Page 154 of Bred

Rowan.

Mother looked lovingly at my dress, then tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. Her eyes were tired and dark, and her black hair was a little unkempt. She had been working very hard to make my ceremony perfect. My parents didn't have the means to throw something as extravagant as Rowan's family might expect. But my parents tried, and I loved them for it.

"I told Rowan you can talk to him for a few minutes on the porch," she squeezed my hand lovingly, "but no sneaking off. I know you're about to be mated, but it's still inappropriate for you two to be alone."

"I'll be quick," I said, opening the door wide enough to step through it.

"Lily!" Summer gasped. "Your dress! He can't see it."

Not wanting to keep him waiting, I rushed across my room and grabbed my robe, but the moment I stepped into the hallway, dread settled heavy in my gut. I had never been alone with Rowan before. What did he want that couldn't wait until morning? Did he change his mind about mating me?

Our little cabin suddenly felt teeny, the front door greeting me far too quickly. I pulled it open and stepped onto the small porch. The scent of spring blossomed all around me, making the air sweet and inviting. Rowan stood in the grass with his back to me. His enormous body somehow seemed even bigger in the dim moonlight. I pulled the door shut, and he turned to me.

The second our eyes met, my skin tingled with a warm, soft energy.

He smiled that slow sexy smile that revealed a dimple in his cheek and a glimpse of his straight, white teeth. His dark eyes sparkled, and a bit of my nerves drifted away.

"Good evening, Alpha," I whispered, clutching the front of my robe just under my chin.

He was clean-shaven, despite it being past sundown, and the slight burn of whiskey drifted toward me. His friends probably threw a party to celebrate. While omegas tended to hate the tradition of getting very drunk on the eve before bonding, most alphas enjoyed it.

"Omega Lily." He bowed his head. His expression grew intense as he moved toward me. I took a step back, keeping the space between us respectable. Thankfully, he didn't come any closer. I was sure both my parents were watching us carefully from the living room window.

"You look," his gaze fell down my body, then back up to my face, "lovely."

It was suddenly impossible to look him in the eye. The horrid conversation my mother lept to the front of my mind, staying put. Learning about all the carnal things alphas do to omegas made it hard to breathe around my soon-to-be mate. How did people live knowing these kinds of things?

"You always look lovely." Rowan's voice was deep and smooth.

I smiled, and my pulse quickened once again as I waited to hear what he wanted. But he didn't say anything else. In fact, looked as if he were in a trance, and I wondered if I popped him on the nose if he'd even flinch.

I couldn't stand the silence a moment longer.

"So…" I said, not exactly sure where my sentence was going but needing to fill the space between us with something. But my brain stopped there, and nothing else left my mouth. The single word just hung in the air, a reminder of just how uncomfortable I was.

Rowan stared intensely at my mouth and I took another step back. His attention seemed to snap, and he quickly slipped his hand into his pocket. "I brought you something." He pulled out a small box wrapped in red paper. It didn't escape me that the color almost exactly matched my dress.

He placed the gift in my hand, watching my expression carefully.

My heart fluttered at the sight of the poorly tied ribbon. He had clearly wrapped it himself "You didn't have—"

"I did," he said quickly, his eyes flashing in the moonlight. "There's so much I want to give you. And I wanted to have this delivered in the morning, but…." He smiled, his mannerisms almost bashful. It was so odd to see such a big, strong alpha look so young and timid, and it made me want to squeal that I made him act this way. "I needed to see you tonight. Even for a moment, and this was a good excuse."

I bit my bottom lip, his intense gaze making my cheeks warm.

"Open it," he whispered.

With one pull, the ribbon fell away, and I lifted the snug lid. A pair of stunning pink earrings sparkled up at me. The small stones dangled from silver spokes. They were breathtaking.

"They match the bracelet I gave you at the winter festival." He tucked his hands behind his back. "I know you don't wear jewelry often, but I thought you might wear the bracelet and earrings tomorrow." He smoothed down the front of his shirt, the dark color complementing his dark complexion.

"Rowan." My mouth hung open while I tried to find my words. They were gorgeous, but my ears weren't pierced, and I didn't want to embarrass him. While his generosity touched me, the pretty earrings only reminded me how little we knew each other. "Thank you," I whispered, placing my hand over my heart. "Thank you so much."

Rowan raised his hand as if he was going to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and I jerked, quickly brushing my hair over my shoulder to keep him from touching me. It was a horrible reaction to have toward such a sweet alpha, and shame replaced fear, making the backs of my eyes burn with tears.

I hated being like this, and I had to get over it. By this time tomorrow, we would be mated, and I would be claimed. And no matter my fears, I was determined to be a good mate for him, but it was just so hard to shake a feeling growing inside you for so many years.

Rowan glanced at my ear, and his smile fell. "Your ears aren't pierced," he whispered to himself.