“It’s Finlay as long as we’re not doing something formal,” he told me. I gave him a smile. “Don’t tell me you are nervous, red,” he said.
“Me? Not at all. I’m just going to stand up, in a dress, in front of the whole pack and swear an oath and cut my hand open. I can’t even count the number of ways I can screw this up,” I honestly told him.
“Hey, hey. I know you will do fine. Some butterflies are normal. But you got this,” he told me. He reached for my hand and gently squeezed it. I took a deep breath and nodded. I tried not to notice how calming his touch was. He was my Alpha and my friend, that’s all.
“Amie, you look amazing. I have to have the broom ready to keep all the single wolves in this pack away. That’s unless youdon’t want me to keep them away,” Matilda said as she walked up to us. I laughed and gave her a hug.
“Please keep the broom ready and hand me one as well,” I told her. We all sat down and ate, the spirit was high and the dining room was filled with laughter. I took a moment and enjoyed it. Martin smiled at me.
“Are you having fun?” he asked.
“I am. I didn’t think I missed pack life this much,” I told him. He nodded.
“I can’t imagine living as long as you did without a pack. I don’t know if I’m impressed, or if I should worry about your mental health,” he said. I laughed.
“I think it’s about fifty, fifty, to be honest.” He joined in my laughter.
“Are you ready to do this?” Finlay asked a moment later. I looked around the room at the pack and it had been a long time since I had been as sure about anything in my life.
“I’m ready,” I told him. He gave me a smile and stood up.
“Let’s all go to the clearing, it’s time for the bloodening,” he called out. There was a cheer and everyone got up and moved towards the woods. I found myself walking in the middle of the pack flanked by Finlay and Matilda. The bonfire was lit and as darkness fell around us, I felt the world shrink until everything that existed was the clearing and the pack.
Chapter 11
Finlay
The pack formed a circle around Amie and me. A bloodening was always a special occasion. A wolf swearing loyalty to me and the pack was a big thing. This ceremony was one thing I loved about being the Alpha. But standing in the circle facing Amie felt special in a different way. She looked stunning in her dress, with her hair let down and her green eyes sparkling in the light of the fire. My feeling of puzzle pieces coming together as she joined the pack was stronger than ever.
“We are here tonight to open our pack and welcome a new member into our fold. Armeria Rose Sage, Amie, you have come to us to join our pack. Do you come to us with good intentions, ready to join our pack and strive for a better life for each and every pack member?” I asked her. She looked me in the eyes, something that was rare for me as an Alpha, but appropriate for the moment.
“I do,” she answered in a clear voice and I could see how serious she was.
“Blue Mountain pack, does anyone raise their voice with an objection to why Armeria Rose Sage should not be allowed tojoin us?” I asked the pack. I let the seconds tick past in silence. I could feel the pack through our bond and I knew not one of them had any hesitation about Amie joining us. But it was part of the ritual and I enjoyed the dense silence. When I was satisfied that we had given it enough time I smiled at Amie and handed her the ceremonial knife. It was carved from the antler of a deer. The first kill I had made after we had established our pack land. The deer horn was embedded with a row of sharp flint. Amie took the knife and without hesitating she cut a line from her right elbow to her palm.
“I, Armeria Rose Sage, ask to join the Blue Mountain pack,” she said and reached out both her cut arm and the knife. I took the knife and cut my right arm just as she had.
“I, Finlay Nero Cadwick, Alpha of the Blue Mountain pack, accept you as a member of our pack,” I said and grabbed her right arm just under her elbow. Our wounds lined up and she grabbed my arm. As hers was shorter than mine, she didn’t reach all the way to my elbow. I could feel her blood mixing with mine. Our eyes locked as we stood and let the magic happen.
“Do you swear your loyalty to me and my pack?” I asked her.
“I swear my loyalty to you and the pack,” she said. I felt the pack bond snap into place with her words. We released each other’s arms and I watched hers to make sure her wound healed.
“Let’s welcome our newest pack member!” I called out to the pack. There was a loud cheer and the circle of pack members crumbled as they all walked forward to greet Amie. I stood and watched how Cadence hugged her and then stood by her side as the rest of the pack hugged her, or shook her hand. Aunt Matilda joined me after a while.
“Good job,” she said.
“It’s not my first bloodening.” She rolled her eyes.
“I wasn’t complimenting your ceremony skills,” she told me. “Good job with getting her to join our pack, silly.”
“Oh. Right. Thank you.” She shook her head and kissed my cheek. “Time for a pack run!” I told everyone. The pups, teens, and the older wolves headed back to the pack house. The rest of the pack stripped and shifted. I led them in a shorter run. I wanted everyone to be able to join the entire run. We paused at the outcrop over the river. I pulled my head back and howled. The rest of the pack joined in and among the wolves I recognised Amie’s howl. We set off towards the clearing. I had let the pack members run alongside our newest member during the first part of the run. Now I could join her and trot alongside her for the final part without feeling I blocked the others' access to her.
‘How does it feel?’ I asked her in a mindlink, enjoying the fact I could now communicate with her in wolf form. She looked at me and I could see the joy in her eyes.
‘Amazing. I had almost forgotten what it feels like to be part of a pack. The bond and the constant connection,’ she told me. We got to the bonfire and everyone headed for their pile of clothing. Amie sat down and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to shift back. She sat in her wolf form, her tongue slightly hanging out and watched everyone around her.
‘Tired?’ I asked, feeling worried I had overdone it with the run. It was easy to forget that she was new to shifting and hadn’t had time to develop her stamina yet.
