Chapter 35

Nothing had happened last night. I don't think either of us were ready for that. We had been placed into a situation that had called for intimacy and we fell helplessly into the trap. I turned over in my bed, my body still felt him, it was made to remember him after all.

This day felt different than the others, unreal, and so vivid. I was supposed to sleep in so I would stay awake long into the night but I was lingering on how I felt on his lap when everyone dissolved around us and he cared for me openly. When he looked at me with desire, his body was so warm, his touch so inviting.

I squeezed my legs and turned over again. I had to sleep. I had to put him out of my head and drench the fire he lights whenever he is near.

Then my mind conjures up his scent and I’m almost swallowed whole by the need to be by him. I remembered his breath on my neck a couple days ago and sat up straight.

*Devious man teasing me without knowing it, louring me towards you and then disappearing. *

I laid back down and rolled over keeping myself focused on the smell of the sheets and their softness. I repeated the word sleep in my head until it finally came and took me away from the feeling I craved.

I dreamed of a large midnight wolf. He came to me in the woods running me down and swallowing me whole. Then when the sun came up sweet brown pups were before me and I picked them up into my arms heading off.

“How do you want your hair?” Cea asked me as we sat in front of my vanity.

We decided on braids on the side of my face and then they would twist and hold half of my hair up. The hair left down would be curled and flow down my back. Amaria placed the headpiece on me and it glittered on my head.

We only put coal on my eyes as I did not want too much on me when I became his. When I stood before the goddess and bound my soul to his I wanted to look like me.

Then I put on the gold chains that went around my neck and fell onto my shoulders. I put on the gold cuffs on my ankles and my feet. There were chains for hands and feet and all of it was gold with crystals and Sapphires on them.

To finish I put on the headpiece Amaria gave me. It had a sapphire hanging in the middle of my head and crystals dangling on the sides.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked regal and mature. This woman I stared at was a Luna of the Northern Eclipse pack, she bowed to no one.

*This is where it all changes *

We walked out of the house and I was surprised it was already dark out. Now I was revealed to Grayson.

I couldn't tell if my steps were slow or quick. I was scared and I was desperate. This is what I had dreamt of my whole life. Granted this is not at all what I had thought would happen. I think that this is what was meant to happen and despite everything that had happened I still had faith that one day he would look at me like I was beyond everything.

When I heard the voices of the crowd I was shuffled sideways. I was supposed to come in at a certain moment.

“When the people have settled the drums will start and you will come in and see him,” Amaria reminded me.

I heard someone speak and I couldn't find who it was through the heavy beating of my heart. I waited in a corner wondering how the night would go and waiting for the sound of drums.

They started their pounding in the distance and no one had to tell me to move. I straightened my spine, put my shoulders back, and raised my head. I was going to face him unafraid.

I saw the people as I followed the rhythm of the drums my people played to guide me. I walked with purpose knowing I would survive at the end of this road.

I saw him hovering above the other heads. He was in all black not to my surprise. His stubble shadowed his face and made his jaw more defined. His curly ink hair was ruffled slightly as if someone had raked through it nervously.

I couldn't have stopped if I wanted to at that point. The pull we had for each other became as strong as the day I had found him. I was set on an unavoidable course for him.

He stepped closer to me which he wasn't supposed to do and I was supposed to stop and wait for someone to join our hands but that was no longer an option.

I made my way to him like a woman in a dream state, hypnotized and needy for him and all he was. It felt so strong and my desire was all I had at that moment. His scent was all around me and his grey eyes were my home.

His hands which were so cruel and so sweet snaked their way around my waist. I roamed my hands up his arms our eyes connected in heat.

The drums stopped and the silence of everyone did not reach our ears. I'm sure after what felt like forever to the crowd we moved.

“Let’s eat,” He announced holding my hand and walking by my side to the head table.

He pulled out my chair for me and I sat in it feeling the weight of his hand leave mine.

“You look very much beautiful,” He cleared his throat as he sat down beside me.

I kept my giggling at his blunder inside. I made a rash decision and I grabbed his hand but he didn't push me away.

“I um have a surprise for you,” He looked over at me.

“What?” My heart flip-flopped in my chest.

A wolf of our pack walked over with a large tray that was covered.

“You ate so much I figured it was one of your favorite foods,” He nodded to the wolf and he removed the cover.

An abundance of snow crab legs was before me. He was not wrong this is one of my favorite foods.

“Thank you!” I grabbed the food in front of me and began cracking.

For the first time, Grayson laughed with me. “I see I was right,”

I happily ate the food he got for me and I looked over at him and saw his smile.

*This is what is supposed to happen. This is where we start. *

“Were you nervous at all?” I leaned over to him and I cracked a leg.

“I'm an alpha I don't get nervous,” He feigned. “I was terrified,” he whispered to me.

“Anna you look beautiful,” Theo came over to me.

I stood and hugged my brother. “Theo I love you so much,”

Theo looked over and shook Grayson's hand. “I’ll kill you if you hurt my sister. Slowly,”

I whacked my brother on his arm and he shrugged.

“I won't,” Grayson nodded in return and went back to his food.

We spent the meal laughing and joking with my family and the friends I had made at my new pack. I felt like this had happened plenty of times before the way everyone got along and spoke so merrily with one another.

We had another course of meat and bread and I continued to bathe in the cozy joy that wrapped around the pavilion.

“It's time my loves,” Amaria leaned over to us.

Instantly I felt anxious again. The binding would be intense for us because we were soulmates. Not only that but we came from alphas we would have vivid thoughts from the other and it would always occur.

It took many years to be able to show images to your mate but once controlled you could show them anything you saw or knew.

He grabbed my hand and as we stood everyone else did. We walked out of the pavilion and Amaria led the group into the woods for our binding.

I had been on edge all week for this moment and now that it was here I could feel myself lose control to the power of my connection by the goddess.

We walked into a large clearing an arch of flowers and branches stood before us. Trees had been wrapped in garlands of white flowers that shown under the moon's light. Lanterns hung above our heads and more flowers hung by them strung up between the trees.

The arch was older I could tell as moss grew up and in between the twisted branches.

I took his hands as we found ourselves at the front of the group under the moon and arch.

I focused on him and tried to calm my breathing. I couldn't believe this was happening.

“We bring this pair you have destined before you my lady,” Amaria rang out.

“They followed the path you set for them and they have come before you to make their souls one,”

I looked up at his face that was set so sternly. I thought perhaps he was trying to cover his nerves.

“You connected them at creation and now they will complete your creation in binding,”

She nodded to us and gave Grayson a sweet look.

Before I registered his movement Grayson pulled me closer and moved my hair off of my shoulder. He pulled closer and looked down to the buttons of his shirt for me to unbutton.

I began fumbling with the buttons and after minutes of trouble, I had his shirt undone. Then I realized the problem.

“Grayson,” I whispered

His eyes filled with worry and sorrow at my interruption of the moment.

“You're too tall, I can't reach your shoulder,” I smirked at him.

He laughed and shook his head and then knelt down on one knee. He sat me on his extended leg and brushed my hair out the way again.

I positioned myself to bite him and I felt his breath on my neck. I grabbed tightly onto his shirt as I brought myself closer.

“Ready?” he asked me.

“Yes,”

I bit into him as he bit into me marking each other and it almost shattered me.