Chapter 29 (Part 1)

((PLEASE READ THE A/N AT THE END. IT IS LONG, BUT HAS SOME IMPORTANT INFO! It isn’t a rant, either, so please read it!

This chapter WAS split into two parts. I think you all will like this half but if it seems a bit boring, don’t worry, the next half is going to be very exciting.

Dedicated to EnchantedCoffee for the lovely cover at the side!

Song is just what I’ve been listening to. It goes well for any girl in love, I think. :) ))

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Gabriel and I continued walking with our hands intertwined even after we entered the main area of the pack village.

I was sure that I had a dopey smile on my face but I couldn’t help it. I felt pleasant tingles running up and down my arm caused by the skin-on-skin contact. My Wolf’s lust was sated for now, and she hummed contentedly in the back of my consciousness.

There were few werewolves about, oddly enough, but the scattered members of my pack stared intently at our clasped hands as we passed. We must have seemed like such an oddity to all of them; a pair of destined Mates yet to complete the Marking, even so long after we first met. I glanced up at Gabriel out of the corner of my eye as we approached my house. For once, he had a relaxed expression, and I couldn’t help the burst of warmth I felt as I realized I had caused his good mood.

He released my hand as we neared my front door and I tried to ignore the sense of longing I felt as soon as we lost contact.

“I have some business to take care of before the ceremony. If we’re leaving tomorrow, I need to ready everything.”

I felt a burst of excitement and nodded in response. “I guess I should pack, too. When’s the ceremony?”

“I see no point in waiting. I’ll conduct it right after dark.”

He looked at me for a moment, dark eyes flicking across my features. I thought I saw desire hovering just behind his expression. In one smooth move that surprised me, Gabriel leaned forward and placed a feather-light kiss on my lips that lasted less than a second. I felt a rush of heat and my cheeks darkened as I blinked up at him. Immediately, my body craved for more, but Gabriel took a few steps back before I could give into my lustful impulses.

“I’ll see you later, Skylar,” he muttered, voice a bit contorted and I thought he was having a similar reaction.

“Okay,” was my breathless reply, and I scolded myself for not coming up with anything better than that. I couldn’t help it, though. Gabriel’s touch had a profound effect on me and left my thoughts muddled and laced with desire.

Practically in a daze, I slowly made my way inside my house and up to my room. I brushed my fingers across my slightly swollen lips. The recollection of our passionate moments in the woods caused me to blush even more and I was grateful that my parents weren’t home.

My thoughts distant, I slowly began to gather my things into the same bag I had used last time. It was interesting how different this situation was to the previous occasion I’d left home. I wasn’t dreading my first encounter with the Black Mountains Pack, and there was a strong chance I would come back Marked.

The next time we see everyone, we will be Luna! My Wolf yipped. I swallowed hard, unable to evade the nervousness caused by that concept. It was a lot of responsibility. I was willing to take it on, but that didn’t mean it would come easily.

Our Mate will help us every step of the way, she said confidently. I agreed with her on that one.

I wasn’t really looking forward to telling my parents about leaving again, but surely they wouldn’t be all that surprised. It was customary for the female to join the male’s pack and/or live with him, and there weren’t any other viable options since Gabriel was Alpha. I shoved my bag of toiletries in with my other things as I contemplated. It would be hard leaving Maria and Will again, but now Will had Eva, and hopefully Gabriel and I would return before too long.

Almost as soon as I finished packing I heard a loud rapping on the front door. Furrowing my brow, I took the stairs down two at a time. Who was coming to visit me in the middle of the day? Swinging the door open, I came face-to-face with Will. The last time he’d been on my doorstep, Will had been battered and exhausted, but right now he looked like he was on top of the world.

“Skylar! Did you hear?” He asked, blue eyes alight with excitement. I couldn’t help the small smile that made its way on my face.

“About you and Eva? Yeah, Gabriel told me! Congratulations!”

Will paused momentarily, seeming as if he was sniffing the air. His eyes narrowed slightly. “His scent is all over you, Skylar.”

I blushed and looked down. “Um…yeah. I’m not Marked yet but he wanted everyone to know I am his.”

Will had a strange look on his face but didn’t pursue the subject. “Can we go for a walk? I wanted to talk and wasn’t sure who else to go to. Plus . . . I remember what happened last time I was alone in your house with you.”

I sighed, remembering Gabriel’s blatant display of jealousy, and quickly walked outside to join Will. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. I could honestly never remember him being this overjoyed; he seemed radiant.

I wondered if that was how I would’ve looked under different circumstances after meeting Gabriel for the first time, after he accepted me and we planned on joining together in front of the whole pack.

“Sorry to drag you into this, I’m just getting used to . . . well, you know,” Will confessed as we meandered along one of the central pathways in the village.

“You know I don’t mind. You seem really happy, so you’re adjusting just fine!”

“Honestly, I never expected to have to chase her so much.”

“What happened?” I couldn’t prevent the curious question that emerged. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I added hastily.

Will shrugged. “I followed her in the woods, we had a long talk. She wasn’t set on the whole ‘Mate’ concept at first but when we made eye contact . . . well, a lot of her resistance faded. She said she had been in love with someone else before me, but decided she wanted to move on.”

I tried to keep my expression neutral. I didn’t want Will knowing my dislike for Eva or how she had loved Gabriel first; I detected a hint of jealousy in Will’s voice and didn’t want to worsen any problems.

“We talked all night, and she let me kiss her this morning. It was the most perfect thing to ever happen to me.” He eyed me keenly, a spark of mischief in his baby blues. “I think you already know about that, though.”

I blushed and didn’t reply. Gabriel’s scent was heavy enough that it left no room for guessing what had happened.

“At least your Mate finally came around, too,” he added. I was pleased to hear no bitterness in his tone. Meeting Eva must’ve drained the last vestiges of Will’s feelings for me. That was, admittedly, a relief.

“Yeah. I’m going back to the Black Mountains Pack village with him.”

“Are you having a ceremony, too?”

I blinked, not having really considered it.

“I mean, you’re going to be Luna once you’re Marked. The pack will want to recognize you in a ceremony.” I caught a glint of admiration in his eyes and it made me slightly uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to that sort of attention.

“I guess you’re right. Maybe after all of this vampire crap is over with.”

“I said the sooner, the better,” he chuckled, and I elbowed him teasingly.

“You just want to Mark her!”

“I won’t deny that!”

We laughed for a moment more, but then Will’s face grew uncharacteristically serious. “That wasn’t all I wanted to talk to you about. I found out something today and I wasn’t sure who to tell. Eva doesn’t know him, so it made more sense to talk to you.”

“Know who?” I responded, puzzled.

Will’s mouth tightened into a grim line. “Kale.”

I stared at him blankly, before the name registered. I was sure my eyes had grown as wide as saucers. “Your brother? What about him?”

Will had one older brother, Kale, who had graduated high school while we were still in middle school. He was one of the few wolves that had left our pack to mingle in the human world, choosing to attend a faraway university. We hadn’t seen him in five or six years. Will’s parents had wanted Kale to stay with our pack but the boy had refused, and it had caused somewhat of a rift within their family. Will never talked about it, and I had almost forgotten all about the older boy until now. There was enough of an age gap between us that I’d never really associated with him. I remembered that Maria had a crush on him when we were in elementary school, though.

“He’s coming back.”

“What? Why now?”

Will sighed and ran a hand through his tousled, sandy-blonde hair. If I remembered correctly, Kale had even lighter hair than Will and the same bright blue eyes.

“Well, there’s Anne’s death. My parents have a hard time mind-linking him from so far away but they called his apartment and left a message. Of course he wouldn’t have picked up his phone.” I could hear bitterness prevalent in Will’s voice and I didn’t pry. It was his family business. “And then they told him about Cain and the vampires, and about me finally finding my Mate. He called back this morning and said he’ll be here later tonight.”

“Maybe he’s tired of the human world,” I mused, trying to take all of this in. “Or he just misses you guys. And finding your Mate is a big deal. He should be here!”

Will sighed yet again. “. . . I guess. I’m just nervous and I don’t know how to act. I mean, he’s only talked to my parents maybe twice a year since he left. He doesn’t want to associate with us. I’m worried he’ll make things awkward.”

I rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. “Or it could go the other way. If he’s making the effort to return, that should prove something.”

His lips twisted in a grimace but he didn’t reply for a moment. “I wonder if he’s even the same person. He’s still Mate-less and everything, but he’s been around so many humans . . .”

I really wasn’t sure what to say to that. “He can’t have changed that much, not as long as his Wolf is still around.”

“I’m just hoping my parents don’t go off on him again. I don’t want Eva thinking my family is psycho.”

“I’m sure they won’t. This is a time for everyone to work together, not argue.”

“You’re sounding more noble every day, Skylar.” A slight smile appeared on Will’s face. “Either way, I have to talk to the Alpha later, get permission for my brother to re-enter our territory. Kale is still technically a part of this pack, but the Alpha may not want him here since he’s been gone so long.”

I frowned slightly. “I’ll talk to Gabriel about it.”

Will smirked as he looked past me toward the forest we had just treaded. “I expected him to have caught up to us by now, threatening to tear my head off if I continued spending time with you.”

I began to blush. “He’s not that bad-”

“Yes he is, but I can’t blame him. He has the Alpha instincts.”

I bit my lip, not going to admit aloud how I actually kind-of liked Gabriel’s possessiveness.

“You’re his Mate, and he’s bound to overprotective of you. I can understand that now. He’s your knight in shining armor, riding in on his white horse to save the damsel in distress.”

Will’s grin was teasing and I snorted. “Gabriel’s way too dark and broody for that sort of thing.”

“Either way. He’s the knight, you’re his maiden.”

“You’ve been watching too many fantasy movies. Why do I have to be the weak little female? I can take care of myself!” I replied, but my tone was light and I wasn’t really offended. I actually liked the idea of Gabriel being a protector and it was true, he was all mine. He had saved or been there for me several times now, such as when the vampires had kidnapped me and the night of the Purge when he’d caught me in his arms. I guess I did look at him as my hero, my knight in shining armor, in a way.

Will, waving his hand in a blatant dismissal of my protest, returned the conversation to Eva. I was not fond of the way he praised every aspect of her face and figure and personality, but I kept my lips shut. Despite Eva’s flaws, there had to be some good in her for Will to be chosen as her Mate. Besides, he was much happier talking about her than about Kale. If my best friend was happy I had to put my petty problems aside and be happy for him. It’s what a Luna would do.

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The rest of the day passed by quickly, but I ached to be in Gabriel’s presence again. I broke the news to my parents that I was returning to the other pack village the following day. As expected, they were not overjoyed, but judging by the look on my father’s face he recognized Gabriel’s scent all over me. My dad wasn’t stupid, and he wasn’t going to prolong the inevitable. I was going to accept Gabriel and it was my responsibility as his Mate to follow him wherever he went, helping him when I could. Thankfully, my parents may not have been pleased, but they weren’t heartbroken like last time. We were all one pack now and they knew I’d be home before too long.

I nearly jumped for joy when Gabriel mind-linked with me just as the darkness of night was taking over the sky.

Meet me at the south end of the pack village.

Is that where the Mating ceremony is being held? I queried, confused. Normally it was in the same clearing as pack meetings.

No, we have a visitor coming in from the outside world. A former pack member. We’re meeting him an hour outside of the village. The ceremony will have to occur later than intended.

My confusion lasted only seconds longer before I realized it must be Kale, Will’s brother. I wasn’t surprised that Gabriel was letting him enter our territory; Kale was still technically a member of the pack, as his connection had never truly been severed. It was frowned upon for werewolves to join the outside world but not illegal. Brett had not excommunicated Kale just in case the latter decided to return one day. Six years later, the estranged wolf was finally coming back. Gabriel, of course, was being overly cautious by insisting on meeting Kale outside of the village but I wasn’t going to complain.

In fact, I was overjoyed that he was bringing me along for once.

I’ll be there shortly.

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About an hour later, Gabriel and I stood side by side in a clearing as we heard Kale fast approaching. Gabriel had asked Jack to accompany us, and he stood silently nearby. Despite not remembering much about Will’s brother, I was glad he’d made it okay. The Stone of Jacob had repelled the vampires after dark so that he arrived unscathed. I discreetly took a whiff of the air to catch his scent. It was woodsy, faintly resembling Will’s, but there was some blandness about the smell that indicated Kale had lived among humans recently. A werewolf’s scent was stronger when we were in our natural element.

Gabriel shifted position next to me and our arms nearly brushed. I felt the electricity sparking from our nearness but I attempted to ignore it. We’d exchanged some conversation but Gabriel hadn’t brought up the passionate encounter from earlier, for which I was grateful (not that he would’ve brought it up with Jack traveling with us).

Thinking of it just made me want to continue where we’d left off. The concept of doing so made me shiver slightly, and I hoped my Mate hadn’t noticed.

Seconds later, the trampling of paws halted and was quickly followed by the sound of bones snapping and the rustling of clothes. So Kale had run to us in Wolf form, then. According to Gabriel, Will had said that Kale flew into the nearest human city before setting off on foot. If he could still shift so easily, he hadn’t lost touch with his Wolfish side. That was a good sign for someone who’d been with the humans for the past six years.

Kale emerged shortly, and I blinked in surprise. He’d really changed a lot. He was taller than Will (although not as tall as Gabriel) and lean, though nicely toned. He had the same blonde hair that I remembered but it was cut slightly shorter, and his bright blue eyes stood out against his lightly tanned skin. He was very handsome, I thought. Maria would freak when she saw him.

He’s not as handsome as our Mate, my Wolf said a bit snootily, and I chuckled inwardly.

Of course. Nobody can compare to Gabriel.

Kale’s face registered surprise as he looked at me, then Jack, his gaze soon sliding to Gabriel. From there, I saw recognition flare in his expression and his jaw clenched.

“You . . . you’re the Alpha?” His voice was colored with shock and distaste.

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I was told you’d been informed of the changes within this pack.”

“Well . . . yeah, but they didn’t tell me WHO was the Alpha! When I was here, your father was in charge of the Black Mountains Pack. You-”

“The packs have been merged as one, Kale,” Jack said calmly, clearly trying to diffuse the tension. “Brett was no longer fit to be leader.”

“You guys just let them take over like that?” I could understand where Kale was coming from, but it was not helping the situation.

“It was in our best interest, with everything going on.” Jack tossed a nervous glance at Gabriel, who was still ominously silent.

“I honestly don’t-“

“Kale, everything will be explained in due time. If we wait around here any longer, you’ll miss the ceremony.”

Jack’s words weren’t exactly true, as Gabriel HAD to be there for the ceremony to start, but I knew he was trying to help.

Kale’s vibrant eyes narrowed as he stared at Gabriel appraisingly. Gabriel had stiffened considerably, not appreciating the disrespect. I was surprised that Kale was acting so gutsy. Gabriel was extremely intimidating to most werewolves. Kale must’ve been a bit out of touch after living amongst humans instead of under the command of an Alpha.

“Now I see why my parents didn’t mention who was Alpha now.”

A growl escaped Gabriel’s throat and in an instant, he stood directly in front of Kale, eyes burning with anger. “I consider myself very hospitable for allowing you to return. Do not make me regret my decision. I have very little tolerance for disrespect.” With the menacing set of his shoulders, there was no doubt of the underlying threat.

Kale tried to act calm and collected, but I noticed a flash of fear in his blue eyes. Slowly, he nodded.

“Let’s go,” Gabriel snapped brusquely, turning away from Kale and completely ignoring him as he headed off towards the trees.

I sighed and made to follow. Gabriel had actually held his temper in check but I could sense his aggravation that a newcomer was talking to him like that. I couldn’t blame Kale, though, as I’d used to feel the exact same way about the Black Mountains Pack. It was a lot for him to take in.

Dimly, I realized Kale had fallen into step beside me while Jack caught up to Gabriel.

“I barely recognized you, Skylar!”

I glanced at him to see his eyes bright and curious. “Well, it’s been a while,” I replied nonchalantly. It felt strange, conversing with him casually. He hadn’t been part of the pack for so long; even if he was Will’s brother, it was hard for me to view him as such.

“I guess so.” He was lost in silent thought for a moment before lowering his voice. “How is it, with him as Alpha? It’s just . . . after everything with their pack . . .”

“I understand. It’s different, but it’s important that everyone has banded together. Your parents told you about the vampires, right?”

He nodded, expression solemn. “It was so hard to believe. I always thought they were a myth.”

I laughed humorlessly. “Unfortunately not.”

“I heard about Anne.” There was visible sadness on his handsome face, and I realized he must’ve cared about Anne for it to still affect him so many years after he’d left.

“They’re relentless and cruel. That’s why we needed a strong Alpha. Brett couldn’t handle it after she . . . you know.”

Kale sighed, seeming to accept my answer. We continued towards camp for a few more silent moments. “What about you?” He spoke suddenly, and sniffed for a moment before his eyes widened. “I thought that’s what I smelled! The Alpha’s scent is all over you!”

For the seemingly millionth time, I blushed. “Gabriel is my Mate.”

Kale whistled. “Little Skylar, with an Alpha as a Mate. Wow.” His eyes perused my neck. “You’re not Marked yet, though.”

“Not yet.” What else was I supposed to say to that?

“You’ll be Luna. That’s crazy.” he shook his head, running a large hand through his tousled blonde locks. “You have your work cut out with that one, though.” The last words were spoken in a whisper.

I couldn’t help but smile slightly. I had indeed worked hard to get where I was with Gabriel now. Almost as if he knew what I was thinking, my Mate tossed me a penetrating look over his shoulder. Flashes of earlier today assaulted my mind and the red on my cheeks intensified. “He’s worth it,” I muttered to Kale before I really realized what I was saying. I didn’t miss the look of disbelief on Kale’s face but I ignored it. My words had escaped unintentionally but they were true.

Gabriel was worth it.

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Kale’s arrival caused quite a stir.

I could hear the thinly-disguised whispers across the assembled werewolves in the clearing. Kale had arrived half an hour ago and Gabriel had immediately called everyone together to complete the ceremony. Will and Eva were currently out of sight, as they would enter the clearing at the same time once everything settled down. Kale was standing with his parents but even from this distance I could sense the awkwardness within his family. It seemed like the three were conversing, but judging by the stony expression on the young man’s face he was not comfortable with it.

I mean, what was he going to say to them after so many years away?

For my part, I was standing next to my parents near the front of the group. They, too were talking about Kale’s sudden arrival. My mother thought it was a good thing, that every family should unite in this time of need. Tuning her out for a bit, my eyes slid across Gabriel and Jack, who were conversing next to the wooden platform, and I vainly tried to find Maria in the crowd.

I didn’t see her anywhere.

This made my eyebrows furrow in puzzlement. Why would she not be here? Will was extremely excited about it, it was an incredibly proud moment for him, and we were his best friends. It was our obligation to support him. So why-

She has feelings for him. Seeing him with another will hurt her, my Wolf said calmly the same instant I came to the conclusion myself. That had to be it. Maria had deep feelings for Will. I wasn’t sure how long she’d liked him since I’d just recently found out but it would still pain her to watch the ceremony. I wasn’t sure Will would completely understand, though. He would want Maria to be happy for him without realizing what it would cost her. Knowing Maria, she would feel extremely guilty for not coming, as she was often too compassionate for her own good. I made a mental note to go visit her after the ceremony and make sure she was doing okay.

My eyes continued restlessly skimming the crowd, and I tried not to visibly wince as I briefly made eye contact with Brett and Lynn, his Mate and the former Luna. While Lynn’s expression was mostly indecipherable, I saw vivid dislike in Brett’s penetrating stare. I grit my teeth and ignored them. It wasn’t entirely my fault that Brett had been removed from his position as Alpha. He had helped dig that grave himself.

Or, at least that’s what I kept trying to tell myself.

Lastly, and inevitably, my eyes rested on Gabriel. I felt a small jolt as I realized he’d already been staring at me. His dark eyes were intense, and as our eyes met I saw hooded desire that he did not attempt to hide. I was sure my expression mirrored his and his tantalizing words from earlier were continuously on repeat inside my brain. He may have been dressed simply but his shirt was tight enough to accentuate the muscled form underneath. Checking him out was only worsening things so, with a small and apologetic smile, I managed to tear my eyes away.

My Wolf was getting restless. Moments later, Will and Eva entered the clearing hand-in-hand, and I tried to keep my face expressionless as I took in Eva’s flowing dress and perfect hair. She looked absolutely beautiful; it was customary to dress up for the Mating ritual. I did not miss the way her vivid blues scanned the crowd and then returned to the area next to the wooden platform where Gabriel was standing. I also did not miss her taut and almost longing expression as she discreetly observed her former love.

However, just as my hands were curling into fists, Will whispered something in her ear that I did not catch. Eva turned to face him, and her tense expression visibly relaxed. She wasn’t the easiest one to read but I thought I detected sincere affection in her eyes as she gazed at her Mate. Will put an arm around her as they trudged up the platform together. In that moment, I thought that maybe she truly did care about Will and this would help her to get over her wasted affection for Gabriel faster than any other method.

As the ceremony started, I felt incredibly selfish for letting my mind wander, but I couldn’t help but think about tomorrow. The journey back to Gabriel’s village, and the events afterwards, were making my stomach churn in anticipation. In my opinion, tomorrow could not get here fast enough.

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~~~~~~~~Maria’s POV~~~~~~~~

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I felt like a horrible person. Will was one of my best friends, and I was so selfish that I couldn’t even make it out to his Mating ceremony. It was probably the most important ceremony of his life, yet here I was, sitting in my living room and stuffing my face with chocolate ice cream. It was my go-to food, especially with everything that happened recently. I knew it was sad and pathetic and that I needed to just get over it, but it was hard. I’d liked him for years now and feelings like that didn’t just ‘go away’.

I’d been recuperating, really I had, at least until my father informed me that the ceremony was tonight. After that I pretty much lost it. I was currently watching some re-runs of one of those corny reality shows Skylar hated. I already knew what she would’ve done in my position; Skylar was incredibly self-sacrificing and she would’ve gone. I wanted to be as noble as she was but I couldn’t find the strength.

I shoved another spoonful of cold goodness in my mouth, not caring that I’d be getting another brain freeze at any moment. At first, my Wolf had tried to comfort me, but now she was strangely withdrawn in the back of my mind. Against all logic, she had some sort of tenuous connection with Will ever since I’d been of Mating age. It didn’t make any sense because she should not feel attracted to anyone but my one true Mate but I’d learned to accept it. Unfortunately, it just made this worse.

Okay, stop being such a selfish bitch and go, I told myself for the tenth time after a few more minutes of mindless TV. The all-important ceremony would be starting any minute. I even had an outfit laid out in case I changed my mind, because I sure as Hell wasn’t going in sweats.

As I tried to convince myself, I felt my Wolf begin to stir restlessly in the back of my mind. She whined softly but I pushed her away, sinking back into the plush cushions of the couch again in defeat. My sudden rush of bravery had deserted me again. Who was I kidding? When it came to Will, I was such a coward!

I gripped the spoon tightly in my hand as I thought of the woman destined to be Will’s Mate. Eva. The stupid redhead that had wreaked havoc in Skylar’s love life. Why oh why did she get Will as a Mate? The thought of him Marking her caused a powerful surge of jealousy to rush through me. Realizing I was about to contort the spoon with my werewolf strength, I quickly dropped it on the table. Thinking of that woman’s beautiful face only worsened things.

My Wolf whined again, this time louder.

What’s your problem? I asked, a bit snippier than intended. My Wolf, ever the patient and kind one, ignored my rudeness.

I think we should go to the ceremony. I’m itching to get out of this house. Something feels . . . different.

We can’t. Or…I can’t. I don’t know what I’ll do if I see them….

My Wolf was practically turning impatient circles. We need to go.

I’m telling you that I can’t do it!

Yes you can. Show them how strong you are.

I sighed in frustration at my own weakness. Her impatience was growing. In fact, she was practically trying to force herself through my skin now and I felt her tangible sense of urgency.

Okay, if you just need to run, we can do that later!

It isn’t that. We need to go. This time, it was her tone that was snappish.

I was silent for a moment. Rarely did she act like this, and use such a harsh tone with me.

Please! She was insistent, and I’d never heard my Wolf beg like that before. Despite my misgivings, I really did trust her instinct and I always had. She was part of me and I respected her needs. Plus, she did not ordinarily behave like this so it must’ve been important.

Fine. Whatever you’re going on about better be of more importance than me getting my heart crushed.

Sure, I was being a bit melodramatic, but for today I was enjoying my pity-party.

Five minutes later, I was escaping my house, setting the pace at a fast jog. My Wolf was urging me on and she was growing increasingly frantic. I’d scarcely had time to run a brush through my scraggly dark hair and change into jeans before she forced me out of the bathroom. I wondered if there was something wrong, but surely my father would have notified me? Either way, I had to force myself not to Shift. I rounded the corner and entered the thick trees, following the multitude of scents. Dread was forming in the pit of my stomach because I absolutely did not want to see the ceremony. My Wolf’s instincts came first, though. I gritted my teeth and braced myself for whatever I would see as I rapidly approached the assembled pack.

I heard Gabriel’s deep baritone as I trodded along the well-worn path. This close to the rest of the group, it was much easier to discern individual scents although the smell of the pack overall was nearly overpowering. Sifting through the various odors absentmindedly, I suddenly came onto one that made me stop just at the edge to the trees.

The group was huddled together in the clearing, and I noticed Will and Eva clasping hands on the platform, but the smell was so distracting I couldn’t even think about the ceremony. It was a scent that was faintly familiar, somehow, and smelled woodsy. For some reason, I felt my Wolf stir with excitement, and I began to take deeper breaths as I tried to inhale more and more of the scent. It was absolutely compelling. I had never caught a scent like it and it momentarily made me feel safe and comforted. Thoughts of Will were banished from my mind. I was beginning to have an inkling of what was happening, and my eyes began to scan the crowd to instinctively pick out what I was looking for. Dare I hope . . . ?

Then I saw him. He wasn’t looking right at me, at least not yet, but the way he was glancing around the crowd curiously let me know that he was searching for the same thing I was. My heart lurched as I looked at him, his beautiful, tousled blond hair and strong jawline. Despite the teeming mass of werewolves, I knew the scent was coming from him. I had not smelled it in a long time, and he was the only newcomer here.

Finally, inexorably, his piercing blue eyes met mine. I gasped as my Wolf began howling in my mind, joy radiating from every fiber of her being.  I recognized him; though it had been six years and he looked older, I remembered Kale from my childhood. But it wouldn’t have mattered if I knew him previously or not, because that was not what left me gasping.

Mate! Mate! He is ours! My Wolf crowed, yipping with happiness.

His face had lit up in absolute wonderment, and even from our distance I could see the silver sheen appearing in his orbs. Slowly, he began to approach me, both of us unaware of the fact that the ceremony had temporarily halted and everyone was realizing what was occurring before their very eyes. My heart was thumping hard in my chest. I probably looked like a complete idiot, but in this moment I didn’t care. My eyes were roving every detail of his handsome face and toned body, and my senses were absolutely coming alive as he drew nearer and nearer to me.

“Maria?” He gasped finally. The sound of my name coming from his lips made me and my Wolf shiver. The lustful impulses were beginning to course through me as he finally came to a stop right in front of me. I understood now why my Wolf had some sort of mild connection to Will . . . because his brother was my Mate. He had left our pack with I was so young that my Wolf wouldn’t have recognized him as our Mate yet.

“Kale . . .” I replied, completely star-struck. I saw desire in his eyes, plain as day. And right then, he raised a hand and gently cupped my face, sending pleasant tingles sizzling across my skin. In this moment I no longer cared about Will, or Eva, or even the vampires. I could only stare into those blue eyes, completely lost in their swirling depths.

I had found my Mate, and I was deliriously happy.

((END OF PART 1 OF CHAPTER 29))

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A/N: Sorry for the wait, next half shouldn’t take so long! I know you all were expected Eli to be Maria’s Mate, but that’s just too predictable! You all know I like to surprise you. I’ve been planning to introduce Kale for a loooong while.

1) This is the most important thing. If I decide to do an intimate scene, which would you all prefer: leave it at a pg13 in the chapter, OR add a restricted chapter, too, that includes the more ‘steamy’ details? Let me know. Your preference will determine if I create a restricted chapter or not.

2) Many people have been asking me to enter the 2013 Watty Awards but I have no clue how this works. Would someone be so kind as to message me an explanation?

3) NOTE: This WILL be the last chapter in Maria’s POV.

4) Story requests will now be CLOSED. I have so many piling up and I truthfully am having a hard time getting to them. So, for now, I really can’t read your stories when you ask me to and I am SO SORRY. Hopefully when I finish this book I can open story-reading requests again.

5) As per usual, a big thank you to my editor, Belle! I also want to take the time to thank every fan that supported me on my wall. I had a bit of an issue with some naysayers and it was wonderful to see such love from my readers. <3

6) Expect much more Skylar/Gabriel next chapter! I decided to split this one because this half alone was over 6,000 words and I didn’t want you all to wait another few days for me to upload all at once.

7) Did anyone catch the book title reference? ;) I had the Skylar/Will scene planned from the first moment writing this book. It was subtle but see if you can find it!

MULTIMEDIA:

Cover by EnchantedCoffee

Song, “The Story” by Brandi Carlile