Page 74 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

He nods. “I know we should. This is all so fast.” He stands up and crosses the room. He glances at Zane. “You knew about this before tonight, didn’t you? You aren’t just here to play pool, are you?”

“Yes, and no. Yes, I knew about Mum wanting to see you, and no, I’m not just here to play pool, but to support you. I do want to play if you’re still keen after this. Or we could shift forms and go for a run?” he suggests.

Declan breathes a sigh of relief. “No, as much as I want to shift, I can’t.”

“Why not? I say go and do it. I think you need to.” I admit. I’m curious about his mother and have a question about her.

He looks at me. “I know you have a question that needs answering. You shut me out once, don’t do it again.”

“Never again. I promise. My question is, what is your mother like now? Just so I don’t get a shock when I go in.”

He smiles as he comes over to sit beside me, but it’s Ravin who answers. “She’s not the bubbly, bright mother we once knew, but you can see it in her eyes that she’s in there somewhere. She talks about our dad and is still madly in love with him even after all this time. She kind of floats around singing to herself or dances around. She loves being with Indigo. It’s nice to see.”

“You have to understand, Winter, with a mated bond, you’re bonded for life. To see your mate killed in front of you while the Alpha of the other pack proclaims he’ll marry you when your mate is dead is awful to go through. She didn’t truly lose her mind, though, until Matthew died. That’s when she realised he was gone to her. Declan built the clan back up at only eighteen. He spent two years learning how to be an Alpha before finally challenging the Interim Alpha for the position,” Margaret says.

Declan squeezes my hand harder. “My mum doesn’t recognise me, and it’s hard to see and witness. I’m terrified she’ll be the same tomorrow.”

“We are all going to be with you tomorrow, Declan. You will not do this alone,” Margaret reassures him.

He leans over. “I’ll go with Zane now. I think I need to. You enjoy the time with my Nana and sister. Don’t wait up.”

“I will.” He kisses me quickly before a quick nod at Zane, and they exit the house via the kitchen. Seeing two wolves in the backyard has become customary for me. Once they’re out of sight, I turn to Margaret.

“Can you tell me more about what it takes to become a Luna when you’re human? Is there a mating ritual? We don’t have to have sex in front of the clan or anything like that, do we?” I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

She looks at me curiously. “You haven’t told him you want this, have you?”

I shake my head. “No, because I want to gain the acceptance of the clan before I do.”

She smiles. “There’s no mating ritual. You don’t have sex in front of the clan. There is a binding ritual, and as a Luna, you will receive your own mark.” She shows me her hand. “You’ll then place your mark against his, and there are bonding words spoken. Your wrists and hands are bound together, usually by the Beta of the clan. Zane will do it as he’s Declan’s Beta. You will also have a chosen witness.”

“So it’s like a wedding?” I ask.

“It can be done separately to a wedding if that is what you wish to do. We did ours with our wedding in front of the clan. It made it more special.” Margaret looks at me for a moment. “I’m glad you are embracing this, Winter. I have the sense that something is going to happen soon. Declan is going to need all the strength he can get behind him to overcome it.”

I vow right then to make him proud and be the best Luna I can be for him.

* * *

DECLAN

My heart is pounding, my stomach nauseous, my palms sweat, and my body aches. All we are doing is sitting in the car outside the respite care facility. The words on the signs are blurred together in a jumbled mess. I’m not sure I’m ready for this.

Winter slides her hand into mine and squeezes. I feel her trying to help me calm down, but I’m too overwhelmed by my internal feelings that I don’t know what is going on.

My phone buzzes. I glance at it, seeing a message from Zane. We don’t always communicate via thoughts. We have to look human at some point. I read.

Z:We’re here. Come inside when you are ready.

I’m glad my family or Winter aren’t pushing me to walk through those doors. I didn’t sleep well last night, nightmares plaguing my dreams, and even with Winter wrapped in my arms didn’t soothe me.

I’m terrified of going in there and reliving the events from ten years ago. Watching as my mother screamed and had to be dragged away from me, all because all she saw was my dad had been excruciating. The worse was when the management team told me it might be best for her that I don’t return.

I look at Winter. Her steel-grey eyes are searching my face for some sort of idea when we are going to head inside.

“Best we get this over with,” I mumble.

“You know the first step is always the hardest. That’s why I want to make it with you.” She kisses my cheek.

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