Finding Home - Eris Vanserra - Part 2

A/N: I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed this! I can't think of any trigger warnings for this part!❤️

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Stretching as you woke up, curled up in soft sheets and your mate, you were very aware of the ache between your legs, you had finally crossed that final line and gave yourself fully to Eris who was snoozing next to you. Your first time with him, your first time with anyone. Unlike your sisters, you hadn't given your maidenhead to just anyone and you were glad for it now. He'd been so gentle with you, he'd worshiped you and had kissed you through your embarrassment of being so inexperienced.

Smiling gently to yourself you rolled in his arms so you were facing him and he stirred as he pulled you into his chest. "Go back to sleep, sweetness, it's early." He murmured into your hair, gods that sleepy voice could get you to do anything. You kissed his throat, the only place you could reach with your head tucked under his chin and rolled out of his arms, he made a slight noise of protest but sleep took him again quickly as you slipped his shirt from the day before on.

Making yourself a steaming cup of tea you opened the front door of the cabin and the dogs that had been running around your feet took off into the clearing, chasing each other and playing and you chuckled at them slightly, you took a seat on the steps leading up to the front door and watched them. It didn't take long before the littlest of them and your favourite, Equinox, or Nox as you had affectionately taken to calling him was curled up next to you, his head on your thigh as he kept a watchful eye on you, your surroundings and the other dogs, he was tiny compared to them but he'd defend you against anything and both you and Eris knew it. You scratched the back of his ears and he let out a huff of contentment.

Eris joined you on the steps 30 minutes later, his trousers hung low on his hips and one of the blankets from your bed slung around his shoulders, a mug of tea for himself and a fresh one for you, he sat and placed a kiss on the side of your head, Nox leveled him with a glare and Eris laughed at the little dog. "She's mine, not yours." Nox refused to meet his eyes and focused back on his brothers and sisters running around the clearing. "You baby him too much." Eris smiled down at you, you scratched Nox's ears again. "That's because he is my baby." The only response you got from your mate was a chuckle.

You were about to say something else when the dogs in the clearing froze and Nox was stood in front of you, you looked to Eris who had also stood, blanket thrown behind him, scanning the treelines around you. "Take Nox and go inside." He said tightly, you sent him a questioning look. "Someone's here, please go inside, love." The look on his face was enough to tell you not to argue so you picked up the blanket and turned to go inside, Nox was right behind you as you closed the front door. You could feel his apprehension through the bond, no one knew the two of you were here. Nox stayed glued to your side as Eris had a conversation you couldn't quite hear with someone you couldn't see and then relief flooded down the bond and you threw yourself onto the sofa in equal relief. "Incoming" he said through the bond.

"I always wanted a sister!" Lucien. He greeted you warmly and dropped a kiss on top of your head, Eris let out a low growl the same time Nox did and the younget Vanserra laughed at his older brother watching the other eleven dogs come streaming into the cabin. "Oh relax brother! We both know I'm her favourite!" He sent you a wink as you quieted the little dog next to you.

"So mates huh?" Lucien asked the two of you as he sat in the armchair opposite the sofa and you nodded, he smiled and said "I hear that went down well" you grimaced, you hadn't actually seen any of them react other than to freeze. "We left before they could react." Lucien laughed at your confession. "Let's just say, Rhys is in Thesan's debt for some damage Nesta caused." You rolled your eyes, of course she'd react with destruction. "What can we do for you so early, little brother?" Eris asked from behind you. "I was asked to deliver this." Lucien responded by pulling a letter from the inside of his jacket, addressed to you, you took it from him and opened it, Eris reading over your shoulder.

Dear Y/N,

Please accept my apologies for the way things happened when we last met in Day. I never wanted that to happen, you're our sister, my second eldest sister and it wasn't right of Nesta to speak to you how she did.

Please understand we are worried for you and your safety. We understand that you won't come home to us, at least not permanently, not now there's a mating bond involved. We hope you are smart enough to not have accepted it. We request that you join us at the River House for at least one week, every month, as time goes on, we will see about Eris joining you. We ask this of you as our sister, as Nyx's aunt. Do you not want to see him grow?

Nesta is sorry for calling you a traitor, she didn't mean it, her words were spoken in anger and concern for you. Rhys has guaranteed your safety and you have our protection, he will allow Eris to accompany you here and he is welcome to stay for dinner the day he drops you off, he is also permitted to collect you at the end of the week.

We look forward to seeing you, Lucien has been instructed to bring you to us, should Eris refuse.

Your Sister,

Feyre.

You could feel the anger rolling off of Eris in waves, you didn't need the mating bond to feel that, Lucien could feel it from the other side of the room. He leveled a look at his youngest brother. "Are you about to kidnap my mate, Lucien?" His voice was lethal as he continued. "I will burn that whole retched city that they love so much to the ground should you take her against her will. I will go to war with the Night Court, make no mistake, brother." Lucien laughed, he laughed and you and Nox exchanged a look before both looking at Lucien like he was insane. "Mating bond grating a bit there Eris?" You hid the smirk that spread across your face but you knew Lucien had caught it.

"I'm not about to kidnap her, relax, but I do suggest you either take her, or let me take her." You crossed your arms. "What if I don't want to go? Are you going to tell Rhys where we are so he can do what he does best?" Eris snorted a laugh. "I won't tell them, but they will search for you and you know they won't stop." He was right, you looked at Eris. "I have to go, you know I do and you can't take me, not today, I can still feel the anger rolling off of you, it'd only end in a fight." He looked like he was going to fight you on it, he knew you were right. "Nox goes with you." And then he pointed at his brother. "And you stay with her, the whole week, every month, I expect you to be there, should any of them so much as make her frown, you bring her straight back." Lucien nodded. "Okay brother."

You packed enough outfits for the week, you might have agreed to go but you'd be dressed like a member of the Autumn Court the whole time. Your own little way of rebelling, you also knew taking Nox would piss Rhys and Nesta off to no end. Joining the brothers at the front door, Eris was still listing rules at Lucien, you loved the possessiveness he had when it came to you, it made your whole body hot. You took his hand. "I'll be fine, I promise." He sighed and kissed you. "I know sweetness, I just don't like it." You smiled at him. "Lucien will be with me the whole time, there's nothing to worry about." He kissed you once more and said, "Go, before I change my mind." You handed Lucien your bag, scooped up the little dog and stepped into Lucien's waiting arms and you were gone.

The two of you reappeared in the gardens of the River House and you could hear Elain giggling at Azriel somewhere in the gardens and you looked at Lucien. "You don't have to stay, I can't imagine how it feels, I won't tell Eris." He shrugged. "I promised him I'd stay and I will, but thank you." He led you to the door and entered, Nox still in your arms, taking in his surroundings. You took in the paintings that covered the walls. "What the hel is that?" Nesta's voice filled your ears and you looked up to see her and Feyre, with little Nyx in her arms, staring at you. "I see you finally made it into the paintings, Nes." She didn't have a chance to reply as Rhys and Cassian joined their mates. Nyx struggled out of his mother's arms and she put him down before he fell, the boy toddled towards you, arms outstretched. "Puppy!" You smiled down at your nephew and crouched so you were level with him, muttering at Nox to be good as you showed him the dog in your arms, Rhys tensed and took long strides towards his son that you ignored. "His name is Nox." You told Nyx. The little dog sniffed at the toddler, tail wagging and licked his little face and scrambled out of your arms. Nyx let out an infectious laugh and the toddler and dog took off chasing each other around the house.

Rhys was seething. "You bought one of his hounds around my son?" He spat at you as the toddler and the dog ran past you all again, you smiled after them. "Nox won't hurt him, he's a good boy and he's not Eris', he's mine." It wasn't a lie you mused, the dog was essentially yours. "I don't appreciate being summoned and forbidden from bringing my mate." You crossed your arms. Feyre was the one who responded. "He wasn't forbidden from coming, he was more than welcome to bring you and join us for dinner." You narrowed your eyes. "It's not our fault he refused to bring you." Nesta added, you scoffed. "He didn't refuse, but saying you all hoped I hadn't been stupid enough to accept the mating bond didnt exactly make him happy and I didn't want a fight, so I asked Lucien to bring me." Nesta sniffed. "Well you clearly were stupid enough, I can smell him all over you." A look of disgust covered her face. "That's none of your business Nesta."

Feyre broke the silence and tension. "Let me show you your room, Y/N." You had to give it to your youngest sister, the room was beautiful. She left you to unpack and settle in, Rhys brought Nox to your room and you could hear Nyx screaming to his mother about being separated from his new friend. "Rhys." You called after him, he turned at the door and nodded at you. "He really won't hurt him, I wouldn't have bought him if I thought he would hurt Nyx." He nodded again. "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my sisters, I'm sorry if I caused offense by leaving but I need you to understand that I had too. This life you've made for them all, it didn't fit me, there was something missing and I was drowning in it, I don't hate any of you, I do count you as family but I've found what I was missing and it's Eris. I can't walk away from him, just like you can't walk away from Feyre." His face softened.

"Rhys, if I tell you something, can you promise me it'll stay between us and it won't be used against Eris?" His eyebrow raised in interest. "I promise." He said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I know what happened with Mor is the reason why you all can't forgive him and I don't expect you too, but you need to know there was a reason he did it, it's not for me to tell and it's not you he wants to explain himself too, but remember how before the war, everyone thought you were some cruel, evil High Lord?" He nodded. "You aren't the only one who wears that mask, Rhys." He nodded in understanding. "Can I show you?" You asked him, he seemed genuinely shocked that you'd offered to let him in your head. "Are you sure?" You nodded, "Yes Rhys, I miss my family." So you let him see, you let him see every moment with Eris, with the exception of the night before, that was for the two of you only.

"Who'd have guessed he'd be such a dog mom." Rhys joked when he left your head. "Is that genuine?" He asked referring to the Eris you knew. "Yes, I'll talk to him, I'd like at least you and Feyre to see the side of him I do, maybe you can come and visit us? I think getting him to be his authentic self while Nesta is spitting venom at him, while Cassian and Azriel are ready to kill him as soon as Mor says the word, would be too much." He smiled at you. "I'd like that and I know Feyre would as well, she's missed you. Nesta and Elain had each other, she only had you, she idolized you growing up and I don't think you ever realised." You hadn't. He smiled at you. "I'll see you at dinner, can I return the dog to my son?" You laughed. "Yes, you can but he comes home with me." Rhys ushered Nox out of the room and you felt lighter than you had in a while, it wouldn't last long, knowing you'd have the others to face at dinner but for now, you sent a feeling of love down the bond to Eris, he responded with his own instantly. "I miss you." You told him down the bond. "I miss you too sweetness."

You scraped your hair into a bun on top of your head and inhaled the scent of Eris from one of the shirts you'd stolen from him before coming here, you'd paired it with a pair of leggings and fuzzy socks and made your way down to dinner. A grin spread across your face as you walked through the living room and spotted Nyx and Nox asleep on one of the sofas. "Cute aren't they?" Feyre asked from behind you. "Absolutely adorable." You responded, she grabbed your hand and led you into the dining room, to your surprise, Elain and Lucien had been sat next to each other and you suppressed a laugh at Lucien who looked terrified to move, as if Elain would bolt if he did. You wished then you had the gift Feyre and Rhys did so you could send a mental image of it to Eris. Rhys' voice sounded in your mind. "I'll send it if you want?" You grinned and nodded at him, a few moments later a feeling of amusement filled your chest and Eris' laugh sounded through the bond and you knew he'd seen it, had let Rhys show him. Baby steps.

Dinner was amazing, the food served was amazing. Nesta made very few comments and had actually attempted to talk to you civilly and you were convinced there was hope for you and your older sister yet, and you were sure Cassian had spoken to her before dinner. After dinner you'd let Elain show you her gardens. "Is he good?" Elain asked, you gave her a quizzical look. "Lucien, I mean." That shocked you but you covered it and smiled at your sister. "Yes, he is, why do you ask?" She looked around the garden as if to make sure no one else was listening. "That pull you get in your chest, it's getting stronger, harder to stay away from him." You grinned. "Elain, he'd give you everything but what about Azriel?" She gave you a sideways look. "He has a mate of his own." You weren't expecting that but let her continue. "Gywn, she's one of Nesta's friends." You grabbed her hand. "It's okay if it hurts Elain." She shook her head. "It doesn't, not really, not like I thought it would, all he's ever wanted is a mate, I'm happy for him." You pulled her into a hug. "Lucien will be good for you, but you don't have to do anything you don't want to do." You felt her sigh. "He asked me to go out for breakfast tomorrow, I think I'm going to go." You beamed at her. "Lucien and Elain are going on a date tomorrow!" you screeched down the bond at Eris, his laugh sounded in your mind "Good on him, getting his girl!"

"Is Eris good?" She asked, pulling you away from your conversation with Eris. "Is he good to you?" You nodded at her. "He's everything I've ever needed, he makes me feel whole, safe, loved and free." It was her turn to grin at you. "Then that's good enough for me." Relief flooded you, you had your little sister back. The two of you continued to wander the gardens before returning to the house where Elain bid you goodnight.

You found Feyre once again gazing down at her son and Nox. "Will you paint that for me?" You asked her quietly, she offered you a smile. "Of course I will." You smiled back. "Did Rhys tell you what we talked about? What I showed him?" You knew he would've told her, she nodded. "Don't be mad about him telling me, for the record, I think Eris wears a mask too, and if he's willing to give us a look behind it, Rhys and I are willing to try with him as well." You pulled her into your arms and hugged her. "Thank you, Fey." She scooped her son into her arms to take him to bed and you did the same with the sleepy dog.

The rest of the week flew by, you helped Elain in her gardens, who had come back from her breakfast with Lucien a blush on her face and grinning. You went for coffee and cake with Feyre and Nyx who was definitely planning in his little head to not give back Nox. Nesta had even invited you to join her and her friends in training, you were better at Valkyrie training than you thought and sweet Gywn had given you the research she'd done after Cassian had said. "Eris will be able to train you in this just as well as I can." You gave him a shocked look. "Don't tell him I said that." You were definitely going to convince him to train you and you were definitely going to tell him what Cassian had said. Before you knew it you were on your last day, excitedly waiting for Eris to join you all for dinner that evening and then to take you home.

You'd been enjoying tea in the garden with Feyre when Nyx had pulled you away to join in with whatever game he was playing with Nox. The toddler had fallen in love with you over the last week and you him, you could never say no to him, something that Rhys and Feyre teased you for. You were giggling along with Nyx, chasing him around the garden and Nox chasing you both barking happily at him when pain shot through you from the bond, it started and ended within seconds but it bought you to your knees and Feyre was by your side moments later. "Something's wrong!" You gasped at her, trying desperately to talk to Eris through the bond but all you were met with was fiery walls blocking you out and blind panic overtook you.

At some point Feyre had called Rhys to the garden, you could hear her telling him about what had happened and he knelt in front of you. "Y/N, you need to talk to me, what's going on?" You met his gaze and saw nothing but concern in them. "Something's wrong with Eris. All I got was a flash of searing pain and then it cut off. I can't get to him through the bond, he's blocking me, Rhys, he never does that!" He looked over your head at Feyre. "I'll get Az to get his spies to look into it okay?" You shook your head. "I need to go back Rhys, I need to go home!" He offered you his hand and helped you stand. "Okay, let me take you home." You'd let him into your mind, so he could see the cabin, see where you lived with the future High Lord of Autumn so he could winnow you there. "Feyre, darling, Az is on his way, tell him what happened and get him to look into it, I'm going to take Y/N home, tell Cassian to be ready." She nodded and gave you a squeeze and Rhys took you home.

You took off running towards the door as soon as you appeared in the clearing, screaming for Eris. Rhys grabbed your wrist before you made it to the door and tugged you behind him. It was then that you realised he was worried. Worried about what you would find inside and he wasn't going to let you go in first. "I won't ask you to wait out here, your sisters wouldn't I know you won't, but you need to be prepared." You nodded at him. "He's still alive Rhys, I would've felt it if he was dead wouldn't I?" He nodded and turned to open the door, it was broken and already open. You followed him into your home and gasped. It was trashed. Furniture was broken and the dogs were terrified. "What happened here?" You whispered to Rhys. "No one knows about this place, aside from Eris, Lucien and I." Rhys was tense. "I wouldn't put it past Beron to have Eris followed." Your mind flashed back to a conversation the two of you had months ago, before you knew he was your mate.

"We need to talk about something, sweetness." Eris said as he sat next to you on the sofa and pulled you into his lap, you kissed his chin. "About what?" His face was serious and you weren't sure where he was going with this, a slight panic rose in you that he was sending you back to the Night Court. "If anything ever happens, you need to go straight to Rhysand okay?" You raised an eyebrow. "I'm not following." He ran a hand through his flaming locks. "If I'm ever gone for longer than three days and three nights, and I haven't told you beforehand I'll be gone that long, on the fourth day you go back to the Night Court, you scream Rhys' name as loud as you can in your mind and you drop the walls, he'll be listening for you, you tell him it's been three days and nights and he'll drop everything and come for you, okay?" You just stared at him. "He'll take you somewhere safe, probably back to Night, but there's one other place in Autumn that he can take you, only he knows where it is, I haven't even seen it or know it's location, he'll give you the choice of where." Panic was filling you now. "What's going to happen to you Eris, are you in danger?" He shook his head. "Just promise me, promise me you'll call Rhys and won't linger here for me?" You swallowed the lump in your throat. "I promise." He kissed the top of your head. "Take the dogs?" You nodded. "Of course."

You thought back to the last time you'd felt Eris through the bond, the last time you'd spoken to him. You'd been so caught up with Feyre, Elain and Nyx, you'd only taken to sending one message a day, right when you were on the verge of sleep. "Goodnight Eris." You assumed you'd been asleep when he replied. Nothing had changed in your bond, nothing felt off. You were a terrible mate, awful, he deserved better than you. You took a deep breath. "Rhys?" He tore his eyes away from the damage and looked at you. "It's been three days and nights." The High Lord stiffened. "Get your things, we can't stay here."