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Ava’s soft, ethereal skirt floated around her as she moved, meeting Makaii halfway. He stood tall and shirtless, his tattoos standing out in contrast to the colorful paint across his chest and face.
Both sets of their parents stood behind them, Axel beginning the ceremony with a prayer, followed by a blessing from Cahaira.Then Nubia, Makaii’s mother, hung several strands of beads over Ava’s neck, and Axel used his thumb to swipe a zigzag of black paint across her forehead.
When Ava turned back to Makaii, they held hands, and Bailey didn’t hear the words, staying focused only on their faces. The look of utter adoration and devotion to each other had stolen her breath.Makaii ended their vows by copying his own face paint onto her skin, adding a streak of vivid blue over her cheeks and nose.They were beautiful together, and it hit her hard.
She watched them pick up their knives, slash cuts in each other’s left hand, then join palms. Together they recited the ancient words of shifter mates everywhere as they joined their blood in front of their packs.
The tension of the magic circled them, creating a whirlwind that pushed everyone on stage backwards by several feet. When the blood dripped from their hands to the floor beneath them, and their wounds healed, the whirlwind exploded outwards. It wasn’t a surprise that the power and strength of two alphas mating whirled through each pack and coven member in the area.
At the back of the grassy area, the magical winds hit her harder than she expected, and she stumbled backwards, the delicate spike of her stiletto sinking into the soft ground. Unable to pull her heel from the mud, she lost her balance and tumbled towards the ground.
Instead of hitting the hard mix of grass and dirt, hands gripped her waist, stopping her fall. With a surprising smoothness, she was steadied, her back molding against a hard body and her hands clutching the forearms that encircled her stomach.
“I knew you’d fall for me, baby, but I didn’t know it would be literal.”
After righting her, he didn’t waste any time, his hands splaying outward, roaming along her hip and lower stomach. Smooth as butter, he dropped his lips to her neck, the breathy groan of his voice dancing along the shell of her ear.
“You’re an absolute vision, more than a man can dream. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”
She let him get comfortable for about 2.5 seconds, and when he was relaxed against her, her elbow shot backwards into his stomach. Before he could react, her fist slammed downward right into his dick.
He released her instantly, grabbing himself and sinking to one knee while he groaned. She turned slowly, eyeing the man who may have saved her from tripping, but who also had the audacity, even for a split second, to run his hands along her body without permission.
Curiously, she watched him curse and try to breathe through the pain while she took in his appearance. A high fade with short, tight curls in a reddish-brown hue complimented his smooth sienna skin and admittedly beautiful face.Even clenched in pain, his dimples gave him a roguishly loveable look that would melt any girl’s heart. But not hers. So, for good measure, she laid one hand on his shoulder, and shoved him to the ground with a soft push. He fell to his back without resistance, laying dramatically in a spread eagle position. When she stepped over him, putting her black, studded stiletto on his chest for emphasis, she smiled cockily.
“Thanks. But watch your hands when you touch me. Can’t control my instincts and all. Wouldn’t want to damage that pretty face next time.”
His lips lifted into a slow grin, his tongue wetting his lips. “You think I’m pretty? Worth it.”
She shook her head and walked away, chuckling slightly, and leaving him in the grass, still unmoving. By then, the crowdsstarted dispersing as the official ceremony ended. Food was announced inside the convention area, as well as the restaurants that opened in time. Outside, there was an outdoor bar, and some of the Rathlin witches had set up to play live music. Most of the older crowd stayed outside, enjoying the softer, quieter ambiance, but that wasn’t for her.
Walking through the outdoor area, she greeted several people, mixing, mingling, flirting, and having fun almost immediately.She didn’t know if it was the calming spell Deidre had given her, or if it was because her mate wasn’t around, but she hadn’t felt an overwhelming desire to run up and jump anyone. Even her wolf was surprisingly quiet.
“Gio? Trav? Where you at?”
“I’m inside. The food is amazing. Especially the stuff Rathlin brought over. To die for.”
“Dancing. The DJ in the ballroom has all these fine women moving their ass. I’m in heaven.”
She cut the shared mindlink with them and headed inside. By the time she made it through the convention porch and entered the ballroom, she could hear the beat of her favorite songs playing on the dance floor. It was a stark contrast to the folksy music on the lawn and the calming jazz on the porch.
Hell yeah. She could shake her ass to this, maybe get Ava up for one last bestie’s dance.But the second she neared the dance floor, Gio swung her into his arms. They hadn’t made it through half a song before a random Tuisa warrior cut in. This one could dance, but the next one struggled good-naturedly. She had danced with several overly eager men when she had to take a break. One went to go get her a drink while another escorted her from the dance floor, pulling her to his group of friends. Instead, she promised maybe later and searched the room to find Ava.
She hadn’t made it two feet before she turned, slamming into Travis and knocking him over. Laughter rang out as the crowd watched him fall dramatically to the ground and lay there.
“Jeez, Trav. Walk much?”
She reached out her arm, and he sprang up, smoothing his shirt and looking her up and down.
“When did you get so tall, and holy shit, you’re like Catwoman in lingerie. Wait, don’t kill me.” At her slight push away, he put his hands up and stepped back, leaving his companion to introduce himself.
Travis was barely six foot, and with her four-inch heels, that put her two inches taller than him, but now she was almost eye-to-eye with the Tuisa man she had punched in the crotch only thirty minutes prior.
“We meet again. At least I’m not the one on my ass this time.”
She grinned. “Tends to happen. Travis spends more time on his back recovering from hits than anyone I know. I would say I’m sorry about earlier, but…” She shrugged, her eyes sweeping from his smile to his crotch, slowly now that she had the chance. He was fine as fuck, moved with a practiced smoothness, and had a presence that commanded attention from every woman near him.
“I had it coming. But I want to make it up to you. A dance?”
