The She-Wolf’s Mate (Book 2 She-Wolf Series)

Ivar

I slept terribly and vowed to make whatever werewolf first bowed to his human mate in this stupid tradition suffer. I had - apparently incorrectly - assumed that Sam and I would spend the morning before the ceremony together. When I realized that not seeing each other meant literally not seeing one another and not just abstaining from sex, my mood soured further.

Sam texted early in the morning to check in and let me know her and “the girls” were having a day of pampering. It quickly became clear to me my day would consist of putting on a show for the visiting alphas if I didn’t find a way to keep busy.

However, when I called Trinity to have her teleport me back to headquarters, I discovered she was one of the "girls" Sam referred to and was otherwise engaged. The thought was somewhat unsettling for me since we had always treated her as one of the guys. Except for Aidan, of course.

Although highly inconvenient for me, I didn’t want to ruin any part of Sam’s day and decided to refrain from pulling Trinity away. I grumbled as I made way to look for something to eat, knowing small talk was inevitable. The first person I ran into was Michael.

“Kitchen’s downstairs,” he informed me without my asking.

“Thanks,” I said, scanning the corridor.

“Avoiding the alphas?” He asked and I grimaced. “Let’s go to Mag’s Diner.”

Without waiting for my response, he turned and strode toward the back staircase. I followed him outside to a Jeep with an open top which he opened with a rhinestone encrusted key fob.

When I gave him a questioning look, he shrugged. “Cass needed the truck so her hair wouldn’t get messed up.”

When I opened the passenger door, a flip flop and metal water bottle came tumbling out. I bent down to pick them up and Michael moved a pile of other belongings to the back seat.

“She’s highly organized,” he explained. “Also very much not.”

I nodded, smirking at the thought of Sam’s thousand pairs of shoes spread in every direction in her closet. Every part of her house was impeccably kept except that. It was an intimate fact that I had found both surprising and amusing.

“I get it,” I told him.

Neither one of us said another word the entire drive to the diner. It wasn’t until the waitress took our drink order that I realized it, but I appreciated another man who was comfortable in silence.

“Cass is going to rip my head off when she finds out I didn’t follow her itinerary,” he commented after a while.

“Hmm,” I grunted. “What was on it?”

“Have breakfast with and then entertain the alphas,” he grimaced.

I chuckled.

“They all want something,” I said. “It’s exhausting.”

He nodded in agreement.

“I’m not as astute in the fine art of diplomacy as Alpha Paulson is,” Michael explained. “It’s going to be difficult without her.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. I knew the pack loved their alpha dearly and she hadn’t had the time she probably deserved to lead them.

“You shouldn’t feel guilty,” he said when I didn’t respond. “We all knew she was destined for something bigger when she became our Alpha. Most female Alphas are.”

That was the thought anyway. History had romanticized their lives. From what I had witnessed, most of their stories ended tragically while they served a greater purpose. For the first time, my stomach tightened at the thought. Already I knew if anything happened to my mate, I would never recover from the loss.

“She’s different from them,” I told him. “Sam will lead all of werewolf-kind.”

“To be honest, I don’t know that there is another woman quite like her,” Michael agreed.

I nodded. If there was, I certainly hadn’t met one. Who else had both the strength and compassion she did? The fact that she continually gave me another chance and loved me the way she did was astounding on its own.

Michael’s phone rang just as our food arrived. I could hear his mate politely demanding to know “where the fuck he was” over the line. He grimaced before apologizing and hanging up.

“We’ve been made,” he explained.

I smirked. “It was bound to happen eventually.”

We paid and left before making our way back to the pack house. Much of the day was spent playing nice with the alphas as I suspected. I also ran through security for the wedding with my team as well as Sam’s. It seemed they had thought of everything.

Finally, as the afternoon turned to evening, I made my way to my apartment to get ready for the ceremony. My men were already there and I found an unexpected comfort in their familiarity.

“Congrats, big man!” Aidan pulled me into a hug and clapped my back. “You’re finally getting the girl.”

I smirked at him. “Only took a year. Slightly better than the 300 you’ve been working on it.”

“Hey, if we want to get into how I’ve been getting your sister…” he jumped away as I swung at him and the room erupted in jeers.

I smiled at the exchange. I knew that I had nothing to worry about with Aidan and Trinity. He was an honorable man and absolutely devoted to her. She loved him above all else, but I suspected she feared the commitment of mating due to her past.

A light knock sounded before Cassandra Stevens poked her head in.

“Hey guys,” she greeted us. “About time you all head down. Ceremony starts in fifteen.”

We all followed the confident she-wolf to where the aisle had been constructed. Much like Sam’s Alpha Ceremony, thousands of wolves were in attendance and clearly excited. The ceremony was open to all, but the reception in the ballroom would be limited.

When Cassandra turned to head back inside, I grabbed her elbow and ducked my head. “I need to talk to you,” I told her.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something,” she said through a tight smile.

“I need you to look to what’s coming,” I explained.

She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t do that anymore and you know it.”

Rankor growled slightly in my chest and she lowered her head.

“King Ivar, now is not the time,” she said, more gently.

“What have you seen of the ceremony?” I asked.

She sighed. “I’ve seen that you’re mated,” she said, hesitantly. “For whatever reason, I can’t see anything beyond that.”

I nodded. Despite her denial I had suspected she tapped into her powers to see what lay ahead. As Luke pointed out, there was no feasible way she could have coordinated this otherwise.

“What could be blocking you?” I asked.

“Sometimes fate keeps secrets,” she said with a shrug. “Other times there’s another power at play. I’m not sure which is to blame right now. The important thing is she will be your mate in just a few minutes and together, there is no threat you can’t face.”

I gave her a hard stare before nodding and releasing her. She hurried off, I assumed, to collect my mate.

The music started and the people milling about found their seats. I strode to the end of the aisle to stand with the witch, Katrina, beneath an arch adorned with flowers and draping fabric. It truly was like a scene out of a fairy tale.

As soon as I had the thought, my eyes landed on actual faeries in the crowd. I bowed slightly to Ammalee who smiled and returned it. Next to her, a faerie hissed at Logan who looked wounded. No doubt he thought they might be getting friendly again. Unfortunately for him, the faeries interests lie where they were making money and this was not the place for that.

The string quartet struck up the wedding march and the entirety of the massive crowd stood and turned to watch the bride walk down the aisle.

She looked stunning, somehow even more so than usual. Elias held her arm as she gracefully glided toward me. Her dress was made of an ivory lace that elegantly highlighted her frame. Her normally loose hair was pulled back with flowers adorning it. A smile split her face as we made eye contact and I felt a lump form in my throat.

Elias kissed her cheek before taking his seat and my beautiful she-wolf came to stand before me. I took both of her hands in mine as I stared at the woman who may as well have held my heart in her hands. While Katrina spoke over us, I barely heard a word. I was completely lost in Sam's eyes.

I thought the ceremony would be a waste of time. I was even slightly annoyed with it, but standing with my woman now in front of all the people we held dear, I understood. I would stand on a mountain top overlooking every werewolf who walked the earth to profess my love for her. It was an opportunity for everyone to witness our bond.

Katrina started the incantation and Sam spoke.

“I, Alpha Samantha Paulson, of the Redclaw Pack take you, King Ivar Blackfang, as my mate. Now and forever.”

I slipped the ring Aidan had helped me obtain from my pocket and put it on Sam’s finger. Her eyes lit up as she stared at the large emerald that reminded me of her deep, green eyes. Then I spoke my vow.

“I, Ivar Blackfang, King of the werewolves take you, Alpha Samantha Paulson, as my mate. Now and forever.”

The same glow that had accompanied Sam’s Alpha Ceremony and mine before that, swirled around us. I took my mate’s lips in mine and kissed her deeply. The crowd roared around us. I barely heard them as the mate bond slid into place.

The other half of my soul had found its way home. My world was finally complete.

I leaned my forehead against hers as our lips parted.

“I love you, Sam. Always.”

“I love you too. Now and forever.”