Page 28 of Swipe Right on the Alpha
A small smile touched Dylan’s lips. “And you’re still here.”
“I’m still here,” Aiden confirmed. “More than that—I’m happy here. With you, with the pack, with this weird double life we’re building.”
Dylan’s hand came up to cradle Aiden’s face, thumb brushing his cheekbone with tender reverence. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Aiden covered Dylan’s hand with his own, heart racing with the magnitude of the moment. “I’m saying I’m ready. For the bond, for whatever comes next. I want this—I want you, all of you, wolf included.”
The joy that transformed Dylan’s expression was breathtaking—pure, unguarded happiness that made him appear younger, lighter than Aiden had ever seen him. “Are you sure?” he asked, voice rough with emotion. “Once done, it can’t be undone. You’d be mine—ours to each other—for life.”
“I’m sure,” Aiden said, surprised by his own certainty. “I love you, Dylan. Wolf and all. The rest is just details we’ll figure out together.”
Dylan pulled him into a kiss that conveyed everything words couldn’t—gratitude, joy, promise, and a possessive certainty that sent heat coursing through Aiden’s body. When they finally separated, both breathing heavily, Dylan rested his forehead against Aiden’s.
“The full moon is in three days,” he murmured. “Traditionally, that’s when bonds are strongest. If you’re certain—truly certain—we could complete the ritual then.”
“Three days,” Aiden repeated, excitement and nerves battling in his stomach. “That doesn’t give me much time to prepare.”
Dylan’s smile turned slightly predatory. “The preparation is… mostly physical. And something tells me you’ll enjoy it.”
The promise in those words sent a pleasant shiver down Aiden’s spine. Before he could respond, the deck door slid open, and Theo’s head poked out.
“Sorry to interrupt whatever monumentally important conversation is happening—and judging by your expressions, it’s a big one—but your friend Olivia is challenging Elena to an arm-wrestling match, and I thought you might want to intervene before supernatural strength becomes an issue.”
Dylan sighed, reluctantly releasing Aiden. “We’ll continue this conversation later,” he promised, voice low enough for only Aiden to hear.
As they followed Theo back inside to handle the potential exposure risk, Aiden found himself filled with a strange, bubbling happiness. The path ahead wouldn’t be simple—supernatural mate bonds, pack responsibilities, career adjustments, and the ongoing challenge of balancing two worlds—but for perhaps the first time in his life, he was entirely confident in his choice.
Chapter 15
“Okay, so either I’m having a stroke, or there’s something in this tea you’re not telling me about,” Aiden said, setting down the steaming mug Sofia had handed him. They were gathered in Dylan’s cabin three nights later, preparations underway for the bonding ritual scheduled to coincide with moonrise.
Sofia laughed, the sound like tinkling bells. “It’s a traditional pre-bonding blend. Herbs to heighten sensitivity, calm nerves, and enhance… receptiveness.”
“Magic tea. Got it,” Aiden said, taking another cautious sip. The flavor was unusual but not unpleasant—earthy with hints of sweetness and a warming sensation that spread through his body in gentle waves. “Is this going to make me hallucinate? Because I feel like I should have been warned about potential side effects.”
“No hallucinations,” Elena assured him from where she was arranging candles around the bedroom. “Just heightened sensation. The bond requires a certain… openness that humans sometimes struggle with initially.”
Aiden had spent the past three days learning about the bonding ritual, a process more complex than he’d initially understood. The physical act—the claiming bite during intimacy—was only part of a larger ceremony involving pack witnesses (for the preliminary parts only, thank god), symbolic elements, and apparently, magical tea.
“And the pack has to be present because…?” Aiden asked for perhaps the third time, still uncomfortable with that particular aspect.
“Only for the initial blessing,” Theo explained patiently. “We form the circle, acknowledge the bond, then leave you two alone for the… private consummation. It’s tradition. The pack energy helps stabilize the metaphysical connection.”
Dylan entered the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed in simple linen pants, his chest bare in preparation for the ceremony. Seeing Aiden surrounded by his packmates, he smiled—a tender expression that still caused flutters in Aiden’s stomach even after months together.
“Everything okay in here?” he asked, moving to Aiden’s side and placing a possessive hand at the small of his back.
“Just explaining the finer points of magic tea and pack voyeurism,” Aiden replied dryly, though he leaned into Dylan’s touch automatically.
“It’s not voyeurism,” Dylan corrected, pressing a kiss to Aiden’s temple. “They’ll be gone before anything intimate happens. The circle is symbolic, acknowledging the pack’s acceptance of our bond.”
Aiden nodded, having heard the explanation before but still finding the whole process somewhat overwhelming. “And the candles? The herbs burning in the living room? The weird symbols Elena drew on the doorframe?”
“Protection, blessing, and boundary establishment,” Sofia answered. “Creating sacred space for the bond to form properly.”
Dylan’s arm tightened around Aiden’s waist. “We can simplify if it’s too much. The core ritual is just us—the rest is traditional but not strictly necessary.”
The concern in Dylan’s voice made Aiden soften. “No, it’s okay. I want to do this right. I’m just processingall the supernatural elements. Human weddings just involve paperwork and overpriced catering.”
