Chapter 22

After a couple of agonizing moments, they were done and I couldn’t be more relieved. My mother handed me the undergarments after ripping of the price tags. She chuckled softly when I shook my head at her actions. I quickly slipped them on before moving to check myself out in front of the mirror and I liked what I saw. My hair was in a messy bun with strands framing my face. And the undergarments clung to my body like a second skin.

Putting my curves and tattoos out on display. Minimal clothing was required for my part of the ceremony because the rays from the moonlight needed a lot of surface area on the body so it could sleep in properly and thoroughly. I was still checking myself out in the mirror when a knock sounded on the door. I didn’t need to ask who it was to know because my mate’s scent flooded the room.

“Come in” I said softly

My mate opened the door halfway and the happy smile on his face sent knives into my stomach. The hypocritical bastard. He sent a curt nod in the direction of my mum and Kiara as they made their way out of my room. I took that time to look at him and I felt myself getting aroused.

Seeing as he was donned in a pair of tight white briefs with his sculptured chest bare and firm legs out for every eye to feast on. I may despise him but the bond was still there and sensitive. And if we were like any normal couple out there, we will be going at it like rabbit any chance we got.

“I see you are dressed” I said as a conversation starter

“Yeah… I was in the bathroom next door when Matthews came to tell me the dress code. Why is it so?”

“Tradition… but you will see why tonight”

“Ugh… Matthews is not happy about it and neither am I… and I can bet my last cent that the rest of the mated couples are not happy about it too”

“Men!!! It’s just for tonight. If it wasn’t important, I would have cancelled it”

“We know but that doesn’t change the fact that all the unmated wolves are going to be staring at what is ours…”

“No, they won’t! Kiara has taken care of all the arrangements and she knows how to avoid a fight from breaking out or any unmated wolf from ogling at a mated wolf… she has it under control. You’ll see”

I watched from the corner of my eyes as my mate drew closer to me. A sigh escaped my lips as he wrapped his arms around me. We are a freshly mated couple and the little time we spent apart took a toll on the both of us. So, his touch is like a soothing balm for pain relief. An involuntary moan rushed out when I felt him hardening in his briefs

“I missed you all day” he whispered hoarsely as he nibbled around the mark, he gave me yesterday

“I know I can feel it” I replied teasingly

He chuckled softly as he tightened his hold on me before starting to grind against me. A major part of my brain was telling me to push him away but as easy as that sounded, it was highly difficult. Our mating bond was still fresh and at the least body contact, it flared up with fire and passion. I leaned forward and grabbed the dressing table.

My mistake because my mate followed me down and didn’t relent on his grinding. If anything, he umpped his pace and that had me panting but that was also when a light bulb went off in my head. Taking a deep breath, I turned around in his arms and pushed him back…

“What was that for?” he whined with a frustrated look on his face

“My mum got me this underwear and if I soil it and end up not wearing it to the ceremony, she will skin me alive!”

“Really but it’s just an underwear… you can replace it” he retorted as he took a couple of steps towards me

“No, I can’t you horn-dog” I snapped

“Wolf. And I didn’t see you complaining when you were moaning in pleasure”

“Fuck you!”

“No, I’ll rather fuck you… but wait, I already did”

Just being reminded of last night’s ceremony had me seeing red… If it weren’t for the innocent pack members that didn’t need to pay for their alpha and his higher ranked members sins, I would have walked away and never looked back.

But am not that kind of woman. I don’t run from my misfortunes no matter how painful they are and this happens to be the worst I have ever been through. I could feel my temper rising the more I watched my mate try to seduce me. I started taking deep breaths to calm myself because now was not the time to lash out. I left him standing there and rushed to the closet to grab a robe and then I was out with my mate trailing after me.

I had just stepped out or the house when I bumped into Uncle Hephaestus. Without a word I threw myself into his arms. He didn’t say anything as he wrapped his arms around me. We stayed like that and I rolled my eyes when I heard my mate growling lowly under his breath. I know my uncle heard it too but he just chose to disregard it just to spite him. After a while I drew back so I could speak to my uncle

“Are you sure about this princess?” he questioned in my father’s tongue

“I don’t have a choice uncle” I replied sullenly in the same language

“You do… just reject him and move on with your life… you deserve better”

“I know that but it’s not that simple. In as much as I want to go against the goddess and fate, I just can’t. I will suffer the same torture he will go through and he’s just not worth it”

“I am so sorry princess… You don’t need to suffer like this. No one deserves to suffer like this and I can’t stand by and watch and do nothing about it…but I have to because the only thing keeping me grounded is the fact that you will keep his ass when all this is over”

Chuckling softly, I said drearily “Thank you Uncle… I love you”

“I love you too child” Hephaestus teased

“I am no child!! Am a grown ass woman”

“You are a child compared to my age… but suit yourself… whatever makes you sleep at night”

With a soft kiss on my head, he turned and disappeared among the people that were now crowding the pack’s compound. I watched in amusement as the unmated wolves flaunted their bodies without care in the world whiles the mated couples where tense; The males did not look happy and they all had heavy scowls on their faces and the females looked like they were walking on egg shells.

Their mates were hovering over them with their arms wound tightly around them making sure they do not look at any other male apart from them…

But what had me laughing till tears rushed out of my eyes was the sight of some mated females in double to triple long robes that ended on the ground. I turned around only to find my mate talking heatedly with his mother. I refrained from rolling my eyes at them and turned to walk out.