WolfeBlade: de Wolfe Pack Generations by Kathryn Veque (top 20 books to read .TXT) 📗

waiting all of my life to hear that,” he murmured against her lips as he hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For loving me as I love you.”

Gavriella put both of her hands on his face, gazing into his eyes.

“Always,” she whispered.

Later that month, when Andreas had the goldsmith in Berwick make a wedding ring for Gavriella, that was the word he had inscribed on the inside.

Always.

And he meant it.

EPILOGUE

Kale Water Castle

Two months later

“There once was a lady fair,

With silver bells in her hair.

I knew her to have,

A luscious kiss… it drove me mad!

But she denied me… and I was so terribly sad.

Lily, my girl,

Your flower, I will unfurl

With my cock and a bit of good luck!

Your kiss divine,

I’ll make you mine,

And keep you a-bed for a fuck!”

The great hall of Kale Water Castle erupted with cheers and shouts of approval as Blayth, standing on a feasting table with a lute in his hand, took a deep and exaggerated bow.

It was a tradition, after all.

The naughty wedding song.

He sang it at every wedding to the cheers of his brothers and the scolding of his mother, only she wasn’t here at the moment, which took some of the fun out of it.

Oh, well. He’d just have to sing it for her later.

“Excellent, Uncle Blayth,” Andreas said, meeting him as he climbed off the table. “A de Wolfe wedding wouldn’t be a wedding at all without that song. But don’t look now – Aunt Evelyn and Aunt Katheryn aren’t happy. They might take a switch after you in Matha’s stead.”

Blayth spied his sisters, Katheryn and Evelyn, seated with other women on the dais, including the bride, Gavriella. Lukas, Brodie, and Brodie’s wife, Sophia, were also at the table because Sophia and Gavriella had become fast friends, being close in age. In fact, Sophia and Gavriella were in animated conversation, as were Brodie and Lukas, but there was one member of that group who wasn’t part of the conversations going on. She was sitting alone. Blayth’s gaze settled on his Aunt Jemma.

And she did not look happy.

The mere sight made Blayth recoil.

“I would not worry about my sisters,” he said. “But Aunt Jemma is glaring at me and that cannot end well. I must find my wife so that she may defend me from Aunt Jemma.”

Andreas was feeling his alcohol. The finest alcohol in all of England and France, provided by Troy and Merek. There was more drink at this wedding than he’d ever seen in his life, at any one event.

He laughed at his uncle’s statement.

“Asmara will probably help her beat you, so I would not look for reinforcements there,” he said. Then, he pointed to a group of men several feet away. “There is an entire line of de Wolfe men. Mayhap they can help you stave off the women bent on murder.”

He pulled Blayth over to a group of men in conversation. It was rare when the entire de Wolfe family got together, but the wedding of Andreas to Gavriella de Leia was a grand event, indeed.

Scott and Troy and Blayth were joined by brothers Patrick, Edward, and Thomas. They were also joined by Merek, who was so drunk that he could barely stand, along with Hector de Norville, and Andreas’ grandfather, Paris. Theodis was also there, having come all the way from Pelinom Castle for the wedding. He had been in conversation with Will and Tor until he saw Andreas approach.

“My beautiful lad,” he said happily, hanging on Andreas. “So this is where your lady from Gomorrah ended up? As your wife? I must say that I am astonished.”

Andreas had to snort at his inebriated, happy friend. The wedding wouldn’t have been the same without him.

“Aye, it is astonishing.”

“But it is wonderful!”

“Aye, quite wonderful.”

“Dray, my friend,” Theodis said, forcing Andreas to look at him. “I’ve got even more excellent news.”

“What is that?

Theodis thumped him on the chest. “I’ve not had the opportunity to tell you that my father has finally agreed to allow me to serve with you,” he said “Can you imagine? We will be invincible at your new post. We will dominate the borders. De Wolfe and de Velt, side by side!”

That was good news, indeed, the result of seeds planted with Atlas de Velt almost two months ago when Andreas assumed a new post. Andreas had been waiting for such news and he hugged his friend.

“We will, indeed,” he said, noticing that Paris was heading in his direction. “But let us speak of it on the morrow, Tay. Do not leave here without seeing me, please. Swear this to me?”

Theodis kissed him loudly on the cheek. “Of course I will,” he said. “I love you, my friend.”

“I love you, too.”

As Theodis staggered off because his cup was empty, Paris took his place at Andreas’ side. He put his arms around his grandson, hugging him tightly.

“Dray,” he said, another obviously drunk man. “Come with me. I must speak with you alone.”

Andreas was practically holding him up. “I do not have too much time, Bonny,” he said, addressing Paris by the name all of his grandchildren called him. “I have a new wife waiting for me and I am anxious to spend time alone with her.”

Paris waved him off. “In a moment,” he said, dragging him away from his uncles. “Come with me.”

Andreas looked at his uncles, shrugging, as Paris pulled him from the great hall and into the night.

Outside, it was a bright spring evening, with a smattering of stars spread across the sky. The snows of the winter had been short-lived, thankfully, and a beautiful spring was upon them.

A perfect time for a wedding.

Paris came to a halt and faced his grandson.

“I want to speak to you before you go to your wife,” he said. “Since your mother is no longer here, I had hoped you would marry before your grandmother passed away so that she could speak to you, but that unfortunately did not happen. Now, it is left up