Chapter 31

“Is this necessary?” I grumbled to my mother.

In return, I earned a light thwack on the back of my head. “You are going before her family!” My mother barked at me. “After all you’ve done you will want to look good,” She muttered but there was no doubt she wanted me to hear it. She began snipping at the left over hairs she wanted in place and trimmed.

“If I had known someone may or may not be coming for her I would have bound with her before we ever left Georgia,” I tried to defend my actions, but this was my mother.

“Oh!” she began chuckling to herself. “And I’m sure you would have been so affectionate then too,”

“Mom,” I sighed, rubbing my eyes.

“Stop that,” She ordered, “I’m cutting your hair darling don’t move like that,” she laughed at me.

“Annette thinks her family will kill me,” I told my mom. I knew she wasn’t happy with what I had done but she still would support me through this.

Again my mother gave her deep chuckle. “Well I think she will be more than satisfied with how you perform,” She stepped in front of me inspecting my hair. “You are going to be just fine I know it,” She states matter of factly.

“When do they arrive?” I asked her, thinking of them made me feel like a child before his principles office.

“They’ll be here by dinner, they actually will fly,”

“Why fly when I can drive?” I raised an eyebrow at her. She knew I didn’t see the point in wasting thousands of dollars.

“It's quicker, comfier, and you might not be in so much trouble if you had flown with her instead,” she teased me again.

“Thank you so much mother and I was worried you were going to hold it against me,” I sarcastically reminded her she was my mom.

“You worry all you want you made the choice but I think I’ve annoyed you enough for today,” She grabbed a mirror and placed it in front of me. “Do you like it?”

I looked more groomed then I preferred but I was going to be bound in four days. “It looks good, thank you mama,” I stood and kissed her cheek she had turned to me.

“Go wash up,” she patted my back “And trim your beard!” She called after me.

“Okay!”

I went into my shower which wasn’t really my shower. I will admit not being a gentleman enough to give Annette the master was a dick move. I just built that room for me and my wife. Her being in there made it all so real.

Now she slept in our room all alone. I locked my door each night to keep myself from going in there and pulling her to me. I had caused enough damage, I didn’t need to do more by confusing her physically.

I decided to do a full shave so it would be short for the day of, I found myself thinking if Annette would like that or night a habit that increased every day.

The other night when the warrior from her familial clan came, I put myself as close as I could to her and when she’d touched me, my body turned into flames. The power she had over me, how could I live a life without her.

I stepped into the water to wash myself off. I still had to take another one after training but the tiny hairs were like ants driving me crazy.

*I had been running 10 miles every morning to get my endurance up. I sparred with Matt and Brian at the same time, then I sparred with Leon and Aarron, and then all four at once. Then I ran again, and then one more round of spar. *

I knew they were angry with me, with what I had done.

I am terrified to feel what she had felt those weeks I stayed away, I do not know if I can handle it. I have nothing to do but wait for the misery endured.

She has spent the past days in a flurry. I have been told by almost every female that she looked radiant in her dress. All I have done is invite people and train, besides this was all for her.

She seemed on edge the closer we got to the actual day. I think she was worried about me, about the ceremonies, her dance, but most of all the binding.

I was worried about the binding. All I could do was prepare for the rest of it. I was excited for our wolves to meet though, when she had come into the house after going for a run Enzo had sensed her wolf Seraphine…

From then on he’d been desperate for her to never leaving me alone, I wanted to meet Seraphine too from what I sensed she was more at ease with things than Annette.

I got out of the shower preparing myself for the next few hours. It was more than physical. I had to get into the mindset that everything was on the line. If I didn't it would seem impossible to overcome an obstacle like this.

I walked down the stairs women voices entering my ears.

“He just had a haircut let me clean up before you start my dears,” My mother spoke.

*Annette… *

I contained my speed as I walked down the final steps.

“Oh my goddess,” I heard her giggle. “I’ve never seen you without a beard before,”

Her laugh had to be the most beautiful sound…

“Mom told me to trim but this way it’ll be short on the day of,” I nodded to her. “I have to go train,” I gave a nod goodbye to all the women.

“Good luck,” She called after me.

*So little faith my mate…*

I knew she had seen more of her brother fighting than she had seen of me. The only time she had seen me fight was when I sparred with James. She wasn’t to happy with me for going too hard on him, hopefully this time around she will realize I have no choice.

“Grayson…how are you not exhausted,” Leon panted as I entered the training house.

“Simple, I’m not weak,” I flashed a grin at my Gamma.

“Poor Annette having to put up with you forever,” He growled at my back as I headed towards the ring where Matt and Brian waited.

“You’ll pay for that,” I threatened not turning back to look at the fear on his face.

I stretched for a second then wrapped my hands and taped up my shoulders. I didn’t want to be injured fighting those boys.

“Out of the ring!” Matt called once I was ready.

I entered with Matt and Brian. It was hard at first with just these two Brian is fast, and Matt he fights dirty.

I braced myself for everything they had. The difference is that these two men would never actually try and kill me. Annette’s brothers not only wanted me dead they wanted me to feel pain before I met the goddess.

I took on the two men in front of me. It took a little too much force to Brian’s leg and my leg on Matt's neck to put them down.

Leon and Aarron were a little easier. Leon always tries to fake out he wasn't as successful with the tactic as he’d like to think. Aarron though, I had to focus on him with everything I had or he would get me right where he wanted me.

Eventually, I felt him try and take me down after Leon lay unconscious. I grabbed his hands and leaned my weight into him and ran him backward. Then all it took was a couple of harder hits to his stomach before he threw up and conceded.

Then all four at once. Every time I fought it felt like climbing a mountain. I was already out of breath and felt an ache. Still, I moved on and pushed my way out of their grasps and claws figuring out how to finish this fight after ages.

By the time we had finished for the day my muscles were beyond dead. They felt numb but I had to keep moving.

I looked over and there she was a frightful but energized look on her face. Her face should only ever smile.

“My family is one hour out, are you okay to meet them?” she up at me so sweetly.

*No, I think we should go home and go to bed leaving the rest of the world to themselves. *

“I'll go shower,” I nod to her and start walking home.

“I saw the training…you should rest,” She called for me.

“I'm not even tired,” I called back. It was a lie but she shouldn't worry over this. I would win come hell or high water.

When I finally got below the water of my shower again, I made it cold this time. I wanted f ice the fire in my body, the collapse of my arms and legs that was inevitable.

I got dressed in a black button-up and the nicest jeans I had. This was my land I would at least be somewhat comfortable.

I exited my room to be greeted with her face yet again. She didn't see me though. She was putting an earring in and heading to the stairs.

A flowy soft red dress was on her. Her hair was braided except for the ones she always let frame her face just to test my will. The worst part was the necklace that went to where I couldn't let myself go. She had golden chains hanging from her neck, on her wrists, one or two in her hair.

*The goddess chooses to torment me in new ways with you. *

I walked after her, pulled forward by the need to put my hands on her waist and lean my head down to the crook of her neck to….

*There was a way of things though and I had made my touch of her the last step. *

“Annette,”

She spun and I kept the breath in me so it wouldn't be knocked out.

“Oh you look good!” She grabbed my forearm and dragged me down the stairs.

“I recommend a bit more humility than you normally give off. It might help the whole situation, goddess knows we need all the help we can get,” She rambled as we exited our home.

“Annette I won't put on a face. These are my lands I will be who I am here,” I took my arm from her. “They have to respect me for me,”

She shifted herself and started walking again. “Goddess help us,”

*So worried for me after all I have done? I have been treated the way I treated you and I barely came out alive but you, you find grace for me. *

We went to the main grounds in front of a large crowd. My mother came over to fuss about my appearance and to remind me to behave.

*I swear they work together*

I stood in between the two women who had more power over me than the goddess herself. I waited for my jury to arrive.

A black SUV came into view. It circled around the fountain and stopped just before us. Out stepped Luna Eva with the biggest smile.

“Oh, my pup,” she swept forward for her daughter, and Annette shrieked in excitement.

“Alpha Grayson,” I looked over. Her father walked to me with a darkness to him that would scare the average wolf.

“Alpha Jonathan,” I shook his hand and felt my hand constrict under his grasp.

“This will be interesting won't it?”