Page 103 of Fated to the Wolf Billionaire

“So what do we do now?” I asked, trying to ignore the despair threatening to choke me. If the stone we had was useless… what the fuck were we supposed to do? Eventually, the people hunting the pack would find us, and there weren’t enough maidens to take a stand against the combined might of the supernatural world.

Brielle was the one who answered me. She had her shoulders back and her chin high, the little fragment of stone still sparkling in her palm. “Tomorrow night, we celebrate your bonding. After that, we make a plan.” From the look she leveled on Kane, I knew he was going to have his work cut out for him keeping her in the enclave while the rest of the stone was found.

“It doesn’t feel right to have a celebration while we’re still under the gun. We can postpone it. I really don’t mind.” I looked up at Reed sadly, but I felt like it needed to be said. No one was going to be in the mood to celebrate after this news.

“Goddess’s tits, that’sexactlywhy we’re going to celebrate tonight. We have no idea what tomorrow holds or who we might lose trying to get the rest of this stone. So, no. No postponing. Today and tomorrow, we celebrate. I agree with Brielle.” Elodie’s voice shook as she balanced on her crutches, pinning me in place with her fiery defiance.

“She’s right. We could be trying to hunt these down for a long time. Tomorrow night might be our last night together as a pack until this is over,” Olivia said a little more mildly. “You should always grab on to happiness while you’ve got it.”

There were tears sparkling in her eyes, and my heart ached for all the pain this pack had been through. Maybe a celebration was what we all needed after all.

“Okay then, who wants to take me to get a dress fitted?”

FORTY-NINE

Reed

Iwaited for my mate on the ceremonial flower mound, my pack brothers beside me, my gift for Fiona safely boxed up on the first stone bench.

Kane’s expression was neutral, despite the blow he’d been dealt earlier in the day, but still, I knew it had to be weighing on him.

“You don’t have to be part of the ceremony tonight if you don’t want to. It’s been a lot, and Fiona and I both understand.”

He smiled wearily, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Brielle would skin me alive and use my pelt for a dress if I wasn’t here supporting our best friends as they take their next steps together.”

The description made me laugh, even though I did sense the previously quiet healer had grown feistier now that her wolf was free. Dirge had told me earlier she was giving Kane a real run for his money, and that made me happy for them both. They deserved all that life had to offer. And tomorrow, we’d figure out the next steps to getting the stone they needed to do it.

I took a long, slow exhale, and Gael grinned. “Nervous? The bite is already done, so I’m afraid any jitters at this point are too little, too late. She’s yours, and you’re hers.”

I rolled my eyes at his obvious enjoyment of my nervous anticipation.

“No, you ass. I’m worried she won’t like the gift I picked for her.”

“Ah. Well, as long as it’s not a printed-out newspaper article, you’re still doing better than your brother.”

“Watch it, twerp.” Dirge tried to put Gael in a headlock, Gael was blocking him, and the two of them tussling distracted me from the last of my jitters.

“Gentlemen! Behave yourselves. This is a holy commune, not a frat house.” Priestess Marciana’s tone brooked no argument, and they snapped to attention like little boys caught fighting in school.

“It’s almost time. Take your places, please.”

Kane squeezed my shoulder one last time and took up his position beside me alongside Gael. Less than a minute later, soft flute music filled the rose garden, and I caught my first sight of Olivia carrying a jar of rosehip water and, to my surprise, behind her was Elodie. She’d abandoned her crutches, walking with only a slight limp as she carried the stick of lovelace perfume to her position.

But I quickly forgot about Elodie’s recovery, because a second after her friend was in place, Fiona appeared at the mouth of the garden path. A collective gasp went up through the garden as all eyes fixed on her ethereal beauty.

Her golden hair was woven up high on her head in a braided crown, the little jewels spread through it sparkling under the fairy lights with every step she took toward me. Her gown was gold, sheer, and hugged her every dip and curve. In a way, it reminded me of the silver dress she’d worn the night we bonded, only better. Both of her shoulders were bare, showing off the glittering scar of my bite on her throat, the low top draping gracefully over her upper arms and hugging her breasts.

But her eyes, those were what left me breathless. She was smiling at me like I’d personally hung the full moon in the sky over our heads, and I never wanted her to stop looking at me like that.

“You look incredibly gorgeous, my mate,” I whispered as I took her hand and she stepped into the pile of flowers.

“You look incredibly handsome, yourself,” she whispered back, raking her gaze possessively over the open collar of my shirt, my throat bare for her beneath it as was custom. “I think I like you without the tie.”

Marciana delicately cleared her throat, getting our attention before our friends began the proceedings with the ceremonial blessings.

Gael stepped forward first. “For prosperity.” In his hand was a piece of paper, which I immediately realized was a real estate deed. There was an address in a coastal town in Spain written on the line, which meant my best friend was gifting us with our own home.

Thank you. I mouthed the words as he set the deed at our feet and moved back to his place.

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