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Ares
The following morning, by the time we’re dressed and ready to leave, I’ve already answered three messages from my pack, ignored two from Carter because whatever he wants is probably stupid, and told my Beta that if grown wolves can’t settle an argument over patrol routes without their Alpha there, then I’ll come back and make the schedule worse for everyone.
That shut them up – for about two minutes.
Being Alpha is still fucking boring.
Being Alpha with a mate standing in front of me, fastening her bracelet, is far more ideal. Seems like Royce had her stuff sent for her because she’s all dressed up, looking gorgeous in a white dress. She looks entirely unaware that she’s become the centre of my world – in a very distracting way.
Looking at her now, I’m glad to see the colour is back in her cheeks, her hair falling neatly over her shoulders, with that same insane volume only she somehow manages, and that composed Arden air back in place as if she wasn’t in the hospital just yesterday.
I like how she looks, but I think I prefer her in my shirt a little more. That’s the version I love the most, as she belongs in my clothes like it’s the most natural thing ever, unguarded, and relaxed.
She looks up at me, raises an eyebrow, and I realise I was staring.
“You’re staring,” she states the obvious.
“I’m checking if you’re steady enough to travel,” I lie.
“Clearly,” she replies, amused. We both know I’m chatting shit, and surprisingly she doesn’t call me out on it. Then she walks past me and pauses. “So, shall we head home, or do you want to spend another hour checking me out?”
Her eyes flick up to mine, full of that dangerous confidence that probably makes half the world either want to kneel or run.
I take it back; obviously she’s not going to let it slide. This is Charlotte Arden; she fucking lives to humble me.
“I could spend another hour checking you out, but it seems like I run a pack of fucking toddlers,” I growl, snaking my arm around her waist and pulling her close.
That gets a smile out of her. I’m not sure if it’s what I said or if it’s because I pulled her close, but either way, I’ll take it.
“I am the future Luna of the Blue Moon Pack. I’ll help you manage the toddlers.”
I stare down at her, just thinking of someone to help handle that shit… It feels… great.
Future Luna.
“Let’s head back and make you Luna ASAP then, because that sounds fucking great,” I say quietly, leaning down and placing a light kiss on her forehead. She tilts her head up, and I close the gap between our lips and kiss her deeply.
When we part, I take her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles, and lead her out.
“You do realise that this means you will have to listen to me?” she says as we walk down the huge staircase of the Rossi Mansion.
I give her a flat look. “Let’s not get carried away.”
“I am your Luna.”
“I’m your Alpha then,” I counter.
“Exactly, meaning you shall listen to me.”
I snort. “You wish,” I scoff.
She raises an eyebrow.
Yeah.
I’m fucked.
I stare back at her.
As confident as I sound, I have a feeling she’s going to fucking have me wrapped around her finger.
Ahren stands by a car – a fucking beauty, one of his own – and I don’t show how fucking excited I am to get behind the wheel.
“Don’t crash it,” he says dryly, tossing me the keys.
“Nice car,” Charlotte says. Ahren smirks at her, his eyes flicking to her neck where my mark sits. A shimmering dark teal with a wolf, a trident, and a wave all combined into one compact design. My own is pretty neat, too: a moon with water beneath it and three claw marks running through it.
“Thanks for everything,” I say to Ahren.
“Anytime, Ares. Drive safely,” Ahren says. “I look forward to Sienna’s reaction when she finds out you’re mated. Another Westwood settled. Three down.”
“Three down…” I repeat. And each woman we are mated to is pretty strong: Sienna, Shahira, and Charlotte.
I shake his hand before I get into the car, and Charlotte gets in beside me, then we set out onto the road back towards home.
We reach Blood Moon and Blue Moon pack grounds just before afternoon properly settles.
No one here knows I’m mated, but they’re about to find out.
I park outside the Westwood Mansion on Blood Moon territory.
Sometimes I feel a tad fucking sad that it’s not home anymore, not being able to mind-link my brothers, Dad and even Grandma, although I ain’t about to tell any of them that. Ever.
I get out, and Charlotte does the same, looking up at the mansion with an unreadable expression. I remember her last visit here, when I became Alpha… She was here as a guest, and now, now she’s here as part of the family.
I hold my hand out to her, and she walks over to me, but instead of taking it, she wraps her arms around mine, pressing herself against me. I look down at her and cock a brow.
“Are you nervous, Princess?” I ask, trying to hide my amusement.
“Of course not,” she answers with an icy expression.
“You fucking are.”
“Just…”
“Shut up?” I supply helpfully.
“Yes,” she whispers as we begin walking towards the door.
I open the door; as usual, it’s unlocked, and the smell of delicious food reaches my stomach. I nod in approval. I had told them I’d be returning today, and it’s a good thing I did, meaning there’s definitely food for us. What I hadn’t told them was that I wasn’t alone.
Shoving both hands into my pockets, Charlotte still holding my arm, I saunter straight through the archway that leads to the lounge and come to a stop.
I didn’t fucking realise everyone was here.
Dad, Grandad, Grandma, Jayce, Sienna, Carter, Renji, Katara, and even our champ Stephen is there in Sienna’s arms, tiny and oblivious to the fact that this family is about to become even more of a circus.
Shahira is also down from the Academy, too, sitting beside Renji with her hand tucked into his, looking calm, pretty and sharp-eyed in the way she always does. Renji looks far too smug, his eyes fixed on Charlotte.
The entire room goes silent as everyone puts everything together at different speeds – our scents, her holding me, the marks on our necks – and then they all look at me in that annoying fucking way they do right before someone says something irritating.
“Am I really seeing this?” Cunt Carter says, raising his annoying as fuck eyebrows.
Jackass Jayce looks from me to Charlotte, then back to me, then the marks on our necks, and the bastard’s mouth starts to curve.
Ratbag Renji’s eyes widen before a grin spreads across his face. “Oh, this is good.”
“Say one word,” I warn.
“That was four,” Renji says.
Shahira elbows him lightly. “Renji.”
“What? It was four words, and nothing happened,” he grins, and Katara stifles a laugh.
“Charlotte,” Grandma says as Sienna smiles brightly.
“Hi,” Charlotte says “Sorry for dropping in unannounced…”
I can tell she doesn’t even know what to say. Grandma shakes her head, and Dad smiles.
“This is your home now, too, clearly. You can drop in at any time. Welcome to the family,” he says as he stands and walks over to both of us, placing a hand on both of our shoulders for a moment.
“Liam is right,” Grandad says. “We just weren’t expecting Ares to come back mated.”
“The Blood Moon’s fault,” I drop in, and Charlotte’s nails dig into my arm as she looks up at me with a look as sharp as a blade wrapped in silk.
Dad’s gaze moves over us, and something soft flickers in his eyes before he smiles.
Sienna and Shahira exchange looks; both of their smiles growing.
“Welcome, Charlotte,” Sienna says.
“Thank you,” Charlotte responds as I walk towards the sofa, and usually I’d drop onto it and earn Grandma’s scolding for almost breaking the sofa. Today, though, I sit more slowly, giving her the time to sit down with me.
“So,” Jayce says, “The mission was productive.”
I glare at him. “Shut up.”
Charlotte’s hand brushes down my arm, and before she can move it away, I offer her my hand. This time, she takes it, lacing her fingers with mine.
That gets another ripple through the group.
Carter actually points at our hands. “He’s actually holding her hand.”
“That’s what mates actually do,” Renji informs him.
“But this is Ares,” Jayce adds, as I lean over and take Stephen from Sienna with one hand, not ‘cause I missed him or anything. He was just looking at me, init.
“Tell your dad to shut his damn mouth,” I tell Stephen, refusing to look at my brother.
“But holding hands-” Carter begins.
“I can break yours if you want,” I growl.
Charlotte stares at me. “Ares.”
“What?”
She gives me a look.
Right.
Apparently, I’m meant to behave now.
Ain’t fucking happening.
I spot Grandma studying Charlotte with those sharp eyes of hers, the ones that miss fucking nothing. She looks from Charlotte to me, then down at our joined hands, and there is something approving in her expression.
“I think this means we have a celebration to hold,” she says.
“No, we don’t,” I say automatically.
Everyone, including Charlotte, stares at me.
“But she needs to join the pack and take her place as Luna…” Shahira points out softly.
I frown. “I know that; I’m just saying, do we need to have another celebration?” I grunt.
“I’d like it,” Charlotte adds.
My annoyance softens, and I look at her, then I sigh, kissing my nephew on the forehead. “Then I guess we’re doing this shit.” Stephen babbles his agreement, too.
“We are,” Dad says, and Renji chuckles.
“But really, I have to say I’m thrilled. Truly. But Charlotte Arden and you? Mates?” He shakes his head, eyes sparkling. “Fate has jokes.”
“Yeah, apparently it started with you and Shahira getting married,” I retort. “Where the fuck’s your celebration?”
The entire room turns and stares at Renji and Shahira; Shahira’s cheeks flush as she looks down.
I look between them. “What? Was that meant to be a secret?” I ask sarcastically.
Carter turns slowly towards Renji as Jayce raises a brow. “You got married?”
“We did,” Renji says, now serious. “But we still plan to hold a proper celebration in the near future.”
I smirk, glad the attention is off me.
“I didn’t know you knew,” Renji says, looking at me with an almost sullen expression.
“I notice things.” I shrug.
Shahira sighs, though there is a faint smile tugging at her lips. “We were going to tell everyone properly; we didn’t want to wait to mark one another.”
I shrug. “So you could mate, you mean,” I correct, making Shahira blush.
Charlotte looks at me sceptically.
“Don’t tease her.” Renji’s eyes narrow.
I smirk; he rarely gets possessive unless it comes to her, so I milk it whenever I can and will continue doing so.
“Join the club.”
Charlotte’s fingers tighten around mine. “You really have no subtlety, do you?” she murmurs.
“Na, he deserved it.”
Dad looks between Renji and Shahira, shock fading into warmth. “Well, then I suppose we have more than one reason to celebrate.”
“Family dinner tonight, then,” Grandad says. “And an official ceremony tomorrow night. We will summon both packs.”
“And of course Charlotte’s family and friends,” Grandma adds.
“No,” I say.
“That would be lovely,” Charlotte says at the same time.
Everyone looks at us.
I turn to her slowly. “Excuse me?”
She looks up at me, all confidence and calm murder. “I want to join your pack, Ares, and I don’t wish to wait any longer,” she declares, then turns to Grandma and Grandad. “I would be honoured to celebrate with the family.”
“Good. Then I’ll call Catherine, Winona and Royce,” Grandma says, then pauses. “Do they know?”
“I told my mother and Winona this morning, as Royce already knew,” Charlotte says.
Grandma nods. “Good. But let me invite them for your Luna Ceremony.”
The good thing about family is that this is the kinda shit I don’t have to deal with.
“And Ahren and Mama know, don’t they?” Sienna asks, connecting the dots.
“I told them not to say anything,” I say.
Sienna nods as Jayce brushes her hair back and kisses her.
“Well, invite them; if we all call, that way we’ll tackle everyone faster,” Grandma answers. “Shahira, call your family, too.”
I turn. “Why can’t we just keep it to family?” I grumble. “No offence to you two, but I mean just us?”
“Because it’s a celebration worth celebrating,” Dad says, and Charlotte nods, turning to me.
“Exactly. That’s not a problem, is it, Alpha?”
My wolf likes the way she says that…
Fucking useless beast.
I almost pull her close but refuse to become another Jayce or Renji.
I lean down slightly, mind-linking her. You’re enjoying this.
Immensely, she responds.
“You’re trouble,” I say quietly as our family buzzes around us with things I really don’t care for.
Instead, I look at Charlotte, at my mate, my future Luna, sitting amongst my family as if she was always meant to be here. The buzzing fades away entirely. The teasing, Grandma’s discussion on food, Dad smiling as if he can see more than I want him to.
Tonight, I still have Blue Moon Pack drama to deal with, but right now, all that matters is that she’s with me, here for all of it.
“You good?” I ask her. She looks up at me, and then she rests her head against my shoulder.
“Better than good,” she responds, and I look down at her, inhaling the top of her hair as I press a light kiss to it. Stephen babbles again, reaching for her hair.
“Easy there, champ, the hair’s mine to tug at,” I murmur quietly. Jayce, Charlotte and Sienna all glance at me, but I ignore them, refusing to look up and acknowledge them. Luckily, Grandma asks Sienna something, and she turns away, amusement dancing in her eyes.
Oh really, it is? Charlotte asks through the mind-link as she tugs at Stephen’s cheek.
I look down at her. Yeah, really.
She opens her mouth, no doubt to tease me, and this time I’m unable to stop myself. I cup her face, making sure Stephen doesn’t fall off my lap, and kiss Charlotte deeply, not giving a fuck who’s watching.
Right now, all I care about is her.
Only her.