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“No. Not really. It’s red and swollen, but it will remain there.” He kept his eyes on her shoulder.
She turned on her side to face him now. “What do you mean?”
“I marked you. When marked by a shifter, specifically your mate, you will wear that mark always. It can be sensed by other shifters that you are mine and not to be messed with and cannot be claimed by another.” He still wouldn’t meet her eyes.
Lorena leaned in and kissed his distraught face. “Good” was all she said.
He looked at her, a small smile forming before he kissed her back.
She didn’t want him to be upset for claiming her. She was his forever and always, and she wanted everyone to know it.
Shifter or not, Thomas was who she belonged with, and his ways were now hers. She never had to apologize for being herself with him. She would never make him feel as if he had to restrict or make himself less of anything that he was.
He was the alpha, leader of a pride. Now, he was her alpha.
Chapter22
Thomas
Today was the day that Lorena and Thomas would be united as one in front of all the pride. He had felt as though he had waited for this moment his entire life, though it hadn’t been as long as many others had waited.
All he knew was when he had recognized Lorena as his mate, waiting for the right time to claim her as his was like waiting for paint to dry.
Now the day was here when the pride and her father would witness this union, and he couldn’t be more eager or happier.
The only thing that would have made this day even more perfect was if his mom had been here to see it.
She had always wanted Thomas to find happiness and someone to tame his aggressive side, but he knew she was watching from beyond.
He straightened his tie in the full-length mirror as he thought fondly about his late mother and her kind heart.
He couldn’t be too sad about her not being here. In fact, in a way, it was because of her being gone that he even found Lorena.
If she had still been alive, Thomas would have had no reason to rush home and stake his claim as the alpha. Not right now, anyway.
“Always looking out for me, even when you aren’t around,” Thomas spoke to his mother’s ghost with a smirk. “Thank you.”
He took a final look at himself as Daryl entered.
“We’re all ready when you are. Everyone’s in position or seated.”
Thomas nodded as Daryl saw himself out and headed back to the gardens.
He was thankful he had Daryl as his beta. He had helped Thomas with pointing out the specific pride members who were not too fond of him taking Lorena as his mate. Hell, there was a handful who hadn’t even liked the idea of the human as his secretary.
They had tried to play smart and not say anything directly to their alpha’s face, but they hadn’t been as subtle as they thought.
Lorena had taken notice of them long ago and had been wary. He had now assured his soon-to-be bride that there was no animosity or threats lingering within his own pride. Thomas had made sure that he had dealt with them properly and that the message had been clear.
Most had stayed, thankfully, but not without a strong warning and an example made of those who thought they didn’t need to heed their alpha’s counsel. He had made it clear he would not stand for a divided or discontent pride. It caused unruliness and chaos, and they had all seen enough of that to last his whole reign.
There had been only two outcasts, but they bore no threat of retaliation. More like their egos were hurt due to Thomas not picking them, his own kind, as his mate. They and a male bore some nasty marks but were able to keep their lives since they had decided to leave. That had seemed to be enough for the rest to accept Lorena as his mate.
That, and the fact that they still had it fresh in their minds just what Thomas was capable of when it came to eliminating threats against her and himself.
He smiled as he thought about how good it felt to destroy Sonny in the way that he had. The mob boss would no longer be a burden or a danger to innocents.
Thomas ran his hand through his newly trimmed brown hair, trying to contain the shagginess that was determined to be untamed.
