Chapter 29
Declan
Fear was a tricky thing. Not even Fallon planting a real kiss on my lips after I told her how beautiful she looked in her ceremonial mate dress quelled all of it.
But I packed it away to admire the thick leather belt that cinched her waist, highlighting the luscious curves of her ass.
The straight drape of blue fabric from neck to ankle left her hips and thighs peeking out.
My nerves didn’t stand a chance as we argued about underwear.
“It’s going to come off in five seconds anyway,” I said.
She crossed her arms, stretching the tight sleeves to the maximum. I got distracted hoping a thread would pop. “What if I have to bend over?”
I sighed when nothing ripped. “We’re going to a ceremony. Why would you have to bend over?”
“Have you met us? When we’re in a group, what couldn’t go wrong?”
“You have a dragon, a witch, a Nightmare, and a sorcerer bear-shifter rolled into one. Nothing is going to go wrong.” I wanted to sound more confident about that than I felt. Honey wasn’t entirely wrong about our friends.
“It’s freezing outside.”
Giddiness for the next part threatened to burst my heart out of my chest. “That’s what this is for.”
The spelled, sheer collar of moth thread, embroidered with wisteria flowers picked out with gold, silver, and voidberry-dyed thread, covered her neck and shoulders like a gossamer shroud. She looked resplendent, everything and nothing like the Old Magic’s vision of her.
“Better?”
She eyed it like it would bite her. “I am warmer.”
It took some further convincing that this was not a joke, but a handmade heirloom passed down to members of the pack for generations. But our bickering had a gentle quality. The warm glow across the bond was everything I wanted since the moment I laid eyes on Honey.
“Where’s your keepsake?”
“I have this fancy cape pin.” An emerald the width of my hand sat in gold filigree to hold back the forest-green cape folded over one shoulder. Unspelled, I needed the fur trim and wool to keep warm. “It was my father’s.”
That fear was back, pouring into the dark cracks of my confidence. Only held at bay by the concern filling her eyes.
“You don’t have to, Dec.”
I fiddled with my legacy. “I want a reminder of what we sacrifice and what we hold close.”
The heartbroken expression on her face conversely lightened mine. It meant she knew I took this seriously.
“I don’t think you need a reminder. You’re just the way I want you.” She tugged me into her arms and kissed my nose. “Other traditions I should be aware of?”
I reveled in her affection, still unsure how, after years of waiting, she was in my arms.
“This isn’t a normal mate bite. Yes, we’re completing the bond, but I’m also petitioning to turn you.”
“I’m ready. Who knows what I’m going to look like with four feet, but how bad could it be?”
I let her hang on that thought just long enough for horror to dawn in her eyes.
“You’re going to be beautiful. I promise. You’re always beautiful to me. Fur won’t change that,” I said.
Fallon screwed up her face. “No leaving me in the woods alone. No racing until I know what I’m doing. No biting–”
“I can’t promise that.” I let the heat burning inside me come into my gaze.
My nose grazed her temple. “It’s okay if you like it.
I won’t tell anyone about the resulting hot, howling sex.
Since you’re also going to change for the first time, Noth agreed to take us to the cabin on the edge of Sombermane to ride out your transition. ”
She shook her head like she would never get used to me talking dirtier than she did.
“I forced Evie to give it to me straight so I’m ready for that part.”
“Where I throw you into oblivion with the weight of my cock?” I asked innocently.
She blushed to where I felt the heat radiating off her.
“I took an extra dose this morning and I have the salve on me. We’re finishing this mate bond.”
Heartened that she had done the right thing for her body, I admired that her determination finally aimed toward fun.
She really had put forth an effort over the past few weeks to listen to her needs.
Of course, that didn’t mean she didn’t request an empty cabin for us to move into, set up her kitchen, and haul everything into our new home.
It just meant she spaced it out and took rest days in between. I saw her trying.
“Well, let’s not keep them waiting, mate of mine.” I crowned her with winter flowers from my temple vision and then threw back my cape with a level of drama that would have made Noth proud and took her hand. Only to have her stop in her tracks.
Fallon opened her mouth.
I blinked at her.
She closed her mouth.
I goosed her through the bond and she jumped, the words tumbling out. “Can I please just check on the wedding soup?”
I smiled at her fondly. I didn’t expect Fallon to drop into a soft life with absolute conviction. It was enough she tried. I was here to catch her when she tired herself out. “I thought you had already checked it off the list?”
The kitchen groaned with the wedding feast that the rest of the pack and our guests would eat after the ceremony.
Momma had already stocked our cabin with easy to eat food and Fallon had supervised what we left here.
We weren’t even going to partake. We stood before the fancy pot she had poured it in, spelled to keep it warm.
“I did. I mean. I know I don’t have to…”
“I’m not going to tell you, you can’t, Honey.”
She put her hand on the pot lid and I watched her fascinating mind work overtime.
“I hope this is the worst part of our day, Dec.”
I chuckled, nuzzling aside the rowan branch crown into her hair. She took her hand off the pot lid and leaned back into my embrace.
“I hope everyone enjoying my excellent meal is the very last thing I remember about this day.”
Now that I could get behind. “Promise,” I growled into her ear.
She giggled as I swept her up and carried her bride-style to the town square where we had a red lacquer sleigh waiting for us.
Bells jingled from the harness attached to Briggs and Cosomo.
I guess I had started a trend when I wore that saddle for Honey.
Now every pack member wanted to compete in riding, racing, and pulling.
So, of course, I had to give the honor to my favorite two siblings.
The rest of them had turned up once they heard I was getting married.
Sombermane covered a lot of land so it took a few days for them to arrive with all of my nieces and nephews in tow, but the temple would make room for us all.
The sleigh started up the foothills, wolves racing alongside us, barking and yipping into the frosty air. We all loved a party and I guess I had to accept I would be at the head of many more.
Some of the old fear surfaced. I wouldn’t be like any Alpha they had ever seen before.
No dominating my people into doing my bidding.
I wouldn’t reign in terror. To be honest, I was probably going to be much more interested in whatever Honey was doing than playing politics, but the pack seemed inclined to listen to my reasoning when it counted.
They would cower before Fallon if I had anything to say about it.
I smiled and waved at everyone following our ride to the temple. They didn't know what was about to hit them.
Noth and Maggie waited at the temple entrance, ready to hand us down from the sleigh. Maggie squeezed my hand, staring straight into my eyes.
“Don’t hurt her, or I will skin you in your sleep.”
My eyes glowed in the morning light. “I love you too, Mags.” I patted her head and watched her bare her teeth.
Whipped into the shadow of the sleigh, I barely kept my balance as she deposited me inside the temple. It was supposed to be an exciting reveal to the wolves gathered in the chamber, but Fallon and I looked more drunk than polished as we popped out at the altar.
I wove around a massively pregnant Evie to clutch Fallon’s forearms. I couldn’t believe Ward let her come to the ceremony, but then I caught how they looked at each other and my heart filled to bursting that Honey now looked at me in the exact same way.
“We are gathered here today…” I started, holding on to my mate with every fiber of my being.
The call and response of the prayer to the Old Magic was soothing, hypnotic.
Fallon answered flawlessly because once she set her mind to memorization, she even managed the correct lyrical intonation of the prayer in our language.
The ceremony became a blur as I dove into Honey’s warm brown eyes.
I was so honored to have such a smart, capable mate.
Removing her gossamer collar had saliva pooling in my mouth.
I had waited for this all my lifetimes. My friends and family surrounded us with love, my life with my mate–no, Fallon–about to start.
Momma was crying off to the right and even Maggie looked a bit dreamy, leaning against Noth.
And Evie… well, Evie looked a little green.
Honey?
Fallon flicked her gaze over to her best friend and paled. “Evie?”
“Nothing’s happening,” Evie squeaked, clutching her stomach. “Finish up your marrying.”
“I told you they would understand,” Ward said in a low voice.
“Just ignore the pregnant lady over here.” But sweat popped out on Evie’s brow and it automatically generated a whine low in my throat.
More than Evie about to have her baby right in the middle of my wedding, Ward was going to go ballistic if his mate birthed around strangers.
Fallon rushed to her side and bent over Evie, pushing back her hair from her face, sans underwear and all.
“Everyone, enjoy your dinner!” I yelled and scooped up a giant handful of Old Magic to safely transport everyone back to the town square.
Not that Maggie and Noth didn’t slip right back into the temple.
“Not bad, doggie,” Noth said just as Evie screamed loud enough to shake the stone walls.
“I need to walk,” Evie shouted.