*Keera*
Our symbol was beautiful; an image of the moon goddess’s face, with complex and finely detailed patterns and vines growing out of her hair. I knew enough about werewolves to know it was a sign of the goddess’s approval. We stepped out of the glass house, my body still humming from our passionate union. I felt deliciously spent, my knees threatening to give out beneath me. Grayson took my hand in his, his fingers intertwining with mine as we walked up to Ryan and then faced the pack.
The symbol on our skin, a dark pigmentation resembling a tattoo, seemed to glow in the moonlight. I felt my face heat up as I met the pack member’s gazes, realizing they had heard my screams of pleasure. Their eyes sparkled with amusement, and I drifted my attention elsewhere, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. We stepped a bit forward and presented ourselves firstly to the council before the pack members gathered around, eager to see the symbol for themselves.
Ryan was in control of the crowd and he made sure everything went smoothly as they examined our skin, their faces filled with wonder. A few of them met my eyes, giving me a knowing look, and I could have sworn my face was on fire from how much I was blushing. I hoped like hell the curtains hadn’t been the least bit transparent. The thought that they might have seen the movement of our shadows, seen the positions we’d been in. . . Grayson chuckled beside me, obviously following my train of thought from how red my face was.
Nyx and Ginny were back again, a sly grin on their faces this time as opposed to earlier, when they’d been performing their duty. They wiggled their eyebrows, and I felt my face ignite further with embarrassment. “Seems like you had a fantastic time,” Nyx teased on a low whisper, earning a half-hearted slap on her arm from Ginny. I turned to give Ginny a grateful smile, only then noticing the mischievous glint in her eyes. My cheeks warmed again when she shot me a wink before dragging Nyx away from me.
After all the adults had confirmed the mark, Ryan took the stage, his voice loud across the gathering. “It’s time for the second rite of the ritual; the chase.” I listened as he explained that I would give Grayson the chance to prove himself a strong and formidable mate by letting him chase me. “The rules are simple,” He continued. “Keera will run, and Grayson will chase. The rest of the pack is free to join in, but only with the intention of challenging the union. If you’re against the mating, now’s your only chance to interfere.”
The pack members nodded, their faces set with determination. Ryan explained that after the chase had been completed, Grayson would give me his mark in the woods and then we would return back to the pack to present ourselves before the council and then the pack. He emphasized that they would know whether or not the second mating process had been completed after we returned and both our scents had changed to solidify our union. The pack members, both the young and the old, would then brush up against us.
They did this because the new scent we would return to the pack with would be a sensory identification for all Moon Valley pack werewolves, and whether or not any of them had crossed the pack’s borders, other werewolves would be able to tell that they belonged to a pack and were not rogues. I felt a thrill of excitement mixed with nerves. This was it; the chance to prove our bond was unbreakable. Afterwards, we would perform the third and last rite; Grayson would pronounce me as his Luna and then I would be welcomed as the tenth and final member of the council.
Grayson’s eyes met mine, his gaze burning with intensity. It was time for the chase, and I knew he would stop at nothing to catch me. The pack’s excited chatter grew louder. Ryan raised his hands, signaling for them to be silent. “Let the chase begin.” He declared. We immediately shifted, our tails wagging in anticipation. At Ryan’s nod, I immediately turned and ran, my feet pounding the earth as I sprinted into the night. The pack erupted into cheers, their voices fading into the distance as I fled.
Grayson’s roar echoed through the forest, his promise to catch me clear as day. I smiled, my heart racing with anticipation. I ran faster, the wind whipping through my brown and gold fur as my senses heightened. The forest blurred around me as I ran, my heart crashing against my ribcage, and my heart racing with excitement. I wasn’t surprised that the other pack members didn’t interfere with the chase. I had already sensed their approval of our union, their warmth and acceptance evident on their faces.
I teared through the bushes, intent on making the chase as hard as I possibly could. He had to show me just how much he wanted me. Our harsh breathing echoed around the forest. He was determined to catch me, and I could feel his frustration growing with every missed step. We both knew the chase was tougher this time, more significant. I took sharp turns, trying to throw him off my scent. It didn’t matter what I did; he was hot on my heels. His growls and snarls echoed through the forest, sending shivers down my spine.
I could feel his hunger, his need to claim me as his. Eventually, his speed and agility paid off. He was Alpha, and I would never be able to match up to his strength no matter how hard I tried. He moved as fast as lightning, catching up to me and trying to pin me to the ground. We rolled around as a result of the speed with which we’d been running. Grayson rubbed himself against me, marking me with his scent. I submitted, letting him brush up against me as much as he wanted to. I had no objection with everyone knowing who I belonged to.
We shifted back, our eyes locked on each other. His gaze dragged slowly across my naked body, igniting a sensual tingle everywhere he looked at. I watched his cock harden until I could make out the veins running across the tip and down the length of him. A low moan sounded at the back of my throat, and Grayson’s eyes flashed with desire. In the next second Grayson had covered the distance between us, pressing his body against mine. His lips crashed down on mine, his kiss setting my entire body ablaze.
Dear goddess, my skin was on fire.
He backed me up against a tree, wrapping one leg around his waist. We moaned, his cock sliding right along my clit. Our tongues fought for dominance but I easily relinquished it, knowing he would win either way. His hands moved to cup by boobs and he squeezed them with a roughness that I felt between my legs. He tilted my head to deepen the kiss, his hands trailing between our bodies until his fingers were right where I wanted them. His mouth followed the trail of his hand, a whimper escaping me when he began lapping hungrily at my pussy.
I pulled at his hair, grinding shamelessly against his mouth, helpless to the pleasure that mounted. My whole body convulsed as he brought me to the edge with his tongue. My breath slowed as he rose to his feet. I pushed him against the tree, eager to return the favor. He gripped my head gently as I sucked on his cock, holding on to his ass and bobbing my head up and down his engorged length. I stroked the rest of him that couldn’t fit in my mouth, cupping his balls. His groan resounded in the forest as he came in my mouth.
I swallowed down his cum, feeling a sizzling of pure bliss when he gently urged me to my feet and kissed me deeply, parting my lips with his tongue. He wrapped my leg around his waist once more, giving me a second’s warning before thrusting himself deep inside me. I held onto his shoulder as he curved his hand beneath my butt, driving his thick rod in and out of my wet heat. His thrusts became hard and fast and I feared I would go mad from the onslaught of ecstasy that assailed me.
His fangs grazed the vein on my neck, sending tingles skittering across my spine. “Brace yourself,” He whispered, his breath hot against my skin. I’d barely prepared myself for the pain when he sank his fangs deep into my flesh, marking me. I screamed, loud enough that I could swear the entire pack had heard me. Grayson caressed my skin affectionately, running his tongue over his mark and soothing the pain until it became a dull ache, replaced by a rush of desire that peaked as we came together. I heard his voice inside my head, his thoughts intertwining with mine.
“Mine.” He claimed.
Somehow hearing his voice inside my head didn’t scare me. If anything, it made me relax into his touch. We broke apart, gasping for air, I saw the satisfaction in Grayson’s eyes. He had claimed me, marked me as his own, and I knew I would never be the same again. I realized I’d just had sex out in the open under the moon, not bothering with protection for the millionth time, and still, I couldn’t bring myself to care. I was too far gone now. I faintly noted the change in our scents and smiled, knowing the second stage of the mating ritual had successfully been completed.
Grayson kissed me slowly for the last time before we shifted back to our wolf forms and made our way back to pack central. I could sense the pack member’s curiosity as we approached. They gathered around, their noses twitching, and I knew they too, had noticed the change in our scents. One by one, they rubbed up against Grayson and me, acknowledging our union. The young ones joined in, their energetic yips and playful nips exhausting me. By the time the entire pack had rubbed up against us, I was completely exhausted.
We stepped back into the glass house and shifted back to our human forms. Grayson took my hand, leading me out to face the council. The council members examined my mark, their faces filled with approval. “It is done,” Ryan declared, his voice booming across the gathering. The pack erupted in celebration, cheers and congratulations filling the air. The pack members swarmed us, eager to welcome me as Grayson’s mate and get a look at my mark for themselves.
We immediately proceeded with the last rite of the mating ceremony. Grayson declared me as his Luna and officially inaugurated me as the final member of the council. I was given a pendant of my own, an exquisite piece that was a mix of all ten jewels that symbolized the ten pillars of the pack; the werewolf council. I dipped my hand in the blood-paint mixture, a sense of fulfillment and belonging enveloping me as I added my print to the stone. Once again, congratulations filled the air. It was indeed a happy occasion, the moon casting a beautiful light over the pack.
Grayson pulled me against him, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Want to ditch them?” He whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I shot him a grateful smile and nodded eagerly, realizing he could feel my emotions now that we had been bonded. I loved the pack, they were family now, but dear goddess, I’m exhausted. He took my hand in his, gently steering me passed the sea of bodies. I sighed, leaning into him when we were a few meters away. He gently wrapped his arms around my torso, pushing my back gently against his chest.
We stared at the pack members from a distance as they celebrated, our hearts swelling with emotion. Grayson’s dropped featherlight kisses on my earlobe, his whisper sending shivers down my spine. He turned me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I love you,” He murmured against my lips.
“I love you too.” I whispered back, accepting his kiss.
We would love each other for the rest of eternity.