“Oh yes, because I was the one who invited everyone over here tonight,” I laughed to cover my mortification. She merely grinned and then dragged me down to her for another hug.
“I am so happy, and so proud of you,” she whispered. Her voice wavered with emotion, so I gave her a squeeze in the hopes of comforting her.
“I love you,” I told her, and she made another happy sound as she hugged me back again.
My father had finished arranging the food platters by the time she released me. I was thankful that he refrained from any awkward comments when he hugged me.
“Ornella, you look radiant!” my mother cried when my mate entered the room behind me. I could vaguely hear them talking, but I could not focus on their conversation. Not when my father was making a show of glancing from the marks on Summer’s neck to the one that I was now exhibiting freely as well. Then he smiled in approval and moved to greet Summer with a kiss on her head.
Shay and Verin arrived soon after with their children. Neither Summer nor I had decided how best to broach the topic of everything Summer had been told with my sister, so we decided to wait to bring it up. Although it was difficult to keep my mouth shut when Shay complained that she’d invited Orlaith to join us, but she had declined. She did not seem especially perturbed by the fact I had finally claimed my mate. She laughed when our mother made a joke that Ornella wouldn’t disappear if I were to let go of her. So perhaps Shay had worked through the prejudice Orlaith had been hinting at or maybe Orlaith had been exaggerating.
Either way, I wanted to enjoy my family, so I decided to leaveit alone for now.
I was astonished when Rian and Nuala were the next to arrive in the yurt. Not only because my cousin usually avoided socializing with anyone aside from other riders, but because he was usually tied up late with paperwork. Now that he’d taken Mionlach, I’d have expected him to be drowning in work, but perhaps I should not have been surprised that he would make time for me.
Nuala was quiet, and there was some tension between her and Rian, but my cousin still guarded her closely. Especially when my family, Shay in particular, made an effort to talk to the witch. My sister was suspicious at the best of times, and I could tell she was skeptical of Nuala. But it was made very clear by Rian that any unkindness wouldnotbe tolerated around Nuala, and Shay had been on her best behaviour.
Darragh slipped in so quietly that no one even noticed but me because he alerted me through our bond and then gave me a nod from the corner. And lastly, Ciaran came through the door, shouting complaints about our audacity in getting into Rian’s wine before he even arrived.
There had never been so many people in my yurt all at once before, but somehow it did not feel overcrowded to be surrounded by my family. Especially when I could feel Summer’s unrestrained delight since she didn’t even try to conceal her emotions. Rian and Ciaran smirked at her whenever she experienced an especially potent spike of happiness that would flood our bond with pure joy.
Seating was limited around my fire, but Summer was more than happy to sit in my lap and converse with my parents on my left. My father was trying to convince her to try the cranberry wine he always made after I warned her against it. I already knew she’d hate it since she had the same taste as Rian, and he refused to drink it.
I was distracted from them when Ciaran sat down on my other side and snagged the bottle of apple wine I had beensharing with my mate. He winked smugly before he took a long swig and then passed it back to me.
“Ciaran,” I acknowledged him and raised the bottle in his direction before taking a drink.
He grinned before he glanced down at the mark I had intentionally left on display by wearing my shirt partially unbuttoned. Then his eyes drifted to Summer on my lap who was making my parents laugh with her complaints that my father’s wine was too sour. She was wearing my shirt, which also displayed my mark on her neck. If he had been any other male, I might have felt a little violent at the admiring smile on his lips, but I knew better.
She was truly a force of nature while you were gone,Ciaran told me through our bond.There were days when she could barely get out of bed, but she was determined to do whatever was necessary to get you back.
His words made my heart ache, and my thumb brushed across Summer’s thigh. She returned the affection with a squeeze of her hand over mine without turning away from my disgruntled father. He was just drunk enough to rant about the overuse of honey and syrups ruining wine.
I leaned into Ciaran to press my shoulder against him.
She told me that you wouldn’t let her stay in bed.
Ciaran snorted aloud, but everyone else had become too invested in the animated debate about the sweetness, quality, and tradition of winemaking to overhear us.
We both know she could have easily made me leave her alone if she really wanted to. She has never been shy about using force against me,he reminded me.
True,I smirked.But you still didn’t need to do all that. You knew she needed someone, and you were ready to be there for her in spite of your past issues with each other. Thank you,I insisted as I handed him the wine back.
Ciaran looked emotional as he turned back to the fire, clenching the neck of the bottle hard enough to turn his knuckleswhite.
I’ll never leave your mate to fend for herself,he swore before pushing his shoulder affectionately against mine.Besides, she is notallhorrible,he added, and I elbowed him as we both laughed. “I amsoglad you are home,” Ciaran told me aloud with an anguished sincerity.
“Me too,” I murmured, savouring the bone-deep love he was emanating down our bond. And then my father suddenly pushed a bottle into his hands and demanded Ciaran settle whether it was as good as the apple wine.
I had managed to steal a moment with everyone in the yurt aside from Rian. Even Darragh had given me a hug, which was the most affection I’d ever received from him. But it was not until I returned to the table my parents had covered in food that my cousin approached. I recognized him as soon as he put a hand on my shoulder and walked around me to stand at my side.
“At least Ornella has good taste in wine,” my cousin remarked as his arm slung fully across my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.
I tried to smile as I looked up at him, but the sight of him making a consideration of the food before us made me abruptly emotional.
“I thought you were dead,” I blurted before I could find a way to soften the admission.
Rian was just as caught off guard as I was and slowly let his arm fall free of my shoulders so he could turn to face me directly.
