Page 65 of Forever Mine

“Can I tell you a little secret?” Oscar nodded. “I don't really think of things like marriage, but I do get why something like that seems really important to you, but we don't need that to be a family. As far as I'm concerned, we already are. You get me? I love your mom, and I love you. You guys are my family now. Just the three of us. Is that okay with you?” He put his fist out and waited for Oscar to pound it.

Oscar looked at me then shook his head and rolled his eyes at Liam. “I got you,” he said, giving him a fist bump, “but you really have to stop making Mommy cry.”

Liam turned around quickly as I tried to wipe the happy tears from my cheek. He smiled and it made my heart melt. “I think it's okay this time,” he whispered to Oscar.

Picking up my son, he walked to me and pulled me to my feet so the three of us embraced in the middle of the field that would someday be our home. He hugged Oscar a little closer, and leaned down and kissed me to the giggles of my son.

Oscar no longer seemed to even notice Liam was still naked as the day he was born, but my body was buzzing and fully aware of my mate. Before things got really awkward, I broke away. Liam gave me a devious half smile and I swore he could hear my thoughts just then. It made me blush all over. He passed Oscar off to me and told us he'd meet us back at the house.

Next thing I knew, there stood before us a beautiful white wolf.

“That was so cool!” Oscar yelled as Liam's wolf winked and took off back to the woods. “Come on, Mommy, let's see if we can beat him home.”

We jumped into the car and drove back to Mary and Jason's house. Much to my disappointment, Liam was walking around the corner of the house, pulling on his shirt as we pulled up.

“Wow, you're fast. I'm going to go wash up for dinner. I could eat a whole cow. I'm starving!” Oscar announced.

“I heard that, and you better be,” Mary called from inside the house.

“We're eating at the pack house tonight before the run. It's always a huge feast. Mom's really excited you're here, and can't wait to show you off,” Liam informed me.

“I'm happy to be here too,” I told him honestly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss me. He didn't hesitate. After last night, I was feeling stronger, bolder, braver, especially where he was concerned.

It was far too short for what I wanted, but when a throat cleared behind me, I knew the moment was gone too soon. Breaking away, I turned to find Lily watching us.

“You two are disgustingly cute, but at least you're not fighting it anymore. And yet,” she sniffed, and examined my neck. “still nothing! Jesus, people, why is this mating thing so difficult for this family?” She threw her hands up in the air and stomped off.

“I cannot wait until the day she meets her mate and we all get to remind her just how easy it really is.” Liam said evilly.

When Oscar came back out, freshly washed, he grinned and told us that the Westins had just headed over for the pack dinner. He was very excited and a little anxious about meeting the pack.

“There's a whole lot of people excited to meet you two,” Liam told us, looking at me with concern. “Are you ready?”

Oscar nodded excitedly, while butterflies swarmed my stomach with nerves. I smiled. I needed to be strong, and next to Liam I did feel strong. I could do this.

He put his arm around me and took Oscar's hand as he led us to his pack. The image of the three of us walking together as one family made me happier than I ever remembered feeling.

Collier Pack always had pack meals together before a big run, too. We only ran together four times a year though: summer and winter solstice, fall harvest, and a spring run. I was surprised to learn that Westin Pack held monthly pack runs.

As we entered the pack house I was taken aback by how big it was. There were shifters everywhere, hundreds of them. I had never seen so many in one place before. My anxiety was starting to kick in. Liam must have felt it, because he gave me a squeeze of encouragement.

As we walked to the line serving food, people stared and whispered.

“Ignore them. They're just curious,” Liam whispered in my ear, even knowing they all heard him loudly and clearly. His arm didn't leave my waist until he was given his tray and had no choice, but he walked in front, clearing the way for me and Oscar to follow. It was the small gestures like that that put me at ease.

We hadn't really discussed tonight. I tried not to think about it, knowing my panic would just set in. This was a pack run. I would be expected to run alongside Liam, but I couldn't. The sheer pain that caused inside me was almost unbearable. What kind of mate could I possibly be for him with no wolf?

My eyes were starting to well up with tears and darkness settled into my peripheral vision.Not here. Not now, I swore under my breath, trying to regain control of myself.

Lily dropped her tray on the table next to me and sat down. She had startled me, helping to grasp on to something other than the panic I was feeling. Did she know? Had I even told her I couldn't shift? My best friend, and I couldn't share something so deep and personal. How was I going to tell an entire pack?

I steadied my breathing, using some of the coping mechanisms Annie and I had practiced. Liam leaned in and kissed my temple. I smiled back at him and heard the increased murmurs around us. He was publicly staking his claim on me.

Then I smelled it. I smelled him. Wolves, but especially male wolves, carried a unique scent that warned others off. We used it when feeling threatened, or occasionally mating males would use it to mark their females and caution other males from getting too close. We lived in a civilized society now, so it was rarely used for this purpose. Liam and I hadn't started the bond yet, but he was making it clear to everyone present that it was his intention to do so.

My eyes widened and I knew my cheeks were beginning to turn pink. I looked at him and he just grinned back at me proudly and shrugged.

“Really?” Lily asked, crinkling her nose to the smell. “Is that necessary?”

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