Today, I watch as the Alpha of the Northern Territories calls a Pack meeting and exiles an entire family. Today, I watch as the Alpha throws the dead, limp body of the woman who tried to ruin us at her mother and sister’s feet. Today, I watch as Masen gleefully tells his mother and father that their first grandchildren will be born in early April. Today, I watch as my Mate stands in front of his Pack and celebrates our union.

Masen stands in front of his entire Pack with his face so happy and calm he doesn’t look like the same man that stood in the same spot this morning making decrees. His white blue eyes are clear and soft as he talks with his brother and Sam. The white, button up shirt he wears is closely fitted to his well-defined body. The sleeves are rolled up his forearms, and the platinum band around his finger twinkles as it catches the light when he pushes his black hair back from his stunning face. His well-worn dark jeans fit over his thick thighs but aren’t tight. The black boots he wears now will come off soon when we walk into the woods.

He throws his head back and laughs uproariously at something Sam is saying. No one is unaffected by his charisma. The men closest to him laugh along, like they want to be part of what’s making him so happy, and the woman move closer, like they are drawn to him and can’t physically stay away.

I’m seated near the front of the hall at Masen’s behest. There are tables littered through the large room; most are empty as everyone visits or stands near a long bar brought in for the occasion. The heavy disappointment and anger from earlier is absent as they all celebrate with one another. I’m glad no one blames Masen for his rulings or the harsh treatment of Roxanne’s family.

Mickey and Caleb will soon join me at the table while we wait for Masen. The food won’t be brought out until he sits. I’m told typically the female’s family would serve the males, but I’ll only be serving them desert. The rest will be handled by the caterers. I never got to start my Masen’s cheesecake last night, so I threw a small one together this morning.

I’m lost in thought when the chair next to me pulls out, and Sniffer sits beside me. I knock shoulders with him, happy to see a genuine smile on his face. “You seem much better today,” I tease.

“I am, and all it took was watching my brother almost lose the love of his life before I realized I don’t want to lose mine either.” His cryptic statement only confuses me. His hand finds mine on top of the table “God, that was hard to witness, Sophie. Mase plays the tough guy, but I know it was ten times harder for him. When you wouldn’t wake up, I knew he was going to go with you, scariest shit I’ve ever seen. I love Sam. Hell, I might even be in love with Sam, but as sad as it makes me, he’s not my Mate. I know there’s a chance I’ll never find the person that was made for me but not to try would eventually kill me. I see the way you and Mase look at each other. I’ve seen it all my life watching my parents.” He shrugs his shoulders, his face oddly very serious. “I want that. I want to know I’d rather die than live without my other half and be at peace about it. That was one of the damnedest things. I knew Mase would be gone if you didn’t make it, and it didn’t seem to bother him a bit. No thoughts of what he was leaving behind his Pack, his family, and friends. He just knew he belonged with you.” I wipe away a tear before anyone notices.

“You’ll find them Sniffer! Whoever it may be will be almost the luckiest person out there.” I try and joke.

He laughs a little and puts his arm over my shoulder. “I’m leaving you know.”

I nod my head and a few more tears fall. “I do. Do you promise to come back?”

He ruffles my hair. “Awe Love, you couldn’t keep me away.” When he calls me Love, it makes me remember the first time we met.

Masen chooses that moment to walk up to the table. “Are you making her cry?” He asks irritated at his brother.

“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 legging 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 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 lead me to through 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 eye brows 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 a Mickey.

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

“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. The 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 seems 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 chest fallen.

“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 when 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 swaged through some of the knurled 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 at 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.”

Masen pulls the white cord from the branches and uses his free hand to loop it intricately over and around our joined hands and forearms. When he’s done, Caleb speaks again, “the journey of life is seldom easy, so these knots will show you the difficult times you will traverse, but just like these cords each will be overcome and lead you closer to the other.” Masen kisses me quickly and his dad laughs quietly. “We aren’t there yet son.” A few of the Pack members whistle and clap. “We; your family, your Pack; bless your Union.”

Masen’s Mark on my shoulder tingles when he says, “I, Masen Black, accept you, Sophia Black, as my Mate.” The air leaves my lungs in a whoosh as a strength I could never imagined fills my body. I can feel him inside me.

When I can breathe normally, I say, “I, Sophia Black, accept you, Masen Black, as my Mate.”

Masen’s hands shake, and his head falls back from our power exchange. When he looks back down at me, his smile is huge. “Damn, Baby, that felt good.” He groans sexily. Without instruction from his father, he kisses me deeply; his unbound arm wraps around my back and up to my neck. He caresses his fingers over my Mark, and it makes me gasp into his mouth.

The night air is filled with howls as he claims my mouth. His father stops our kiss before it turns into more. “Light the fire, and you can go son.”

Masen doesn’t speak but walks us over to the massive fire ring. It’s over filled with branches and twigs stacked by only Masen’s hands to burn at least through the night, signifying our burning love. It ignites with a fiery whoosh. The wood crackles from the sudden heat. He looks down at his hand that hasn’t yet touched the torch. “Oh shit,” he says then looks over at me. No one seems to notice he never physically lit the blaze.