Try Me

Chapter 9

Winter Solstice started off with my brothers jumping on my bed, resulting me getting bounced out of bed and on to the floor. I groaned softly as I heard a chuckle. I looked up and saw Jacey in the doorway, coffee in hand. "You're brothers didn't listen when your mother had requested I be the one to wake you up," he said as he gave me a hand up. I glared at my brothers who were sitting on my bed, tails wagging. "Assholes," I muttered before looking at Jacey and he gave me the coffee. "Thank you handsome," I said before taking a drink. My brothers then left my room happy with themselves. "I'm so not ready for them to shift," I muttered. "When should they be shifting," he asked curiously. "Sometime in February," I said. He nodded and kissed my cheek, "I'm going to go see if they need help." I nodded and he walked out of the room.

I then dressed in the long white skirt and silver top I had bought for today. I paired it with my white heeled boots. I curled my hair then put my black feathers into my hair. Usually when it's just family, they don't wear their feathers, but around the rest of their tribe, they do. Some in the tribe wear theirs all the time. It was about preference. For Winter Solstice we're supposed to only wear white and silver, but the feathers will be an exception since it's from my mate's culture and I am honored to be the deemed good enough to be one of their warriors. I was ready to be challenged by his tribe and I hope to make Jacey proud in the process.

I left my room after finishing my make up. I went outside and saw my brothers rough housing in the snow. They perked up when they saw me. They then saw the handful of Winter Solstice gifts I had and began to run and leap around me excitedly, wanting theirs.

Did you make me another blanket, Lex asked excitedly in the mind link. "You'll have to wait and figure it out," I said as we went into the mountain. My mother was in the kitchen with Desiree cooking. Jacey was by the fire. I put the gifts down as he turned towards me. "You boys back away from those presents," my mother scolded my brothers. My brothers let out impatient whines, and I ignored them as I looked Jacey over. He looked really good in the white pants and white shirt he wore. He pulled me towards him, "You look beautiful." "You look good yourself handsome," I said to him. He lowered his head to kiss me when my brothers started making gagging sounds. "Your brothers don't seem to approve," he whispered against my lips. "They're idiots," I said back. He chuckled softly before giving me that kiss I wanted.

"That's disgusting," a voice that I didn't recognize said. We turned towards it and saw a man with white warrior feathers in his hair. Jacey wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close. "I'd be careful how you speak," Ethan warned the man. The man resembled the brothers closely but he did have some differences such as his more boyish appearance instead of the firm lines Jacey and his brothers got from their father. "Willow, this is my cousin Alois," Jacey introduced. "Alois, this is my mate Willow." "She's a vir, and a wolf," Alois noted. "That's really a shame. I thought you would have been smart enough to reject her Jacey." "She maybe a vir and a wolf, but she outranks you," Jacey growled. "So tread carefully." Alois looked at my feathers then and sneered, "How the fuck did that happen?"

A fight could break out, and that's the last thing we need. Then Red stepped forward. "Leave for the time being Alois," Red demanded. "We have asked that many stay out of this room for the evening." "Yet you never gave us a reason, so I got curious," Alois said while crossing his arms. "Willow and her family have invited us to celebrate Winter Solstice with them which is an honor since no one outside of their pack ever gets invited. Now if you'll please leave until tomorrow," Red said politely. Alois let his eyes scan around the room before he left.

"I am sorry for his behavior," Jacey said to me. "It's fine Jacey," I said with a smile. "I figured I would get plenty of that, and I'm ready to face it." After that we finished preparations and then gathered for the Wolfs Bane Moonshine. My brothers couldn't take part but the adults can. At sundown we all take a shot to kick off the night and it was clear the dragons and my mother couldn't handle their alcohol.

"Shit that's strong," Terroce cursed. My mother nodded, "I wish I could say it gets better." "I don't know what you're talking about," I said to them. "How do you drink that stuff," Jacey asked as he coughed. "Very easily," I said with a smile. "Willow can finish off this whole bottle by herself," my mom said as I grabbed it. "Give me some credit, I can drink two of these," I said. "I don't think your alcohol tolerance should be something to be proud of," Jade said to me. "It is in the pack," my mother said. "The warriors often have drinking contests, and those who lost tend to get ridiculed for not being able to handle their alcohol. She hasn't lost in a few years." "Since this is your first time drinking this I recommend, those of you who want to wake up with a memory tomorrow to wait a few hours if you want to take another," I advised them. "That's a drink for the experienced," Lucas said. "So I will stay far from it." The others seemed to agree. "Suit yourself," I said with a shrug.

After that, we spent a good amount of the night dancing and enjoying ourselves. When it was midnight we opened presents. Jacey took out the emerald colored scarf I made for him since I noticed the other scarf he had was well worn and thin. "I love it," he said to me. "Thank you Willow." I smiled, "I'm glad." He then passed me a small box and I opened it curiously. I saw a figure of a wolf standing on a cliff, howling. It was hand carved and stained so beautifully. "This is so beautiful Jacey," I said in awe. "Thank you." I then looked up at him and he kissed me. We then did more dancing and Jacey even took another shot of moonshine with me. When it was sun rise, we went to his room where I had some clothes waiting for me since I didn't know if I would be sober enough to get back to my own room. I went into the bathroom to change my clothes and when I left, I saw Jacey had already stripped and was in his dragon form on the makeshift bed he had. It was a large custom mattress on the stone floor. It had a material to help him stay warm at night. I wondered if I should make him something similar to what I made his nephews that would cover his whole bed, so he wouldn't get sick. I grabbed the blankets and pillows he had out and made a nest near his chest. Once I was settled, he brought his arms forward and rested his head on them. It was like he was a kid sleeping at his desk in school with his arms stacked on top of each other with his head on his arms, creating a cozy hole where I was laying. It was comforting and I felt safe.