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Chapter 8
Gabe ran his fingers over the collar of the new shirt, pulling the stiff fabric away from his skin. He was used to wearing suits every day in the office, but he usually had the good sense to have them cleaned before putting them on for the first time. The problem was now his mind and routines felt completely frazzled. He didn’t know which way was up, and he didn’t really care. Everything revolved around Ella and making her realize they were meant to be together.
He smiled into the mirror, liking how the shirt cut across his chest. Too often, Gabe was a little self-conscious about his lean figure. Comparing himself to Randy and Trace always made him wish he was born with the same brute muscle they had. Gabe cringed, thinking about how Ella had mistaken him for a teenager when they first met. He could have gone his whole life without being reminded by her that he had a little bit of a baby face.
She doesn’t think that anymore. Gabe’s wolf grinned, content to roll on his back and relive this morning's events. It was impossible to prevent those images from running through his mind, too. Ella, with her perfect ass across hislap, her bright eyes filled with tears and the scent of her arousal thick in the air. Gabe had wanted to run his fingers up her thigh and feel how wet she was for him, but he needed to remain firm in her punishment.
He adjusted himself at the mere thought of going further with her. It was enough to make him rock hard again.
What’s more, she seemed to be accepting their bond for the first time. Before shooing him out, she said something about being fine with everything and how it wouldn’t change anything between them. Well, of course, punishing her wouldn’t change anything between them. He frowned, wondering why she even thought that it would. All male werewolves had to discipline their mates at some point. It was an honor and a responsibility that he took very seriously.
Gabe flexed his hand, still slightly sore from her spanking. He looked forward to showing her precisely what kind of mate he’d be.
“You almost ready?” The voice on the other side of the bathroom door rumbled like chewed-up gravel. Randy was there when he opened it, messing with the buttons on his shirt. “I hate these things,” he complained.
Gabe laughed. “Let’s go. The ceremony’s about to start.” He paused, looking behind him. “Where’s Justine?”
“She’s helping Mariam.” Randy shook his head. “Jess decided last minute to stay home and not attend the ceremony. Something about… well, you know.”
Gabe did know, but he was still a little surprised. At one time, Jess had hoped to be Trace’s chosen mate, but after she acknowledged that he was settling down with Mariam, the three of them became really good friends. He knewthat Samantha had expected them to be together at one point, and their story gave Gabe hope that they could still be close after he mated with Ella. “You don’t mean she still has a thing for Trace? That feels so long ago. Is Mariam alright?”
“Don’t know, but I’m sure it’s fine. Just don’t say anything about it to Trace. He doesn’t need to worry about Jess’s feelings at his mating ceremony,” Randy said.
Gabe nodded. He grabbed his phone and wallet off the counter and followed Randy to the backyard. Members of the pack were already showing up, and they were finding a place to sit on the pillows strewn across the lawn. Gabe loved mating ceremonies for what they were: a chance to celebrate two shifters committing to each other for life. But all the trapping and decorations weren’t really his thing. He looked over everything without much interest. That is until he saw Ella standing at the front, waiting for someone.
Waiting for me, he thought.
As much as he hated her disobedience at the salon, Gabe couldn’t deny that her haircut and dye complimented her natural beauty. Some people might find it a surprising choice since Ella was so quiet a lot of the time, but he knew there was more to her than just a few shy smiles and faraway looks. His mate was deep and complex. She was fun, just like her new hair.
Her dress fit her perfectly, too. He didn’t have the same moment of pride as when she wore the black one he selected for her, but this one showed off her flawless figure perfectly. It was also modest, which he knew was important to her. Gabe had to grin, knowing he was theonly one who knew exactly what she looked like underneath the yards of fabric.
“Aren’t you going to sit with Samantha?” she asked, her eyes widening as she took in Gabe’s formal wear. His smile deepened, realizing he could have the same effect on her that she had on him. That is, until her words hit home.
“Why would I be sitting with Samantha?” he asked incredulously. Gabe didn’t even know where Samantha was. Probably somewhere in the crowd, but there were easily two thousand shifters on the lawn, and none of them called to him the way Ella did. They might as well be a sea of strangers.
She was about to answer, but her alpha, Jeremy, began addressing everyone instead.
“Thank you all for coming this evening,” he boomed over the talking crowd. The sound of his alpha voice was enough to cause a ripple of silence that spread over the entire backyard. “It is my pleasure to perform this mating ceremony. I know it is a very important event for the Tumblewild pack, but it is also a special day for Dark Claw and the bridge being made between our two communities.”
Most pack members nodded, though there were a few scoffs, too. No one had forgotten about the wild goose chase Trace had to go on to secure Mariam as his mate, and more than a few members blamed Jeremy for not having better control over Mariam when she was a member of his pack.
Of course, the one who knew her well didn’t find any fault in Jeremy. Mariam wasn’t about to do a damn thing she didn’t want to, and it was one of the things everyoneloved about her. Personally, Gabe thought that the pack’s judgment against her was unfair, anyway. Expecting all female shifters to fall in line just because their alpha wanted something was unrealistic. Their mates, on the other hand, had a lot more ammunition to work with. He slid his gaze back to Ella, imagining how convincing he would be with her writhing beneath him.
Ella wasn’t paying attention to him, though. Her eyes were jumping between Mariam and someone in the crowd. Frowning, Gabe followed her line of sight and spotted Samantha standing off to the side. He smiled at her, and she gave him a small wave in return.
Jeremy was going over pack law and tradition, leading up to the couple expressing their desire to be mated. Randy grabbed Justine’s hand as Trace said his vows. Gabe’s palm itched. He wanted to place his hand in Ella’s, and why shouldn’t he?
Before he could talk himself out of it, Gabe grasped his mate’s hand. She looked at him, startled, then confused. Her attention turned back to Samantha, but at least she didn’t try to pull away.
Justine gave the same moving speech about growing up as Trace’s sister that we heard yesterday, and then all eyes turned to Ella, waiting for her to say a few words about Mariam. Ella cleared her throat, shaking slightly.
“Since our parents died, it was always just Mariam and me against the world,” she said. “I was the older sister, always trying to put her on the right path, and you, Mare, were the younger sister, trying to get away with everything. Some things never change, but I’m sure Trace will be a better enforcer of rules than I was.”
“Here, here,” Trace agreed. Laughter filled the space.
“Mariam, since you’ve met Trace, you’ve changed into someone even more amazing than you were before. I know you never really looked up to me, but I want you to know I look up to you. Hopefully, I’ll find the same happiness you have one day.”
Mariam glanced at Gabe, communicating exactly what he was thinking.One day she’ll find that kind of happiness? What about right now?
