“You will marry her,” Grant snarled, straightening his coat.
“That was never a question, Alpha,” Alex sputtered.
Alynna wrapped her arms around Alex. “Alex, I’m sorry! I didn’t know!”
“Sshhhh….don’t cry, baby doll, ok?” he soothed her. “It’ll be fine.”
“You don’t have to marry, me no matter what Grant says!” she protested. “This is the 21st century. A woman can raise a baby on her own.”
“But why would I let you do that?” he asked. “When I love you and I want to be with you forever?”
“We can work it out,” she continued to babble. “You don’t even have to do anything…” She stopped short. “What!?”
He chuckled and tipped her chin up. “I said, I love you and I want to be with you and raise our pup together. If you’ll have me.” Then he gave her a searing, passionate kiss that made her knees weak.
When they finally pulled away, Alynna had an incredulous look on her face. “What? I thought…you didn’t want to be with me!”
“I did. I mean, I still do. I wanted you so bad, it hurt,” he confessed. “But it wasn’t meant to be, you know? You’re the Alpha’s sister, and I’m just some Lycan nobody who’s got no prospects.” She started to protest, but he silenced her with a kiss. It felt so right, being with him, that Alynna almost forget they weren’t alone. “I knew the Alpha wouldn’t approve, not wholeheartedly. Not with your status, your position. You’re too valuable Alynna, to be wasting your time on me.”
“No! Don’t say that!” she pulled away from him.
“It’s the truth. But,” he knelt in front of her. “I promise you and the Alpha, I will do everything in my power to be worthy of you. If you’ll have me.”
The room was hushed. Tears sprung from Alynna’s eyes. “Of course! I love you, Alex.”
“I love you too, Alynna,” Alex sprung to his feet and gave her another passionate kiss.
Time seemed to pass slowly, but the happy couple was interrupted by someone clearing their throat awkwardly. They pulled away and turned to the others in the room. Cady had tears forming in her eyes, Grant stood by, his arms crossed over his chest, frowning, while Nick, surprisingly, had a smug look on his face.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Dr. Faulkner took a piece of paper out of a folder he was holding. “There’s something else.”
Alynna sighed. “Ok, give it to me, Dr. Faulkner.”
“Well…I had some suspicions, but I won’t know for sure until I get the tests back. Alynna, how far along are you?”
She thought for a moment. “Uhm…can’t be more than…uh,” she looked sheepishly as Grant and turned red. “The night of the ball? Two weeks, give or take?”
Dr. Faulkner shook his head. “No my dear. You’re about 7 weeks along.”
“Seven weeks?” Alex exclaimed. He did the mental math.
“That would mean…” she looked up at him. “The first time? That weekend?”
Grant made a strangled sound, but Cady dug her fingers into his arm to keep him quiet. Grant gave protest, and Nick muffled a laugh. The redhead could be surprisingly strong if she wanted to be.
“Ah, so you could say that was the time you two…er…were first together?”
Alynna fell silent, but nodded.
Dr. Faulkner’s face lit up. “I think we have to look into the possibility that the two of you are True Mates.”
It was Alex who stumbled back at the news. Alynna laughed and grabbed onto her newly-minted mate. It made sense. “Alex smells particularly good to me. Like, you all smell ok to my senses, but when I get a whiff of him, it’s like…it’s like I’m home.”
Alex spoke up. “I feel the same way when I scent Alynna,” he stated. “It’s er…arousing yes, but something else too. I can’t say why, but she makes me feel different.”
“When we first met, I felt hot - like temperature-wise. I remember it my skin tingled when he touched me then the rest of me was on fire, but like in a good way,” Alex nodded in agreement. “That must have triggered my first shift. And, I think, when I transformed today, my wolf was telling me I had to protect the baby,”
“Me too,” Alex said. “When I heard Alynna scream, my wolf started to go crazy and I couldn’t control the shift.”
“That’s probably why your body fought off the Belladonna poisoning, Alynna,” Dr. Faulkner theorized. “It was rejecting the poison, trying to protect your pup.”
Cady, Grant, and Nick all looked stunned. “Could you find out for sure, Dr. Faulkner?” Grant asked.
The older Lycan nodded. “Yes, I could. But…I think we pretty much can say it’s true. Alex and Alynna are True Mates. Possibly the first of this generation. This is all amazing…and good for our research too. I mean, if Alex and Alynna wouldn’t mind us taking some samples from them, and possibly their pup when he or she is born. It could be the key to solving Lycan infertility.”
Alex and Alynna embraced and kissed again. “Whether we are or we aren’t…it doesn’t matter,” Alex said, beaming at Alynna.
***
After a few more minutes, Alynna asked everyone if she could have some alone time with Alex. Grant reluctantly agreed, but he nodded towards Alex, perhaps the first gesture he ever made of acceptance towards his sister’s new beau. After all, Alex and Alynna were True Mates (a fact that would certainly turn the Lycan world into a tizzy), and more important, the father of his heir apparent.
“You think the Alpha will ever warm up to the idea of us?” Alex asked as he lay down beside Alynna on the bed.
“Of course,” she assured him. “Give him time.”
“He loves you, you know that right? Even though he’s only known you a short time,” Alex cuddled her closer.
She smiled. “I know. And I love him too.” She sighed.
“And you love me, huh?” he grinned.
“Yes, you goofball. Even though you’re a stubborn, obstinate Lycan who seems to think we’re still in the dark ages,” she laughed, then grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly. “I hope you don’t take after your father, Horace,” she sighed.
“Horace?” Alex recoiled. “No baby of mine is gonna be called Horace!”
She laughed aloud. “How about for a middle name?”
“How about we talk about it?” she grinned up at him.
“Whatever you want, baby doll,” he leaned in and kissed her, but her eyes grew wide and she pulled away. “What is it?”
“Crap!” she cursed. “I’m sorry…it’s just…your girlfriend.”
“My girlfriend?” Alex looked confused.
“Jenna. She’s waiting for you at home, right?” Alynna looked deflated.
This time it was Alex’s turn to laugh. “What gave you that idea…oh,” he said sheepishly. “I gave you that idea. Alynna, I’m sorry,” he took her hand and kissed it. “I made you think…she’s not my girlfriend, Alynna. She never was. We went out that one night, but I never slept with her. I’ve only been with you since that first time.”
She sighed with relief, and then punched him in the arm.
“Ow! What was that for!?” he rubbed his arm.
“For making me think I was a side chick!” she joked.
“Oh yeah? And what about Liam ‘I’m-so-perfect-I-could-make-you-puke’ Henney?”
“Oh ha ha,” Alynna punched his arm again, though softer this time. “He was in on it. He wanted to make you jealous.”
“Hmmmm…remind me to thank him next time I see him then,” he said. “Before I punch him in the face for kissing my True Mate.”
“Tsk, tsk,” she tutted. “You Lycan men and your violent tendencies.”
“Hey, I’m the one who’s nursing a hurt shoulder!”
“Oh you baby! I didn’t hit you that hard!”
“Why don’t you kiss me and make it better?” he asked sweetly.
“I’ll do whatever you want to make it better,” she said, before pulling him in for another kiss.
EPILOGUE
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“Are you really going to make me do this?”
“Yes, I’m really going to make you do this,” Alynna smirked and handed him the keys.
Grant groaned and grabbed the keys from his sister. He opened the passenger side door to his Maserati. “Ok, get in.”
She smirked at him again as she stepped into the sleek car. He walked to the driver’s side and entered, putting the key in the ignition and letting the engine roar to life.
The ride to the courthouse was pleasant, and though Alynna begged Grant to drive faster, he kept his restraint, telling her someone in her condition shouldn’t be trying to break the speed of sound. She pouted and crossed her arms, which made Grant rev the engine. And maybe he did go over the speed limit just a little bit, just enough for his sister to break into a smile.
They arrived at the courthouse (no need for quarters for the meters, as Patrick was waiting by the steps and dutifully drove the car away to a private parking garage around the corner). Grant offered his arm to his sister and she took it and followed him up the steps.
After getting clearance from Dr. Faulkner, Alex brought Alynna to Chicago a few days after her attack in the park to meet his parents. Gene and Mary Westbrooke were quite delighted, though also startled at the sudden appearance of their son, who toted a new girlfriend along. Who also happened to be the much-talked about Alynna Chase in Lycan circles.
They spent three days in Chicago, and on their last night, Mary Westbrooke cooked them wonderful dinner, featuring all of Alex’s favorite dishes like pot roast, potatoes, and apple pie. Afterwards, when they were all on the porch enjoying a coffee, Alex knelt in front of Alynna, opening a small velvet box with a marquis-cut ring (he had asked his mom for his grandmother’s ring just hours before) and asked her to marry him. She wholeheartedly said yes and Mary Westbrooke started bawling her eyes out. Just when Mary was ready to stop crying, the newly engaged couple also told them about their impending arrival, which made the overjoyed grandma-to-be reaching for a fresh handkerchief
Alex and Alynna wanted to get married right away, preferably before she started showing. Neither wanted a big fancy wedding and so, in two weeks, they were able to obtain a license, get permission for Alex’s family and friends to come to New York and on a beautiful mid-Autumn day, they were set to marry at the New York City Courthouse.
The bride wore a tea-length off-white gown, kitten heel shoes, and a bouquet of fresh cut daisies tied with a green ribbon. Her brother escorted her down the modest aisle, where the groom (himself looking dapper in a dark suit) was waiting along with the maid of honor and best man, Cady Gray and Nick Vrost. Alex’s parents and two Lycan friends from Chicago stood on the left side and Callista Mayfair, her husband Jean-Luc, and Dr. Faulkner and his wife stood on the right side.
After the ceremony, they all drove back The Enclave, where all the Lycans in New York and a few more from Chicago (including their own Alpha) were waiting to celebrate with the happy couple. The garden behind Center Cluster was dressed up in fairy lights and paper lanterns, and long tables set up with white tablecloths and beautiful floral centerpieces that Alynna didn’t have anything to do with, thanks to her maid of honor’s efficiency and good taste. Everyone welcomed the wedding party and soon, the reception was in full swing.
With Cady at the helm, everything was absolutely perfect. The wine and champagne was free-flowing, the food amazing, and the speeches kept short and sweet. There was one thing that Alynna insisted on - instead of cutting a traditional wedding cake, they had a specially-made four-tier key lime pie cake from Elsie’s Diner. Each table also had a different type of pie. Cady looked at her with a puzzled look when Alynna requested this, but somehow, thanks to her dazzling efficiency, she made it happen.
“Happy?” Alynna asked as she snaked her arms around her new husband’s waist from behind. They snuck away from the crowd, after the pie-cutting and made their way up to the private terrace overlooking the garden. She nuzzled at his back, his warm scent filling her senses.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he turned around and gathered her into her arms. “I have a a beautiful wife, a pup on the way…life is good.”
“Mmmmm…better than good,” she pressed her cheek to his chest.
“And Grant finally stopped looking at me with murder in his eyes,” Alex joked.
“Well, I think he realized that now he’s off the hook for producing an heir, at least for the time being,” she laughed and looked down at the garden space. Her brother was surrounded by a gaggle of Lycan women - all single and of proper breeding age. He looked uncomfortable, but as Alpha, he had to do his duty and entertain the guests.
“Hmmm…it seems almost a dream,” Alex confessed.
“That your child could one day be an Alpha of the New York clan?”
“Yeah, well, he’s still gonna be a White Sox fan,” he quipped.
“Shut your mouth, you heathen!”
“Make me!”
She pulled him down for kiss. She moaned as his delicious scent filled her nostrils, wrapping itself around her very soul. After a few moments, they pulled away.
Alynna sighed and burrowed back into her husband’s embrace.
“What I meant was,” he continued. “Being with you and having a family seems like a dream. One that I never thought I’d have.”
“I know,” she thought about her past, her mother, Uncle Gus, her life struggling on her own. For the first time, she wasn’t alone. She was surrounded by friends, family, and her new husband. But Alynna shivered slightly, both from the slight nip in the air and because of what was looming ahead.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he kissed the top of her head and held her tight. “And you’re pretty much invulnerable, at least until the baby is born.”
“True,” she said quietly. But that only made her feel slightly better. There was someone out there who wanted to hurt her and her new family. She would find out who, before they tried anything else.
“Hey lovebirds,” a voice called out from behind. They turned towards the balcony doors. Cady was standing there, looking absolutely stunning in her floor-length purple maid of honor gown, with her hair in soft waves around her shoulders. “You can’t hide out here forever! You have guests to entertain!” She cocked her head and then disappeared back through the door.
“Duty calls,” Alynna quipped.
“After you, Ms. Chase,” Alex joked, waving his hand in front of them.
“That’s Mrs. Westbrooke to you.”
He laughed and picked her up, spinning her around. “Whew! I thought I’d have to be Mr. Chase from now on.”
Alynna’s laugh rang out through the balcony, and the newlyweds headed back to their party, hand in hand.
THE END
Turn to the next chapter to get a sneak peak at the next part of the True Mates series, starring Nick Vrost and Cady Gray.
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Sneak Peak: True Mates 2: Blood Moon
Chapter One
Cady Gray sighed softly as she watched the newlyweds on the makeshift dance floor. Alynna threw her head back and laughed as Alex picked her up and twirled her around. She smiled as the young couple embraced and began to slowly dance when the DJ put on a more subdued love song.
It was a beautiful reception - and she had to give herself a mental pat on the back, since she put everything together in about two weeks. Alynna had left all the planning to her, giving her free reign on what to do for decorations, music, and food (except for her strange pie request). Cady went to work the moment the couple came back to New York from Chicago and announced their engagement. There was much to be done, and she did have some help from Callista Anderson, who was more than happy to lend a hand, even from P
aris. The older Lycan seemed disappointed Alynna didn’t want a big wedding with all the fanfare, but was quickly appeased when she learned why (and overjoyed at the prospect of being a grandma, which Alynna had confessed weirded her out still, given that the baby would technically be her former husband’s grandchild by his mistress.)
She truly was happy for Alex and Alynna - not just because they were True Mates, but because they had found each other and what seemed like real happiness. Although Cady might have projected a pragmatic image, she was a romantic at heart. But, would she ever find her someone of her own? Not necessarily another person who would hold the half of her soul, but someone she could come home to after a long day. She shook her head. No, I shouldn’t think about it.
“You look like you’re still working.”
Cady froze at the familiar voice. One that never failed to make her nervous. Or giddy. Or both. “I am working. Aren’t you?” she answered without taking her eyes off the dance floor.
“Of course,” Nick Vrost stepped up to join her where she stood right beside the dance floor. “My work is never done. But that’s the nature of being Beta and head of security.”
“We are in the Enclave,” Cady replied, turning her head up to look at him. “I’m sure you can relax while we’re in here.”
Ice blue eyes regarded her. “I will if you will.”
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll have a glass of champagne.” Cady turned to head towards the refreshment table, but a warm hand wrapped around her upper arm. “Actually, I was thinking we could dance, Ms. Gray.”
“Oh,” Cady gasped quietly. In all their years working together, she couldn’t remember Nick Vrost ever touching her bare skin. His large hand was calloused and warm, the grip strong, yet gentle on her arm. The sensation of his bare skin touching hers shot tingles through her, spreading heat along the line of her body. She sucked in a breath, his cologne filling her nose. She thought back to that night he brought her home after Blood Moon. Hmmm…fir trees? She wondered what brand he wore that made him smell so….different and sexy.
Fated Mates: Book 1 of the True Mates Series Page 23
