The Fae's Mate

***There's no sex in this part but the story will build towards it. * will mean internal thought***

Prelude

Isle of Skye, Scotland year 150 A.D.

"So...you wish to leave?" The Queen of the Sidhe cunning eyes roamed over the Chieftain and Lady Green.

The court fell silent, eager eyes waiting and watching. The Queen was known for being ruthless and it seemed tonight she had caught her prey.

"Yes," Lady Green answered firmly.

"Interesting," - the Queen leaned back and inspected her nails - "and what do I get out of it?"

"My Queen,"- the Lady Green came forward and kneeled before her - "I have served you well all these lifetimes. What would you have of me?"

"So if I asked for your first born child, would a love of a human than be worth it?"

Lady Green glanced at her human lover, her face drained of all color.

"Wait!" the Chieftain shouted.

The Queen raised her eyebrow in question waiting in the silence.

The Chieftain came forward and kneeled beside his Lady Green, "there are rumors of a new God being worshiped to the East. In time it will overcome these lan-"

"and the Fae will be forgotten," the Queen sighed heavily. Resting her chin on her hand, her gray eyes bored into them.

"My Queen, my men have gone East to fight in the wars to come back with riches. Instead, they saw blood, death and the power this God yields over those men!"

"So?"

"What I am proposing is," the Chieftain swallowed hard, "my tribe and I, our descendants will worship the Fae...for all eternity."

"Is that all?" A flash of humor crossed her face.

"Please My Queen, this pact we make doesn't come lightly. We are offering our unborn children to you. And we know nothing of the world they will inherit." The Chieftain voice was strained with urgency.

A man came forward whispering in the Queen's ear, the words lost in the gentle swell of Fae music.

"In exchange for this pact, I will release you Lady Green of the Fae to live in the human world."

Overjoyed the Chieftain and his Lady Green embraced one another. With their hearts in their throats, both rushed out of the Queen's Court. But fate was not completely on their side this night.

"Oh I forgot to mention," - the Queen called just as they approached the threshold between the worlds - "just like the Fae they will only be able to father children with their true mates." The Queen's laugh cracked like lightening in the room.

"My Queen-" The Lady Green whispered.

"Enough!" her angry retort hardened her features and her eyes conveyed the fury held within her. "I tire of this talk. The ritual will be performed on my throne in the human world." With a wave of her hand the Queen dismissed the two.

The Chieftain and his Lady Green with dread in their hearts crossed over to the human world.

The price of love was a heavy one they paid that night.

Chapter 1

If Bella Merlan was good at one thing, it was avoiding complicated situations. Like now, when she should have been back home attending her best friend's wedding. The love of her life. Did he know that she was in love with him? That she had waited all these years for him to see her other than a friend. Did he see how she changed, mold herself to what he liked?

*When did she become so insecure?*

The moment he announced his engagement, she knew watching him getting married would shatter her heart, again. It was going to be hard to put the pieces back together; she didn't want it becoming impossible. So, she picked up her life and moved to the first place she found a flight out.

Scotland. A balm to her bruised heart.

The first couple of weeks she cried her eyes out completely inconsolable. Than she was just angry at herself for becoming like this before she accepted what life had throw her way. When her friend Cassia suggested her cousin, Alasdair McKellar to take her around she jumped at the opportunity. It was time to live again.

Bella squinted at the tall lush trees and rolling green hills under the hot afternoon sun. The air was filled with the fragrance of summer rain and green foliage.

"Where are we going?" she had lost track once they left the pub in old village, which at least had signs. Out here she was surround by nature with no signs of life for miles.

"I thought you'd enjoy seeing another ruin before we headed back to the hotel."

What she hadn't counted on was him being was gorgeous, hair as golden as the summer sun with cobalt blue eyes like the deep ocean and full of mystery. He wore black jeans with a fitted dark shirt and a stubbled square jaw making him savagely handsome. The edges and ridges of muscle, she'd bet, came from hours spent outdoors rather than at the gym. He was taller than the average man and towered over her, which she didn't like but let it pass.

After traveling for days together, Bella had one conclusion about Alasdair. He was hiding something from her. There was one thing he wouldn't discuss with her, his past or his family. And she was going to find out why.

"How come your accent sounds more British than Scottish?" Bella stopped when they neared a massive fallen tree. It's roots ripped from the ground.

He helped her climb onto the tree before jumping off. Turning he grabbed Bella by the waist and instinctively she held his shoulders as he brought her down. Her nipples hardened with excitement into tight beads as her breasts slowly brushed down his body.

"I grew up in London spending holidays and summers with relatives in Scotland." he shrugged dismissively.

Bella stared into his eyes and as if a shield fell away from his eye, she saw scorching heat that left her breathless. Her lips tingled as his eyes dropped to her lips and parted in anticipation. He peered at her intently. Than he withdrew his arms and turned right toward the bushes. Her brows drew together watching him.

*What was it with him?*

He took her hand and led her towards the ruins. "There in the distance, do you see it?" Pushing the shrubs aside, he pointed to the structure.

"Wow," The view was like nothing she had ever seen. A crumbling structure sat on green cliff top of basalt columns resting on a rock-laden coast below. A chill went down her spine as a strong wind blew a beautiful yet haunting tone appearing to come from the surrounding area.

"Alasdair, did you hear that?"

"People hear what they are meant to hear."

*Why was he always so cryptic?*

"Come, let's get closer," he started walking towards the area.

"Is there any meaning behind these ruins?" she jogged and caught up with him.

"Long ago, a tribe lived on this very land who worshiped the nature spirits, their deity was the Lady Green. You probably known them better as Fae."

Unaware of her surroundings, she tripped on loose rocks and reached out with her hands bracing for the impact. But Alasdair grabbed her arm and steadied her. She felt her cheeks heat as she mumbled her thanks but the amusement in his eyes.

*Great time to be clumsy.*

"So, the Fae," - she cleared her throat - "I thought they were evil and feared?"

"Like any religion, there is faith and fear to create a balance." -Alasdair shrugged- "The fae were no different. The Lady Green was the bridge between this world and the next, answering prayers of the tribe. This here was the gateway between the worlds." he gestured to the structure.

By the time they made their way to the structure, the sun had started setting. The view was striking. The sky had changed from a light blue with white cloudy sky to darker hues of blue with shades of red, orange, violet and yellow. The curtain-wall made of red sandstone stood to one side while row of standing stones formed a semicircle on the other. In the middle of the structure stood the remains of an ancient stone slab that came up to her waist.

"Where these stones used in some kind of ancient ritual?" Bella lightly skimmed her fingers over the ancient stones.

"This isn't a well known area so no one has been able prove anything." He stood leaning against the lone wall, watching her. Waiting.

"But I have a feeling you know, passed down from generations. Isn't that how oral history works?"

"Legend has it, this is where the tribe came to worship the Fae."

"Oh, that's interesting." she laughed gently.

"Hmm..." Alasdair smiled at her before strolling along towards the edge of the wall, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Come, let me show you the rest." He turned the corner and disappeared behind the wall.