My determination to save Amanda from what I'd believed to be a terrible fate faltered. Could I have been wrong about everything? Was she truly happy with them? But how could that be when —
“Amanda! Amanda!” A voice suddenly called out in Wölfennite,“Do not do this!”
Everyone turned to look at Priscilla, who pushed through the wolves gathered to the right of the pit, her expression desperate in the moonlight.“You must listen to me now! You do not have to do this. You do not have to marry two males you have only just met! I cannot stop thinking about what the she-wolf called Frey told me before about females being allowed to marry in this society. I am your best friend, and I…”
Priscilla's eyes shined with the sincerity of what she said next.“I love you. I have loved you in secret for so long. Do not marry these strangers this evening. I am asking you to marry the best friend who loves you. Marry me!”
A gasp went up from everyone who understood Wölfennite. Including me.
As they often say on the forbidden internet, WTF??? This was not how I expected our possible wedding intervention to go.
"What did she say?" Sea demanded to know beside me.
And somewhere in the crowd, I heard Frey's voice ask, "Why are all the Wölfennites suddenly looking at me?"
Naomi
The Wölfennites collectively gasped.
Then they glared accusingly at Frey, who was standing further back in the crowd with Astrid.
Then, Ronan growled in English, “Did you just dare to ask our mate to marry you instead of us?”
Well, new knowledge unlocked about the ESP bonds that mates shared:
Evidently, the mate bond could be shared with more than one partner.
And it must act as a translator.
Lorcan and Ronan appeared to have understood exactly what Priscilla said, and they both took a menacing step toward the Wölfennite who had just proposed to their bride.
For some reason, every Wölfennite in the crowd turned to look at me as if to ask how I was going to resolve this situation. Including Priscilla.
I wasn’t their queen. Non-hierarchical societal structure was about the only belief system I shared with the Wölfennites. Even so, something compelled me to intervene.
I turned to Sea to explain as quickly as I could why he needed to let me go. But he was already one step ahead of me. He released my hand with a firm, “Go tend to your subject,” like one of the commanders on my forbidden internet shows sending in special forces.
I rushed forward toward where Priscilla stood, facing down the grooms and bride. Did I have any idea what I was going to say? Absolutely not.
But I had to do something.
No, I didn’t believe in any of this ridiculous queen stuff, but at least I didn’t have to fight my way through the crowd.
They moved back, making a path on the right side of the fire pit as I hurried toward Priscilla and Amanda.
But I wasn’t fast enough.
Amanda pushed her way past her grooms and said in Wölfennite,“Priscilla, stop this nonsense now! You are ruining the happiest night of my life!”
“But how can you be happy with two males?”Priscilla asked helplessly.“You hardly know them, and I am your best friend. I have loved you in secret for years —”
