Page 54 of Beauty and the Alien Beast
“Yes. I heard you say it while we were on the run from the slavers.”
“Because things were very bad,” he answered.
I reached across the table, grabbing his hand. “But it has gone from bad to good, right?”
“Yes, sheleki. It has.” He cupped my face with his other hand, and I leaned into it, enjoying his touch.
“So? The ceremony?” I ventured.
I nearly pouted when his hand fell away from my face.
“The mating ceremony is a celebration where the mate pair pledges their life, power, strength, and loyalty to each other.” The intensity of his gaze made my clit pulse. “Both swear to cherish and honor each other. And the male promises to protect his female with his life. The vows are read by the pack’s elders, and the ceremony takes place before the pack, letting it be known to all Wulfaen that the mated pair vows to stand together until our final breath.”
Wait… Is he asking me to marry him?
My eyes widened. “This sounds like what we call a wedding on Earth.”
“What is a wedding?” he inquired.
I struggled a little with the words to put it simply. “A couple decides they want to spend their lives together. Then they take months, sometimes years, to plan the ceremony where they go before their friends and family to witness their commitment to love and live with each other until the day they die.”
“Yes. That is similar to our tradition. Except when a Wulfaen finds his mate, his heart and inner beast know instantly. He does not wait. He seeks to claim and mark his female immediately.”
“Is that why you bit me?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes. It lets others know you and I are mated for life and we are one. It also warns them there will be hell to pay if they try to hurt you.”
I squeaked, “Mated for life?”
“Yes.”
My breath caught in my throat as I blinked hard.
There was a lot wrong with him not asking me if I was down for that type of commitmentbeforehe bit me.
Yes. There was the whole communication issue that prevented him from explaining the mating thing, and… yes, I love him—now. But marriage? What will we do when I go back to Earth?
I swallowed hard.But do I really want to leave him?
I didn’t… I truly adored the big-hearted alien.
“Teken,” I said solemnly. “You didn’t ask if I wanted to be mated to you.”
“You do not care for me?” he asked in a low tone.
My pulse accelerated at his question.
I was a straight-up type of chick, so I wasn’t about to pussyfoot around when it came to my feelings or his.
“I care about you a lot.” I patted over my heart. “I love you. You mean the world to me.”
He smiled and patted his chest. “My heart sings for you, too. The youngling in your belly will be big and strong. My Wulfaen chose well, and I will love, care, serve, and protect you and our pup until the day I die.”
Wait! What?
My stomach plummeted. “Hold on a minute. Are you saying that I’m pregnant?” We’d had lots of unprotected sex, but it never even crossed my mind that I could now be pregnant with his child—youngling… pup… whatever he called our unborn baby.
He arched a brow. “What is ‘pregnant?’”
