Page 24 of Love in the Forest
All the wolves stared at her.
“She’s a vampire,” one of the females called out, though her voice sounded hushed.
“Yes,” Braden said. “And she’s my mate.”
A soft gasping sound made its way through the crowd.
She knew the quality of her life moving forward hung on exactly what happened next.
She wondered if she should say something but decided against it. Whatever was going to happen would have to unfold all by itself.
After a long tense moment, one of the wolves began to howl, though she couldn’t see which one. It was a soft sound, almost tender. Another wolf picked it up then another, until to her shock all the wolves emitted a similar soft howl. It was incredibly beautiful.
Braden, what’s happening?
She turned to look at him. He had tears in his eyes then he chuckled. “I get it now. I didn’t before, but I do now.”
“What?” She searched his eyes trying desperately to understand.
“Just feel the pack the way you extend all your senses to the vampires in your care.”
She worked hard to let go of her fears and found it wasn’t that difficult, not in the face of the sweetest sound she’d ever heard. She didn’t know wolves could sound so plaintive, so beautiful, almost endearing.
She gave herself to the moment and to what she felt emanating from the pack. Was it acceptance or were they mourning that their alpha had chosen a vampire as his mate?
She realized after a moment, that it was neither. This wasn’t acceptance at all, but something else. This was…recognition.
Her turn to gasp softly. “Braden, they know me.”
“Exactly.”
She turned toward him. “Was it the partial-bond?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. It was just you. This was what happened the moment…”
She cut him off because she got it. “The blood chalice.”
His smile turned to a grin. “Your blood was in that chalice. That’s how they know you. How they’ve always responded to you. This expression of love, even of the need for your presence here in this pack, is what happened a month ago and what you’re seeing now. I just didn’t understand it, but then, how could I? I didn’t even know until tonight that the blood chalice was connected to you.” He searched her eyes. “My pack didn’t need the chalice. They needed you, Abby. You are what they’ve needed all along.”
She couldn’t help it. Tears tracked down her cheeks.
She let go of Braden’s hand and went straight to the wolf who had opened one of the doors. She could feel his rank in the pack, as Braden’s number two, as surely as she could breathe.
“My name is Abby.”
She extended her hand. He bowed over it, then took her hand and pressed his forehead against her fingers. He was very gentle. “I’m Jared. Welcome home, Abby.”
The pack had already lined up in rank, from the most powerful, to the most educated, to the oldest, to the youngest. And so, she met them all, touched them, made herself known to each.
Braden stayed where she’d left him. There wasn’t a wolf present, even those males that she sensed had surly, dominant traits, who wasn’t respectful.
Love was what she felt, the love they experienced for each other as pack members, the love they felt for Braden and what they now shared with her.
Never in a thousand years would she have thought she would be a wolf’s mate. Yet here she was, and she knew this was where she belonged.
Festivities followed. The grills were brought out along with vats of potato salad and steaks from the pack’s massive freezer.
Once she’d been greeted by the pack, Braden took her hand again only this time, he didn’t let go or at least never for longer than a few seconds.
