Page 12

12

JONATHAN

“ S he still won’t tell you what happened?” My brother watches Marie bustling around, preparing for a massive pack dinner being held to welcome her, one where she’s doing all of the work to get it ready.

Alphas and lunas from surrounding packs will be here, along with every wolf from our pack, and she’s determined that it’s going to be perfect to make up for what she considers a rocky start.

Not that she needs to worry, they love her already. She’s their luna. They adore her. Nobody has gone to this much effort for any event I’ve ever tried to host.

“No. I asked her about the blood, but all she’d say was that it wasn’t hers so there was no need to worry.”

My brother frowns. “And you didn’t ask any follow up questions?”

Watching my elegant and poised mate directing a florist carrying a huge centrepiece to a nearby table, I rub a hand across the back of my neck and clear my throat.

“She has a way of… derailing the conversation.” My mate is not above playing dirty when she wants to dodge a topic of conversation. Very dirty.

My brother laughs and squeezes my shoulder. “She’s able to take care of herself anyway, that’s something to be thankful for.”

I wish I knew exactly what she’s been through, but I’m not going to push her. She’ll tell me when she’s ready. Maybe she’s right. Maybe it’s for the best, because if I think too hard about it, the urge to charge across that bridge and savage anyone who stands in my way is strong. And that’s not the right thing for the pack.

Graham has shut the borders. Technically, the order came from his father, no doubt, to protect his son, but I’m under no illusion about who’s really calling the shots in that territory. But at least for now, they’ve remained on their side of the bridge, and we’ll happily stay on ours.

“He’ll be alpha soon, though.”

His father should have stepped down already. Graham is likely getting impatient. He’ll force the change eventually if his father doesn’t stand down willingly. Once he’s in charge, who knows what will happen.

“And we can worry about that then.” Ever the voice of reason, my brother smiles as his mate enters the room carrying a stack of linen tablecloths, and rushes over to take them from her arms.

He’s right. For now, everything is under control. My mate is home, fitting in nicely, taking her new role as luna in stride, and things are good.

Feeling my eyes on her, and my warmth through our bond, she turns and smiles at me, her eyes crinkling with genuine joy at finding me watching her.

MARIE: Ready for tonight?

JONATHAN: I’m ready for every night, forever, with you.

Marie sets down the crystal glasses in her hands and makes her way over to me, looping her arms around my neck and dragging me down for a kiss.

“You’re quite a charmer, Alpha Jones,” Marie murmurs, pulling me close. Her arms drop to slip around my waist, and she gives me a tight squeeze, her cheek pressed against my chest. “There might be a few broken hearts this evening with such a handsome bachelor being taken off the market, permanently.”

My wolf preens, loving her praise. “They’ll get over it, I’m sure. Nobody could begrudge two fated mates finding each other. It’s the ultimate gift.”

Marie goes quiet. Fated mates are becoming rarer and rarer within the shifter community, with packs becoming more and more insular to avoid detection by humans.

Less travel means less chance of finding your mate.

What Graham is doing to his pack is borderline cruel. I pray it’s a temporary measure, and that eventually, his wolves will be allowed to roam again in the hopes of finding their destined match.

I can tell Marie’s thoughts have drifted in the same direction.

“You know, I’ve been thinking…” Marie’s eyes twinkle with mischief that I now recognise as some scheme or hair-brained idea that I’m going to get dragged into. Suddenly, I’m nervous.

“That’s always dangerous.”

When Marie smiles at my comment instead of giving me a filthy look, I know I’m really in trouble.

“Maybe we should host a match-making festival, or join forces with all the packs in the region to arrange something. Maybe Graham will find his mate there and realise how wrong he is.”

I stare back at her. “Please no. Why us?”

She shrugs. “Why not us? It would be a good thing to do for the entire region, and a good way to strengthen relations among the packs.”

My mate has a point but it’s not something I want to entertain right now. Or maybe ever. I’d much prefer if another pack took on that headache.

“I hope he finds his fated mate, for his pack’s sake,” I say, loathing to wish any good luck on that man, but eager not to see his pack suffer for his erratic behaviour. “But I’m certainly not helping him. I’m not sure I could send anyone to live with him in good conscience.”

Marie nods against me, keeping her chin lowered, so I can’t see her expression. “He will find her. And I hope if he does, he treats her well.”

We both fall into solemn silence. The mate bond should trump all else. It’s almost unheard of for mates to be a bad match, or to not do anything in their power to make each other happy.

Yet, if Graham is as warped as we suspect, the mate bond might not be enough to stop him acting against the best interests of those around them. And if he never leaves the territory… Well, the chances of him finding her are non-existent. If she were from his pack, he’d know by now.

“Let’s focus on tonight. It is a celebration after all.”

Marie deserves this after the ordeal with Graham. She deserves the beginning she should have had with parties and a big warm welcome, and I’m going to make sure she gets it.

“Just think, Marie, this is the first pack event we’re hosting together. Someday, we’ll be hosting something very similar, but we’ll be handing over the pack to one of our children. One of our many, many children.”

Turning Marie around to look at the beautiful ballroom, I know she can see all the events we’ll have here. Birthdays, mating ceremonies, alpha ceremonies. A lifetime of memories to come.

“I can’t wait,” I whisper. “I can’t wait to have our own little family together.”

Dipping my head, I nibble her neck, willing away my body's immediate reaction to the thought of getting Marie round with my pups.

“Alpha Jones,” Marie murmurs, arching her back to press her ass against my crotch and torture me some more. “I can’t wait for my heat. And all the practicing we’re going to do in the meantime.”