The Hungarian pack’s mating grounds were beautiful, surrounded by flowering cherry plums. They wouldn’t normally be blooming this time of year, but I’d snuck down here earlier today to give them a little encouragement.
Tonight, they were dripping with twinkle lights, lighting the pink blooms beautifully. I could just barely see them from the head of the path, and already, my heart was overflowing.
“This is where we leave you, chickadee,” Fiona said, squeezing the breath out of me with a hug. “We’ll see you by the flower mound.”
“See you soon,” I murmured, a sudden flight of butterflies taking wing in my stomach. And then they were gone, walking down the aisle with their ceremonial items.
A few moments that felt like an eternity later, I heard the music that was my cue to head down the aisle.
Touching Lucien’s mark at the base of my throat to steady myself, I took my first step toward the rest of my life.
Lucien
Iwas completely fine until I saw Elodie and Fiona walking down the aisle toward where I stood on the ceremonial flower mound. I glanced over at Kane, who just grinned at me as if I was a lovesick fool.
To be fair, I was. And I was willing to tell anyone who asked how much I loved the woman about to walk down the aisle to finally seal our bond.
The last two weeks had been torture. I wanted to complete our bond the second she felt well enough, but she wanted to wait for the full moon.
I couldn’t deny her anything she wanted, and if that was a traditional bonding, well, it was hers. So we’d done it up big, and I think it ended up being a good thing. The pack females were really into it, and it seemed to have helped everyone rally around us as their new Alpha pair.
That was still strange, but I was dealing. Having Valens’s support had been a big help. He was sitting in the front row, next to his little sister, Vee. She was the one exception to the rule about everyone rallying around us. She’d been sullen and avoidant, and Olivia and I had both given her space.
Petr? had been her fianc?. I couldn’t blame her for being mad at the man who’d killed him and taken his place.
But then I caught my first glimpse of Olivia, and all thoughts of pack politics flew out of my head as if they’d never been there.
She was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on, bar none. Her red hair was swept up off her neck in a graceful twist, dotted with little white flowers. The dress she wore was green, just like her magic, and it fit her beautifully. The off-the-shoulder top dipped dangerously low, displaying more than a hint of her creamy breasts, cinching in at her waist, and then flaring out into a large, sparkling green skirt that skimmed over the flower petal walkway. Every step she took, a hint of bare thigh flashed at me from between the flowing layers of her skirt, making me want to growl at every other male in attendance for daring to look at her beauty.
But her smile? Her smile alone was radiant enough to steal the show.
Stunning didn’t begin to describe her, and I wanted every single detail etched into my brain for the rest of my life. I would never forget the way she looked at me right now.
She made good time up the walkway, but still, I was impatient.
This was the first day we’d been apart since her accident, and missing her was a constant itch under my skin. I needed her presence on a visceral level, and when I broke tradition and closed the distance between us, she just smiled, opening her arms for me. When I scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way, her heavy gown draped over my arm, she kissed me on the cheek and rested her head on my shoulder.
Mine.
The claim was a happy thrum in my chest, my wolf’s contentment that we were finally getting to bond undeniable. I hadn’t had another scar attack since I’d bitten her, and I knew my connection with my wolf had healed significantly since I stopped fighting the truth.
Olivia and I belonged together.
I hoped tonight, when we sealed the bond, we could also put the issues with my wolf behind us permanently.
Kane cleared his throat, reminding me I needed to set her back on her feet so the ceremony could continue. Reluctantly, I did. But I didn’t let go of her hands.
The small connection helped center me, kept me in the moment as the ceremony began.
Reed stepped up first with a single sheet of paper. Normally, he’d just lay it at our feet and say the ceremonial blessing. He paused, though, for a moment, holding it up so we could see it. The deed to a hundred-hectare nature preserve, right here in Hungary. “For prosperity,” he said, before squeezing my shoulder.
It was perfect for Olivia, with her m?gissa talents. Untouched, raw nature, whenever she needed it.
Next was Fiona’s turn.
“For fertility,” she said, dropping to her knees between us and sprinkling scented water from a jar on our bare feet and ankles. Fiona rose gracefully, then dropped a kiss on Olivia’s cheek before resuming her proud stance behind her.
Elodie came next, grinning from ear to ear. “For passion.” I couldn’t hear what she whispered to Olivia as she dabbed the lovelace aphrodisiac perfume behind her ears, but it sent a delicious blush crawling up her neck that I wanted to trace with my lips.
Kane was the last one, holding our rings. He pressed the larger of the pair into Olivia’s hand and then her daintier band into mine. “For eternity.”
My hand shook as I held it up for Olivia to slide the band on my finger. Hers were rock steady as I slid her own diamond ring into place. I leaned forward and kissed her knuckle below the ring, and I knew my wolf shone through my eyes as I looked up at her.
“Mine.” It was a promise, and when she shuddered, the heat in her gaze lit the same fire in me. This ceremony needed to end, and fast. I needed to wear my female’s bite. No more waiting.
Kane almost looked apologetic as he spoke again, interrupting the intense moment. “It’s customary for the male to offer a gift to his mate, to prove that he can protect and provide for her. But more than that, that he cares for her. Lucien, are you prepared to offer Olivia a mating gift to show you’re worthy of her love?”
I nodded, rocking back on my heels as nerves hit me square in the jaw for the first time since I’d seen her. What if she didn’t like it? I’d been working on it every spare minute since we’d arrived at our new pack lands. I blew out a breath, knowing I needed to just get it out.
“I’d like to take you there and show you, if that’s okay?”
“Of course.” She smiled, looking confused.
“I promise it’ll be worth it.”
She nodded, and we both turned to Kane, waiting for his blessing.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply