Page 59 of Mated in Darkness

Jason chuckled. “I still can’t get over how young your parents look.”

“We’re all going to look the same age for a long time. That’s just the way it rolls. Welcome to your new life,” I said, then leaned into my mate.

“There’s also a lot more people here than I was planning on,” he said, and he reached up to move his collar away from his neck.

I turned to him, sliding my hand into his. “Just think about it as just us. Yes, it’s our family circle, but it’s also the Pack and the Talons. Riaz is here too, as is Chase.”

He frowned. “Chase is the Aspen Pack Alpha, right?”

“He is. And he’s new. He’s been away for a while, having been hidden away or something like that, thanks to the former Alpha being a jerk and a sadist.”

Jason opened his mouth to speak, and I shook my head. “I’ll explain in detail later. Needless to say, Chase is here because he wants to learn how to be a decent Alpha and not like the asshole who raised him.”

“So, in other words, we’re in a political situation where we have to be on our best behavior?”

I shook my head and kissed him softly. “No. It’s just us. Chase is here to learn and to celebrate. Same as Riaz.” I smiled softly. “Our world is changing, everything is getting a little more intense, a little more scrutinized, but we’re still here. I have lifetimes with you, Jason. To learn who you are, to learn who we could be. I can’t wait to see exactly how your wolf acclimates to this new world of ours. And how strong he will be. I love you, Jason,” I said, surprising myself.

His eyes darkened, even as they glowed slightly around the iris.

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that. I didn’t want to be the weirdo that said it first.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you calling me a weirdo, Jason?”

“Never.”

And then he leaned forward and kissed me softly. I moaned into him. “I love you, Kaylee.”

And then I smiled at my mate as everyone cheered around us.

The mating ceremony would begin in truth, and we would connect to the Moon Goddess and secure our Pack even more in its connection to the earth and to the magic that made us who we are.

But that would come later. For now, I held my mate and knew that no matter what darkness came, we would fight it together.

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