Page 22

W hen we return home, a pink hue has made itself at home on Leera's beautiful skin. Her face, the tips of her ears, and if I could see her neck and cheeks, I'm sure they'd be covered in a similar blush. “You don't have any reason to be embarrassed,” I try to calm her.

She won't make eye contact with me, and her voice comes out barely as a whisper when she says, “They're all going to know exactly what we were doing,” while she fidgets in her seat.

I've already parked the car, so we're just sitting here together, waiting for her rise of nerves to pass. “Leera, you're not wrong, they will know, but it's not the same as it is with humans. Some packs even host mating ceremonies where it's all done in public for the pack to bear witness to.”

Her eyes widen, and her jaw drops open. “Tell me you're joking.”

I take her hand in mine. “I’m not joking. Nudity and mating are not taboo topics among any other species I've ever met. I've never understood it with humans. It's part of existence. Love. Joining. Breeding.” I point to the roof of the car, gesturing more towards our home. “The beings upstairs already loved and claimed you as our own. They're not going to be talking about the acts themselves; they're going to be joyous that you're officially part of the pack. You're bonded with us. Not just me. All of us.”

She slightly nods to herself, and it looks like she's having an internal conversation that I'm not privy to. I prod on her mental walls she's erected very well without my instruction, “I thought you needed help keeping us out of your thoughts?”

Her cheeks turn from light pink to red. “I-I did, but then I just kind of figured it out,” she explains sheepishly.

I nod and finally shut off the car, unfolding myself from the vehicle and moving around to her side. I open her door and crowd her in her seat. “I wish I could be surprised that you've already figured it out.” She looks up at me with her large, icy-blue eyes, waiting for me to continue. “Don't shut me out,” is all I quietly ask as I lay my forehead against hers.

“I wasn't trying to block you out…I mean…it sounds so much worse when you say it that way.” She runs her hands up my abs and chest through my shirt. “I just needed a moment to myself to gather my thoughts and prepare myself. I would never shut you out,” she finishes softly.

Grunting my approval, I lift her out of the car and into my arms, kicking the door shut behind us.

“Roman, I can walk,” she argues and feebly tries to escape my hold.

“I know.”

“Soooo, why won't you let me?” she snaps teasingly.

“Tradition.”

She rolls her eyes and laughs while the elevator doors close in front of us. “You're going to have to give me more than that.”

It's not often in my existence that I've ever felt…what's the word…insecure…but she brings it out of me. She's a wild card. The rules are different, and I don't always know what they are. In Zabella, as a wolf, everything has always been so black and white with little gray area. I continue to find that while so much that humans say and do is completely asinine, there are some things that they do exceptionally well. Traditions are some of those things. “Isn't it customary for a man to carry his woman across the threshold when they return from consummating their union?”

She gasps, her hands fly to her mouth, and her eyes fill with tears all at once. The elevator beeps, indicating that we've made it to the main floor, but I don't hit the button to open the door just yet.

“Did I do it wrong?” I ask, concerned that I screwed it all up; it was supposed to be part of the surprise.

“Oh, Roman,” she says lovingly as she raises her hand to the side of my face. “You're so sweet and thoughtful. It's a bit different, though, the…consummation”—she blushes furiously—“isn't why they do it, it's after a wedding. Do…do werewolves not have weddings?” she asks, and her face falls.

“Not usually. Our mate bond is stronger than any marriage would ever be,” I begin as a wave of sadness lurches across our bond and hits me square in the heart. “Leera,” I demand, and her eyes meet mine. “Just because it's something werewolves don't usually do doesn't mean it's something I won't give you. Do you want a wedding?” I pour all the love I can through our bond, hoping to wash away the sadness.

She drops her eyes from mine. “No, it's okay. You've already done so much for me.”

Moving her body so that it's no longer cradled in my arms, but now with her legs wrapped around my waist instinctively so that she has to face me, I continue, “Do you think I call you my little miracle for shits and giggles?” She tries to drop her chin, so I lift it back up. “This isn't a game, Leera. If you asked me for the stars in the sky, I would hunt down the Gods and Goddesses themselves and demand a way to give you what you wanted. If you want a wedding, it would be my absolute honor to give you the one of your dreams, and I'm sorry for not thinking about it,” he finishes and kisses my forehead.

“Okay,” she whispers in a way that would make me think she was unsure without our bond that's now brimming with happiness at my declaration.

“One more thing,” I say sternly. “All you have to do is tell me what you want, Princess. If I can provide it, it's yours. Okay?”

She nods and wraps her arms around my neck, nuzzling in. “Thank you, Roman.” She removes herself from my neck and kisses me with all the same love and happiness I have for her.

We're so lost in the kiss that we don't hear the door open and aren't aware until Benny yells, “They're home!” Effectively startling Leera nearly out of my arms, causing me to growl at him. The embarrassed blush returns with a vengeance, but surprise takes over when she sees everyone lower themselves to the ground to bow to her.

Luna, they announce as one through the bond, followed by dozens of voices of the rest of the pack on our lands.

“You guys,” she says, trying to hold back her happy tears without success. “Please get up. I don't want you guys to bow to me,” she demands as she pulls Benny to his feet.

The rest also rise with a nod from me. “If she doesn't want bowing, don't do it.”

Andrei looks like he has something to say, so I cut him off, Allow her this for now. If it's inevitable in her future, let her have this while she can.

Understanding crosses his face, and he nods before pulling her into a tight embrace. When he pulls back, they lock eyes for a moment, and I know they're having their own conversation.

She crinkles her eyes in happiness as she takes in the room. Matilda chooses that moment to steal Leera's attention with a big hug and whispers something in her ear that has even more love filling the room.

When my eyes meet Runa's, I expect her to move towards my mate first, but she doesn't; she comes right to me, embracing me in a fierce hug that I wasn't expecting, and I choke on my own emotions. “Good job, big brother.” She pulls back and meets my eyes. “But if you hurt her, I will gut you.”

She's completely serious, so I raise my hands in defense. “On my existence, I will do my best to only bring her happiness,” I promise my sister while firmly glaring at Eris with a glance at Dolos. Runa notices and shakes her head before moving away to Leera's side.

Once she's there, the girls are whispering and squealing in that way girls do. I wonder for a moment if Leera has rubbed off on Runa that much already, or if she's just learned how to best communicate with Leera. Being a werewolf-born woman, happy squealing isn't usually our thing, but I will gladly listen to them forever. My wolf whines in disagreement as they hit an impressive octave, causing me to chuckle.

“Let's see it then!” Runa announces impatiently.

Leera looks around in confusion for a moment. “See what?”

“Your mark, dear,” Matilda says sweetly.

Blushing happily this time, she looks to me, and I nod, tossing my jacket aside and removing my shirt first, causing a collective gasp around the room at the size of my mark. There'll be no hiding it. The large silver lines seem to almost glow in the lighting of the townhouse.

With everyone's attention drawn to me, Leera removes her jacket and pulls the neck of her shirt over, revealing her intricately woven, delicate match to my mark. Everyone gasps again as they take it in, and I pull her to my side.

Is something wrong with our marks? s he asks nervously.

No, Princess, I nuzzle into the top of her head. They're just very large and uniquely colored compared to most mate bond marks we've seen.

Why didn't you tell me that? So I could have been prepared.

You mean so you could have had more time to overthink it? I ask honestly, raising an eyebrow, challenging her to tell me I'm wrong.

As I expected, she scoffs and doesn't have anything else to say.

Andrei moves closer, his mouth agape. “Leera?” he asks to get her attention.

She swings around to him and sees the look on his face. “What is it?”

He registers his worry and schools his features, seeming to consider his words, then turns to me. “Roman, do your marks look familiar?”

My eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Should it?”

“It would seem that the advisor and your father kept you even farther out of the loop than I imagined,” he begins. “Your marks resemble the royal seal that was to be changed following the birth of the princess. As part of a weeklong celebration to express our gratitude to the Moon Goddess for our birth—though everyone only knew of the princess—the King and Queen planned to change all royal seals, banners, symbols…everything to a symbol of a Moon Flower in mid-bloom,” he finishes in awe.

Leera quickly pulls out her phone and types up a quick search for a Moon Flower in mid-bloom. She obviously finds what she's looking for while we all watch intently as her mouth drops open in shock; turning her phone to face me, and on the screen plain-as-day, I see a photo of the blooming stages of a Moon Flower, and right in the middle is a flower that looks too much like our marks to be a coincidence.

“Wh-what does that mean?” she asks, still in shock.

All I can do is smile and shake my head. “I believe it means that, like so much else we have learned about you, you have been blessed by the Moon Goddess, my sweet miracle.” Because what else could it be? What else could I say?

Her soul returning to me.

Her healing powers.

Her whatever-happens-with-feelings-and-souls powers.

Our mate marks.

It's all simultaneously a gift from the Goddess but also a message that makes me grow weary. Leera is—or will be—very important to the Goddess at some point in our existence, and all I can do is trust the Goddess and keep Leera safe from whatever lies ahead.