Chapter 58
Maverick
Raven looked like she would rather be anywhere but here.
The look of panic on her face when Rasmus told her what we had planned was almost enough to make me call the whole damned thing off.
Yes, the ceremony was long overdue, but I had forgotten how many gaps there were in her knowledge of magical life.
Growing up on an isolated farm in the company of a few old witches, she wouldn’t have known about shifter bonding ceremonies.
Other species had their own, similar, ceremonies to celebrate soul-bond unions, but witches were more likely to have human-style weddings.
Zane fidgeted at my side, repeatedly yanking on the tie I’d told him to wear.
“Can you not stand still for two fucking minutes?” Alaric hissed, stealing the words from my mouth.
“I’m uncomfortable,” the incubus whined. “Can’t we skip straight to the bedroom bit?”
“No, I spent all afternoon writing my vows.” Alaric zapped Zane with a small spark of lightning, making him yelp. I rolled my eyes while silently wishing the goddess had given me Raven all to myself. Life sure would have been easier.
Thorrin caught my eye from the front row, where he sat with his mate perched on his knee and the wolf shifter at his side. He smirked before nodding. Neither of us needed words to agree that having pack mates required a lot of stars-damned patience.
It was a good thing we bears were goddess-blessed with patience in spades, I mused, as the wolf shifter muttered about this taking too long and could we all hurry the fuck up as he needed to eat his mate. Thorrin elbowed him in the side, provoking a whine.
Kai was the only quiet one. Of all my pack mates, I appreciated his stoic, thoughtful personality the most. He and I were the most alike.
“She’s nervous,” Kai whispered to me.
“Go to her,” I replied, knowing how good he was at calming our mate when she spiraled.
While Alaric muttered threats to Zane and the incubus sneered in return, Kai did as I suggested. He and the vampire said a few words to her, and then the three of them walked toward the dais, where the rest of us waited.
Mage lights burst into life when everyone stood.
My father stayed near the back, next to Uncle Patrick.
Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he smiled.
I’d been worried our bonding ceremony would trigger his grief, but he’d insisted it was time and that my mother would not have wanted me to delay it any longer.
Once Raven reached us, I pulled her into my arms and turned to face the assembled guests.
“Thank you all for coming to our bonding ceremony. We are here today to formally recognize our union before the goddess. To offer thanks for gifting us a mate none of us truly deserve, but one we will sacrifice our lives to protect.”
Zane coughed before beginning his part. “Raven, my sexy, sweet pet…” I scowled.
That was not in the speech he showed me.
“…you are the sunshine in my sky, the cream in my coffee, and the only female I’ll ever fuck again.
” Titters broke out while Raven flushed.
Her father grinned, apparently not at all offended, but Adam didn’t look quite so amused.
“My body is yours, I will kill for you, and when I die, I will wait for you beyond the veil so we can spend our afterlives naked together.”
I shoved my bear down as Alaric stepped forward.
“Raven, it took me a while to accept our bond…” Glynda snorted at that. “…but I love you and will kill anyone who tries to take you from me.”
“Is anyone else concerned about all the death threats in these vows?” Skyla whisper-shouted to Rex. “Because I find it disturbing.”
“I will wield my lightning and protect you from all our enemies,” Alaric continued. “And once the Mage Council releases my vast fortune, my worldly wealth is your wealth.” Zane scowled as Alaric smirked.
My bear rumbled, annoyed at the one-upmanship going on. We were the alpha. These imbeciles needed to learn their place.
Rasmus stepped forward. “Mea amica, I waited centuries for you, and when you came for me, I was not disappointed.”
“I’m never disappointed when she comes either,” Zane agreed much too loudly.
Alaric zapped him, harder this time, and the incubus squealed in outrage as a scorch mark appeared on his ass.
“I will love you, protect you, and tear the throats from anyone who tries to hurt you, my darling queen,” Rasmus continued.
Skyla gasped. “See what I mean? They’re all freaking psychos!”
“Oh, and my vast estates in Europe are all yours, my darling.” He smirked at the storm mage. “Which makes you a queen.”
Goddess save me before I murder the lot of them.
“Kai, you’re up next.” I silently prayed the merman didn’t offer to murder everyone and announce he was a secret billionaire.
“Raven, I am honored to be your soul-bonded mate, and I will spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to make you the happiest mate alive. I love you, sweetheart.” He flushed and smiled at her.
“Aww, she has one sane mate. Isn’t that sweet?” Skyla wiped a tear away and swooned.
I cleared my throat.
“Little mate, you are the most perfect mate a bear could ask for, and I thank the goddess daily for the gift that is you. I pledge to keep you safe, sated, and happy at all times. And if any of these idiots upset you, it will be my honor to end their pathetic lives.”
Skyla’s beaming smile slipped as my pack mates muttered to each other in outrage.
“That’s kind of…sweet…I think?” she whisper-shouted.
Thorrin dipped his chin at me in silent understanding. The wolf shifter was lucky he still breathed.
Raven opened her mouth and then closed it, speechless for once. She glared at Kenji and then turned her attention back to us.
“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “If I’d had fair warning, I might have written a cute little speech…”
“Speak from the heart,” Glynda advised, blowing her a kiss.
“Glynda’s right. Like always.” Raven rolled her shoulders back and smiled. “I never expected to find one mate, let alone five, and every day I wake up and thank the goddess for her blessing. You are all perfect in different ways, and I love you all so freaking much!”
Then the love of my life burst into tears while our guests all cheered and whooped.