CHAPTER 43

"You make it so obvious," Asher said with a shake of his head.
"What?," Mark asked with sham innocence. "Oh. That I admire your state of the art decanter and the thrill of workplace romance?," he asked tracing a finger around the bottom of the said decanter.
"No. That you are supposed to detain me as long as possible while my mate is being kidnapped from my house," he said smartly.
Mark turned to face him with a smile. "You know what? I quit," he said raising his hands.
"It's high time you did," he said rising from his chair. Mark had walked into his office hours since he was supposed to be on his way home in the guise of discussing a pressing business issue. After he had beat around the bush successfully for an hour, he had started pacing his office and bringing up small talks. Then he remembered the first part of the marriage rite.
He could never understand the reason for the whole process, from stealing a bride out of her bed to training to distract her mate while it was all being done knowing fully well that the man knew what was going on. It was all unnecessary and he could say the same thing for the whole rite. The mating was more than enough. But still, it was an age old tradition he had to honour.
"You can't leave just yet," Mark said blocking his path. "I'm supposed to keep you past midnight and since you already know that, you just have to help me here."
"I would do nothing of such."
"Common, we could have a couple glasses of wine from that fancy decanter of yours," he cajoled.
Asher sighed and lowered himself into the sofa while Mark poured them both a glass.
"We should toast to married life," he said as he lowered himself onto another chair.
"No."
"Why are you so difficult tonight?"
"Maybe it has to do with a certain idiot stopping me from going home."
"Just following orders."
"Why are you the only one detaining me? I thought there are usually more men involved," he asked downing his wine.
"You are right but seeing as I'm the only soul able to put up with you, I got saddled with the trying task," he said. "Not complaining though. I got this out of it," he added, lifting up his empty cup.
"Thought as much," Asher said smiling. If his guess was right, Mark was the only one there because he only had the audacity to stop him from doing what he wanted. His pack might not respect Jim but they feared him.
Asher took his time looking at his friend as he went back to his minibar and poured himself another glass of wine. There was something else Mark was trying really hard to hide from him and that was unlike the man he had grown up with.
Although, they more they had grown up, the more they had grown apart. They used to be so close. Mark used to tell him secrets he would not even share with his family even though he never shared much of himself with his friend. It never stopped the outgoing Mark. And he was the only reason they had grown so distant. He barely knew him anymore.
But he could right that. He felt like a new person now, more open and ready to let people like Mark get to know him again.
"Anything else about this rite you are not telling me?," he asked suddenly.
"No," Mark answered with a puzzled look. "You know as much as I do about it. We've both witnessed it often enough."
"Then why do you have this look?," he asked frowning thoughtfully.
"What look?"
"The 'Asher mustn't know about this' look," Asher stated.
"Come on, I've got no look," he evaded. "So, what's it like being mated?"
Mark changed the subject before Asher could ask him more questions. And Asher was no fool. He knew what his friend just did but dropped the topic. They could always talk about it later. He planned on doing more talking with his friend from them on.
"You should try it for yourself," he answered smiling contentedly.
"You should see your face. You look like the cat that got the cream. I never knew I'll see the day when Asher Anderson blushed about a woman," he said with a wicked grin. "I should have gotten it on camera."
"That sounds absurd. I do not blush," he answered with a snort.
"You did. Shana is really something. I'll like to know her more.
"I did not. And I think you know her well enough already."
"Are you jealous?"
"No I'm not. If you continue goading me, I might just rip your head off."
"That's no way to treat a friend."
Asher snickered at that.
"It's been so long since I raced you," he said out of the blue. "I bet you've lost your touch."
"Don't be so sure. I bet you a hundred I could make it to the territory border before you."
"Deal," Asher said presenting his hand for a handshake.
"Deal. Tonight?"
"I've a mating rite to attend and so do you," he said laughing. "I think we should head out now."
Mark glanced down at his watch and nodded.
★★★★★★★★★★
Shana rushed and jumped into his arms the moment he burst into the room.
"I'm so happy you found me," she said in relief, hugging him and not wanting to let go.
Asher was surprised at her reaction. But he did not mind her luscious weight in his arms. And she looked so fetching in the nightgown, he wanted to kidnap her back to his bed instead of the venue for the rite. She smelled so nice he could not help burying his nose in her neck before letting her down. "There was no doubt about me finding you Kitty."
"But it was a possibility and if that had happened, then it would have been too late and the rite would not have happened," she said in a rush. Saying it made her sacred.
"Now, who's been feeding you tales?," Asher asked looking around the women in the room, a of whom have their heads bowed. He recognised Adele and wondered for a moment why she was there but he said nothing about it.
"But it's true. Rose said...,"
"I knew she was behind all these," he said laughing. "Where is she?"
As if on cue, she rolled into the room. "You called for me, my Alpha?," she said with a knowing smile.
"I know what you've been up to. Still trying to scare her off me?"
"I only told the truth," she replied shrugging.
"Your idea of the truth is a tale no one is ever witnessed. Not even you?"
"But it happened."
"What happened?," Shana asked looking between them. "What would have happened if Asher didn't find me."
"Then you would have been....,"
"Now Rose, enough of the game," he said. "What she was going to say was that we would have both been put to death, which is absurd and has never happened as far as anyone could remember."
"I'm sure it did," Rose insisted.
"Thank God we won't be finding out. I found you Kitty," he said gazing into her eyes, oblivious to everyone else in the room. "And we have a mating rite to get to."
"Oh my God," Shana said suddenly.
"What is it?"
"I'm not dressed." She just had time to think about her state of dress; or undress since she had been kidnapped. Thanks to Rose's scary tale.
How was she supposed to appear before the whole pack in just her nightgown? It was not happening. Especially when Asher still looked so neat and sexy like he just walked off the cover of a fashion magazine.
"I'm afraid that is how you are expected to appear dear," Rose said.
She looked at Asher for help but he nodded in agreement. "It shows you were truly kidnapped. But she could use a robe," he said to his grandmother. He was not about to allow his mate parade herself half naked before the whole pack. Her body was meant for his eyes alone.
"My Alpha?," one of the women; the one Shana knew was going to be her friend spoke quietly from where she stood.
"Speak," he said shortly.
"I picked up your mate's robe," she said and left the room to bring the clothing, offering it to Shana with her head bowed. It was obvious the girl was scared to speak before Asher.
"Thank you so much," Shana said shrugging into it with a friendly smile. "You are a lifesaver."
Asher only gave her a subtle nod.
"Now we are set to go," Rose announced.
When she raced across from Rose's to his house on his back, a crowd awaited her in the moonlight with lit candles.
When he spoke about the pack, she never imagined she would be meeting almost a thousand people. She had imagined a couple hundreds maybe, but not more than that. For a moment, she was too shock to let go of Asher when he bent on all four to let her off.
Then she did and the Council of elders she already met proceeded and led them both to a circle of fire. There, they were offered a sharp knife and she watched, fascinated as Asher made a cut in his palm with it and handed it to her. She knew she was meant to do the same.
Shana closed her eyes as she made the cut. Then Asher joined his bloodied palm to hers and the elders surrounded them and began to chant things she could not make out.
All through it, Asher's eyes never left hers and his hold on her was so strong. She forgot about everyone watching them momentarily.
"What happens next?," she whispered as the chant went on.
"We mate before the whole pack," he said smiling smugly.
"Mate?," she questioned stupidly.
"Yes. We make love."
"What?!"