“As much as I hate to ruin this moment, we do have a party full of guests to return to,” he whispered. “Believe me, I’d much rather stay out here like this with you forever, but we should head back soon.”
“I know,” I grumbled. “Just a few more minutes, then we can leave.”
He pressed me back against the mattress, smiling as his lips hovered over mine. “Anything for you, my love.”
***
Oliver was waiting for us outside the pack house when we pulled in. He flashed us a knowing smirk, taking a sip of his drink as he held out a pair of dry pants for Caelan.
“What happened to your clothes, Alpha?” he teased, causing Caelan to growl.
“Just give me those,” he grumbled, ripping the clothes from his gamma’s grasp as Oliver laughed loudly.
I joined Oliver while Caelan changed.
He slipped his arm around my waist, grinning at me. “Come on. Show me. I want to be the first to see it since I had to leave the party for Mr. Wardrobe Malfunction over there.”
I moved my hair aside, allowing him a look at my newly formed, crescent-shaped mark.
“Very nice,” he praised with a low whistle. “I always knew Caelan had a big mouth, but this proves it.”
“Seriously,” Caelan huffed, zipping up his pants and giving Oliver a playful shove.
Oliver stumbled backward with a boisterous laugh as Caelan wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. He glanced at my mark for a moment as if inspecting its size before grunting in approval. I suppressed the urge to chuckle.
“I’m just messing with you,” Oliver replied, slinging his arm around Caelan’s shoulder before we all turned and began walking toward the garden. “Seriously, I’m happy for you guys. This has been a long time coming, and I’m glad you found each other.”
“You’re next, you know,” Caelan mused. “Dillon and I are both mated. It’s time we found your special someone.”
“I certainly hope so,” Oliver stated with a smile, his eyes twinkling as he glanced toward the full moon. “Come on, let’s get you guys back. Gotta have your big entrance or Luna Maty will have my head.”
He polished off his glass as he headed back up the path, swaying ever so slightly.
“Is he going to be all right?” I questioned, watching Oliver stumble over a paver.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine,” Caelan assured me. “He’s a bit of a lightweight. But I guarantee if anything were to happen, he’d sober up like that.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis. “I’ve seen him do it before.”
We walked in silence for a few moments, the sound of the music growing louder along with the gentle hum of voices immersed in celebration. I glanced at him, pride swelling in my chest at the sight of my mark on his neck.
Mine.
We stopped just outside of the pavilion and waited while Caelan gave his father the opportunity to quiet the crowd. It took longer this time around as the drinks had been flowing while we were away.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time again. It’s my great pleasure to introduce Alpha Caelan Kendrick and his mate, Shade Kendrick!” Alpha Leal’s voice bellowed.
Shade Kendrick.
My breath caught as the name resounded in my mind. I was no longer Shade Mallory, the unwanted she-wolf from the Thunder Moon Pack. I was Shade Kendrick, the mate of Alpha Caelan Kendrick and the future luna of the Harvest Moon Pack.
We entered the pavilion to a chorus of cheers. Their jubilation was overwhelming but heartwarming, and I smiled, allowing myself to soak it in.
The group parted for us as Caelan led me to the center of the dance floor. They hooted as we flashed our marks, clapping and whistling in their exuberance. Then they descended on us, patting Caelan on the back and hugging me as they offered their congratulations for our union.
A woman with bright auburn hair that fell to her knees approached us. Her irises were a stunning shade of purple, and their unusual color surprised me.
She didn’t smell like a wolf, and that unnerved me because I hadn’t noticed anyone out of place before. She gave me a kindsmile when we turned to greet her, but something mischievous played out within her gaze.
“Shade, this is Luna Arien, the mate of Alpha Ranvir of the Summer Crescent Pack,” Caelan stated.
