Page 44 of Called By Fate

Alpha Darren walks over to me and lowers his voice so only the two of us will hear. “If you’re worried, you shouldn’t be. I won’t have access to your thoughts or anything like that, but I will be able to sense you and send you messages if need be.”

“It’s not that,” I whisper. “I don’t have a wolf…”

He shakes his head, amusement in his eyes. “You might not have a wolf, but you are one of us. You’re also Vinson’s fated mate which means you're pack.” He turns, addressing the crowd once more. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd love nothing more than for our champion to join us.”

“One of us! One of us!” the crowd chants loudly as one, stomping their feet on the ground. The energy radiating is infectious and washes over me. I can feel the rightness of it in my bones. I want to belong. I want to unite everyone and forget our differences and erase the injustices. I want to be a part of the pack.

My heart fills with joy at the feeling of being wanted. So many times I’ve thought about everything I’ve been through in life and wondered what it would’ve been like if I had made different choices, but everything has led me here and I wouldn’t change a damn thing. All of this has led me to my mates, to here, to save this world.

My world. I belong here.

Reed squeezes my hand, and I realize he’s probably listening to my thoughts, but I don’t care. I’m glad he knows how I feel.

“I would love to join the pack, Alpha.” Alpha Darren nods and holds out his hand for me to place mine in. The crowd whoops and hollers in victory, clapping their hands. Their excitement makes me laugh. Vin’s joy is shining as bright as mine. I refocus on Darren’s hands which are extremely large and calloused. Like his fingers are the size of two of mine put together. Definitely finger-fuck worthy.

Reed nudges me, and I snap my gaze away from the Alpha’s too-large-to-not-be-mini-dick fingers and place my hand in his. He turns my palm over and shifts one of his massive fingers into a claw. There’s a prick of pain before he’s mixing my blood with his, slamming our bleeding palms together. I feel it the moment the Alpha bond snaps into place.

The bond is completely different than with my mates, in the sense that it’s more of an echo, not as strong, and feels like camaraderie with my fellow pack. I definitely don’t want to bone every single one of them like I do my Sworn.

Pack,my mind registers.

I’m a part of the pack.

The crowd cheers again, shouting and dancing while banging their chests. It’s wild and I fucking love it. Some of the mated shifters even start howling, joining their voices in with the rest of them.

Once the crowd settles, I watch as Adam, Nick, and Niall approach. Emma is behind them, looking confused. “Alpha Darren,” Adam begins, and I notice him shift his gaze so he’s not staring directly into the Alpha’s eyes, deferring to his leadership. He clears his throat. “As a show of our goodwill toward our mate, we would also like to request to join the pack, if you will have us.” There’s nothing but complete sincerity on his face and in his voice.

Whoa. Can Weavers even join a pack of shifters?I project to Vin.

He shakes his head.I’m not entirely certain.

Darren stares at them so long that even I start to squirm and I’m not even the one under the gun. Time continues to tick by, and I wonder if he’s going to speak. Eventually, he casts his gaze over the crowd. “These three Night Weavers would like to be a part of the pack,” he announces. “What do we say?”

Murmurs erupt through the shifters, and everyone turns antsy. “What are your thoughts, Shadowbringer?” Darren asks.

This a monumental decision, one that could be a turning point for Weavers and shifters alike. I mull it over and decide to speak from my heart. That usually seems to work in my favor over blurting things out. “I think we should let them join,” I respond. “They’re mated to a shifter, and I suspect they won’t be the last. Let them prove to Emma they’re serious about her.” The trio gives me a grateful look, and I check them with my intuition. They’re doing this for the right reasons.

“Besides, if we remain a separate unit, separate people, would we be any different from the Elders?” Vinson asks. The crowd mulls it over and most of them shake their headsno.

“All right. Unless there are any objections, I agree,” Alpha Darren says and pauses in case anyone disagrees. No one says anything. “I’m not sure how the bond will work between full Night Weavers and shifters, but I suspect it will be a tad different,” he says, getting ready to slice Adam’s palm.

“That’s fine. We want to prove our worthiness to our mate and to this cause,” Adam responds.

The Alpha nods and quickly slices Adam’s palm, repeating the process for Nick and Niall. They have a dumbstruck look on their faces when it’s finished, and it mirrors the one on Emma’s. Yeah, she’s totally falling for them.

I waggle my eyebrows at her and mouth,get it, girl.She giggles and returns her attention to her mates.

“We’re a pack for all!” Alpha Darren boasts loudly, and everyone cheers. “Now, let’s have our first run as a whole pack!”

That jolts everyone into action, even me. Vinson shifts into his enormous, black wolf in a split second, my shadows surrounding him like the first time he shifted, and then we’re off, my hand in Reed’s so I don’t lose him in the chaos, sprinting through the woods surrounding the safe haven.

My hair billows behind me as I run, my feet slapping the ground as I go. The leaves are starting to change into their fall colors so everything around us is beautiful, especially with the moon’s light gracing everything with its presence.

Vin’s wolf tilts his head back and gives a carefree howl, which several of the other wolves return. Even Reed joins in, so I say fuck it and do the same until eventually, everyone, no matter their race, is howling alongside us.

This is how we were always meant to be.

19

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