18. Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Aydan
I hadn’t seen Jayce all day, and I didn’t like that. Being mated was so different than I’d thought it would be. True, I’d been jaded thanks to my past experiences with my parents, but I’d watched my brother and his mate. I’d seen firsthand both the best and the worst of fated mates. I wasn’t flying in blind.
It was hard to imagine that there was a time when Jayce wasn’t in my life, and even harder to imagine that there was a time when Jayce was in my life but was the bane of my existence. I hated that I allowed my past trauma to prevent me from seeing what was before me. Yes, he stank. But that wasn’t why, not wholly. It was my inability to let go of what my parents did to each other and us.
That had all changed even before I scented him that first time. Now he was my reason for being. The reason I got up each day. The reason I wanted to build this den to be the best it could be. With him at my side, I knew that was totally possible.
Oddly, as much as I would do anything to inhale his scent, there were times I missed his stinkyness. It had been part of who he was when I fell in love with him. I’d always love that scent.
“Hi, Alpha!” people called as I walked through the crowd. I wasn’t even sure which were speaking to me.
It probably didn’t matter. It wasn’t a meaningful conversation or anything. Just a greeting. Once upon a time, I’d have not thought twice about it. But now? Now I saw my role in the den differently. It wasn’t just about making sure things went smoothly, it was about relationships. My mate taught me that. He taught me so many things, and I doubted he even knew it.
The Harvest Moon Gathering had turned into quite the large affair. We even had visitors from other packs and dens who were joining us for the festival. More than one person from Greycoast and Northbay were going to be present for the celebration. It was important to us as a den that we forge relationships with other packs, at least for the vision I had for us.
Historically, a lot of bear dens kept to themselves. It would be easy to fall into that here. It wasn’t healthy though, to be that isolated. Not for our den as it was and certainly not for den growth.
It had taken a great deal of time, but we’d managed to clear out a field and measured the distance so that when the catapults launched, we could tell how far the pumpkins went. It cracked me up that such an outlandish idea had taken over and become the full-ass personality of the festival. I’d even heard some alphas refer to the event as Pumpkin Launching Day. Hey, if it got everyone excited, I was here for it.
It wasn’t a competition; it was just for fun. That didn’t mean people didn’t want to be the one who sent theirs the farthest. It was going to be me who managed the task, of course. And I was fine with whatever that said about me.
I’d already heard talk of people planning their gardens around their pumpkin patch and how they would grow the biggest pumpkin—or one that would go the farthest. How one grew a pumpkin to be aerodynamic, I didn’t know, but I was glad to see my den excited about something. We also had pumpkins from other packs, so for all they knew, it would be one of those. At the end of the day, it was pretty much all luck anyway.
“Alpha, we’re ready to get started on the festivities. We just need you to launch the first pumpkin.” Patrick indicated the device. It looked like something out of an old history book. It was fabulous.
I smiled to myself. Launch the first pumpkin—that was not something I had anticipated I would have to do for a den gathering, but here we were. Weirdest of all? I was excited about it.
“Okay, I’m just looking for Jayce.” If he wasn’t here to see it happen, did it?
“We’re already a few minutes behind. If we don’t launch the pumpkins now, it’s going to be dark.” Patrick was right, but also a pain. I wanted to do this with my mate by my side. Could I have called rank? Sure. But I’d been actively trying not to be a dick, which was apparently something I’d been really good at being in the past.
No, not apparently. I was.
“Right, okay.” I grabbed a pumpkin and went to the little platform they had set up next to the catapult.
My Betas were there, ready to launch their pumpkins. They weren’t the only ones, either. The entire place seemed to be filled with pumpkin-holding people ready to fling them into the air to watch them plummet to the earth only a few seconds later.
Cider and donuts were being served to everyone, and I’d already had at least half a dozen. They were delicious. Thankfully, shifting and running would burn off those calories. Even if they didn’t, I didn’t care. Some things were worth it, and these donuts were on that short list.
The crowd quieted and gathered around, all of them ready to watch my little orange projectile launch. Once I stood on the platform, there was a buzz of excitement in the air. They were ready.
“Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for coming to yet another moon gathering, our first Harvest Moon gathering as a den.”
There were cheers all around. I scanned the crowd for Jayce, but I couldn’t locate him.
“I should have a flowery speech for you all about how far we’ve come, and the amazing things we’ve accomplished, and now we have yet another tradition to uphold.” There was more clapping. “But I think there’s someone here who could speak to that better than I can, and I’d really like to introduce him to you all, officially. I hope he is around here somewhere and can join me. I’d like you all to meet the Alpha Mate, Jayce.”
The crowd was quiet for a moment, all looking around to see where Jayce was. It was the first time they’d officially heard about our mating, but I’d be a fool to assume they didn’t already know. It still felt magnificent to say the words out loud to them all for the first time.
“I’m here! I’m here!” Jayce came running from over by the pavilion. “I’m here. There was a bit of a catastrophe—almost—we mixed up the hard cider with the regular cider, and we had to fix that.”
Oh goodness, I was afraid to ask the details. Now wasn’t the time. Jayce leapt onto the stage and wrapped his arms around me. That’s when the crowd cheered.
“Good for you, Alpha!”
“Welcome, Alpha Mate Jayce!”
I put my arm around Jayce’s shoulders. “I did not expect, when this bundle of chaos arrived at my door reeking of skunk, that I’d discover the man of my dreams—the omega of my heart. But here we are. I couldn’t imagine a better person to build this den with. He has accepted my mating. I ask that you all accept him as your Alpha Mate.”
The crowd let out cheers. Some threw flowers onto the stage, proving my theory that the rumor mill had been churning full force. My brother Corey, in the front row, was yelling the loudest cheers of all. I kissed Jayce deeply. That only increased the cheering.
“Now, since this was his plan and the catapult was designed by him, I think it only makes sense that he tosses the first pumpkin.”
“Were you going to tell them the other news?” Jayce asked.
A hush went over the crowd, as if they were anticipating some juicy gossip. I grinned. At least there was one secret.
“Den, in three months’ time, we’ll be welcoming the first heir of the Windridge Den pack. My mate is expecting our first cub.”
I wasn’t sure how it was possible, but the cheers got even louder. Jayce grabbed one of the smallest pumpkins, placed it onto the catapult, then looked around at the crowd and pulled the lever.
I didn’t bother looking where it went. I was too busy watching my mate be amazing.