Once more into the breach we go! Finally have chapter 18 ready to go. As always, I have to give my Alli cat all my love and thanks for proofing the chapter for me. She's my own personal rock star!
Also got to give a shout out to my lovely Facebook inmates who languish with me in All Things Jaz C, happy in their incarceration :)
And today I want to say a special thank you to Franziska, who has literally read and kept me entertained with their comments on, I think, every single chapter of every story in the FTI world posted here. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your journey through the tales. Unfortunately, you've now caught up so there will be a wait for the next chapters, but I think you won't mind too much.
Enjoy!
Chapter Eighteen
Natalia couldn't help feeling nervous. The private jet had just touched down in North America, and Kothari had shadowed himself to take the unconscious wolf from the plane without any of the humans seeing him. She noticed that the Ancients and Dara were tracking his movements, and she thought she saw Mila doing so too but thought she must be mistaken because her friend was blind.
She could sort of make out a dark shape moving over to one of the large black SUVs that were waiting to greet them, but she didn't know if she was just imagining it or if it was something new coming into focus as her body continued to transition. She felt much stronger now, more able to do things for herself without others hovering over her. She'd accidentally broken one of the armrests when she'd gripped it too tightly when the jet had taken off the first time, placing a pillowed cushion over it to hide the signs of damage as Kothari had grinned at her and taken hold of her other hand to settle her nerves.
They'd touched down at Edinburgh Airport and dropped off Joshua and Louis and his coven members. They'd refuelled and spent an hour with their friends before they headed off in opposite directions to return to their own covens with promises to keep in touch and let them know if they turned up any new information.
They had laughed when Freya spontaneously hugged Louis and the surly vampire had all but tossed her away from him, calling her a fucking psycho. Freya had tears running down her face she laughed so hard at his reaction, and Louis ended up rolling his eyes and grinning at her once he'd overcome his shock at her gesture. He could tell she was deliberately freaking him out and that it wasn't done with any real malice. Natalia could see that the coven leader was genuinely fond of her friend, and she hugged him goodbye for that reason, and just because she was going to miss him too.
His reaction to her hug was less volatile though his gaze never left Kothari who was arching an eyebrow at him the entire time. Louis kept his hug short and sweet, wishing her all the best in her new home and telling her his thoughts were with her mother.
That had sobered Natalia, and she'd been quieter on the next leg of their flight. She had no idea what she would be walking into once they arrived at the Armand-Hanlon pack. She could only hope that this Aaron person was able to save her mother as her mate had said he would be able to.
Now they were stepping down the steps onto the tarmac and she hung back towards the end of the line watching as her new friends were greeted by those waiting for them. There was a tall blond vampire hugging Dara as she reached him, his expression warm and loving as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He had to be Alexei Romanov, Dara's father. The way her brown eyes shone with adoration as she looked up at him was testament to that.
Another beautiful blonde wolf was hugging Dara next and Natalia instantly guessed that this was her mother, Cedar Alexander. They shared the same colouring, though her mother's blonde hair was a mass of curls tumbling down her back. There was so much pride in Dara's parents' eyes that it made Natalia's heart twinge a bit with sadness. Her parents had used to look at her that way too once. Now Roland was dead, and her mother didn't recognise her.
"It will be okay, Tali," Kothari said from her side, and she almost cried out in surprise when he just appeared beside her, so lost in her own thoughts she'd been. He must have come back up the steps so he could be seen heading down now that he'd deposited the wolf securely in the SUV.
"What if it isn't, Kothi? What if Mama lives but never remembers who I am? Watching Dara's parents greet her is so hard. I feel bad because I'm happy for her and glad she has her parents waiting for her to come home, but it just hammers home the fact that I don't have my dad anymore, and Mama doesn't know me."
"Whatever happens we have each other, my love," he whispered, his arms coming around her to hold her close. "We will weather whatever storm comes our way, and you have my parents, friends and pack to support you through anything that you need. You're not alone, Tali. You don't have to do this on your own."
There was a hint of irony in his tone, and it made her smile slightly. She had no doubt her mate was realising just how ironic it was for him to point these facts out to her when he had refused to acknowledge them himself for his entire life up until this point. Natalia quirked an eyebrow at him, and he gave her a wry smile.
"Do as I say and not as I do," he laughed softly. "I guess I'm having to learn the same things as you, my mate."
Her gaze turned back to the welcoming committee and the warmth Gard and Rayne were greeted with. Even Freya only mildly scowled when Cedar enveloped her in a hug though Alexei merely nodded in the Ancient vampire's direction. Dayton got a warm embrace from his beautiful sister, and a friendly clap on the shoulder from Alexei. Demetri raised a cool eyebrow at Cedar when she appeared to be about to hug him too, and she laughed softly and did it anyway, much to his evident sufferance.
Despite the many different reactions, it was plain to see that they were a tightknit group, some more standoffish than others but clearly fond of each other regardless of their different species. It gave Natalia some comfort that she would find the same level of support within this strange wolf/vampire dynamic now she was mated to Kothari.
Dante and Mila were hanging back, not wanting to get in the way of the reunion of old friends and family. Natalia heard Dara introducing their new friends, Cedar's smile warm and inviting whilst Alexei remained coolly reserved giving them a brief nod of his head.
There was no use trying to prevaricate any longer, so Natalia straightened her shoulders and started down the steps. They were the last to exit the plane, and there was no mistaking the slight stiffening in Kothari's body as they reached the Ancient vampire who was glaring at the younger male with a dark scowl etched across his face.
