Page 8 of Betrayed By the Alpha Wolf

I knew it was stupid; I knew it was because of that lingering bond that had been revived when she’d been declared my mate in front of everyone, but I didn’t want to look away from her. Kenzie looked breathtaking. She was always breathtaking, and I was the damn fool that had let everything get to this point.

Grayson, come on. Don’t.

I wasn’t sure if I was talking to just myself or the wolf beneath my skin that stalked back and forth, desperate to go to Kenzie. He cried out for her in my blood, and that pain I’d been ignoring, the one that had nearly faded to nothing, was stoked all over again.

“Grayson Edwards, Beta to the Edwards Pack, you are here to present yourself in front of those gathered as the mated partner of MacKenzie Edwards. Do you accept?”

“Yes.”

As soon as the word left my mouth, Aspen drew his ceremonial blade through my wrist, slicing just deep enough to cause blood to well to the surface.

Aspen turned to Kenzie. “MacKenzie, please present your arm.”

She did as instructed, staring up at the officiant without moving a muscle afterward.

“MacKenzie Edwards of the Edwards Pack, you are here to present yourself in front of those gathered as the mated partner of Grayson Edwards. Do you accept?”

For the first time since arriving here, Kenzie looked over at me. When her eyes met mine, I saw the glimmer of tears coating her vibrant blue eyes, and my chest ached. We were putting on this show for everyone, but the only true way to claim Kenzie as my mate was with the bite.

And we wouldn’t be doing that.

“Yes.”

Aspen sliced the blade through Kenzie’s wrist, a shallow cut that was just enough to bleed.

“I join these two now in a symbol of their everlasting union.” He took my arm, lifting it over Kenzie’s as he pulled hers beneath mine. “Let what is brought together today no force asunder.”

Our wrists were pressed together, our blood touching, and then Aspen wrapped a long white cloth around us to bindus together. It was about as symbolic as you could get, and that pinprick pain at the center of my chest itched, threatening to drive me mad.

Mine. Mate. Mine.

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to fight against the wolf as he howled inside me. He was desperate to shift forward and leap onto Kenzie, biting her slender neck and allowing her to do the same.

He wanted to perform the mating bite so fucking badly that I thought I was going to be sick for resisting him.

“I present to all those gathered, Grayson and MacKenzie. Mated as one!”

Aspen called out as he hoisted our bound arms into the air, and the entire room cheered. I couldn’t look away from Kenzie’s steely expression, though, and when the room finally settled, and she was untied from me, it wasn’t just my wrist that was sore.

Chapter 3 - Kenzie

After what felt like three million years, Grayson and I were able to return to the room he was using at Kaiden’s. There’d been too many wolves in that damn room, and the “reception,” as Kit called it, was exhausting.

It was really just a big party afterward, but to me, there was nothing to celebrate. All I wanted to do was get back to the house so that I could pass out. Every second of being around Grayson was a challenge, and I needed more of my pills to stop the constant ache.

“After you.”

Grayson held the door open to the room, and I rolled my eyes, pushing forward.

“Would you stop trying to act friendly? I’m not buying it. We’re here together for one reason and one reason only. Because if I stayed anywhere else, it would be suspicious. So let’s just change and go to bed. I’m ready for today to be over with.”

The sound of the door closing behind me was a loud click in the silent room, and I turned around to see Grayson standing in front of it with a neutral expression on his face.

“Whatever you want, MacKenzie.”

I scoffed. “Iwantyou to jump off a bridge? Sound enticing?”

He rolled his eyes, sighing as he clenched that square jaw of his and stalked off toward the bed.

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