by E Hall
Olivia and Octavius, our elder wolves, explained it like a system of checks and balances. If for some reason, the Alphas aren’t suitable for the role, they can’t just reign over the pack without question. If another wolf is stronger, they’ll take the position. If the opponent wolf kills the male Alpha, he can lay claim to his Alpha’s mate. Not happening.
Yet, I cannot seem to escape the darkness inside me. I’ve been the opponent wolf, battling Alpha mates.
Have I killed an Alpha? Yes, my best friend.
Did I claim Logan’s mate? No, but it turned out that she was the werewolf that terrorized our lands.
I lean back in my chair, overwhelmed by my desire to protect Kenna. It’s all-consuming.
“Corbin?”
I blink a few times, realizing Baker was repeating my name. The conversation that I was only half-listening to catches up with me. “Yes, I’ll address the issue with Melchior.”
And then some.
My wolf practically prances inside, excited by Kenna’s proximity and the ceremony. He’s ready to howl at the freedom that comes with knowing who he is and who we are in partnership with Kenna.
Unlike in the human world, where they emphasize individuality, wolves thrive on community, belonging, and placement.
Being an individual is like being imprisoned. Being part of a mated pair is liberty.
The autumn days have drifted by like the leaves dropping from the oaks, maples, and birch trees on our lands. But my temperature has held onto the summer heat as anger and desire vie for my attention. My mind repeatedly turns to the hate I have for Melchior and what he did. But my wolf clings to the love I feel for Kenna and craving to be with her for eternity. I cannot let anything other than that consume me tonight.
She is the bright spot in my life. She is the sun and moon and stars. I yearn for her in a way that won’t quit until we seal our fates together.
Unlike a regular wedding ceremony, there’s no tuxedo or fancy gown. No, this is primal, earthy, and traces back to the beginning of shifters. I showered, but don’t bother shaving. Soon, I’ll be hairy all over because tonight is the night of the wolf.
As I step outside, I gaze up to find the Dog Star, Canis Major, the brightest in the sky. I let its light seep into me, fuel me.
I tune into my wolf senses. The first part of the ceremony involves Kenna and I finding each other. The pack elders, Olive and Octavius, will bring each of us to the woods. She and I will have to steer by the stars and scent to find each other. Our journey will match the stars that make up Sirius, the Dog Star, as we retrace our shifter origins to find each other in the present.
Then the pack will come together for the rest of the ceremony. As usual, a feast will follow, lasting well into the night. It will be the first night Kenna and I will spend together as a sealed couple.
The wind shifts. I scent wolf. My hackles lift. My inner wolf stands at attention.
Octavius, in his wolf form with nearly white fur and reddish eyes, crouches low in the bushes. If I were simply human, I’d be terrified he would spring and rip out my throat. Instead, I shift into my gray wolf.
The scent of decaying leaves, wood smoke, and mashed potatoes fills my nostrils along with millions of other things. My wolf-sight is keen, but my sense of smell is stronger. I sniff for Kenna.
Olive must use a fig to conceal her scent, at least for now.
Octavius trots down a track leading deep into the pack lands. I follow, listening to the night sounds and focusing on Octavius, explaining the journey that will lead me to Kenna using the wolf-way of communication.
You want to arrive at the destination, connecting in the most primal and meaningful way wolves have with their true loves and forever linking your future together. However, everything that brought you here, is equally important. The path of your life shaped you into who you are. As fated mates, you have to always be your very best for the other. Honest, true, loving. If not, you can change the course of your fate.
Uneasiness ripples through my muscles at that piece of information. I’ve lied to Kenna twice, both times putting her at risk. I convinced myself it was for the greater good of the pack and the magical world. It’s interesting what a person, and even an Alpha, can do to rationalize poor behavior.
Octavius stops in a clearing, gazing up at the stars. It is time for you to relive the journey that brought you to this place, this time. The stars will guide you forward, but only if you let go of what no longer serves you. Think of it like baggage that you don’t want to take on the next leg of the journey.
At those words, the Dog Star flashes in the sky, beaming down to me, seizing me. For the next hour, my life flurries through my mind—my childhood with my father, my first shift, changing Logan, leaving Scotland, the Alpha Call-Out, meeting Kenna, and the recent discord. All of it and every little moment in between flashes by like fast-forwarding through snapshots in time.
All that matters is the love Kenna and I share and the wellbeing of Pack Hjalmor. I keep my strength in mind, body, and spirit. I keep my intelligence, logic, and discernment. I keep the best parts of myself, preparing to share them with Kenna.
When the time comes, I try to leave the desire for vengeance, anger, and occasional bouts of jealousy behind. But when the starlight dims, I fear I haven’t quite let it go.
I’m not sure if Octavius notices, because all at once, Kenna’s wolf-cherry scent fills my awareness.
My wolf guide gives me a subtle nod, telling me I free to find my mate. I tear through the woods in search of her.
My paws tread silently over uneven ground. I’m agile and don’t snap a twig or disturb the leaves lingering on the autumn branches of the trees.
All I hear is the effort of my breathing, the thrum in my chest, and Kenna’s wolf heart summoning me.
A ripple of dark reddish fur streaks past. I charge after her, engaging in a wolf’s favorite game—chase. I run after her before catching up, nudging her shoulder with my muzzle. She yips and tears off toward the east. I put on a burst of speed, racing after her.
This is where the fun begins. Gaining on my fated mate, her tail flies behind her, fur shining in the low light, and eyes flashing playfully. She cuts across me. I pivot, following her before finally pouncing when she slows down to avoid a massive boulder.
I tackle my wolf-mate to the ground. We wrestle playfully, nipping and yipping.
Soon, Octavius and Olive summon us. Her fur is a deep black with a hint of burgundy. Almost the color of a kalamata olive.
They lead us to another clearing lit with a bonfire. I sense the rest of the pack nearby.
The elders instruct Kenna and me to circle the fire three times before the flames leap toward the sky, sending down a shower of sparks that take the form of a boy being chased by a wolf.
Kenna’s wolf, with her smoky-gray eyes, gazes at me. The corners of her mouth lift in a slight smile. I blink a few times, giving her the wolf version of a smolder. I don’t know when it started, but at some point, while in physical form, I noticed it brought a rosy tint to her cheeks that I cannot deny lights me up inside and kindles my desire.
Octavius and Olive’s voices enter our minds using the wolf-way. If they’d heard my thoughts, my cheeks would be flaming.
“Long ago,” Octavius begins. “Late one night, a boy was being chased by a wolf. His heart hammered, his lungs pumped. He raced, trying to outrun the wolf. Soon, he came to a bluff, overlooking a deep valley. Unable to slow down, he leaped, preferring to try to fly than being killed by the beast.”
I’ve never been to a wolf sealing ceremony, but have heard this story of our origins countless times. We all gasp, holding our breath, waiting for what’s coming. Sparks from the fire form images to illustrate the story they’re telling.
“The ground got closer, revealing jagged rocks. The boy knew he was plunging to his death. He turned his head, gazing at the stars, wanting the boundless and beautiful sky to be the last thing he saw before he died,” Olive says
.
As one, the pack gazes up to the heavens.
“Instead, the wolf plummeted toward him. They soon collided, and the wolf’s teeth closed around his wrist. The boy suddenly knew the wolf wasn’t trying to hurt him, rather help him, bring him comfort during those last moments. The wolf’s eyes told him that she hadn’t been chasing him to eat him. Rather, she was playing like the children did in the fields surrounding his home.”
I’ve always imagined the wolf and the boy held hands. I step closer to Kenna, brushing my flank against hers, feeling the light of her warmth and letting it fill me.
“When they hit the ground, the wolf lost her grasp. The boy slammed into the rocks. The wolf cried a thousand tears, creating the ocean. The boy sunk to the depths. The wolf continued to grieve and drowned in her tears. Taking pity on her, the moon healed the boy and gave him the ability to shift between man and wolf forms. Then the moon created a net with the tears, scooped up the wolf and cast her into the sky, where she could forevermore watch over her boy.”
Beside me, Kenna gasps, having never heard how wolf shifters came to be.
And as one, the pack howls into the night, celebrating the sacrifices of the wolf and the bravery of the boy.
Chapter 3
Kenna
The air in the woods is close, still. Mist flows through the bare branches. Clouds create a halo around the moon. The wolves gather near after the story. Our story. The chorus of howls echoes through the night.
A low rumble grows in my chest as I nuzzle Corbin’s soft pelt. If we were in physical form, we would join our hands. The best I can do is give him a nip on his furry wrist.
He yips in delight. I feel his beating heart. His warmth. His love.
It stirs my wolf up, quickens my pulse.
I sense all eyes on us, awaiting our next move.
Olive’s speaks in the wolf-way. You’ve explored your past to prepare for your future. You learned about the origins of our kind.
Earlier, she brought me to a clearing and my life flashed before my eyes like a movie. She told me to let go of dead weight along with aspects of my life or myself that hindered and burdened me. I released insecurity and fear, inadequacy and doubt.
Now, we invite you to make a promise to each other. The ritual of the fated mates. In doing so, nothing can tear you apart.
The wolves are quiet, anticipating what’s coming. I take it that this ritual is rare.
Octavius instructs us to gaze into each other’s eyes. Corbin’s are deep yet bright, reflecting the glittering sky. The warmth of my magic and Corbin’s love fills me.
Feel the energy. Connect with it. With each other, Olive says.
My fae power sits on the edge of my wolf magic. It brushes up against me, not wanting to be left out. I tell it to wait. Be patient. I return my focus to my mate. My wolf.
In my mind, Corbin says, You are beautiful.
My ribs expand with my breath. You are everything, I reply.
Now, you must make a promise, wrap it in your love, and keep it safe among the stars, Octavius intones.
Do you promise to always be true to each other? Olive asks.
Together Corbin and I say, I will always be true to you, I promise.
Corbin’s wolfy smile is boundless.
Octavius says, For the last part, you must recite these words in front of each other, the pack, the moon, and stars above.
Corbin and I hold our gazes.
It is you and me, together. No magic this bond can ever sever. I pledge my love to you now and forever.
We repeat the pledge. My heart beats once, twice, three times, and then stops before joining with Corbin’s in a burst that threatens to blow me apart, but only seconds later makes me feel stronger than ever.
I feel powerful, indomitable, and connected to Corbin in a way I never imagined possible.
He snuffles me with his snout, then tips his nose toward the sky, releasing a long howl. My own joins his. Like ribbons braiding together, I feel our past, present, and future joining, weaving, and forming a bond that can never break.
When I was fully human, I played softball but didn’t love the laps we had to do around the track at my old high school. However, when the other wolves join our howling once more, that’s our cue to take our first run as sealed mates.
We practically fly through the woods. With Corbin at my side, I’ve never felt so free or fully me. To say running with him is blissful is an understatement. The pounding of our hearts, the padding of our paws, and the air driving through our lungs are so strong and so true and so pure, I cannot fathom what kissing him will be like when we return to our physical form because this is already ecstasy.
As the moon rises high, Corbin and I return to Headquarters. We dance around the yard, wrestling and yipping, catching our breath before shifting back into our physical forms.
When we do, he meets me with a lazy grin. His gaze instantly drops to my lips. I feel the rumble in his chest before we press together in one long kiss.
Around my mouth, he says, “I love everything about being with you and being a wolf, but the only drawback is we can’t do this.” He inhales sharply and caresses my jaw with his rough hand as he kisses me again.
I giggle and press my palms against his back, squeezing him closer. My breath catches as the kiss deepens. It’s the joy of running and kissing all wrapped into one. We are one. The doubts I have about our future recede into the background. My fears about what’s going to happen to humans and magicals disappear.
There’s nothing I want or need to do other than this.
Corbin’s fingers tangle in my wild hair. He grips the base of my neck, wanting me closer to him if such a thing were possible. Fate bonds us in every way.
There are the stars, the moon, and us.
Soon, the thunder of paws on earth as Pack Hjalmor return from their run prick my awareness. Like a light dimming, we part. I don’t want the kiss to end, but the rest of the night’s festivities await, including a massive feast.
In the bathroom back at the lodge, a robe waits for me along with a delightful assortment of bath products. I freshen up, enjoying a bubble bath, followed by applying thick moisturizer that smells slightly off but makes my skin soft and supple—I’m guessing this is the betas doing.
Like when we were in Las Vegas, an outfit is on my bed. Instead of a pretty, lacy dress, it’s a pair of leather pants and a flannel shirt. Typical wolf-wear.
After I dress and dry my hair, I blink in the mirror. My skin has a slight orange hue.
I tilt my head, getting a closer look when the door opens. “You almost ready?” Camilla asks.
Inga pokes her head in and gasps. “What happened?”
I stare in the mirror at my orange skin.
“You look like an Oompah Loompa from the Wizard of Oz.” Camilla cringes.
“Was this part of the ritual? Because if so, Olive could’ve warned me. I’m not sure this is what Corbin signed up for.” I try to keep my calm. After all, I’m Alpha, but inside, I’m stuffing my head under my pillow.
“No, this must’ve been Avril. She used self-tanner last spring when we had our first barbecue at the lake,” Camilla says.
Inga sniffs the moisturizer bottle that has a white label with a rose on it. “Yup. Looks like she’s getting us back.”
“You guys aren’t orange,” I say.
“Not yet. Maybe she thought the toilet paper prank was you.”
I shrug. “I helped, and I’m not entirely innocent of other crimes. I fed her a mayonnaise-filled doughnut. And there was dirt in her coffee grounds.” I clear my throat.
“You didn’t tell us,” Camilla says, aghast, but smiling like a proud mother hen.
I shrug. “I didn’t want you to think I went overboard. But how am I going to get it off?” I cannot bear to look in the mirror.
Inga’s fingers lift mine and she turns my palm over. “I can’t be sure, but I don’t think the ritual eliminated your fae magic.”
&
nbsp; I brighten as I summon it to the surface. My skin takes on an almost-neon orange hue. “It’s getting worse,” I moan.
The fae magic vibrates, bites me. For a moment, I wonder if my vampire is truly gone, but the scar across my heart heats, reminding me that the dagger pierced that part of me and drove it out. I’d have died had I not been tri-magical.
I envision myself with my regular skin tone and feel myself soften, relax. I blink my eyes open and risk the mirror. I look like myself. A long exhale of relief escapes.
Camilla brushes her hands together. “And that will teach those girls to mess with you.”
“You could go all Alpha on them.” Inga nudges me with her hip.
I shake my head. “No, I want us to figure out a way to get along.”
“Good luck,” Inga says. “Now, how about you use some of that magic to style your hair, apply some makeup, and go meet that wolf of yours?”
The fae magic fizzes and whirs inside of me. It’s boiling and makes me feel like I drank a gallon of piping hot espresso. Is that how fae feel all the time? I’m overly energized, buzzed.
Inga and Camilla exchange a look then shift just their paws. That’s enough to summon my wolf back to the forefront.
I draw a deep breath. “Thank you.”
Then slightly less frenzied, I dash out the door to find Corbin. The girls wolf-whistle after me, telling me I look hot.
Probably literally after that fae power surge.
In the hall, I practically plow into my mate. He smells like mint and wood and wolf. His powerful hands grip my upper arms as he steadies me.
I tip my chin and meet his gaze.
“I’ll never tire of this,” he whispers.
“Stopping me from careening into you?” My voice feels extra loud.
“No, it’s like I repeatedly see you for the first time.”
“Then you get to look forward to a lot of that,” I say, magnetized to him.
His wolf steadies me as I curl close and our energy joins.
