The sleigh started up the foothills, wolves racing alongside us, barking and yipping into the frosty air. We all loved a party and I guess I had to accept I would be at the head of many more.
Some of the old fear surfaced. I wouldn’t be like any Alpha they had ever seen before. No dominating my people into doing my bidding. I wouldn’t reign in terror. To be honest, I was probably going to be much more interested in whatever Honey was doing than playing politics, but the pack seemed inclined to listen to my reasoning when it counted. They would cower before Fallon if I had anything to say about it.
I smiled and waved at everyone following our ride to the temple. They didn't know what was about to hit them.
Noth and Maggie waited at the temple entrance, ready to hand us down from the sleigh. Maggie squeezed my hand, staring straight into my eyes.
“Don’t hurt her, or I will skin you in your sleep.”
My eyes glowed in the morning light. “I love you too, Mags.” I patted her head and watched her bare her teeth.
Whipped into the shadow of the sleigh, I barely kept my balance as she deposited me inside the temple. It was supposed to be an exciting reveal to the wolves gathered in the chamber, but Fallon and I looked more drunk than polished as we popped out at the altar.
I wove around a massively pregnant Evie to clutch Fallon’s forearms. I couldn’t believe Ward let her come to the ceremony, but then I caught how they looked at each other and my heart filled to bursting that Honey now looked at me in the exact same way.
“We are gathered here today…” I started, holding on to my mate with every fiber of my being. The call and response of the prayer to the Old Magic was soothing, hypnotic. Fallon answered flawlessly because once she set her mind to memorization, she even managed the correct lyrical intonation of the prayer in our language. The ceremony became a blur as I dove into Honey’s warm brown eyes.
I was so honored to have such a smart, capable mate. Removing her gossamer collar had saliva pooling in my mouth. I had waited for this all my lifetimes. My friends and family surrounded us with love, my life with my mate–no, Fallon–about to start. Momma was crying off to the right and even Maggie looked a bit dreamy, leaning against Noth. And Evie… well, Evie looked a little green.
Honey?
Fallon flicked her gaze over to her best friend and paled. “Evie?”
“Nothing’s happening,” Evie squeaked, clutching her stomach. “Finish up your marrying.”
“I told you they would understand,” Ward said in a low voice.
“Just ignore the pregnant lady over here.” But sweat popped out on Evie’s brow and it automatically generated a whine low in my throat.
More than Evie about to have her baby right in the middle of my wedding, Ward was going to go ballistic if his mate birthed around strangers.
Fallon rushed to her side and bent over Evie, pushing back her hair from her face, sans underwear and all.
“Everyone, enjoy your dinner!” I yelled and scooped up a giant handful of Old Magic to safely transport everyone back to the town square.
Not that Maggie and Noth didn’t slip right back into the temple.
“Not bad, doggie,” Noth said just as Evie screamed loud enough to shake the stone walls.
“I need to walk,” Evie shouted.
Before any of the men could move forward, Maggie and Fallon were on either side of her, helping her get up.
“I wrecked it,” Evie wailed.
“You didn’t ruin anything. I get to meet my Goddsdaughter,” Fallon said.
Maggie rubbed her sister's back rather hard. “Wait!Why is she the Goddsmother? I’d better get the second one.”
“I don’t want another one!” Evie wailed as she bore down. “Isn’t this supposed to be easy for shifters?”
“Well, you’re birthing a gigantic dragon… or a bear… or a dragon bear?” Fallon babbled, clearly stressed.
“Not helping,” Evie gasped.
“You’re doing great,” I told Evie, because Ward seemed all but paralysed and Noth was watching Maggie’s ass as they walked back and forth.
“Share her pain, Ward!” I yelled at him as Evie bellowed into the temple.
