Chapter 21

Chapter 21
Kathrine, Toby, and Jarold sat back on the couch and listened to all the things that had been going on the last week while Kathrine enjoyed her coffee. Apparently, Jackson had once again demanded the attendance of the entire pack for their ceremony. Kathrine thought through their bond oooo great they'll love being commanded to give up a Saturday to come watch us tell them that we accept our bond and promise to honor the Goddess and each other for the rest of ever.

Undoubtedly. But it does seem a good opportunity to show you off a little. Plus, we'll get to dance and have some fun. Jarold replied with a mental shrug in her direction.

"What?" She asked suddenly aware of both Jackson and Letha's eyes fixed on her, as if waiting for a response. "Did you ask me something?"

"They asked," her father said with a hint of irritation in his tone at her rudeness, "if you were ready to try on your dress and if they were ready to try on their suits."

"I'm so sorry, yes we're ready." She said and blushed under her father's reprimand. "I'd asked them something and I guess I missed the question."

"Have you already formed the verbal link in your bond?" Letha asked in surprise. Suddenly the three of them were pinned by four sets of curious eyes on them.

"Yes….since the first day in the house. Why?" Toby answered looking around at everyone confused on what the big deal was.

"That link between mates doesn't usually form for a while. The bond strengthens and the emotional telepathy grows quickly but the verbal link between mates takes much longer to develop." Lincoln said with his voice full of surprise.

"I knew it! We're freaks!" Kathrine said with a dramatic sigh while she stood from the couch. "But we pretty much had that idea from the time I mated both of them. I don't think we can rely on what 'typically' happens with mate bonds forming to be much of a guide for us."

The group laughed at that and everyone seemed to relax their intense focus on what was going on with their bond. Kathrine had noticed a nervous glance between Jackson and Letha and had not liked it one bit. Having the triple bond adding to the fact that their bond was progressing much more quickly than was apparently normal was making them nervous. His sons were already powerful wolves in their own rights but having such a powerful bond with their mate develop so quickly could make him view them as a threat to his leadership. The pack would already be much more inclined to follow the triple mated wolves due to the legends about such a bond forming in times of danger for the pack. He had to be wondering if the next thing they did would be to challenge him as Alpha. Being twins and part of such a mating would make each of them share the Alpha status rather than it go to one or the other. They would be the first co-Alphas the pack had seen since the previous triple mates. But that also meant if they challenged him, he'd have to fight both of his sons at the same time or peacefully relinquish being Alpha. There would be no chance to fight them both and come out successfully.

What has you suddenly raising your hackles? Jarold asked her through their bond. Apparently, he and Toby had both noticed her body go rigid while she watched the exchange between their parents.

They're nervous over how quickly our bond is progressing. Your father is wondering if you're a threat to his leadership. She answered tightly as she narrowed her eyes at their Alpha, who looked up and caught her stare.

He should be, because we are. We were serious when we told you we'd challenge him before we allowed it to get so far as him starting a war. He'd never win that challenge. He knows that. So, he's known that we're a threat to his leadership since he won the challenge against your father. Why are you bristling, little wolf? Toby asked her.

I don't know, but do not be alone with him. Take my father with you while you're trying on your suits. I don't trust him. She told them, though her body relaxed a little at Toby's pet name for her.

The men went into the bedroom right off the master bedroom that they shared while Kathrine was herded into the master suite by her mother and mother-in-law. The two women froze as the scent of the three of them hit their noses. Kathrine thought she'd be embarrassed to have her mother in the room that would reek of their sex but found that she didn't really care. It would bother her to have the men in the room, not because it would embarrass her, but because it would probably make her mates uncomfortable having two other male wolves in close quarters to her scents. Even if one was her father and the other was theirs. Wolves got territorial over their mates regardless of the relation.

"Well, that answered that question." Lacey said as she moved across the room to the seating area and took a seat on the couch. "It's just us here now. How are you doing with all this?" She asked as Letha joined her on the couch, leaving her to take a seat on one of the chairs that faced them.

"It is going surprisingly well. We all kind of decided from the first day that we'd have to kind of get it together and be mated or we'd still be dancing around each other for the ceremony. I'll probably be in heat within a day or two after the ceremony. Since we couldn't take it slowly, we just kind of ripped the band-aid off." Kathrine answered with a shrug.

"They didn't pressure you into anything, did they?" Letha asked Kathrine, surprising her with bluntness Kathrine hadn't realized Letha possessed.

"No, they didn't pressure me into anything. They'd be missing parts by the time you guys came to check on them." Kathrine assured her.

"This is all going even better than any of us hoped. We were half expecting to find bloodshed or warfare in here by the time we came to check on you guys. When we left, it had been looking like it could go either way." Lacey said with a little laugh.

"You know why I was bristling that day." Kathrine said with a shrug.

"You're not exactly one to take orders with grace, nor to gracefully accept your choices being taken from you. We all understand that." Letha assured her.

"I also don't take kindly to power grabs. My problem has never been personal with Alpha Jackson challenging my father. It wouldn't have mattered who the Alpha was he challenged. There has been too much secrecy around it for me to believe the public story. I don't like being commanded by someone who has a private agenda. I've made that no secret." Kathrine told her.

"Indeed." Letha said warily.