Page 51 of A True Mate Bond

Blake was slightly taller than the other wolves and his whole body was tense, his canines slightly showing. The other wolves moved in front of their women only for Blake to growl at them, his alpha commanding them to move aside. For a brief moment, Niev wasn’t sure if they would obey or not. The air around them was so tense, Niev could feel the vibrations.

Just as she thought Blake would snap at them, the two wolves bowed, stepped aside, and revealed the women. Blake relaxed, bent his head down, and divided the group as he stepped toward Olivia who was shivering. Blake gently sniffed at her and started humming as if he wanted to soothe her, wanting to let her know he meant no harm. He gently gestured his head toward the tree line and started walking.

Niev smiled at Olivia and spoke with a soft tone. “Seth told me you asked to talk to me. If you like, we can walk a bit.”

Olivia nodded and they started walking behind Blake who was leading them on a path hidden behind the trees.

“Blake didn’t mean to scare you. He has just been very protective over me.”

“You’re carrying his pup, aren’t you?” Her voice was soft, hesitant, and barely a whisper.

“Yes, I am. Do you want to know a secret that only few others know?” Niev hoped it would break the ice and help Olivia open up to share something about herself. Olivia nodded and Niev continued. “I’m having twins.”

Olivia gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Niev knew that having twins in the wolf world was special, but she couldn’t wrap her head around how much of a blessing it truly was.

“The pack is not supposed to know yet. I’d prefer for it to stay a secret for now.”

“Why?”

Like most women, Olivia seemed to be traditional, wanting to rest and be pampered during pregnancy. They slowly followed Blake on the narrow path around the clearing. The moonlight and the lanterns gave just enough light to see where they were stepping.

“I didn’t grow up here. I grew up in the human world, not knowing about werewolves or even about my own ability. I’m very different from the other women here. They’ll start treating me like I’m fragile if they knew how special my pregnancy is. I wouldn’t be allowed to do anything for myself.”

Olivia nodded and they walked in silence. Niev didn’t want to pressure Olivia into saying anything, so she gave her the time and space to find her voice.

“How did he die?” Olivia asked with a shaky voice.

“Would you like me to tell you the details?”

Olivia nodded, so Niev took a deep breath and began to speak.

“The men had left for the attack and Layla, my sister-in-law, was in labor upstairs in the main house. I was getting water in the kitchen downstairs. He came from behind and surprised me. He told me that he would kill me and everyone else in the village if he would get the chance to do it. I knew I needed to stop him. I knew I couldn’t let him kill my family. When he began to shift, I grabbed a knife and stabbed his chest. He was still shifting, so his wolf pushed me back and I fell and was crushed beneath him. I only woke up hours later.”

Silence filled the air as they walked and Olivia processed what she’d just heard. It was too dark for Niev to read Olivia’s expression, so she waited patiently for Olivia’s response. Blake was still walking in front of them yet further down the path as if he wanted to give them at least a little privacy.

“I loved him. I know I shouldn’t have, but I did.” Her tone was so sad that it struck Niev deep in her heart.

“I know, Olivia. And I hope one day you’ll forgive me for what I’ve done to you.”

“I have.”

Tears started to flood Niev’s eyes, but she held them back. Olivia’s forgiveness took an enormous weight off her shoulders, a weight she hadn’t known the severity of. They walked around the clearing and had come back to the spot where they had begun. Blake was sitting a few feet away from them and watched as they came closer.

“Thank you.” Olivia’s voice was now a tad stronger. She looked a little hesitant in the light as she slowly walked toward Blake and quickly passed him.

Niev followed her and walked up to Blake, leaning against him. “She forgave me.”

His chest rumbled, and he gently licked her cheek before nudging her toward the clearing. The lanterns were lit all over and it seemed as if more had been hung up while she’d been gone. Wolves, women, and children were all over in a colorful beautiful mix and a crowd had formed by the fire. Blake motioned his head into that direction and walked her to the firepit. An elderly woman–she assumed was Harriette–was surrounded by children and their parents. All the men seemed to prefer to be in their wolf form today, as she couldn’t see any human men around.

Blake laid down close to the fire, spreading his paws for Niev to sit between them. She sat down and crossed her legs, leaning back against Blake’s chest as he laid his head down to her. He quietly started humming just for her as she started to run her fingers through his fur and listened to Harriette’s melodic voice as she told the story of how werewolves were created.

Halfway through the story, Darron found her and sat in her lap. He seemed tired and had fallen asleep by the time Harriette ended one legend and continued with another. She began one about how Selene created a wolf and his mate by splitting one soul into two. They found each other during their lifespan on earth, making them the fated couple–two souls that created one during their commitment ceremony.

It was a beautiful story. Even though she wanted to hear the end of it, Niev was dozing off listening to Harriette’s soothing voice and Blake’s strong heartbeat while Darron was curled up in her arms.

Harriette’s story faded into Niev’s dreams and instead of picturing the first fated mates, she pictured herself and Blake. It was a beautiful, peaceful dream from which she only awoke because she felt something gently licking her face. She slowly opened her eyes. The moon was still high up in the sky, but Harriette had stopped telling her story. Darron was still in her arms deep asleep only now he was covered with a blanket. Blake was still next to her, his head slightly raised as he licked her cheek with a grin on his face.

“I’m sorry, I dozed off.”

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