Prologue
“Ahh so good to see you, old boy. I take it you have good news for me, otherwise you would not be in my study.” The gentleman looked up from his desk and gave a light smile. Payne had remembered to put plastic down. He would have to think of a way to reward him.
“Y-yes, sir, we have found a way into Arkadia. You should have them by the end of the week.” The hyena stared at the floor, refusing to look up, as if by ignoring the bad thing, it would go away.
“Excellent, now I won’t have to torture and kill you after all. It’s turning out to be a good day for you, isn’t it?”
“Sir… if I can ask a question, what are you gonna do with them?” The hyena looked up and was caught by the gentleman’s eyes.
“Have you never had veal?” the gentleman asked, his fangs extending fully and the hyena started to shake.
“Payne, see him out,” the gentleman said, looking back down to his work.
Payne stepped forward and hauled the hyena away.
The gentleman looked up as the door closed. Yes, Payne had been doing well lately. Maybe a fruit basket.
Chapter 1
Kate flopped down on their king-sized bed and sighed. It had been two months since Rebecca had been rescued from her kidnappers and tonight she and Bran celebrated with the entire town as Rebecca and Aleks got married. Kate had been unsure at first how the tiny human would acclimate to living in a shifter-only town, but Rebecca had proven to everyone she would do whatever it took to keep her family and her town safe, which was why Kate hadn’t hesitated in bonding with her and making Rebecca her Alpha Mother.
“Still on cloud nine, love?” Bran asked, smiling from the foot of the bed as he removed his tie.
“It was so beautiful! Rian and Damian are miracle workers to have put it together on such short notice.” She giggled when she remembered why. Rebecca had given an entire dissertation how she was not going to waddle down the aisle showing that she was pregnant. Rian, the lion pride’s fashionista, probably hadn’t slept since. She sighed softly again remembering the vows the couple had exchanged.
Bran watched his mate smile to herself and cleared his throat.
“We, uh, we could do that, too, if you want,” he said. Her eyes snapped open and when she looked at him, she couldn’t help but smile.
“We’ve already been together and mated for nearly a year and a half. Wouldn’t it be silly to do it now?” she asked. His clumsy offer made her fall that much more in love with him.
“I don’t think there are any rules. If you want a wedding, I will give you the best wedding the Pack has ever seen,” he said and she snorted.
“They would have only Rebecca’s to compare it to. We don’t have many weddings.” She laughed.
“We could re-create the night we met and mated,” Bran said, his voice deepening.
She shivered. That night had been pure magic and one she would never forget.
“I was running from my Alpha, who’d decided to make me more lady-like and less headstrong by forcing a mating. He planned to rape and beat me every day until I submitted,” Kate said, sitting on the bed, frowning at the memory.
“I’d kill that bastard all over again if I could.” Bran growled and looked at her.
“You had been in the woods for days. I remember the snarl in your tail that took me forever to bite out.” He grinned and she blushed.
“I was out for a run and caught a strange scent on the trail and followed it. You were resting under that tree. I had never seen anything more beautiful than you in wolf form. Well, that is until you shifted to human,” Bran said, removing his jacket and shirt.
She eased off the bed and stood before him, reaching around to the back of her dress, sliding the zipper down to let the dress hit the floor. She stood before him in her white lace bustier and thong. Her legs were encased in white stockings and a delicate white garter belt completed the ensemble.
Bran nearly choked. Her blonde hair framed her face and her button nose crinkled as she smiled at him.
“When did you get that?” he said, taking a deep breath as he stepped forward. She spun with her arms out.
“Do you like it? Rian said that I needed the proper support garments to make the dress work. Plus I think he was kind of shocked I didn’t have any lingerie. I tried to explain that you would just destroy it.” She smiled and blushed.
She and Bran, since mating, had made love and had hard fucks all over the house. Sometimes in front of pack members. But there was something about the way he was staring tonight that made her feel beautiful and special.
“I must send something nice to Rian. I feel like the bride groom tonight. You look like an angel.”