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Whew. I’m sorry, but there are only so many ways to say that it’s simple and white and a dress without wanting to snarl in frustration.
I do discover that there will be food served after, just not near where the ceremony is being held. Since the Alpha couple are expected to head straight to their cabin to finish the most important part of the ritual alone, Audrey’s offered to host the big party that will keep the rest of the Mountainside Pack all the way over on the other side of Accalia.
For that alone, she’s completely forgiven for the whole Coke incident.
And if Trish comes across as way too enthusiastic in the planning of her perceived rival bonding to the male she wants, I can say that I don’t sense any deception coming from her. She might not be as happy as she appears, but she’s still willing to do what she can to support her Alpha and prove that we didn’t make the wrong decision in allowing her to come back to the pack.
After Audrey and Trish finally leave, I hope that I’ll get a chance to catch my breath. Ryker miraculously reappears as soon as they’re gone, so even if I can’t grab a quick nap, I’d like to at least be alone with him.
Nope.
The den becomes a revolving door of packmates coming to congratulate their Alpha—and, just maybe, gawk at his intended mate.
I don’t blame them. Though most of Ryker’s pack council got a peek at me when I came up here two months ago, the rest of Accalia still has the idea of Omega Gem: the big curls, the sweet smile, the sundresses. I look so different that I just expect the ill-disguised surprise at this point.
Then there’s the whole “Gem’s an alpha” thing. All of Accalia knows, and I’m not sure what’s worse: the surprise or the open reverence.
It gets old. Quick.
Luckily, midway through the day, we head back to Ryker’s cabin. While the den is open to all packmates, his personal territory requires permission. The bolder shifters already visited us at the Alpha cabin so there aren’t too many willing to drop by Ryker’s home unannounced.
Thank the Luna for that.
We eat a quick lunch, talking about everything and anything except what’s going to happen tonight. In Ryker’s mind, it’s just about done, while I have this sense of dread hanging over my head as if something terrible is going to happen.
Not that I tell him that, though. I keep my dark premonitions to myself, choosing to needle him instead for how quick he was to abandon me to Audrey and Trish. The laughter in his eyes tells me that I was right. He totally did it on purpose.
I pull some of the crust off my sandwich, flicking it at his nose. Ryker snaps his teeth at me, but he looks so silly—my big strong alpha with a bit of crust hanging off the tip of his nose—that I can’t help but burst out laughing at him.
He gives me a mock scowl before batting at his nose with his hand. Once the crust is gone, he climbs up from his seat, clearing the dishes from the coffee table.
Instead of eating in the kitchen, we’d brought our sandwiches into the living room. Ryker tells me to relax while I can. Since I made the sandwiches, he’ll clean up the kitchen.
Sounds like a plan to me.
I’m just wondering if I should ask him to make me another cup of coffee when I hear the front door open, then close. Considering he headed into the kitchen, I have no clue why he left me alone in the cabin by sneaking out the front door without telling me, and I admit that I’m curious.
Just in case, I peek my head into the kitchen. No Ryker. Hmm. Now, I could go make my own coffee, or I could track down my intended and find out what had him leaving the cabin.
I’m just starting toward the front room of the cabin, intent on following him outside, when I hear Ryker call out my name.
“Gemma?”
I pause. “Yeah?”
“Can you come out here?”
I narrow my gaze at the closed door. Focusing past Ryker, I can sense that another group of males has come up to his cabin. Four, if I’m not mistaken.
There’s such a strange note in Ryker’s voice that I almost want to refuse. Something’s going on out there and after how I’ve had to play nice all afternoon, I’m not so sure that I’ll be able to fake it much longer—especially if someone out there is setting me up.
Four wolves. I snuffle, trying to get their scents. No dice. I can sense them, but there are limits even for an alpha shifter. With the door closed between us, I have no idea who is out there, but I have a pretty solid guess if only because itisfour.
Still, I can only imagine what they’re doing here right now.
But he asked. Nicely, too. It’s not an order or a command. Coming from an alpha wolf, a request like that is almost impossible to ignore; coming fromRyker, it is impossible.
So, with an audible huff, I cross the room, grip the doorknob, and push open the door.
