“I hear talk that there is, but personally have never met any,” Gabrial said, thoughtfully stroking his chin, “Come to think of it, your grandmother’s mother could have been a troll, she was mean enough.”
They all laughed again and continued walking in the direction of the house and all the people waiting there for them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
We need to talk about the ritual,” Blake reminded them.
Amber stopped with a frown. She had temporarily forgotten about the ceremony. Before she could become stressed, Blake continued.
“It’s only introducing you into the pack.”
“Blake, you have to keep Amber safe. Her blood is very important and the least amount could give the council what they are looking for. So her blood cannot be shared with anyone at the ceremony tonight.”
“I understand, sir,” Blake told him honestly, pulling Amber back into his arms.
“Blake,” Amber began to argue and he stopped her with a kiss. She was hesitant at first because her grandfather was standing right there. But her willpower was gone and she gave into his soft lips, kissing him back.
Blake pulled his lips away, quickly pecking her lips with another kiss before lifting his head to look at her grandfather. “I swear to give my life to protect my mate. I love Amber Hamilton Scott Edwards with all my heart and will fight to keep her from harm,” Blake promised.
Amber stared up into his solemn face and tears came to her eyes. She let it slide that he had given her his last name. From someone who hated crying, she sure was doing a lot of it lately. She sniffed and blinked away the tears.
Blake tucked Amber close to his side, placing his arm about her shoulders, they continued through the woods. Gabrial and Blake both took turns explaining how the ritual was supposed to work.
“Generally it’s performed to connect you to the pack. But, it appears that with your, uhhh,” Blake searched for the words and then had an “ah ha” moment, “your enhanced genetics, you can already communicate with some of the members you have met.”
Gabrial assisted with the explanation. “When the ritual is performed at the beginning of the full moon phase, like it will be tonight, you will have a strong connection. The blood ritual will allow you to connect with the pack, no matter where you are. As the pack leader’s mate, you will be able to even get a general location to where they are at any given time.”
“Way cool,” Blake said. Even he was learning what to expect, since he had never taken a mate before.
Amber paused thoughtfully. “So does this mean that the pack can track me as well?”
“No, Hon, only I will be able to find you.”
“So you weren’t kidding when you said you would hunt me down if I ever left you,” she said with a slight frown.
“Now don't get all antsy on me. You know you can block your thoughts and all that, so I'm sure with you being who you are, you would think of a way to hide from me if you just needed a break or something. Not that I’m encouraging that by any means. As life mates, we will feel what the other feels. And in some instances, I have even heard of some life mates even being able to see what the other is seeing,” Blake said, then frowned.
“Or see what their mate wants them to see,” he reminded her of her tricking him at Bloodsworth’s farm. She had pushed her thoughts into his head of her flying slowly through the wilderness towards him instead of her slipping through the open window of the dining room.
“I know, I know. You don’t think I should’ve gone in without you, but I did what I had to do, just like you felt that you had to keep all of this a secret from me.” Amber told him, standing with her hand on her hip. This could be her way out of going through with the ceremony, so she pushed on. “If you can't handle that I’m going to do things you don't like, then we may not want to go through with this ceremony thing.” She ended with a sigh.
“Not a chance woman. You’re not escaping that easy. You are mine and I’ll take the good with the bad.” He told her.
She tended to forget that he could read her thoughts and smiled sheepishly. It didn't quite work the way it should if the person knew you were trying to persuade them.
He swatted her butt and she yelped before she could stop the sound from escaping. Her grandfather’s laugh echoed through the clearing where the house stood; they had reached the tree line where the yard began.
“So, grandpa, you are part of the council?” Amber asked.
“Yes, I have been for over seventy five years now.”
“How old are you?” Amber asked and was rewarded with his bushy eyebrow raised at her. “Well?” She was not intimidated and didn't budge.
He shook his head, grinning at her. She reminded him of his self at her age. “Son, you have your hands full with this one,” he told Blake teasingly. To Amber he responded, “I am one hundred and forty seven years old.”
“What?” Amber exclaimed in amazement.
“You should know that we have extended life spans. You really do have a lot of learning to do, young lady.” Shaking his head, Gabrial pretended to hobble away like an old man. They had reached the manicured portion of the front yard when he glanced over his shoulder, straightened, and walked towards the house.
Amber and Blake watched silently while he made his way up the stairs and into the house, leaving her alone with Blake where they had stopped in the middle of the yard.
The more Amber thought of going into the house that was filling up too fast with people, the more anxious she became. She felt her wolf pushing against her to run. Her eyes sought Blake's and with a silent nod of his head, he grabbed her hand and they turned back and ran for the cover of the trees.
While they ran, Blake touched Adam’s mind and was assured that he had everything under control.
Go take care of your mate. Entertaining werewolves is not that hard, Adam responded laughingly.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Blake figured he could keep her mind from dwelling on the upcoming blood ritual, at least for a while. So he led Amber deeper into the woods, back towards the lake. At the water’s edge he pulled her to a stop with a hot kiss.
The phase of the full moon was playing havoc with her ability to think straight. Her wolf seemed to be at the edge and wanted to emerge, but surprisingly didn't fight her for dominance. Instead, Amber felt her wolf encouraging her to become one with her mate. Amber gave into those urgings and allowed Blake to remove her clothing and lead her into the lake.
The water was cold against her overheated senses; his touch flooded her body with warmth.
“I should have warned you about the ceremony when we mated. I'm sorry,” Blake told her, standing in water that barely covered her breasts. His arms around her waist, he leaned forward and kissed her before she could respond out loud.
I probably would have had reacted badly, anyway. But I don't want to think about that right now, she responded, but to his mind. Sending his mind into over drive, Amber filled his head with images of them making love in the water, on the boulders, and in the woods.
You are so hot! Blake responded by grabbing her to him. He smashed her lips to his and his tongue immediately invaded her mouth. Their hands were everywhere at once as passion stormed through their veins.
Amber felt her blood pounding and could hear Blake's heart beating wildly while his body quickly invaded hers. The water made them slip and slide against each other in an erotic slow motion dance. Amber threw her head back while her body rode the waves their actions created.
Blake lowered his head to her breast as it bounced up and down in front of him. His mouth latched onto the nipple and sucked hard, eliciting a deep moan from Amber.
Blake carried her through the water and back to the shoreline. Amber's strong muscular legs wrapped tightly around his waist to keep his shaft buried deep within her velvety sheath. Once on the shore, he placed her on the boulder they had sat on earlier in the day.
She lay back on the surprisingly smooth surface an
d allowed him to lift her legs so he could pound into her. Gazing deep into her eyes, he watched the waves of pleasure that washed over her with each powerful surge.
He was on fire and Amber was the only thing that would quench the heat. His thighs pounded against her butt over and over again as he shoved the length of him into her, time after time.
Amber struggled to hold on to her release, she didn't want it to end. She wanted this to last forever. Suddenly her struggle ended, she couldn't keep the waves from crashing over her and gave in to his body’s demands, flooding him with her creamy wetness, when she began to spasm around his hard thickness.
Blake's shaft became enlarged even more while he fought for control. He continued to pound into her over and over, her body clenched tightly around him. He lost the struggle too, and threw his head back and shouted his release with her screaming his name.
Blake collapsed his upper body onto her, allowing her legs to slip down and around his waist. Her legs embraced his body, holding him deep inside her while they both continued to jerk and spasm with continued orgasms. He held the bulk of his weight to keep from crushing her against the boulder and buried his face in her neck.
Amber’s heart was filled with happiness and all she could do was laugh.
He was surprised when he heard her, she had laughed in the past, but nothing like this. He leaned back to look at her, to see what she was laughing at when she grabbed him and kissed him, her tongue invading his mouth. He felt her happiness.
I love you, Blake told her, their tongues danced in each other’s mouths, and her mind surrounded him with loving warmth.
Amber had her arms locked around his neck when he lifted her from the boulder, his lips still locked onto hers. They both moaned as he pulled himself from the warmth of her body. He was slick with their lovemaking, but he pulled her close, allowing her body to slide down the front of him until her feet reached the ground.
Amber felt his continued hardness while she stayed locked in his arms. She pulled back and grabbed his shaft, feeling the wetness, sliding her hand down the length of him.
Blake tensed and felt him self jerk in response. His head fell back and he couldn't stop the growl of pleasure when she continued stroking the length of him. He was still rock hard and she was going to make sure he stayed that way.
Blake spun her around facing the boulder. Amber braced herself, looking over her shoulder, watched him spread her legs. He slammed the length of his shaft back into the slickness that still coated the inside of her legs and the soft lips of her entrance.
Amber encouraged him, wanting him to slam into her over and over while she braced herself against the boulder. Her breasts swung heavily with each pounding her body took.
She felt his hand guiding her hips, pulling her back against his, his other hand reached around grabbing her breast in an almost painful grip. Her head hung between her arms, she felt the heat rising inside her again.
Her wolf loved the feel of her mating in this position. Amber felt her skin crawling; the fur began to rise to the surface. Her wolf was emerging and Amber didn’t fight the change. Blake continued to pound into her. She felt as his grip began to turn into a claw and felt him shift along with her.
They never pulled apart, they continued making love through the transformation and Amber's wolf felt the moment his canines grabbed the scruff of her neck, his wolf pounding his length into her wolf's body.
Hours later after performing every image she had projected into his head, they fell onto the beach, exhausted, naked, with arms wrapped around one another. Completely satiated, Amber smiled up into his glowing eyes, knowing that her eyes had the same glow.
“I'm ready now,” she told him and he knew exactly what she meant.
By the time they began dressing to head back towards the house, the sun was reaching for the horizon. The evening sky was bright with hues of pink, orange and a mixture of purples and blue. The bullfrogs, crickets, and other creatures that scurried around at night were beginning to adventure out from there nesting places.
Amber and Blake held each other close and stared out over the water. They quietly watched the sun slowly slip behind the far bank of the lake and the trees cast their shadows along the far shoreline.
Sharing one more kiss before releasing a contented sigh. In unison, they turned to walk back towards the house.
∞∞∞
During the few hours they had been gone, Adam had been busy. The yard was completely transformed. Chairs had appeared along with tables and benches, and more people. Amber couldn't imagine that so many people could have fit into the house and the yard, but they were there. Someone shouted that the last person they were expecting was now pulling into the driveway.
Amber watched Marcello and Adam walking towards them.
“Sorry, ma'am, but we have to steal him away for a little while,” Marcello told her. He and Adam took their place on either side of Blake and marched him away.
Blake looked at her with a grin and shrugged his shoulders slightly, holding his hands up as if to say, what can I do? He allowed them to lead him towards the middle of the yard.
Gabrial made his way over to where Amber stood; a large smile on his face. He leaned down and kissed the cheek she had raised at his approach. It felt so natural being there with him.
“Your mother wants to know if it's safe for her to be by your side while you wait,” he said softly, whispering into her ear.
Amber took a calming breath. With her eyes closed, she nodded her agreement. She was nervous and for some reason her mother made her more so. There were so many unresolved questions that she had, but now was not the time for her to bring those up.
Amber watched her mother smile and chat with people while making her way to her side. The smile that seemed to be a constant on her face seemed forced to Amber. Watching her mother, Amber frowned slightly, something just didn’t seem right with Winona, but couldn’t put her finger on it.
Amber felt the pull on her senses and looked past her mother to see Blake staring at her. His lopsided grin made her smile in return. He looked incredibly happy while he listened to the men telling him what his part was in the ceremony.
Amber began to realize that, until this afternoon, she had not allowed Blake full access to her mind. She had always kept a piece of herself hidden, afraid of caring too much.
Winona interrupted her thoughts and Amber's eyes flashed for a slight moment before she got her feelings under control. Her mother leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I know it sounds like I’m just saying the words. But I do love you and hope that someday you can forgive me.”
Amber allowed her tense shoulders to relax, reached out and hugged her mother’s shoulders. “I know, mom.” She said softly.
“Oh,” her mother responded with tears in her eyes. Amber could feel the happiness that swelled within her mother at those three little words. I never thought I would hear my baby call me that again.
Amber stared at her mother. Since they had never communicated like, she was shocked when she heard her mother’s mental connection. That it was the first time she had ever heard her mother’s mental connection.
“Really?” Amber said out loud, staring into her mother’s eyes, noting for the first time how sad they looked. The smile that seemed so out of place, Amber realized was her way of hiding her sadness. She watched her mother’s face light up when she realized that Amber had read her thoughts.
They turned and pulled each other into a tight hug that Amber had remembered from years ago. She fought the tears that sprang to her eyes. “We will be okay,” Ambers voice was a broken whisper. When she opened her eyes, she saw her grandfather nodding his approval when he turned back to watch the proceedings taking place in the yard.
CHAPTER THIRTY
The skies were becoming darker; in a couple hours the night would take hold and allow the stars to twinkle in the background. The full moon would begin its slow ascent into the night sky.
Th
e pack members and invited guests were anxiously gathering in the front yard to be a part of and to witness the blood ritual about to take place. Amber was surprised to see the sheriff that had taken her report at Blake’s accident, and wondered how he was a part of Blake’s pack; she would have to ask Blake later how the half dozen or so humans that milled around the group fit into all this.
Amber told her mother she needed a shower and slipped into the house to clean up before the ceremony began. She was surprised when she came out of the bathroom. Standing in the bathroom door with a towel wrapped around her body, drying her long dark hair with another, she saw that her mother had come into the room and laid out a white gown on the bed.
Winona smiled nervously from where she sat in the chair in the corner of the room. Not sure how Amber was going to react to the ritual garb she had laid out for her.
“Mom, what are you doing?” Amber asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“This has been passed down in my father’s family for centuries and thought you might want to have this for your night tonight,” Winona suggested hopefully
Amber moaned inwardly, dreading the whole ritual mumbo jumbo, but knew that it would make her mother happy, so she reluctantly agreed. She didn’t have anything other than her hiking clothes anyway.
Amber held the gown up, turning it over in her hands doubtfully, trying to figure out how it was supposed to be put on, and stay on. With no luck, Amber looked to Winona for assistance. “Okay, want to help me put this thing on?”
Winona excitedly stepped forward and ran her fingers lightly over the material of the dress, smiling wistfully. “Unfortunately, I didn't get to wear this.”
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