Page 37 of Into the Grasslands

“I could not begin to tell you why some people try to deny the mate bond, Janella. Let’s hope that is not what is going on.”

* * *

We left to go help with the preparations for the mating ceremony, since it would also be the Luna ceremony and my introduction to the other pack leaders as one of them. I wondered if Aiden had received an invitation to be there to see me mated to another Alpha. A small part of me wondered if he would even care that another had claimed me for himself. Would he care? Would he try to fight for the right to mate me? It wouldn’t matter because I refuse to be mated to him after what he put me through, but it made me a little sick to my stomach to think that he might be there at the ceremony and that he wouldn’t care at all.

As Janella and I walked through the pack lands to get back to the pond, we came across Miriam and a few of the other women from the pack who didn’t seem to like me very much. I tried to remember what Thorin said about the woman losing her daughter, and how she had once hoped her girl would be the Luna of their pack. Still, my patience for her snide comments had worn thin about a week back. Empathy only went so far in the face of blatant disrespect.

“There’s the trollop now,” Miriam called to her friends who snickered at her audacity.

“I hope you’re not speaking about your future Luna,” Janella called back to her.

“Don’t see no future Luna anywhere.” Miriam spat at her.

That stopped me in my tracks. “My mating and Luna ceremony with your Alpha is only days away. If he knew you spoke to me this way, you would be punished. I have held off because he told me of your situation, and I felt for you and the loss of your daughter. I will not continue to tolerate your disrespect though.”

“Oh?” The woman stood taller then, as if her stooped appearance had been a figment of my imagination. “And what if you weren’t to make it to that ceremony?”

“Is that a threat?”

She cackled into the air, as if she were some sort of diabolical nemesis I should worry about. Her friends stood back and watched without interfering.

“Did your precious Alpha tell you that he was once in love with my daughter?” I worked hard to keep my face neutral. Thorin had told me that he had been with three women before me and that none of them were in the pack. Had he lied? I supposed if one of them was dead, that would mean she was no longer of the pack, but clearly her people were still here and that wasn’t the same thing at all.

“Thorin and my Catalina were meant to be. Neither of them had moon-blessed mates and they promised themselves to one another.”

“He has never been mated to another,” I countered.

“Only because my daughter was shot and killed by hunters before they could hold their mating ceremony.” Her eyes narrowed on me then. “Careful, girl. All sorts of things could happen to a potential mate before they’re claimed. Thanks to your courtship, everyone knows that you can’t force a claim before the ceremony.” Her laughter rang out loud and clear then too. The companions who stood by her side earlier and laughed along with their friend now had concerned looks in their eyes as they darted from Janella - who was a witness to the madness - to me and back to their friend.

“I will be sure to alert my mate about the possibility of foul play before the ceremony. Thanks for the head’s up.”

That cut short Miriam’s laughter, but did nothing to ease the evil glint in her eyes. “You’re the fool if you think you can hidefrom fate. My daughter couldn’t hide from it, and neither will you.”

Chapter 21

War on the Horizon

THORIN

I wokewith my hand wrapped around my cock. The damn thing was hard as stone and refused to be pacified by my own fist any longer. The dreams had grown hotter and harder to handle. My need for Nika bordered on desperate. Truth be told, I passed desperation for my mate a couple weeks back. The damn courtship was taking too long. Thankfully, we were on the final day of preparation.

In one more day, my mate would become mine officially. I would be able to seal our commitment to each other, the pack, and then take her to our ceremonial bed where we both needed to be. I hadn’t missed her longing looks or the scent of arousal she couldn’t quite wash away each morning. My mate had been plagued by the dreams too. She was just as ready to mate me as I was.

“Thorin!” I glanced up when the panic in Janella’s voice carried over the gathered crowd. Most of the Alphas and Lunas had already gathered in my territory for the ceremony. “Thorin!” Janella yelled again as she came to a stop in front of me.

“What is it?” She rubbed the back of her head and came away with blood on her hand.

“How did you get hurt?” I asked as I turned her around to inspect the damage.

“Hit over the head. They took her. She’s gone.” Janella seemed to have a hard time getting her words out. They were slightly slurred as she spoke in fragments. Her knees wobbled as well, and I was afraid she would give out before she was able to tell me anything concrete.

“What are you talking about?”

“That woman who kept threatening Nika. She was there.”

“Who? What woman? What do you mean someone threatened my mate?”

“Nika didn’t want to tell you. Cause problems before… ceremony.” She struggled to get the full sentences out, but she shook her head slightly as if to clear the cobwebs and then winced before she tried again. “Some… pack treated her awfully. Miriam behind it. She’s the one. She helped him.”

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