“Really? We don’t need witnesses?”
“Really.” He grinned. “I consulted with Howard. They would like to be present. But it doesn’t change the vow we make. It was only tradition.”
Her fingers laced through his as he led her to the center of the circle. “Just you and me?”
He nodded. “You and me.”
She exhaled, and he could see the relief in her eyes. “I need to tell you something before we get started.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t know anything about being the she-alpha.”
He chuckled, his chest shaking lightly. “That’s okay.”
“And I don’t know anything about raising cubs.”
He brushed her hair back. “That’s okay too. We’ll do it together.”
“And I want you to know I’m here because I want to be here, Liam.”
His eyes flashed to hers. He gulped in air as the words tumbled from her lips.
“I’m not here because I have to be. Or because of Janet or Caroline, or even Howard. I’m here because of you. Because of us.” She twisted his fingers tighter against hers. “I didn’t think I deserved to be happy again. That I deserved to feel joy in my life, but you changed that. You opened my heart again.” She tipped forward on her toes, her mouth tilted toward him. “I am your mate. For life.”
He didn’t care what the ritual said, or that the seconds were ticking away on the eclipse. Liam grabbed her in his arms as his mouth came crushing down on hers. His bear growled with heated fury as their tongues lashed against each other.
They gulped for air as their hands moved wildly over each other. He kissed at her lips, drowning himself in her.
At last, he broke free, smiling at her. “I think we need to get this started.” He motioned to the sky overhead.
She nodded. “I’m ready.”
He struck a match against his boot and lit the twigs circling the inside of the rocks. The small flames danced around their feet.
Liam pulled a leather bracelet from his pocket and began to wrap it around Sophia’s wrist and then his own. He looked into her eyes as he pulled tightly on the ends, pinching their skin together.
“We must kneel together,” he directed her.
Slowly, they lowered to the ground. Liam retracted a blade from his back pocket.
“You already bear my mark. I swear this is the only time I’ll hurt you, Soph.”
“It’s okay. I know it’s part of the ceremony.” She urged him on with her eyes.
Liam ran the blade over the flames of the fire next to them.
“The fire represents the heat of our love. The flame that will burn as long as we are on this earth.” He held it out while the blade cooled. “And the blood represents our two lives now joined as one.”
He dug the tip of the blade into his own palm first and drew a short cut before doing the same to Sophia. She winced as the knife sliced against her palm. Liam slid his palm over hers, joining their blood.
He looked at her, dropping the knife to the ground. “Now the vows.”
Sophia’s eyelashes lifted. The fire glowed warmly on her face. She smiled at Liam, speaking each word to his heart.
“I devote myself to you, Liam Grayson. My body, my heart, and my soul belong only to you as long as we are on this earth.” Her eyes began to mist. “And I pledge myself to your clan as your mate.”
Liam had watched twenty of these ceremonies. He had performed many as the clan’s alpha. He had seen bears and humans swear their lives to one another, but it never felt as intense as this moment with Sophia.
“I devote myself to you, Sophia Withers. My body, my heart, and my soul belong only to you as long as we are on this earth.” He spoke lower. “I will protect you as long as I live. As the alpha, I pledge my clan’s loyalty to you. They will protect you to the death.”
He looked at her, waggling his eyebrows. “We did it.”
“We did, didn’t we?”
With his free hand, he cupped the side of her face, drawing her lips to his. He kissed his mate.
23
Sophia
Liam’s lips drove her wild. He couldn’t kiss her without her wanting more of them everywhere. The fire inside the circle crackled lightly next to them.
She sat back on her heels while he untied the leather rope binding their hands together.
The forest began to darken and she glanced up to see the eclipse.
“Just in time,” she marveled.
“Perfect timing.” Liam helped her to her feet. “We still have one more unofficial part of the oath.”
“Is it too late?” She felt the panic tighten around her chest. Maybe she had given herself too much time to come to terms with the decision. Maybe after all of this, she had let the clan down—she had let Liam down.
“No, no. The blood oath has been completed.” He grinned. “The rest is only tradition.”
She knew exactly what tradition he was talking about. It was the equivalent of a human couple spending the night in the honeymoon suite. Just the thought of being with Liam that way again made her ache.
“Are there any rules about the tradition?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No. No rules. Why?”
“And we’re alone?”
He turned his head from side to side, using his keen hearing. “Completely alone.”
She wanted all of it. The complete circle of devoting herself to him. She wanted him to know he was her alpha now. She was committed to him. There was no more hesitation. No more doubt. She was his mate.
She fingered the buttons on her coat, sliding one arm out of the sleeve and letting it fall to her feet. Next, she unzipped the back of the white dress she was wearing and shimmied it over her hips and thighs until it was in a heap on the ground. She shivered from the cold, but knew that in seconds, Liam’s warmth would send a fire through her entire body.
His eyes grew hungry with the sight of her standing in a bra and panties. He licked his lips. “I was going to take you back to the lake house.”
She shook her head. “Since you went through so much trouble to make sure we’re alone…” Her words trailed off.
Liam pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. “I didn’t know it could be like this, Soph.” His lips descended to her neck as he kissed her.
“I didn’t, either,” she breathed, gasping for air when he slipped his fingers between her legs. “I’m yours, Liam. Only yours.” She gripped at his neck, knowing she was losing control of her limbs. They were on fire for him.
He looked around, searching for a place for them to consummate their bond in the purest form. She met his eyes and unwound her hands, then lowered to the ground to spread her coat and dress out like a blanket. She didn’t care that they were about to be trampled. She could get another dress. She stayed on her hands and knees and looked up at her mate.
Liam let out a low rumble, dropping his pants to the ground.
“You know you’re the perfect she-alpha,” he said, sliding his boxers over his powerful legs.
She could hardly think. Her body was buzzing with primal want. She needed his bear to take her before she exploded. She wiggled her hips toward him.
As he positioned himself behind her, Sophia sighed. It was everything she wanted.
He tangled his hands in her long strands of hair, turning her head to watch him.
“My mate.” He grinned.
With one slow powerful thrust, he joined them in primal pleasure. Sophia trembled from the intensity, loving how she surrendered her body to him. Liam kissed and stroked her back, his bear unleashed in her, pumping harder and faster. His muscles tensed and quivered while they recklessly gave each other their final commitment.
Sophia eased back onto his cock and Liam lifted her up and down, tugging and teasing her nipples while she rode him with abandon.
She no longer felt the cold. Liam’s body wrapped her in warmth as his cock blazed in and out of her.
And w
hen their heated frenzy ripped through them, he held her close to his chest, pumping his seed deep inside her while she cried his name.
“Oh, Liam,” she mewed, as the bliss soothed her like warm honey.
He kissed the back of her neck and the tops of her shoulders. His hands rested on her breasts, massaging them lightly.
“Fuck, you’re amazing,” he growled. “And surprising.”
“I wanted you to know I meant every word. I want no doubts between us.” She rested her head against his chest, struggling to breathe. All her limbs felt like jelly.
“After that, I have no doubt. I didn’t, once I saw you walk into that oath circle. The oath was just a ceremony. The bond we have is unbreakable.”
“It is.” She smiled, feeling his love wash over her.
And she knew it was a truth stronger than the blade that sealed their blood. She no longer felt the hurt from Liam’s deception. He had been trying to give her time to heal and please his clan. It was an impossible position.
“What made you change your mind?” he whispered. The fire from the circle was beginning to burn out.
“You. For one second, I closed my eyes and tried to picture my life without you. It almost killed me. I didn’t need more time to realize that I belong to you. I wouldn’t have let you make your mark on me if I didn’t already feel that way. The ceremony made things seem different somehow. I freaked out. I’m sorry.”
He kissed behind her ear. “This makes things different, Soph. Asking me to claim you here in my natural element, under the eclipse, after we pledge our souls to each other. God, you have no idea the gift you just gave me. This used to be the blood oath tradition, but it stopped once others started attending.” He ran his hands along her arms, cupping her breasts with a gentle squeeze. “I love you.”
“I love you, Liam.”
Her skin prickled, and she shivered from the wind. The fire was all but a pile of ash.
“What do you say we head to the lake house now?”
She giggled. “What? You worried someone might see us like this?” They were still half dressed. Liam was wearing a shirt, and her panties were riding up to an uncomfortable place. She searched the ground for her bra. She was certain he had ripped the clasp on the back.
“I might have a surprise for you.” His eyes twinkled as he helped her up from the ground.
“A surprise?” She draped the dress over her shoulders and quickly slipped her arms in the coat sleeves.
“You’ll just have to see.” He led her out of the woods.
Sophia couldn’t imagine what the surprise was. Up until a few hours ago, she hadn’t decided to go through with the blood oath. How could Liam have planned something?
They walked through the woods until they ended up in Liam’s yard. The lake was quiet. The eclipse was still full overhead. Sophia strained to see.
“Wait right here.” He deposited her in a chair on the pier.
“But I—”
He disappeared, leaving Sophia alone in the dark. The water lightly lapped against the pilings. She rubbed her arms up and down, missing the heat from Liam’s body.
She heard his footsteps and turned to see a shadowy figure approaching.
“Liam?”
There was a heavy thud in front of her, and then sudden light.
She smiled when she recognized the dark eyes she had fallen for. A small lantern glowed near his face. He placed it on the pier.
“Ok, what’s going on?” she asked.
Liam’s brow furrowed. She’d never seen him look so nervous. He reached behind his back and presented a box. Carefully he flipped the lid open.
“Oh my God.” Sophia covered her mouth. She’d never seen a diamond so large.
“Will you marry me, Soph?”
She looked in his eyes. “But bears don’t do this. We had our ceremony.”
“But humans do.” He smiled. “I’ve seen you make wedding cakes. I can’t imagine anyone looking more beautiful in a white dress. I think it’s something you’ve always wanted, and never thought you’d have.” He pulled the diamond from its velvet cushion and held it toward her. “Will you marry me?”
She nodded, the tears springing to her eyes. “Yes. Yes, definitely yes.”
She watched in awe as he slipped the princess cut stone over her finger.
“I know it would be more sparkly in the sun, but under the eclipse is where we sealed our forever. I thought it would be fitting.”
She threw her arms around his neck, desperate for his mouth. “I love it. I love you.” She scooted back to see his expression. “A wedding? You really want to do a wedding?”
“You’ve accepted my clan. You’re my she-alpha. You’re my mate. If you can do all of that, I can do a wedding.” He winked.
“You’re going to wear a tux.”
“Oh, I know. I’m making Snowden wear one too.”
“This is more than I ever thought I could have, Liam.” She kissed him.
“I want you to know something.” He tilted her chin toward him. “I wanted to give you this ring no matter what happened tonight. If you weren’t ready, then I would have waited for this. It doesn’t matter to me how we are together, or what ceremony says we’re bonded. I would have waited the rest of my life for you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to.”
Sophia laughed. There were a lot of things that were unexpected in life. She never expected a man she loved to die. She never expected to fall for his best friend. And more than anything, she never thought she could be so utterly happy and in love with her soul mate. She took a chance, and that was all she needed.
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