My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. All eyes were on Alpha David, my stepfather, as he ascended to the stand, but my focus was irrevocably drawn to the man beside me. The brush of his thigh against mine sent an electric current through me, a heat that seemed to melt the very fabric of my clothing, and an overwhelming, primal urge to simply melt into his embrace, to nestle into his lap, consumed me.
"And this concludes the Mating Ceremony!" the Alpha David's voice boomed, releasing a wave of joyous cheers and thunderous applause from every corner of the hall. "Congratulations to all the new mated pairs, and we eagerly anticipate your presence at the ball later this afternoon."
I remained rooted to my spot, lost in my own dizzying sensations, when a large, warm hand suddenly enfolded mine. Startled, I jerked, my gaze snapping to the source of the unexpected touch. His mask, a dark enigma, concealed his face, leaving only the depths of his eyes visible. Drawn by an impulse I couldn't explain, I blurted out, "Why the mask?"
The moment the words left my lips, the grip on my hand tightened, a silent question or perhaps a reprimand. A wave of panic washed over me. "I'm sorry! That was… that was so inappropriate of me," I stammered. "You really don't have to answer if you don't want to! Please, forget I said anything." I felt the subtle release of his hand, and a fresh wave of mortification threatened to drown me. "Oh no!" I thought, a cold dread washing over me even before we'd left our seats.
Was he already tired of me? My breath hitched, coming in shallow, rapid gasps. Panic, I knew it, was taking root. Then, almost before I registered it, I was pressed against his chest, a comforting hand stroking my hair.
"Shhh…" His deep voice was a soothing balm, instantly easing the tension coiling in my stomach. I felt my body instinctively relax against his embrace. "I was just taking off my mask, sweetheart. I could never be tired of you." The realization that I'd said the last part aloud hit me, and my face flushed warm.
"Sorry," I mumbled, burying my face against his chest again. When I leaned back, I noticed the room was emptying. A nervous cough escaped me. "Maybe we should… uh… get out of here and talk about that later?" I dared to look up, catching what might have been a hint of amusement in his eyes. He simply nodded, his hand finding mine again as he rose. My eyes fell to our entwined fingers, and that strange, electric tingling pulsed through me, accompanied by a nervous flutter that made my chest feel tight.
The aisle felt suddenly narrower as Josh stepped directly in our path. My new mate, blessedly, was a good few inches taller and built with a solid, intimidating strength that made Josh look almost slender by comparison. Still, that didn't deter Josh. His eyes narrowed, already dissecting and measuring my mate, and a cold knot of dread tightened in my stomach. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Please, Josh, not here. Not now.
"Josh Blackwater," he announced, extending a hand. The muscles in my jaw clenched as I tightened my grip on my mate's fingers, forcing a smile that I prayed wouldn't betray the tremor of fear running through me.
I expected my mate to release my hand, to offer the expected courtesy. Instead, he completely ignored Josh's outstretched limb. With an almost imperceptible shift, he moved, placing himself squarely in front of me. He became an impenetrable shield, Josh vanishing behind his broad shoulders.
"You okay, sweetheart?" The question, a low rumble from behind the mask, washed over me, an instant balm to my frayed nerves. I realized then, with a flush of embarrassment, that my knuckles were stark white from how tightly I'd been gripping his hand. I started to loosen my hold, ready to break contact, but his fingers tightened around mine, then smoothly intertwined with them, a silent, possessive anchor.
"Yes, sorry!" I blurted out, realizing I hadn't responded. Looking up into his eyes, I offered a quick smile. "I was just surprised, my brother," I stressed the 'brother,' stepping out from behind my mate to face Josh directly. A smile played on his lips, but I knew it held no warmth, only a chilling promise. My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard. "Would personally come to greet us."
My mate's gaze lingered on me for a long moment before shifting to Josh. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Josh," he rumbled, his deep voice sending another shiver down my spine. "I'd shake your hand, but I don't want to let go of my mate's," he emphasized 'mate's,' and my heart gave another joyous flutter. "I hope you understand." I could feel a subtle shift in my mate's Alpha aura, a protective shield, but Josh remained utterly unfazed.
Josh dropped his hand, but his smile remained, a warm, unsettling beacon as he admired our conjoined hands. "No problem at all," he assured, his voice smooth as polished stone. "Hopefully, we'll get to know each other better at the ball later." With that, he turned and, with a final, lingering glance, walked out, leaving us in his considerable wake.
The moment Josh was truly gone, the oppressive weight of his presence lifted, and my mate turned to me, his gaze piercing, full of a concern I was too terrified to fully reciprocate. "Are you okay, mate?" he asked again, his eyes searching mine as if to read the turmoil within. I hesitated, my mind a battlefield of unspoken anxieties. How much could I reveal without shattering the fragile peace, without frightening him away?
The plan was set: he would mark me, spirit me away from this suffocating pack, and only then, in the safety of distance, would I confess the truth. If he still wanted to reject me after that, I would accept it, though the mere thought sent a tremor through my wolf, a mournful whine echoing in the chambers of my mind, and my heart contracted with a sharp, primal ache.
I nodded, a little too quickly perhaps, "Yes, I'm fine." His gaze lingered, and I felt a flicker of his doubt, a sensation that both surprised and unsettled me. He hadn't even claimed me yet; I shouldn't be privy to such raw emotion. But that was a puzzle for another time. "I promise," I repeated, squeezing his hand, forcing a smile that I hoped conveyed sincerity. A quiet desperation bloomed within me – the hope that he would decide to keep me, no matter what I'd revealed.
"Now," I said, my voice a little brighter than I felt, "let's go meet the rest of my family." I tugged him forward, a silent plea for him to precede me. He didn't resist, his presence a steady anchor as he fell into step beside me. The question of how I'd known his doubt, how I'd sensed his lingering uncertainty, gnawed at the edges of my mind, a burgeoning curiosity about a connection that felt both undeniable and inexplicable.