Page 136 of A Broody Mate for the Human

“This will be your acceptance ceremony into the pack. The wolves will need to pledge their loyalty,” Dante explains. “As for you, you won’t need to do that. But you will need to share some of your blood like the others. It’s nothing too drastic.”

“Do you remember mine and Liam’s inauguration ceremony?” Annie asks. “When we welcomed the new pack members?”

I nod.

“That’s what we’re going to do tonight.” She pauses. “Dave, if you have second thoughts, then—”

“No,” I hurry to reassure her. “I’m scared, but I want this.”

This has to be the most dreadful walk of my life. Werewolves don’t like humans; at least, most of them don’t. I never really cared about that as my own werewolf friends accepted me the way I am, but now I’m about to face a whole pack. To my relief, I’m not the only one whose nerves show through. Hayden looks nervous, too, and once we meet up with Ella again, who brings Stella and Lady Portia along, I notice Stella’s anxiety.

“What’s wrong?” I whisper to her.

“Not every pack likes witches,” she mutters in return, nodding thankfully at Lady Portia when the latter rests her palm against her back.

I’m surprised Lady Portia isn’t worried at all, but there is no time to inquire any further as Ari and her mate Jazz lead us over a small path towards the back of a huge meeting place with a podium at one side. The others leave us to walk the main path towards said podium.

Well, here goes nothing. I take Raffy’s hand into mine, suddenly feeling a lot calmer. I’ve always wanted this. Deep inside I always wanted to belong to Annie’s and Ella’s world. Jun once said that my fate is interwoven with the werewolf world, and maybe he’s right. I’ve had two mates within not even a month.

Their Goddess has a plan for me.

It’s time to accept it.

Chapter forty-four

Acceptance

*DAVE*

Aryannakeepsushiddenbehind a curtain that separates us from the meeting place and the audience. It’s an outdoor place, but the platform and the first rows have a roof built above them. I can just assume it’s for smaller gatherings and in case it rains. The place is crowded now, men and women and children squeezing together to see what’s going to happen.

“How many pack members are there?” I ask Aryanna quietly. “I mean all in all.”

“We’re around 1800,” Ari whispers her reply. “But we’re still growing.”

“Is this a lot?”

“Yes, Red Claw is one of the biggest packs and easily one of the most powerful. Only Silverlake is bigger. They’re a little more than 2000 pack members.”

I nod my understanding. It’s like a little town on its own. Organizing almost 2000 people, having them abide by rules, feeding them, caring for them… it has to be a hell of a lot of work. I’m not surprised anymore that Annie always seems to be so busy.

I have so many more questions, but now is not the time to ask them, as the whole place suddenly turns silent. I peek through the curtain, noticing how Liam, Annie, and their ranked members are approaching the stage.

Although I’ve met Liam a few times, I still don’t know him well. He is a very private man. I just know him as Annie’s mate. The moment I see him stepping onto the platform with Annie next to him, I finally learn a whole different version of him. His whole posture changes. There is not the hint of a smile on his face anymore, his expression stoic and almost a bit… hard. I have no idea what alphas normally look like, but even to me, a normal human, he screams power.

His presence is enough to shut everyone up.

Liam gets to the point immediately. “You know why we’re gathered here today, as I assume the news has reached you already. Together with the ranked members of this pack, I’ve decided to allow six more members into our pack, and we’ll welcome them tonight.”

Aryanna pulls the curtain aside and leads us all to the edge of the platform. I’m eternally thankful we don’t have to go up there yet. To my surprise Raffy, Esme, and Hayden don’t seem to be nervous anymore. I can almost feel Raffy’s heart thumping through the bond, and it’s a feeling of joy and excitement for him. It reminds me of what they told me before… a wolf is a pack animal. They long to live in a pack; they need a feeling of belonging.

Raffy almost lost his wolf because of being alone for too long.

For them, this is probably a wonderful event now. From what I know, Red Claw is a wealthy and strong pack. Liam is a strong and smart leader, and so is Annie.

Right, I’m stupid for being nervous. I know these people… Annie and Ella are my best friends, and then there is Jun and my friends’ mates. I reach out my hand to take Raffy’s, entwining our fingers, smiling when he squeezes my hand excitedly.

“Whoever has a problem with a human or a witch becoming a pack member can discuss this with me personally,” Liam continues, the tone of his voice dropping a few degrees. “I will not allow any disrespect or discrimination against them.”