Ever Cynical

Chapter 43- Ritsu Repents

Kieran POV

"You should come work with Daddy on punishing people, my daughter. We'd have such fun and make a great team." A very deep, rumbly voice quipped as Ritsu's apology had us all standing there staring at her. Annnnd there he is. Didn't I say Mirgadok would appear? Hate to be right all the time. Mirgadok's build was identical to Ekezeic'sm, but he had deeply bronzed skin with white tattoos everywhere, glowing red eyes, and brilliant white hair in this, long, layered asymmetrical cut to his chin that was short in the back. His black horns were ridged and curved elegantly into points. Ugh, I'm not trying to make him sound hot, but yeah. He definitely is. Anyway. His toothy grin, complete with pointed canines, was centered on Anais. I looked at Ezekeic.

They gave me too much material to help stop myself.

"If he's Daddy, does that actually make you Mommy?" I giggled. Anais flashed me a look, her knees drawing together slightly. I still caught the movement, though. "Sorry go hálainn, I couldn't keep that one in. I promise to make it up to you later, hmm?" Ri'dubh unleashed a low purr, letting our Luna know just how pleased he was with her display of power, and exactly how we planned to make it up to her for causing a distraction.

"Goddess you guys are just obscene!" Ekezeic burst out, while everyone else laughed. Well, except for Ritsu, who was still sobbing. Mirgadok pointed a black-clawed finger at her.

"You're lucky my daughter got to you first, tadpole. She didn't even use fire on you, and just so you know, she absolutely could have." He intoned dangerously. Ritsu gulped, then looked confused.

"How are the Demon King and... Basilisk King... your parents? Aren't you... a wolf?" She asked Anais hesitantly. That was what she thought needed an answer right now? I could feel my lip curl at her focus on silly details.

"Does that really matter here?" Mirgadok asked acerbically. "For me, it does not. We adopted her, and as far as we are concerned, she's ours. Your stupid little mouth has wrought enough havoc for one day." He turned to Anais. "I know you want what's best for everyone, but she's the type to betray you." He grunted, his word in this regard pretty damn solid, given his main job was punishing the guilty. Ritsu gasped, her face a mask of horrified indignance. Apparently, she draws the line at betrayal, but then again, she'd come to my pack strapped to the teeth in silver.

It was already a betrayal the moment she entered the pack.

"I would never betray someone I was loyal to!" She exclaimed.

"And yet you betrayed everyone here, the allies that your mother and brother trust and are loyal to, their best friends even, by challenging my pregnant daughter, the Luna Queen. Did you not?" Mirgadok hissed. Listen, I would never, ever want to make this guy mad. So glad he's an ally. Ritsu's startled gaze snapped to my mate, who was grinning at her adopted father. Probably enjoying what actual parental support felt like, now that they were done hiding their intentions.

"I am not the Mommy." Ekezeic grumbled under his breath, still bothered by my earlier assertion. I giggled, and Anais glared my way again.

"Kieran, seriously. Stop it. We are trying to be serious." She gritted out. I shrugged.

Not my fault that my Luna found me irresistible, all the damn time.

Anais POV

I swear Kieran and his giggle were going to be the death of me. It was so hard to be focused and serious when I felt every giggle like a shot to my core. Maybe there was something wrong with me. How could I want more babies, right now? I already had five on the way, and we were going to be new parents. I sighed. I could feel Geoff's upset rolling off of him in waves, and as much as I appreciated Mirgadok chastising Ritsu, we needed a resolution here that hopefully involved him dragging her ass home, and eventually to the mating huts. I addressed Ritsu's now very fearful gaze.

Good job, Daddy.

"He's right, I'm pregnant with the Celtic Moon heirs, five of them." I announced, to a multitude of gasps, and Lugh rushing to my side. My poor Gamma, I was going to make him pull out his thick dark brown hair. I continued my diatribe. "But that really shouldn't matter. Pregnant or not, I did nothing to earn the vitriol you were spouting, even up to ten minutes ago. You can't truly believe that kind of behavior is anywhere near appropriate for anyone wanting a leadership role, can you?" I queried. She lowered her gaze and slowly shook her head as her shoulders drooped. "So the question is this, Ritsu-hime. What exactly are you apologizing for?" I asked. She gulped.

This was a trick question on my part, to see if she was truly repentant, or simply saying what she thought we wanted to hear. If her apology was not genuine, I wasn't sure we could do anything for Geoff. I really, really, hoped she was genuine.

"I'm sorry for saying bad things about you and treating you as less than me. I was wrong." She said, her voice trembling as fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Are you just apologizing to me?" I paused, crossing my arms. "Because that's not enough. All of wolfen kind, whether Immortals or not, deserve an apology from you. Even Ludolf, who I'm sure you don't know, but that is exactly why even he deserves one. You know nothing of our kind." I snipped, staring into her wide, deep brown eyes. "And what about your mate? You seem to only acknowledge him when you need something from him. My royal Beta deserves the best Beta female the world can offer, but you know what? He'd love the mate the goddess gave him with everything he had, perfect or not. And you just tossed him aside like trash." Ritsu cried harder. "Geoff." I called him forward, and he stood next to me. "It's time to make a decision."

This was the delicate part. I only hoped he could pull it off. I knew he wanted her, and she wanted him, even if she pretended otherwise. I don't know that I could be cold to Kieran ever, even if it seemed necessary. I'd surely fold under the pressure. Besides Kieran was just so damn lovable.

"Whatever you decide, Luna Queen, is what we will do. As you have said, my... mate... has already declared she does not want me. It's clear there is no future for us." His voice was raspy and thick with pain and tears. As I opened my mouth to speak, Ritsu spoke first.

"Wait, please." She cried wretchedly. Geoff was still looking at my face, and I nodded. We almost had her. He had to push her just a little bit more, and she'd fold.

"I, Geoffrey Malcolm, royal Beta of the Celtic Moon pack, reject-" He began, each word sounding as if it was causing him heavy and irreparable emotional agony. I'd almost forgotten that rejection was incredibly painful for shifters. While I may have briefly considered it just because of my past, I already knew once I laid eyes on my mate, I could never tell him no. Even before I knew who he was to me.

"NOOO!" Ritsu screamed in utter torment, already feeling the beginnings of rejection pain. "Please stop, mate, please. I'm so sorry. So sorry to you all. You're right, I was wrong. Just please, mate, don't do this." She blubbered, clearly hitting her breaking point. She bit her lip hard, making it bleed slightly as she spoke. "I, Ritsu Hijikata, promise to be loyal and serve the Luna Queen Anais. I swear it on my life." As she said this, a vine-like tattoo appeared on both my and Ritsu's right arms, trailing from shoulder to wrist. Riyoko gasped, clearly alarmed.

"It's a blood oath!" She exclaimed in disbelief. "I hope you know what you are doing, daughter. You endanger their royal Beta if you make a mistake!" She warned furiously.

"It's the only way I can prove that I have been properly taught this lesson, Mother." I let her down to the ground, where she collapsed. Geoff waited, though I could tell he wanted to go to her and comfort her. Ritsu tossed a glare at him, then much to our shock, continued to speak. "I, Ritsu Hijikata, princess of the Aki no Tsuki Pack, accept Geoffrey Malcolm, royal Beta of the Celtic Moon Pack, as my mate." We could all feel the surge of power as she accepted him. "I'm sorry I did not accept you right away, mate." She whispered, but we all heard. "I have no excuse for my behavior." Her heard hung low. After meeting Ekezeic's eyes and his subtle chin lift, indicating he saw good. I nodded to Geoff.

My Beta squatted down in front of her and grinned. His relief was palpable, poor guy. This had to have been just awful for him. First her attitude, then getting her ass kicked by me, and the emotional upheaval of very nearly rejecting her altogether. It was a lot for anyone to take, but it was clear Geoff had earned his title.

"Took you long enough, pretty little mate," he said playfully yet tenderly. "I Geoffrey Malcolm, royal Beta of the Celtic Moon pack, accept Ritsu Hijikata, princess of the Aki no Tsuki Pack, as my mate." Another surge swept over us. "You ready to go home and try this again, Ritsu?" Geoff asked, still grinning widely. Ritsu blushed and nodded bashfully. I clapped my hands together and sighed.

Suddenly I was wholly exhausted. Bone-tired. Even thinking of Kier rewarding me as promised didn't make me feel enthused, and that was saying something. The man had magic... well, everything.

"Looks like we're planning another ceremony, hmm, Alpha?" I winked at Kieran, who nodded. Moving my finger between the two newly accepted mates, I warned them. "No mating and marking beforehand, you two. After all, now that we are all bloody royalty we have to follow some protocols." Riyoko laughed. "Still feels totally weird to be royalty. Did you all know this?" I asked the others as we walked back towards the pack house. Geoff was carrying Ritsu. I could see the wonder on her face when she finally let her skin touch his. The mate-bond was no freaking joke.

I had to wince a little at the amount of bruising I laid on her, but I knew nobody blamed me for it.

"Well, I always knew you were the Luna Queen, of the Immortal wolves, but I think each of us knew a piece, if not everything. We were all told the time wasn't right, though." Piped up Ekezeic.

"Told?" I inquired, though I kind of already guessed before he said it.

"The moon goddess." He replied. Yup, called it. I wasn't even upset, because I knew it meant that despite the bad things that had happened, she had her eye on me. "There are still things waiting to come, daughter." He said as he patted my shoulder, clearly enjoying his now out-in-the-open parental role.

"Okay, Mom." I quipped, and he rolled his eyes before glaring at Kieran.

"I blame you, son-in-law." He growled.

Kieran just grinned widely.