Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 23

Elenora had climbed out of bed before the sun had risen to make Nakoa breakfast.. He had left early yesterday to arrive and he had stayed until today which means he will probably be extra busy. Vermont always had something he had to deal with. Elenora imagines it is a lot different for Nakoa. Half of what Vermont did was kill all of his problems.

If there was a thief. Kill the thief and then kill the snitch.

Vermont was charming like that.

Nakoa's scent hits her first and for a moment she pauses in preparing his coffee to enjoy it. A nice mixture of the forest and something spicy. "Did you make breakfast?" His arms comes to wrap around her waist and he kisses her on the cheek.

"And coffee." Elenora picks up the fresh cup and turns around in his embrace. He is smiling at her. Nakoa seems unable to stop smiling lately. In fact, she seems unable to stop smiling herself. Everything has been almost perfect. Peaceful in a way.

"May I?" Elenora nods and his lips collide with hers. It is slow and sweet and why is he already pulling away? "Thank you." He smiles before grabbing the coffee and sitting at the table. Mia arrives moments after him with a long yawn that has Nakoa yawning and then unfortunately herself as well.

"You are the love of my life Nora. The love of my life. As the humans would say, marry me!" For a moment Elenora is taken back to life in the forest with Mia. Mia used to say that every time she went hunting and brought back something big.

"You are too late I'm afraid. She told me she would mate with me." Nakoa grins before digging into his healthy serving of waffles. Mia had already loaded quite a bit on her plate and she had helped herself to the fruit as well. Elenora sticks to four waffles like a normal person.

"Wait!" Mia drops the fork and knife she had been holding before looking up at the two of them "Slow all the way down. Did you just say she told you she would mate with you as in mark you? As in Nakoa Bardrick I take you as my mate in front of hundreds of people? As in no more running and no more I can't do this and no more-"

"Yes Mia," Elenora interrupts and the smile spreads on her own face. She can feel Nakoa's eyes on her "We will be having our ceremony. Not the Luna ceremony yet but definitely the mating ceremony though I don't think it is necessary to have hundreds of people there. Is it?" Elenora turns to Nakoa who is looking at her like she just handed him the world. It's making her nervous.

"Not if it makes you uncomfortable. Perhaps the people closest to us, the King included." Elenora turns to him so she can argue that. The King at her Mating ceremony? Hell no! Anybody but that no good, selfish, arrogant, tyrant- Except his eyes are begging her not to argue that one request.

He had visited the King throughout his entire childhood. The King is who he has gone to for advice, for council. The King is family to him. Elenora would not be surprised if Nakoa calls him Uncle behind closed doors. "The King included." Elenora utters her agreement softly.

"Alright a lot is happening right now and I haven't even had coffee. We really need to talk so you can catch me up on everything Nora." Mia stands and heads over to the coffee pot. It is not long at all before Charlotte is joining both the breakfast table and the conversation.

"I am not calling you Daddy." She tells Nakoa "Just so we're clear. She's my Mom. You're Alpha Bardrick. That's how it will stay." With that she grabs the plate of eleven waffles and dumps the rest of the fruit on top. Then she sprays a bunch of whip cream on them before moving to the fridge and coming back with orange juice and chocolate syrup.

For some reason it looks very appetizing "Can I not be Nakoa or will I forever be stuck at Alpha Bardrick?" Nakoa asks sounding more curious than anything else.