*Keera*
His eyes were twin blazes of fury.
He angrily shoved my hands away. “What makes you think you can just walk back in here and expect everything to be okay?” His voice was laced with venom, each word dripping with hurt and betrayal. The gaping hole in my head chest turned into a whirlwind that threatened to drown my whole. He’d never been this mad at me. Not even when he’d lashed out and humiliated me at my graduation party. I wiped my face with the back of my palm but the tears wouldn’t stop coming.
Fear threatened to cripple me.
Fear that he was completely and truly done with me. He wanted to know why I came back? “I realized I love you,” I confessed, my voice trembling. “I love you more than anything, and I was wrong to leave. I was wrong to give up on us.” I held his unyielding gaze, praying to whatever power above for him to take me back. He ran his hand through his hair, taking a step back like my words had hit him like a ton of bricks. His expression softened ever so slightly, and I sensed a glimmer of hope.
The pack, sensing the shift in tension, began to chant, asking him to forgive me. Even the council members joined in, their voices rising above the din. I’d almost forgotten we’d had an audience the entire time. My face heated in embarrassment just thinking about the scene I’d just caused. Deep down, I knew if the hands of the clock were reversed, I still wouldn’t change a single thing. Grayson’s resolve crumbled, his eyes filling with a deep longing. He took a step closer, his hands reaching out to cradle my face.
“I love you, Grayson.” I said softly, leaning into his touch.
His lips brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine. I melted into his kiss, feeling the burden of my regret lifting. Grayson’s arms wrapped around my waist, bringing me flush against him as he deepened the kiss. We broke away from each other when Ryan yelled, “Finally!” I laughed, hiding my face in his chest. God, I’d been so scared that I’d lost him. The pack erupted in cheers, congratulating us on our reunion. Grayson and I stepped down from the podium, and immediately got swamped by the crowd. Ginny was the first to hug me tightly.
“How did you get here so quickly?” She asked, her eyes shining with happiness. I smiled, remembering the text I’d received from her and Ryan about Grayson’s decision to step down as Alpha. I didn’t need a soothsayer to let me know I’d caused that. The pack mattered the most to Grayson and I’d made him incapable of continuing by not sticking with him. I knew the pack had been patient about him finding a mate for so long because they genuinely loved and respected him.
If it had been anyone else, they probably would have taken his being unmated as an excuse to tear him down.
I’d received Ginny’s and Ryan’s text just a few seconds after arriving at the pack border. “I was already on my way,” I admitted. “All thanks to Lexi.” I added sheepishly. I still couldn’t believe I’d been so close to throwing away my only real shot at happiness. The council members welcomed me with open arms, their hugs and handshakes warm and sincere. “We’re glad you’re back, Keera,” Conall said. I felt a sense of belonging, of being home, as Grayson’s hand wrapped around mine.
We made our way through the crowd, Grayson’s fingers intertwined with mine and I knew I’d made the right decision. Right here, with him, was where I was meant to be. The pack’s cheers and congratulations faded into the background as I met Grayson’s eyes, my heart overflowing with love. “I missed you so much,” Grayson whispered, his voice low and husky. He searched my face. “I thought I’d lost you forever.” I squeezed his hand, my eyes welling up with tears.
“I’m sorry for taking so long,” I apologized. “I’m not going anywhere.” I promised.
Grayson turned to reply to someone else as Nyx walked up to me, a warm smile spreading across her face. “I’m so happy to have you back, Keera,” she said, pulling me into a hug. Her eyes were shining with excitement when she pulled back. Before I could let her know I was glad to be back, Ellie ran towards me, her little arms wrapping around my legs in a tight hug. I laughed, picking her up and dropping kisses all around her face. I’d missed her so much.
She giggled, squirming in my arms as I tickled her cheeks. Her bright eyes sparkled with joy, and I felt my heart swell with love for this little girl. I turned my attention to Nyx, giving her a wry smile. “Is your offer still open?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. She nodded, grinning widely. Ellie bounced her gaze between us, obviously wondering what we were talking about.
“Of course,” Nyx replied, her eyes crinkling at the corners. I held Ellie tightly, that all too familiar sense of belonging, washing over me again. “Then I accept,” I announced, my voice filled with conviction.
Nyx turned to Ellie, her face lighting up with happiness. “You know what, sweetie? Keera is now your godmother.” Ellie’s face scrunched up in confusion, and Nyx smoothed her hair, explaining. “What that means is that Keera will personally watch over you. . . like a fairy godmother.” Ellie’s eyes darted to mine, and I smiled reassuringly. She wrapped her arms around my neck, squealing. Jax joined us, and Ellie gestured for him to lift her up.
I passed her on to him. “Keera’s now my godmother, Daddy,” She informed him excitedly, bouncing in his arms. Jax stared at me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I heard,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. Jax’s gaze met Nyx’s, and they exchanged a warm glance. I sensed a deep understanding between them, a bond forged through shared experiences. Ellie, still bouncing in Jax’s arms, chattered excitedly about all the amazing things that would happen and how she would tell her friends to call her Cinderella from now on since she had a fairy godmother now.
Forget that I couldn’t fly.
I watched, feeling grateful for this little family’s acceptance. As we stood there, surrounded by the pack’s congratulations and well-wishes, I knew I had found my place. I was home, and I had a new family to love and protect. A hand snaked around my waist and Grayson’s scent enveloped me. I turned around in his arms, my heart racing with anticipation. “I want to get turned as soon as possible,” I said, my voice firm and resolute. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he stared down at me.
“Why the rush?” He asked, his eyes searching mine for answers.
I took a deep breath, sweeping my gaze over the crowd. “We’ve already wasted so much time, Grayson. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to be with you, fully and completely.” His expression softened, understanding etched on his face. He held me tighter, pushing tendrils of my hair behind my ears. The need to finally be his heightened which each passing second until I was sure it would drive me crazy.
“You’re sure this is what you want?” I heard the vulnerability in his voice and felt my heart melt. I couldn’t believe I got to keep him, got to experience all his emotions. He was hard on the exterior and mushy as hell on the inside. I rose on my tiptoe, covering his lips with mine and whispering it was what I wanted more than anything. He stared thoughtfully. “Are you okay with being turned under the full moon?” He questioned. “We’re supposed to have one today.” I nodded immediately, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Yes, I’m ready. Let’s do this.” Our gazes stayed locked, and I saw the hunger my words had sparked. I saw the desire to make me his. Grayson said something to Ryan and then Ryan dismissed the crowd, announcing that we would reconvene when the moon was out, for my turning. I followed Grayson back to the house, grateful when I realized the pack warriors had already helped me with my things. Grayson helped me with my bags, gently steering me by the hand to his room.
He closed the door behind us, his hands caging me against the door. He gently took my duffel bag from my grip and slid it across the room with his foot. “You’re not going to be separated from me ever again,” He vowed against my lips, and I knew he was talking about more than just the rooms. He wasn’t letting me run away again, which was perfect, because I had no intention of running. I pulled him by his collar and closed the distance between us.
Our kiss was urgent and hurried, like we’d been given a timer and someone was going to burst into the room at any moment and drag us away from each other. His hands went under my ass and I jumped, wrapping my legs around his waist. I ran my chest over his body, lifting his shirt over his head and tossing it distractedly in a corner of the room. He groaned lowly at the back of his throat when I ran the pad of my thumb over his nipples.
“Keera. . .”
He pressed me against the door, grinding his hip into mine, the length of his cock rubbing deliciously against me. I moaned, my head falling back against the door as I met his rhythm. We dry humped against the door like two werewolves in heat, pleasure mounting until it formed into a sheen of sweat against our skin. Grayson pulled his lips away from mine as I came, grazing my neck with his teeth. I rocked faster against him, whispering dirty words in his ear. I felt a sense of loss when he pushed away from me, my legs sliding down his body and coming to rest on the ground.
The look he shot me was filled with naked desire. He pulled the roofs of his hair, trying to control his breathing. “It’s too strong. . .” He rasped. I stared confusedly. “The urge to mark you. I can’t do that until we’ve completed the mating ceremony, and you need to be turnded first to be able to handle it.” My chest rose and fell as my breathing slowed, as comprehension slowly crept it. He didn’t want to hurt me. He pulled me close, giving me a quick kiss and spanking my ass.
“It’s only a matter of time.” He whispered against my mouth. “Don’t tempt me.”
It was extremely hard, but somehow we managed to finish unpacking my things without touching each other. A few hours later we were gathered at the pack’s central clearing, under the light of the full moon. The council members stood around us, circled by the pack. Grayson and the others began the rites, their voices chanting ancient words that echoed through the night. I felt the energy building, the power of the pack and the moon converging on me. Ryan stepped forward, holding a small vial of sacred water. He poured it over my head, and I felt the cool liquid trickle down my skin.
Ginny followed, tracing intricate symbols on my forehead with her forefinger. The symbols glowed with a soft, ethereal light, and my body began to hum with anticipation. Grayson’s gaze crashed into mine, and I saw the moment he surrendered to his instincts. His fangs protruded, and he leaned in, his mouth closing over my neck. The pain was instant, but it was quickly replaced by a rush of pleasure as his teeth sank deeper. In a split second the pleasure had completely disappeared.
A scream tore through the air. It took me a minute to realize it had come from me. Pain overwhelmed me, and black dots began to cloud my vision. I heard Grayson’s panicked voice calling out to me, but it was distant.
I lost my senses one after the other, and then my consciousness was gone as everything faded to black.