Page 79 of The Chosen Fae

"I have a question; maybe you know the answer to it. One day, Vesper and three other wolves his age attacked me in my glen. Do any of you know who they were?" Stone asked, wondering exactly who they were and where they were.

"They’re Vesper's friends. They're from three different families," Silas said. "I overheard them talking about it after the fact when they were swimming down at the lake. We'd heard about a couple of lone wolves in separate glens, but we were told never to bother you. I'm sure that's when Vesper and his buddies took it upon themselves to go harass you."

That sounded about right as far as Vesper went, and his friends were probably beta wolves. Stone was just glad that none of them were his siblings, but he was certain they'd been from the same pack as Vesper since the two packs had been at odds. And he was glad Vesper was gone. On the day they attacked, Vesper seemed to be the ringleader. Hopefully, the other three wolves wouldn't cause trouble for him and Rune. But if it happened, they would nip it in the bud.

When they finally saw the lake and the house, Stone was blown away. He'd expected a small cottage. It was huge. Rune squeezed his hand, and he smiled at her.

The cottage was a fae's dream come true, hidden among mossy trees and nestled near the churning river and shimmering, rippling lake, the sun shining on the surface. Stone walls secured a fertile garden overflowing with colorful flowers, butterflies, and hummingbirds fluttering above them.

The flagstones leading to the door were worn into shallow bowls in the center of each one, polished slick by years of passing feet, and they held the cold of the earth long after the afternoon sun had warmed everything above ground.

"This was the home of our pack leaders in the past. When they died a decade ago, the pack split into two, and we could never agree on new pack leaders,” Timber said.

The waterfront retreat was on ten acres with its own shoreline and breathtaking lake and river views.

"You can launch a kayak or paddleboard from your own beach, spend afternoons beachcombing along the shoreline, harvest shellfish, go crabbing, watch eagles soar overhead, and unwind while taking in the views. With soaring ceilings, expansive windows, and multiple view-oriented living spaces, it captures the beauty of the river and the surrounding mountains,” Timber said.

The kitchen had quartz counters, stainless appliances, a wood-burning stove, running water, and was open to the living room, perfect for entertaining. After living outside for so long, being shut up in small rooms didn't appeal, so this was really nice.

They would have to learn how to cook in a kitchen though. Other than cooking over a campfire or eating at the gaming facility, where a chef and his staff prepared everything for them, they had no experience with it.

The living area had lots of comfortable seating, all appearing new, not like it had been sitting there for a decade unused or used for years before that.

Suddenly, Rune's family arrived. "Hello," her mother called out.

"Come in," Rune said.

"We were just showing them their home," Tinder said.

"It's beautiful," Rune said.

And then the families hugged. They were now united as one.

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Rune instantly gravitated to the expansive glass windows in the living room, which showed off an expansive deck overlooking the lake. It would be great for indoor-outdoor living and a perfect setting for morning breakfasts, sunset dinners, and memorable gatherings with extended family and pack members—now that they had them.

She opened the door, stepped outside, and took a deep breath of the fresh air, pine trees, and lake water. She swore she was going to sit out there all the time.

An outdoor grill rested on the deck so they could cook outside, and part of the deck had a cover so they could sit outside even if it was raining. As long as the wind wasn’t blowing the rain sideways.

Stone came up behind Rune and put his arms around her and hugged her, his chin resting on top of her head. They enjoyed the moment while their families stayed inside, giving them some privacy, though they were all in the living area, watching them covertly through the windows.

"I wasn't sure about running the pack, but having this home for our own and to enjoy living here with you? That makes all the difference in the world," Stone said.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sure everyone else knew that if they won, they would receive the home, but we were clueless. I'm so glad we have a home of our own. Though it wouldn't be a real home without you."

"Same for me. Do you want to see the rest of the house?" he asked. "So that we can enjoy the celebration before we retreat to our property?"

"Absolutely." Rune and Stone walked back inside, and then she and Stone climbed the stairs to check out the five furnished bedrooms, three baths, and a loft.

Everything was decorated in a woodsy theme, making them feel as though the outdoors had been brought inside. Large windows showed off the lake and mountains. Just beautiful.

They looked at the biggest bedroom, which had a sitting area and a huge bathroom with a walk-in shower, a large tub with jets, and big windows overlooking the lake.

Once they finished checking out the rest of the house, they headed to the area where the packs would meet for the celebration.

It was a verdant glade, dappled with sunlight and perfumed with the scent of ripe berries, where the fae gathered to feast on succulent roast pig and sweet berry pies. Fireflies flitted about in the darker woods, their lights blinking on and off.