by DJ Bryce
“Calin and Kevin went up last night with Gilly and packed everything. This morning, Tasha and I put it all away. Of course, you can move stuff around however you want, I just didn’t want you to have to worry about it now… you need to rest.”
“That’s so sweet, really,” I said, my heart swelling as I looked at his earnest face. “But, I feel like I’ve been laying around forever, do you think we could go out and sit on the couch for a while? I promise not to do anything too strenuous.”
“Yeah, of course,” Mateo said, crossing toward me.
When he would have led me out to the living room, I stopped him with my hand on his arm and said, “Thanks.”
Mateo smiled and said, “You don’t have to thank me…”
I placed my hand on his strong jaw.
“Thanks for telling your pack that I’m your mate, for coming to my defense against Josiah, and for making me feel comfortable in your home.”
“Our home,” Mateo countered, and my stomach flipped.
Seriously, could my mate get any better?
I urged him down as I tilted my chin up, sighing at the soft, sweet brush of his lips, wanting more even though I knew that was all I’d get, at least for now.
“Come on, let’s get you settled on the couch and I’ll make you some soup,” he said, taking my hand in his.
I sat back against the cushions, my favorite brown comfy blanket covering my legs, which were propped up on the coffee table.
“Can I put my feet on the coffee table?” I asked, unsure how he would feel about it.
“You can do whatever you want,” Mateo replied. Then his voice sounded next to me and he handed me a cup of tea. “This is your home too. Be comfortable. You don’t have to ask my permission to do anything.”
“Thanks,” I said as I accepted the cup. “It’s just, I know you’re a neat person, and I’m a… not so neat person, so I don’t want to piss you off.”
“Hey, we’re gonna get pissed off at each other, the important thing, is that we talk things out and don’t let them fester. We’ll figure it all out, don’t worry.”
I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV when Mateo went back into the kitchen, but kept the volume down so I could still talk to him.
“So, the town hall meeting went okay?” I asked, keeping my voice steady although I was a bit nervous for his answer.
“Yeah, I don’t know why I underestimated everyone so much… I kinda feel like a jerk about it.”
“Did, my, ha, parents happen to be there?” I asked, even though I didn’t want to. It killed me that I still wanted their approval. I’d never admit as much to Gilly and Tasha, but I felt like I could with Mateo. I knew he had the same fears and anxieties over his pack, and I’d always had with my parents.
“No, they weren’t there, but a few of the elders were, and they pulled me aside after to say, even if they didn’t understand completely, they knew what it felt like to find their mates, and were happy for me.”
“Hmmm,” I muttered, my eyes on the television screen, even though I wasn’t actually looking at it.
“Hey,” Mateo said from behind me, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “If you want to go see your parents, I’ll go with you. We can talk to them, try and get them to see your side of things, but, Brick, if they continue to deny you, Gilly, and Tasha, because of the people you love, then they’re the ones who are going to be missing out.”
“I know, it’s just… even though they were always talking about prophesies and more like taskmasters than parents, I still miss them.”
“Then we’ll go talk to them.”
I placed my hand over his and patted it, choking back tears as I did.
“Damn meds,” I muttered, even though the medication wasn’t the source of my emotion.
It was Mateo. And me. And, us.
It was finally having someone who understood me completely, and loved me unconditionally.
“Want to watch a movie?” I asked, once I had my emotion in check.
“Sure, you pick it out, soups almost done.”
I scrolled through until I found a comedy I hadn’t seen in a while. Mateo set the soup on the table next to me to cool, then sat down on the couch and put his arm over the back of my cushion.
I took the opportunity to lean into him, feeling his strength beneath my cheek, and sighed happily as the opening credits began. Then we sat, snuggled together on the couch and watched it together, just like any other couple.
Me and my mate.
Chapter 21
Mateo
It was a gorgeous night.
The moon was full, the gardens were lit with hundreds of twinkling lights, and the Matthews siblings were decked out and looking gorgeous as they stood at the end of the aisle, looking down at me, Maximus, and Logan.
It seemed like every pack member was in attendance, along with the members of Logan’s clan, and, yes, even Brick’s parents were there.
We’d sat down with them a little over a week ago, and although they would never be the loving parents of Brick’s dreams, they were trying. We were starting with once a month dinners at their house, all eight of us, and I was hopeful that the Matthews family was on their way to healing the wounds they’d caused in each other.
But now wasn’t about them, it was about us. The six of us. We were finally getting the claiming ceremony that we deserved.
The music began to play, and Brick started to slowly march toward me. We would be the reigning couple, of course, since I was Alpha, just as Logan and Natasha were the reigning couple of his clan. Since we were having the ceremony here, on my land, with my pack, Brick and I took precedence.
Logan hadn’t cared one bit. All he cared about was claiming Natasha and taking her back home, where they could get started on making a family of their own, and running his clan together.
Max and Gilly would be last, but definitely not least, and Max had informed me that their family was already on its way, and that Gilly was pregnant with their first cub.
Obviously, Brick and I wouldn’t be having children of our own, but we had discussed it, and agreed, after we had a couple years together to enjoy our newfound freedom to be a couple out and proud together, we’d look into adopting. We didn’t care if the child was human, bear, wolf, or hell… even cheetah, we’d bring him, or her, up knowing they were loved unconditionally.
I couldn’t contain my grin as I watched Brick come toward me. He was devastatingly handsome in a cream button down linen shirt, with dark slacks, his hair blowing carelessly in the wind.
When he reached me, I took his hands in mine and led him up to stand next to me. We faced each other, hands clasped, then turned our heads to watch Natasha make her way down the aisle.
Beautiful in a long white dress with an A-line skirt and heart-shaped, sleeveless top, her short hair sparkling with small diamond clasps, her eyes were locked on Logan, and her smile was enormous.
Logan reached for her, and they stood facing each other, hands clasped, like Brick and I, then we watched as Gilly performed the same ritual.
Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders in big curls, and her blue eyes were wide and on Max as she moved. Her white dress hit just below the knee and flared, swinging as she walked, the top was sleeveless and covered in lace.
When we were all at the altar, facing each other, Micah, one of our elders, began to say the ritual words.
“For now, and always, until we join each other in the heavens, to begin our lives anew, I will be one with you…”
Once we’d repeated the first line in unison, Micah continued.
“One with each other, and one with the pack, I’ll have your back no matter what heaven or hell throws in our path…”
Again, we recited the words.
“My mate, my heart, my soul. I pledge my life for yours, and vow to be by your side, until I no longer have breath to speak, a body to hold you with, or a heart that beats with love for you. I claim you, my mate, as you claim me. For now, and alwa
ys.”
Once we’d said the words, we collectively pulled our mates in for a kiss, and, since we were animals after all, the more heated the kiss, the rowdier the crowd got, and the more blessed your love life was supposed to be.
So, we all gave it everything, and by the time I released Brick, his eyes were glazed over, and my cock was hard as stone.
The roar of the crowd thundered in my ears, and as was tradition, I reared back and let out a ferocious roared. Logan’s followed, then Max’s. Finally, we all turned toward the crowd and lifted our still clasped hands, while everyone applauded and cheered our claiming.
The night would be filled with lots of drinks, food and dancing, and we would be expected to give each person in attendance the chance to wish us well on our union. It was going to be a long night.
We walked down the aisle, Brick and I first, then Tasha and Logan, and finally, Gilly and Max, then into our waiting limos. We’d opted to each have our own, rather than ride together, and once the doors were closed and the car pulled away from the curb, I seized the opportunity.
Leaning over, I clasped Brick behind the head and lowered my mouth to his. He opened eagerly, his hand going to my black dress shirt and pulling it from my waistband to slide underneath.
I moved into his hand, eager to feel his heat on my flesh, then moved my other hand to cup his hard cock over his pants. He bucked instinctively, moaning as he turned his head and pulled his lips from mine.
“Do we have time for this?” Brick asked as he struggled for breath.
I undid his button, slid down the zipper, and groaned as my hand hit steel covered with velvet and stroked him. I licked the seam of his lip, then nipped him softly before answering, “We have a lifetime for this…”
His eyes fluttered shut as I fisted the head of his cock and ran my thumb over the slit.
“You’re my forbidden mate, and I’m yours. We have to work to live up to that name, right?” I asked, chuckling softly, then I lowered myself to the floor in front of him and bent to do just that.
The End
Also by DJ Bryce
Brothers of the Heart Series:
Alpha at Home
Right Girl, Wrong Alpha
The Alpha’s Forbidden Mate
Writing with Meredith Clarke:
Her Bear for Life
Her Bear to Keep
Her Bear to Hold
Her Bear Box Set - Her Bear Forever
Writing with Terra Wolf:
Diesel
Blaze
Hunter
About the Author
Author DJ Bryce loves her men tall, dark, and Alpha. She can often be found relaxing with a cup of coffee, a handful of RedVines, and a dirty book, with her three dogs snoozing happily at her feet.
She's a lover of The Walking Dead, Romantic Comedies, and writing sexy shifters.
For information on her new releases, promotions, and her favorite PNR reads, follow her:
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