“We have plenty saved from the casino, and we’ll still run the businesses for Clay.”
Clay was included in the pack’s trust land.
He gestured to the back room. “We’ll convert that area into something different. Maybe a club or function area. Plus, there are several tourism options I’d like to pursue. Outdoor work is perfect for the pack, and Deception Valley is filled with opportunity—particularly with the airport up and running.”
Local businesses had already profited from the airport opening. The airport was also the reason for the two-and-a-half-month delay in our mating ceremony. Apparently, the mating of a pack leader was a big deal. Though our wolves hadn’t possessed the means to visit the outside world, they’d managed to track down other Luthers online who were now attending tomorrow.
Two members of our pack had already found their mates too.
I ran my hands up Sascha’s arms. He was so tense. “Really. Thank you. You know you have nothing to worry about tomorrow, right?”
His smile was far more of a grimace. “Yes.”
That was a no.
I stretched upward to kiss him. “I love you.”
“Love you. Mum says you need to get rest.” Sascha dragged me back through the bar and shoved my sax and case into my arms. “Go rest.”
He marched off and Mandy joined me.
“You saw that too?” I murmured.
“You know how human brides are called bridezillas? It’s the opposite for wolves.”
No kidding?
“Seriously,” she whispered. “Don’t set him off.”
Sascha stopped at the staff door and glared back at us.
Jesus. “Better go. You’re still helping me to get ready tomorrow?”
She walked with me to the door. “I’ll sit there while Wade and Cam fuss, yes.”
I grinned and strode out of The Dens.
“Hear the news, gorgeous?” Hairy called.
“Sure did. How’s the pack about the casino closing?”
“Like anyone was going to argue with him in this mood.”
Sounded like Sascha had shown me his most relaxed face over the last week.
Hairy winked. “We are actually okay with it. Gotta keep our new top female happy.”
If someone told me a year ago that I’d become top female by age twenty-one and be okay with it, I would’ve punched them in the throat.
Laughter bubbled up my throat. “Thanks, Hairy. See ya tomorrow?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for my mate.”
Lie.
I walked around the back of The Dens to Ella F.
Someone gripped my wrist, and I lifted my closed fist, spinning on the spot.
Wade wrinkled his nose. “If you bruise up my face before my big day, I’ll be pissed.”
“I couldn’t smell you over the garbage.” I lowered my arm.
He glanced around. “What garbage?”
Oh. I smiled at the shadows. “Nice to see you, if not smell you.”
Basilia Le Spyre slipped from them. “I could take offence to that. But ditto.”
She tossed me her oil, and I dabbed some under my nose.
Lavender.
“Come on.” Wade looped his arms through ours. “Party at the manor. Women and extra cool men only. Tommy and Cam are waiting in the Jeep. We’re going to successfully get you drunk.”
“Did you clear this with Sascha?” I glanced in the direction of The Dens.
“You’re joking, right? Guy’s stressed to snapping point. This is a secret hen’s party.”
“Okay, but I’m not really getting married.”
Wade opened the back door of the Jeep and Basilia faced me.
“You’re mating with a werewolf forever. Immortal forever,” she said. “This is 100 percent marriage.”
Nerves erupted in my gut. Fuck.
It was.
Wade jammed a gaudy veil on my head. “You look better. Let’s go. After our last failed drunk attempt, I’ve written out a new method.”
He’d made it his mission in life to get me inebriated since Victratum ended and the truce was signed. So far, he’d failed. When he succeeded, I had a strong feeling my friend would leave the valley for a time.
“Bring it on.” I lifted my head. “Maybe quick. Sascha’s coming.”
Wade shoved me in the vehicle and leaped onto the driver’s seat.
We burned rubber leaving The Dens.
I glanced back and saw Sascha staring after us. “Busted.”
I won’t be out late, I thought at him.
Good. Because Mum said you need rest.
Matezilla Sascha was too cute. Promise, I will. See you tomorrow, handsome.
I’d planned to stay at the manor tonight anyway.
Maybe this was far more like a wedding day than I’d imagined.
Tommy leaned forward. “Wade says you’re pretty much living on pack lands now but you’re still leading the tribe. Is that strange?”
“It feels right to be involved with all parts of the valley.” Spending more time on pack lands was a natural result of wanting to spend every moment with Sascha. With things gradually defrosting between tribe and werewolves, the stewards had taken my overnight and weekend absences really well. Of course, it wasn’t ideal long-term, but I had a plan for that.
Cam peered over her shoulder. “Mayor. Chieftess, and—what are you in the pack again?”
Dammit. “Top female.”
The Jeep exploded with loud laughter.
“Goals.” Basilia grinned.
“A modern female’s dream,” I answered. “Is the entire royal family here with you?”
“They’ll fly in tomorrow morning. Kyros is at the manor, but Wade said he has to stay in his room tonight.”
The vampire princess clearly found this hilarious.
Only my best friend would tell a vampire crown-prince what to do.
We drove through the manor gates, and my eyes rounded at the giant marquee covering the manicured front lawn. “You’ve gone all out.”
Wade’s voice trembled. “Only the best for my girl.”
Cam eyed him. “Are you crying?”
He exited the vehicle and slammed the door.
“Definitely crying,” she said.
Outside, pack women mingled with female stewards. Pascal was speaking with Evelyn. Mandy with Trixie. Rhona stood apart but had a smile on her face.
It was early days, but I knew—I knew—we could do this.
Tommy and Cam slipped out and sandwiched Wade.
But Basilia remained behind. She studied me for a beat. “Congratulations, Andie. You did it.”
“It finally feels right.”
The billionaire shot me a gleaming look. “Bet winning felt good too.”
Well… couldn’t deny it. I frowned. “Hey, could I ask you something serious?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
“How easily do vampires get drunk?”
“Stay still,” a bleary-eyed Wade snapped at me.
We were in my manor bedroom, which was mostly empty now I’d moved in with Sascha. Really moved in, too—I’d put my clothes in the wardrobe and drawers and everything.
Tommy lay in the foetal position on the floor. Cam had her sunglasses on inside as she finished my hair and make-up—Wade directed her unnecessarily. On the window seat, Basilia filed her nails.
Mandy was flopped on the bed, playing on her phone.
The humans in the room made the mistake of trying to keep up with the supernaturals last night. Neither Basilia or I achieved drunkenness for more than a few minutes, but it was amazing how quickly dummies could be arranged in erotic scenes with a really fast vampire helping out.
As my wolf, Booker wasn’t affected by alcohol, but she hadn’t seen fit to stop me.
Rhona entered the room. “Nearly ready? People have left for the meeting hill.”
“She’s ready when she’s ready,” Wade hissed.
My sister scowled. “Not my fau
lt you overindulged last night. Don’t treat others like shit.”
Vampires and werewolves wouldn’t take Wade on, but my sister would.
He grumbled an apology.
Dabbing my lip gloss on, Cam straightened. “There. Radiant bride.”
“I’m not getting married,” I said mutely.
Rhona helped me up, and I faced the mirror. Cam had put my hair up today. Wavy tendrils softened and framed my face. It looked natural but took her two hours to achieve.
Wade had insisted my make-up stay minimal—a simple smoky eye and peach lip with a peach hue on my cheeks.
Tommy crawled to the wardrobe. “Dress.”
With Wade and Cam’s help, I slipped it on overhead.
The boho dress was white. Full-length sleeves, a low-cut back, and scoop neckline flowed into a simple long gown. The lace pattern gave the appearance of most of my skin showing through the dress, but a nude slip was stitched beneath.
“It’s so beautiful, Cam,” I said again. “Thank you. Please open up a shop here. Your things are to die for.”
Basilia lifted her focus from her nails and made a small sound of surprise. “That’s impressive. Let me know if you want help with start-up costs for that shop.”
Cam paused in twitching my dress into place. “Really?”
“If your manufacturing process is ethical and environmentally friendly—which I assume with Ni Tiaki values, it is—then I’m interested.”
My friend’s mouth bobbed.
A knock sounded at the open doorway. Kyros opened the door. “Ready, my beauty? Our family landed. We should arrive at the ceremony ahead of them.”
King Julius was coming to my wolf wedding today.
It made sense to tie a happy event to the signing of the alliance between pack, tribe, and clan. I hoped this alliance would pave the way to healing for the pack—and Vissimo too.
Tommy and Basilia left with Kyros. Mandy joined them to navigate them to the correct place.
Cam slipped silver foot chains over my feet, clasping them around my ankles. Wade slipped thin bangles up my forearms, and—blinking suspiciously fast—set a sunflower crown upon my head.
Leaning forward, I kissed his cheek. “Thank you for my party last night, Wade. And for everything.”
He dashed away a tear. “I’m okay.”
I squeezed his hands. “You’re okay.”
He’s not okay, Booker noted.
Nope.
“Ready to go?” Rhona tossed her keys and caught them again.
“One more thing.” I grabbed my phone off the dresser and opened my Eastway Bank app.
Seven hundred and thirty-two dollars of Mum’s debt remained.
Wade and Cam peered over my shoulders.
I had fifteen hundred in my personal account.
“You’re paying it all off?” Cam asked as I typed in the full amount.
Sure fucking was. Closing my eyes briefly, I took a deep breath, then clicked Confirm Transfer.
Thank You. Payment Confirmed.
My friends sandwiched me in a hug, and I grinned.
“Congrats,” Rhona called.
I smiled at her.
“This time stay out of debt,” Wade said.
Well, I still had student loans, but they were interest-free for now. Honestly, it would just be nice to pay off my debt for a change, instead of Mum’s.
Walking to Sascha today with less financial burden felt right too.
Lighter than I could remember feeling since Mum’s death, I climbed into Rhona’s silver Bentley. She arranged me in the car and closed the door.
All three of them were silent on the drive to Lake Thana.
Of course, they chose now to stop talking.
Oh, fuck. I was totally, totally getting wolf married. I breathed thinly and did my best not to wipe my sweaty-ass palms on Cam’s beautiful creation.
This was ridiculous. Why was I nervous?
Sascha wanted me.
I wanted him.
But he had acted strangely this past week. That didn’t mean anything, right?
Greyson hasn’t really spoken to me during the last few morning runs, Booker admitted.
Crap. We were both nervous as hell.
Rhona drove up the hill road, and I looked over Lake Thana, which extended to my left. Clean up in the lake took weeks after the last battle there.
Since the land fell in tribe territory, they’d taken over management of the Water businesses. But we’d employed most of the pack—they were far more experienced than us in that department. The other wolves had spread between Sandstone, Timber, and Iron.
However, in the last month, the head team and I had put together a long-term plan to decrease production across the board. Exclusivity wasn’t a bad thing, but not caring for the environment was unacceptable. In my opinion, during Herc and my grandfather’s stint as head steward, the tribe had become too greedy in what they took from the land.
We didn’t need to keep that up.
Rhona parked behind the crowd.
The huge crowd.
“Fuck me,” I whispered. How many guest wolves were here? There were over two thousand in attendance. Someone had set up freakin’ bleachers for those at the back.
Wade and Cam left the car, but I gripped Rhona’s arm when she went to do the same.
“Walk down there with me,” I blurted.
“I thought this wasn’t a wedding,” she said drily.
“I lied to myself.”
She smirked, then frowned, giving me a second to understand exactly what I just asked of her. Please walk me down the aisle to your father’s murderer.
Rhona pursed her lips. “It would be my honour as your sister.”
I sniffed.
“Don’t cry.”
Yes, ma’am.
Wade hauled me out, and Cam arranged my dress around my bare feet.
“White is for virgins,” I remarked. “This is false advertising.”
Chuckles from the supernatural in the audience told me they hadn’t missed the comment.
Oops.
Wade and Cam went on ahead, and soon, a slow drumbeat started—something pack gammas contributed to most ceremonies apparently.
Rhona held out her hand, and I took it.
Sascha was waiting.
My legs dragged me toward him, and I focused on my breath and ignoring the crowd as I approached.
Grass tickled my bare feet, and I welcomed the soft autumn breeze cooling my warm face.
The crowd murmured in appreciation when they saw me, which Wade would absolutely brag about later. My friend stood at the inside of the front row, balling his damn eyes out.
I paused to give him a one-armed hug. “I love you.”
He babbled a wordless reply, and I kissed his cheek, sharing an amused glance with Pascal and Cam over his shoulder.
Stop kissing other men and come here, beautiful wolf.
I continued with Rhona and my gaze locked with Sascha’s at last.
Gorgeous, gorgeous honey eyes.
Their effect on me only grew each day. I swallowed hard as Rhona halted us in front of him.
Sascha tore his focus from me to look at her.
Her dislike was plain.
His regret was equally plain.
“If you hurt her,” Rhona spoke, “then I’ll slit your throat and take the land penalty on the chin without regret.”
Yikes.
“If you love and care for her,” she added, “then in time, maybe we’ll be a family.”
Sascha nodded. “I consider myself warned. I’ve seen you in combat.”
Rhona passed my hand into his, and the tension drained from us. The world disappeared as I stepped into his embrace and sighed.
“I missed you.”
Sascha buried his face in my updo, inhaling. “You get more beautiful each day.”
Both of us jumped as someone cleared their throat.
“If you don’t mind.” Alexei’s face was carved
from stone.
Whatever he thought about me though, he was here for his son.
“Proceed,” Sascha told him.
His father cocked a brow at the order but raised a microphone to his lips for the benefit of the tribe. “Thank you for coming together today to witness the decision of my son, Sascha Alarick Greyson and his potential mate, Andie Charise Booker Thana.”
Getting rid of the name Booker didn’t feel right when my wolf had claimed that as her name.
Alexei recited a brief history of the mating process for the benefit of the gathered Vissimo and stewards.
“Do all concerned parties agree to voice their decision now?” Alexei glanced between us.
I looked at Sascha. What?
Follow me. He smiled. “I, Sascha, agree.”
His fangs and claws slid free, eliciting an interested hum from our vampire guests. As black flooded his eyes, gravel filled his voice. “I, Greyson, agree.”
Your turn, little bird.
“I, Andie, agree.”
I allowed my fangs and claws to burst free. A lesser amount of gravel roughened my voice, but the tone certainly wasn’t human. “I can’t wait to sink my fangs into you.”
Heat flooded my face. Booker!
Greyson replied seriously. “Can I sink my fangs into you too?”
“I hope so. I like to be hand-fed crispy bacon in the morning too.”
“I’ll see it done.”
“Then I, Booker, agree.”
I pressed a hand to my burning cheek as my fangs and claws retracted.
Sascha joined the audience in laughter, pulling me in for a swift kiss.
Alexei raised a hand for silence. “A mate is for eternity. From this moment forward, should you both choose, your lives, bloodlines, body, mind, and spirit will be one. But what you possess must be respected daily, never taken for granted, and held in utmost regard. No one and no thing can come between you.” His attention fixed on me. “That is what it means to be mated.”
Didn’t I know it.
“Face each other now.”
Sascha growled slightly at the order but did as bade.
My chest tightened as I faced the werewolf that I loved more than was humanly possible.
“Sascha, Pack Leader of The Deception Valley pack. My son. Do you find this female wolf worthy to be your mate through life? To trust and cherish and protect?”
Wolf Roulette: Supernatural Battle Page 34