12. Osias #2
Lissa led them to a cluster of food booths where the air was rich with the scents of grilled meat, fresh bread, and something sweet that made Osias’s mouth water despite the knot of tension still lodged in his stomach.
“This looks amazing,” Celina said, accepting a plate from one of the pride women manning the booth.
The genuine awe in her voice had several nearby pride members beaming with pride, and Osias watched as they began naturally gravitating toward her. Not because she was famous, but because her appreciation was so obviously authentic.
They found seats at one of the long picnic tables that had been set up beneath the oak trees, and within minutes they were surrounded by pride members eager to meet the woman their Alpha had chosen.
“Celina, I’d like you to meet Seth and his mate Marcie,” Osias said as the couple approached their table. “Seth is one of my finest pride enforcers.”
“And Marcie makes the best apple pie,” Seth added with obvious pride, which earned him an affectionate eye roll from his mate.
“It’s wonderful to meet you both,” Celina said, and Osias watched as she seamlessly shifted into conversation mode—not the practiced celebrity version, but something warmer and more genuine.
Throughout their meal, a steady stream of pride members stopped by to introduce themselves, and each time Osias found himself saying the same words: “I’d like to introduce you to Celina, my mate.”
The words sent satisfaction coursing through him each time. Not possession, exactly, but recognition and pride. The deep contentment that came from being able to claim her publicly and to let his pride know that she belonged with them.
And each time, Celina handled the introductions with grace and genuine interest, asking about their work, their families, their connection to the pride.
She remembered names, followed up on details, and somehow made each person feel like they were the most fascinating individual she’d encountered all day.
She fits so well, he thought again, watching her laugh at something Henrik was saying about his granddaughter’s latest adventure. She belongs here.
After they finished eating, Lissa appeared again with a mischievous energy that usually meant trouble for him.
“Come on,” she announced. “Time for the carnival games. Osias, you’re going to show Celina how it’s done.”
“I don’t think that’s—“ he started to protest, but Celina was already standing, her eyes bright with anticipation.
“Oh, this should be good,” she said. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Alpha.”
The challenge in her voice made his lion preen with satisfaction, and despite his better judgment, he found himself being led toward the gaming area where several booths had been set up with classic carnival attractions.
Twenty minutes later, he was reconsidering every life choice that had led to this moment.
“How are you this bad at this?” Celina asked, barely containing her laughter as his fourth consecutive ring toss attempt sailed wide of its target.
“I run a multi-billion-dollar corporation,” he said through gritted teeth, lining up another shot. “I negotiate complex international deals. I should be able to hit a simple target.”
“Maybe that’s the problem,” she said, stepping up beside him. “You’re overthinking it.”
She picked up a ring, barely seemed to aim, and sent it sailing in a perfect arc that landed squarely around the center peg.
The pride members who had gathered to watch erupted in cheers and applause, and Osias stared at her in amazement.
“How did you—?”
“Thirty years in Hollywood,” she said with a grin. “You pick up all sorts of random skills.”
She proceeded to demolish him at ring toss, basketball shooting, and the strength test, where she managed to ring the bell on her second try while he’d failed to even come close.
But at the last booth—a simple game where the goal was to knock down a pyramid of bottles—he finally managed to succeed, sending all six bottles tumbling with a single well-placed throw.
“Finally,” he muttered, but he was smiling as the booth operator handed him a small stuffed lion as his prize.
Without hesitation, he turned and offered it to Celina.
“For you,” he said softly.
She accepted the little lion with a smile. “It reminds me of someone I know,” she said, holding it up to examine its tiny mane. “Cute and surprisingly cuddly.”
Osias found himself laughing despite his earlier frustration.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold, Lissa’s voice carried across the festival grounds, calling everyone to gather around the large fire pit that had been prepared in the central clearing.
Osias felt his pulse quicken as they made their way toward the fire with the rest of the pride.
This was the moment he’d been both anticipating and dreading—the formal introduction of Celina to the pride as his mate.
The fire crackled and sparked as pride members settled on blankets and folding chairs arranged in concentric circles around the flames. The atmosphere was relaxed but expectant, filled with the comfortable energy of a family gathering.
Osias stood, feeling the weight of every gaze in the circle, and extended his hand to help Celina to her feet beside him.
“Before we begin the Telling tonight,” Osias said, his voice carrying easily across the gathering, “I want to officially introduce Celina to all of you. She’s my fated mate.”
The words felt monumental as they left his lips, carrying the weight of tradition and commitment and hope for the future.
“I ask you to welcome her into our pride, into our family, and into our traditions.”
The response was immediate and overwhelming—applause, cheers, and calls of welcome that made Celina’s eyes shine with unshed tears. Osias could feel her emotion through their bond, the mixture of gratitude and belonging and slight overwhelm at being accepted so completely.
When the applause died down and people settled back into their seats, Lissa stood with the natural authority of someone who had been organizing gatherings her entire life.
“Who would like to begin the Telling tonight?” she asked, her voice warm with anticipation.
Without hesitation, Celina raised her hand.
The firelight danced across Celina’s face as she rose from her seat beside him, and Osias felt a surge of fierce pride that nearly overwhelmed him.
His mate—brave, authentic, and utterly fearless—was about to share something personal with his entire pride.
She volunteered first. She wants to belong here.
The realization hit him with sudden force. This wasn’t obligation or politeness. Celina genuinely wanted to be part of this tradition, part of his family, part of the fabric of the pride.
“I’d like to tell you about my mother,” she began, her voice carrying clearly across the circle.
The gathering settled into attentive silence, faces illuminated by the flickering flames. Children stopped fidgeting. Adults leaned forward slightly. Even the teenagers who usually spent these events texting managed to look up from their phones.
“Joyce Bates was the kind of woman who believed every story mattered,” Celina continued. “She used to say that stories were how people found their way home to themselves.”