.

She knew what he meant, she wasn't planning on fighting him, but she needed to know his intentions first. Did he really want her? Or did he just follow his wolf?

Before she even realized what happened, Chris had her cornered on her couch. He straddled her legs and gripped the couch behind her. He dipped his head and inhaled her scent at the crook of her neck. She felt his tongue sneaking out, leaving a wet trail leading up to her ear. He nipped it lightly before he moved again and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

She felt tiny with Chris looming over her, yet she felt safe. There was nothing tender about his kiss, but she didn't mind that, actually she loved it. She loved a man who knew what he wanted and took it. Opening her lips, she refueled the battle of their tongues that got interrupted before. The fireworks reappeared and all she could do was hang on and enjoy.

Chris' hand slipped to the back of her head again, tilting it a slightly different angle, before he deepened their kiss. His other hand started to explore her body slowly. It was an odd contrast with his kiss, that was fierce and overpowering, his searching touch was slow and gentle.

Mia gasped when he nipped her lip, it sent little sparks traveling down her body, right to the apex of her thighs. She tried pressing them together, hoping it would alleviate a bit of the building pressure she felt there. Chris prevented that by pressing his own legs closer to hers.

Her legs trapped, her head firmly held by him, she felt helpless, only able to receive what he was giving her. Mia's wolf was howling pure joy in her mind. She heard the growl emanating from Chris' throat. She loved the sound of it and she couldn't help but moan in response.

Chris left her lips and started exploring her neck, the hand buried in her hair now, keeping her exactly how he wanted her. She was exposed to him, her neck bared and head tilted to the side. He laved himself in her scent, licking slowly until he reached her ear.

"You know what is going to happen right?" he whispered seductively, before nipping her earlobe.

"Are you going to fight me over this, my little druid?" he goaded again, then gently nipped at her neck without breaking the skin. "Hmmm, I'm going to enjoy exploring all your curves. I bet I'm going to make you so mad with lust you're going to beg me to stop when you can't take any more. But let me tell you this, my little druid, I won't stop then, I'll keep on going," he kept teasing as he kissed his way to her upper chest and licked the top of her breasts.

"So you're all talk, but no action?" Mia deliberately provoked him.

"You shouldn't have said that," he said, his eyes glowing golden now. "How much do you care about this couch? 'Cause trust me, once I start with you tonight, I won't stop 'till you're mine and I mean fully mine," he said while breathing heavily.

He got up slightly and waited, giving Mia the time to realize what he really meant. He could see the golden sparks in her eyes, pretty sure they resembled his own. After hearing her explanation of her heritage, he made the quick decision that whatever needed to be done would happen anyways. He wouldn't deny his wolf his mate. He never imagined the pull would be this strong. But he wanted her, the attraction he had felt for her before he knew she was of his kind, only strengthening his determination of making her his in this instant.

A gentle touch on his cheek broke his wandering thoughts. As he looked down on her he could see the acceptance, but he also saw the wanting, the need and lust. He was sure she could see the same in his eyes. What she said then baffled him.

"I want this as much as you do and I promise I won't fight against it. I accept you as my mate, Chris. But I can't go ahead with a full bonding, not yet. What I shared with you tonight has to be sorted out first. I need to know my parents will stay safe and that none of us will be looked and acted upon as rogue wolves," Mia said firmly.

Releasing his hold on her, he got up and let out a tormented growl. He felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been poured over him. They were just about to take things further and then she had to bring in her parents, talk about a mood killer.

"I told you and promised I'd only tell my brothers, nobody else. I'm aware it's a treacherous thing to know, but I'm pretty sure they won't just blurt it out to anyone. If you think they won't be safe, be assured, they will be. They may have to come forward, but they will be safe. My brother isn't just Alpha to our pack he's also the Alpha Alpha of the territory, if anyone can keep them safe, he can," he explained.

Her eyes widened in surprise for a brief second and then she relaxed again, shook her head and grinned. She put her hands around her tummy and let the laughter escape. Mia realized then she should have known better and listened to her mother. Somehow she must have known and 'forgotten' to mention the little details to her.

Chris looked at her doubtfully, not sure where her mood swings were coming from.

"Care to let me in on the joke?" he asked as he stood in front of her, his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking down at her.

"It's my mom," she chuckled. "After all these years I'm still surprised at how she handles certain things. One of our gifts is looking into the future, admittedly it's one gift I don't really use, but mom does. She must have known something," she explained. "I called her right after you left this morning. Let's just say I needed some motherly advice. She just said I had to trust my wolf and go along with it."

"The point being?" he impatiently asked.

"I didn't listen to my wolf, I was worried more about my parents. But the promises you just made just proved my mom's advice."

"Woman, just spit it out already. You were so forward telling the truth before, do I really have to drag this out of you?" he glared at her now, not sure which way she was going with all this.

Mia just smiled when she got up and stood in front of him. Her eyes traveling over his body, she took in his broad shoulders, narrow waist. Placing her hand on his chest, she felt him tense his muscles. The top of her head barely reached his chin, but she wanted to nuzzle his neck. Letting herself float just a little, she saw the surprise in his eyes when they met at the same height.