Page 47 of Rust the Rejected
Natalie
“You look gorgeous, Natalie.”
“You don’t need any makeup. That glow outdoes any blush!”
“So pretty.”
“Rust will fall in love with you all over again.”
Through the trifold mirror in the bedroom’s sitting room, I smile tearily at the girls and his mom. Sage rearranged the room for my mate bonding ceremony preparation space. A rolling rack of exquisite dresses stands to the side with shoes and sandals arranged below it. Lace and silk lingerie rests on a dressing table. Champagne bottles sit in a sterling silver bucket with crystal flutes and strawberries on the coffee table. It’s wonderful except it’s missing my Mom and Amanda.
Signy hands me a tissue with a smile.
“I know you must miss your family, especially today. We can never erase your pain or replace your sister and mother. But we adopt you into our pack and our circle of girlfriends. You have us, now, Natalie.”
The others gather around me for a hug. The sadness in my heart lifts, and I smile with happiness.
“Thank you. It means so much to me.”
A knock at the door followed by Rust’s father’s voice.
“May I come in?”
Frigg unlocks the door, and he smiles at her as he strides in the sitting room. He stops a few feet from me. His smile widens.
“Natalie, how lovely you are,” he says, then continues after I thank him. “It would be my honor to walk you to the ceremony bower.”
Once again, tears fill my eyes. I nod, unable to verbalize a response.
“Now, we can’t have you all weepy as you greet your fated mate. Allow me?”
I turn to Sage and nod. She grins and works her magick. Immediately, the tears stop and my cheeks dry. A rush of elation sweeps through me. I giggle and thank her.
“Shall we?”
I slip my arm through Rudolf’s.
The girls and Frigg bustle out ahead of us. We get into the golf carts and make our way to the open, park-like square.
Amidst the garden and benches stand rows of long rectangular tables with white tablecloths and white wooden chairs. Floral arrangements line the center with buckets of Champagne. Chaffing dishes with a variety of foods and beverages sit on tables to the side. A separate table holds a four-tiered cake. Columns of intertwined tree branches and flowers strung with thousands of fairy lights surround the area to allow for the celebration to continue after the sun sets. A ceremony bower with the same treatment stands at one end. I smile at the magickal fairy-tale, all thanks to Sage.
The pack gathers in front of the bower while Rust waits beneath it with Jagger. Sage slips from the first golf cart and circles the pack to stand opposite Rust and Jagger. He grins at her. But Rust only has eyes for me.
He looks up the aisle as I alight from the second golf cart. Our eyes connect. His glow with a love so fierce, my heart skips a beat. A pulse reaches through our tether. I smile brightly at my fated mate as Rudolf escorts me down the aisle. Rust strides towards us, nods at his father, and scoops me into his arms. I giggle and wrap my arms around his neck. The pack wolf whistles and claps. He turns for the bower and settles me on my feet.
“Natalie Moore, I claim you as my fated mate to protect, love, and cherish for all time. To bear my pups and to stand by my side. I love you, Natalie Ingolf, my fated mate!”
I swallow back tears of joy, then clear my throat to respond.
“Rust Ingolf, I claim you as my fated mate to protect, love, and cherish for all time. To bear your pups and to stand by your side. I love you, Rust Ingolf, my fated mate!”
More shouts and howls of rejoicing fill the air.
Rust scoops me up and swings me around. My head goes back as I howl with joy. He joins me for a song of love. Then he carries me back up the aisle as the pack congratulates us. We settle at the head table with Jagger, Sage, Rudolf, Frigg, Viggo, Tag, Dylan, and Sasha. Once everyone takes their seats, Jagger and Sage stand with flutes of Champagne.
“It is my great pleasure to welcome Natalie Ingolf as the fated mate of Rust Ingolf to our Miami Wolves Pack—”
Cheers interrupt him. He waits with a grin for them to finish.
