Page 70 of Becoming His

“I’m just weepy. Leave him alone.” My voice is nasally from unshed tears.

Masen opens his arms. “Come here, baby.” I dash as quickly as my sore leg will take me into his chest. My hands curl up under my chin as he hugs me to him. I hide my face in his neck as the tears I was holding fall. The platform heels I wear give the extra height I need to nuzzle under his jaw.

The fancy white dress hangs in my closet. It just didn’t feel right. Mickey helped me braid my hair this afternoon, weaving the blue silken strand I bought for a belt through. The black leatherette leggings and sheer long-sleeved white tunic hide my healing cuts and scrapes much better. The bruising on my face has almost disappeared.

Masen gives me a few minutes to calm down before taking his seat at the table and pulling me onto his lap. I breathe a sigh of relief, touching him makes everything more bearable. The room quiets briefly as everyone else finds their seat. Food is delivered to our table first. The young women seem flustered by Masen’s, Caleb’s who looks more like an older brother rather than a father, and Sniffer’s presence. My being on Masen's lap further stresses her, she can’t figure out where to place the plates. Finally, I take mercy on her and grab Masen’s plate, putting it right in front of him. He smirks and watches as I grab my own and drop it right next to his. The pink prime rib makes my stomach tumble, so I end up pushing it to the other side. “Blah, that looks gross,” I shudder.

He chuckles, and I squirm in his lap. “You picked it, Little One. You said you like it.”

I shake my head. “I usually do. It’s your babies that don’t seem to care for it,” I say dejected.

The whispers start at the first few tables and flow back quickly. It only takes a moment to realize my mistake. I’m not used to people watching and listening. I need to learn to keep quiet. “Well, that’ll give them something to talk about,” I whisper, embarrassed about my error.

He shrugs. “They would have found out soon, anyway.” Masen instructs the awestruck waitress to, “Bring us another plate without the meat.” She rushes off to complete his task without even putting the dish she was holding down.

After we finish eating, Masen, his dad, and Sniffer excuse themselves to go outside where our ceremony will take place. Mickey, Nicole, and Red led me through to the back of the hall. We gather in the empty bar until it’s time to head outside. Red pours four shots and passes them to each of us. I push the small glass back. “Ah, I can’t drink this.”

Mickey’s knowing smile makes Red’s eyebrows arch. “And why might that be?”

My cheeks pink up quickly. “Well, see um, I’m pregnant?” It sounds like I’m asking them instead of telling them.

“No shit?” Red says and looks at Mickey.

“Is that why Michael told me all the males thought you smelled so good, you were in heat?” Nicole asks suspiciously.

“Not exactly,” I hedge.

“What does not exactly mean?”

Well, just like Masen said, they’ll find out soon enough. “I didn’t know the significance before, but I guess I’m a white wolf. Apparently, I don’t need to be in heat to conceive.”

“No shit?” Red says again, this time in a wonder-filled statement. They both look me over like it’s something they should have seen or can see now.

Mickey throws back her shot and huffs. “Yup, grandbabies. By spring, you’ll have four new Pack members.”

“Four!” they both shout.

Mickey laughs at their expression. “Yup, two little and two big. Caleb and I will go back up north long enough to hand his Pack over to the new Alpha. We’ve both been ready for a while, and this is just the excuse we need.” She seemed so sure when she and Caleb told us this morning. I was flattered and grateful that they’ll both be here to help us. “My only problem now is convincing my son to let me build within a mile of his house,” she says, crestfallen.

“He was totally kidding. He was already planning to build a guest house. He’s just as excited to have you guys here as I am.”

The door to the bar flaps open, and Michael pokes his head in. “You ladies almost ready?”

The sunset leaves a clear twinkling sky. The low full moon cast a pinkish glow on the clearing around me. Michael stands in the forest, so I’m in clear view the entire time. Traditionally I would be alone, but Masen insisted his Beta accompany me.

I wait barefoot until Masen, who’s been separated from me for the past two hours, finds me by scent alone without shifting. He must prove he’s worthy of being my Mate.

I hear his deep howl the moment he was allowed out to seek me. I’m at least two miles from the hall, but I’m not sure where he was being kept. Michael and I walked here so Masen would have my scent trail to follow. It’s probably only been three minutes when I hear a deep growl coming from behind Michael. We both turn in the direction it came from. I watch as Michael starts moving further away from me, retreating deeper into the forest. Masen’s large frame comes into view, coming closer to me, but he stares in Michael’s general direction, still growling.

Finally, he reaches me and swoops me up in a fiery kiss. His hand travels down my back, and he squeezes my butt. It’s the first time all night I’ve regretted not wearing a dress. “Mine,” he thunders as he continues ravishing my mouth. Forever passes before he finally sets me back on the ground. He twines a thick leather cord around my wrist and attaches it to his own, a way of binding us together for the trek back to the gathering place.

Masen makes sure to find the easiest path for me to follow and often picks me up and carries me to give my overused knee a break. As we near the clearing, I can see hundreds of candles suspended in small jars that hang from branches or are just set on the ground to illuminate the area. His father stands beneath a beautiful arch made of heavy vines dotted with white flowers. A white cord is swagged through some of the gnarled vines.

When we emerge through the tree line, the crowd whoops and howls in victory from our presence. Masen raises our bound hands high in the air. His large body seems to expand, and he lifts me in the air and shouts out a roar of triumph, causing his Pack to grow even louder.

He walks us to his father and takes hold of the white cord. Caleb smiles at both of us but whispers to Masen, “You need to set her down for this part, son.” He looks down like he’s forgotten I’m still in his strong arms then sets my bare feet on the ground.

“When a male is lucky enough to find his Mate, they celebrate with a Mating ceremony. When an Alpha is blessed with his Mate, the whole Pack celebrates for their union. Alpha Masen Black has sought and found his Mate in Sophia Brair. With the moon as their witness, we ask the Magic that makes us to bind their souls together just as this unbroken cord will bind their bodies together.”

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