Bear Caves Complete Series: A Bear Shifter Box Set
Page 63
Once I’m inside, she shoves the dress onto me. “Change,” she commands, and I grab the packet before it can fall. “We don’t have long.”
She leaves me alone in the room, and I unzip the black cover from the Shoma dress that Rose was kind enough to make for me. My jaw drops when I lay my eyes on what she came up with. It’s a Shoma wrapping around the torso, touching every inch of skin, with loose sleeves on the side. But what makes it absolutely stunning is that it’s red; my red.
I slip into the dress and find that it fits perfectly. It compliments all my curves, especially my breasts, and ensures that all of that bust is sticking out, appearing nice and firm. The Shoma stops right above my knees, and despite the sexiness of the dress, I’m surprised to notice that I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, I feel empowered like I’m in my element.
Jessica had already dropped off a pair of black six-inch stilettos at my place the other night. “A wedding gift,” she had said while smiling. I put them on now and look in the mirror. They seem to set the red on fire.
“Are you done?” Jessica calls from behind the door. I had completely forgotten about her, I was so captivated by my wedding attire.
“Yeah,” I tell her. “Come in.”
She screeches the moment she sees me and takes me in from top to bottom, then back to top again with her jaw dropped. “You look illegal,” she says in a high-pitched voice, which makes me laugh. “Red really is your color.”
I can’t help but wholeheartedly agree.
Jessica takes another hour to do my make-up, and when she’s done, I can’t believe it’s my face I’m looking at in the mirror. My eyeshadow is a shade of earth color with flares of red at the edge of my brows, making me look like I’m on fire. She explained to me before what contouring is, and all I had done was scoff at her, but now that she’s done, I’m completely baffled. I have cheekbones as high as the woods around here. To top it off, the blood-red lipstick brings out my eyes, or at least, Jessica tells me so.
Once I’m all done and look at my reflection in the mirror, I cannot believe my eyes. My hair is tied up high into a bun, all taut and pulled back. Quite frankly, I look hauntingly beautiful, and I never thought it was possible for me to look this way. I hug Jessica to thank her for it all.
“Shall we?” she asks, slipping back into her lemon green stilettos, which she rocks like a boss.
I nod at her even though I’m not ready. There’s no delaying this; the only way is through. Besides, I can’t wait to see Sebastian’s face when he sees the surprise I have in store for him.
We step out of the house, and my breathe catches in my throat when I see the rotunda lit up again. I’ve seen it every day for the past week since Sebastian and I came home after the fight, but it still comes as a surprise that something so beautiful could be so nearby.
We reach the end of the slope, and I see the gathering of people there. It raises my heart rate instantly, but everything stops when I find Sebastian in the crowd. A hush falls over the rotunda, and I see Sebastian turning around and looking in my direction. He smiles the moment he sees me, but his smile disappears as he runs his eyes up and down my body. I feel the heat of his gaze even from this far away. Stop it, baby, you’re killing me, I want to tell him, but I know it wouldn’t stop him.
I take careful steps, one after the other, never losing eye contact with Sebastian. Jessica helps me descend to the rotunda as we walk to the place where Sebastian is standing next to Joshua.
“He’s going to conduct the ceremony,” Jessica whispers to me then leaves my side once I’m next to Sebastian.
The crowd settles down as Joshua clears his throat to start speaking. I slip my hand into Sebastian’s because I really can’t get a grip on my nerves.
“You look devastatingly beautiful,” Sebastian whispers into my ear. The feeling of his hot breath against my skin doesn’t help the overload of sensations already coursing through my body. I nudge him with my elbow, and he puts a finger to his lips to stop teasing me.
“As you have now both become a part of the clan,” says Joshua, “your union is a sacred one that all present here will bear witness to. As the alpha of this clan, with my blessing and the blessing of everyone present here, I now pronounce you each other’s mate.”
There’s an uproar in the crowd as people start whistling, but all the noise stops for a second as Sebastian pulls me in for a long kiss full of yearning and sincerity.
I didn’t think I would ever fall in love with someone, but now that I stand next to Sebastian, I know that I’ll never fall out of love again. My life would’ve been a lot less sweet and a lot less meaningful if he weren’t by my side. I’m glad I could accept his love into my life; I was damn near to letting it go. It’s somewhat of a miracle that we made this happen against all the odds.
The crowd disperses, and some people make their way to the buffet while others pour themselves drinks. Sebastian and I find a quiet spot on the sloping lawn nearby and stare at the party going on below us. I place my head on Sebastian’s shoulder, and he brushes his hand against my cheek.
“You look ravishing,” he says.
I want to tell him that he does, too, but somehow the words are stuck in my throat. In his black suit and tie, he looks like he’s the prince charming that I never thought I wanted in my life. It’s really sweeter than fiction, the kind of life that I get to live with him.
We sit in our post-mating-ceremony bliss, the feeling unnaturally satisfying, which is weird because not much has changed between us. I guess it’s more about that promise and the ritual of solidifying it, writing it in stone, that from now on, we are a team. I like that; I never thought about it that way.
I stare at the crowd, trying to find something, and when I spot it, I smile.
“I have a gift for you,” I say to Sebastian.
“Maya, you didn’t have to—“
I roll my eyes because the man has no idea what’s in store for him. I stand up and offer him my hand. “Get up.”
We walk through the crowd, and I make my way to the couple that I’d been keeping my eyes on. They’re talking to Jessica and Joshua. I had given Jessica instructions to take care of them until Sebastian and I were ready to come over. I tap on the woman’s shoulder, and she turns around.
“Hi,” I say. Her eyes light up as they take me in, then shift to Sebastian.
“Mom,” Sebastian says, looking stupefied. Then he turns to me and shakes his head as though he can’t believe I made this happen.
Anything for you, my husband, I want to tell him, but I don’t. This is not about me; it’s about them.
Sebastian’s dad has also turned around by now and embraces both his wife and his son. When he lets go, there are tears in his wife’s eyes.
“We thought we lost you forever,” Sebastian’s mom says, tears steadily making their way down as she breaks into tears. Her husband rubs her back to calm her down, and Sebastian pulls her close and wipes away her tears.
“Thanks for coming,” he says.
“Oh, honey, I’m so happy to see you.” Sebastian’s mom takes his face in both of her hands and stares at him as if she’s seeing him for the first time. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’m sorry, mom,” he says to soothe the pain he clearly sees written on his mother’s face. “I’ll never keep you out again.”
I can tell there’s a lot Sebastian has to explain to them. The separation was hard on them all, but now that they’re finally back together, they can start to fill the hole the lonely years have left in them.
Sebastian’s parents turn to me next, and they hug me too.
“You are beautiful,” his mother says, making me blush and filling me with warmth. “There’s so much we need to talk about, so much to discuss, but I suppose tonight is your night. So we’ll let you keep each other company.”
Sebastian’s parents make their way to the lawns while the two of us go back to our quiet spot. We end up talking to a bunch of people
on our way to the spot, people neither of us has ever met. If we’re thinking of staying in the village, we might as well get to know more people.
“Thanks for being a part of my life, Maya,” Sebastian says as we find ourselves alone again. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you invited my parents to our mating ceremony. It feels great to have everyone who loves me here today.”
“Get used to it,” I tell him. “This is what the rest of your life is going to feel like.”
“What can I do for you in return?” he asks, and there’s this light in his eyes, which makes me want to keep staring at them. He looks like a child, transported back years. I notice that his hair isn’t ruffled right now. His unkempt hair is something of a turn on for me, though the well-groomed hair has started to grow on me too.
“Just be with me. That’s enough.”
We sit and watch the people around us enjoying themselves. Everyone is here to give us their blessings, to be a part of the new life that we’re going to start. I find Sebastian’s parents in the crowd again, eating food and talking to each other. The sight reminds me of my own parents, and I look up at the sky to find them in the stars.
Sebastian puts his arm around my shoulders when he notices that I’ve grown quiet. We’ve become better at gauging each other’s mood over the last months. It makes things easier.
“What are you thinking?” he asks me.
“I’m wondering what I did to deserve this.”
Sebastian doesn’t answer but pulls me in for a kiss. It might get tough, and it might get hard, but when all is said and done, I know the only thing that matters is our love.
*****
THE END
About the Author
Mia Wolf loves to write paranormal romance stories. Her stories are full of hot shifters, strong women and that undeniable attraction and steam that is in the air when two mates meet each other, fall in love, and fight the odds… Come on in, and spoil the beast in you.
Check out her author page on Amazon and be sure to click “Follow” to get new release updates.
Also check out the Wolf Sisters on Facebook for more news and hot offers.
Books by The Wolf Sisters
(All books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited)
Books by Mia Wolf:
Double Desert Shifters Series
What if I told you that deep in the desert is a place that all women dream of? A place where every woman is loved by two men, and where curves are like a gift from the gods? Would you stay home? Or would you come with me to check out the Double Desert Shifters?
Double Desert Shifters is a paranormal menage romance series. The stories are standalones, each with a HEA.
My Two Alphas
My Two Wolves
My Two Dragons
My Two Bears
My Two Lions
Start reading book 1 of the “Double Desert Shifters” series now:
* * *
Wolf Mountain Series
Come with me to Wolf Mountain, a village with hot, single wolves who are strong, muscled, and … single. They don’t need a mate. They don’t want a mate. Until they meet the one they will die to protect…
Wolf Mountain is a paranormal romance series consisting of stand-alone stories, each with a HEA, that are connected through the wolves who live in the village.
Werewolf’s Surrogate
Werewolf’s Second Chance
Werewolf’s Prisoner
Start reading book 1 of the “Wolf Mountain” series now:
* * *
Bear Caves Series
Come visit the Bear Caves, a mysterious village where bear shifters live far removed from humans. This village, with its caves and its festivals houses not just any bears. No, it houses Very Sexy bears, who are not easy to please, but who will protect their mates with their lives without question.
The Bear Caves series consists of stand-alone stories that are connected through the bears who live in the village. Each story has a guaranteed satisfying HEA.
Mated to the Bear
Craved by the Bear
Kidnapped by the Bear
Protected by the Bear
* * *
Books by Kayla Wolf:
“Dragon Valley” Series
Dragon Valley keeps a secret that noone knows about: Dangerously sexy and muscled dragons have made the valley their home. But their existence is at risk. They need to find a mate or else their time might be up. Will the dragons find their mates?
Dragon Valley is a paranormal romance series that consists of standalone stories that each have a satisfying HEA. The books are connected through the dragons that live in the valley.
Mated to the Dragon
Protected by the Dragon
Auctioned to the Dragon
Kidnapped by the Dragon
Guards to the Dragon
Marked by the Dragon
Hunted by the Dragon
Claimed by the Dragon
Start reading book 1 of the “Dragon Valley” series now:
* * *
“West Coast Water Dragons” Series
Have you ever visited the peninsula of the Water Dragons? You will have to look hard for it, because the dangerously hot dragons living here want to keep it a secret from anyone but you… Yes, you read that right: you are invited on a wild ride by the most attractive men on the West Coast (and that’s saying something with Liam Hemsworth around…). So pack your bags, because you’re going on an adventure to a very secret place. Bless the woman who gets lost here…
“West Coast Water Dragons” is a paranormal romance series consisting of stand-alone stories, each with a HEA, that are connected through the dragons who live on the peninsula.
Dragon’s Nanny
Dragon’s Mail Order Bride
Dragon’s Secret Baby
Dragon’s Fake Mate
Dragon’s Obsession
Dragon’s Protected
Start reading book 1 of the “West Coast Water Dragons” series now:
The “West Coast Water Dragons” series is a spin-off of the “Dragon Valley” series.