A Mate's Revenge(34)

“I can’t help it,” Kerrigan huffed. “This dress doesn’t fit anymore! How come you didn’t tell me I was gaining weight?”

Braeh blinked twice. “Uh, maybe because I didn’t notice? You look gorgeous, as always. And besides, you’re going to jam that hot emblem into Tragie’s chest, the elders will give you their blessing, and it’ll be over. Then he’ll hulk you back to your cabin and rip that sucker off and…” she continued her thought by thrusting her hips several times.

Besh snickered. Vesh’s mate was funny. The perfect complement to her brother’s serious demeanor.

“He hates when you call him that, you know.”

“What? Tragie?” Braeh leaned toward the mirror, touching up her makeup and fingering her short blond locks. “Tragie Wagie doesn’t like my nickname? I’m hurt.”

Kerrigan looked at her reflection. “It’ll have to do,” she muttered.

“I swear to god, Kerri. If you don’t shut up about that dress…”

Besh still felt a little out of place around the two women. They’d welcomed her with open arms, always so very kind. She just wasn’t used to having girlfriends. She still wasn’t the most confident woman, but maybe she could help Kerrigan.

“She’s right,” Besh spoke up. “You look beautiful. I’m guessing your mate will notice your flared hips and the way your breasts curve the fabric. You look like you’re ready to conceive his young. No doubt, he’ll try to make that happen tonight. You’re lucky your fertile time comes around more often than once a year.”

Both women froze.

Uh oh. She’d said something wrong.

“I’m sorry. Never mind. I just meant—”

“No, it’s okay.” Kerrigan’s voice was strained. She swallowed several times before continuing. “It’s just… I can’t…”

“Kerri and Trager are still working on that,” Braeh explained. “There are some difficulties.”

Besh’s heart broke. “Oh.”

Braeh nodded while Kerrigan tried to compose herself.

“Damn it. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Kerrigan smiled through misty eyes. “I know. Don’t worry.”

Braeh walked over to sit beside Besh on the bench. “It’s why we’re all very excited for little Willie to come along.” Her eyes went to Besh’s belly.

“Willie?”

“Yeah. It’s a good name don’t you think?”

Besh frowned, rubbing her hand over her stomach. “I think it’s going to be a girl. But if it was a boy, I would never name him Willie.”

Braeh sighed sadly. “Why does nobody like my names?”

“Because they’re awful,” Kerrigan muttered, coming to sit on the other side of Besh. “We’ll be taking a pack vote for your baby name when the time comes. You can’t be trusted.”

The silence that fell between them was comforting. Soon the ceremony would start, and the three of them would be legally mated. A triple ceremony had sounded like a good idea. Vesh’s suggestion. They were a family now, and this made it seem even more official.

There was a knock on the door. “You ladies ready?” It was Asa, an elder she met her first day in the Ravendale camp.

“Ready?” Kerrigan asked. A smile snuck onto her face and grew and grew until she was radiating.

That was more like it, Besh thought. “I’m ready.” More than ready. Her wolf had been aching to mark Cael ever since he’d asked. She needed this, wanted this, promise for eternity.

The three of them stood, and Besh was swept into a group hug.

“Alright girls,” Braeh said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go permanently mutilate our men for the sake of love.”

***

Cael stood in front of the crowd between Vesh and Trager, all three shirtless and anxiously awaiting their mates’ arrival. Soft guitar music filtered through the fire-warmed night air. The lanterns provided soft light and the pack elders looked on, anxious for such an important mating. Cael knew they were just as excited for Trager and Vesh as they were for him. The men had become well respected in such a short period of time.

Kerrigan entered first, looking nervous but happy.

Cael glanced at Trager. The wolf looked ready to eat her. Damn, he was the horniest wolf Cael had ever met. “Down boy,” he whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Shut the fuck up, Alpha.”

Cael snorted.

Braeh entered next. Her usual confidence was dialed down a notch but when she focused on Vesh, her shoulders stood taller. He growled low, and the side of her mouth slid up.