“Your pack,” Cole said, joining them on the balcony. “My sons proved to the pack they would kill anyone who harmed or attempted to touch what was theirs and you are their mate, Princess. You belong here in this home with my sons.” He kissed the top of her head and stood on her other side holding onto her as the pack started to sing to her.
It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Over 300 wolves—small, young and old—stood below singing to her. Halfway through, the wolves moved to the side and that’s when Jasmine saw them.
Her wolves, the same ones Cole had given her as a child, were walking towards her and she knew now in her heart that they were R.D. and Logan. R.D. walked ahead, being the oldest. “Go, they are waiting for you. You won’t be able to change tonight, but they want you down there next to them.” Cole picked her up and carried her down the outside stairs before lowering her feet to the ground. “Welcome to the pack, welcome home, Princess.” Cole kissed her forehead and stepped back.
Jasmine glanced over her shoulder to see her mother looking down from the balcony as she slowly made her way toward R.D. and Logan. It was the strangest thing, walking into a pack of wolves. Watching them open the circle up and allow her in to join R.D. and Logan in the middle.
Both wolves circled her until R.D. sat down in front of her and stared at her, while Logan took position next to him, but slightly to the back. “I’m a little nervous here, guys. I don’t know what to do,” she whispered.
“Strip, present yourself to your alpha, my brother,” Logan ordered inside her head, shocking her.
She sucked in her breath, looking around her. “Are you out of your minds? Out here? In front of everyone?” Jasmine thought, hoping he could hear her, but no one moved, they all waited.
Opening her mouth to blast them, Jasmine stopped, noticing the cut on R.D.’s face that hadn’t been there before. Both of them had protected her, saved her. Could she really do this? Show off a body that wasn’t skinny, but full-figured.
“Fine, just show off all my flaws,” she mumbled and lifted the dress up over her head, moaning. Jasmine ached all over, what she needed was another hot bath and two knock-out pills but she didn’t see that coming any time soon.
Next she slid her panties down, joining them in the dirt next to her dress. She hadn’t worn a bra because her skin seemed to be super sensitive right now.
“Spread your legs, hands behind your back and eyes down,” Logan demanded.
Closing her eyes, Jasmine trusted both R.D. and Logan, and did what Logan had demanded. The howls had stopped, crickets could be heard and the distant rumble of thunder let everyone know that soon there would be rain to wash away the death that had taken place on their land.
“Our land,” R.D. stated behind her, now in human form. His naked body pressed up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand grabbing her right breast, the other hand cupping her pussy. “Our pussy. Tonight I proved to everyone again that I was meant to run this pack, but I also laid claim to a female, that female is you, Jasmine Alexander.” R.D. scrapped his teeth over her skin, connecting her shoulder to her neck.
“Do you give yourself to me and to my brother here in front of the pack? Are you willing to become part of the pack? Take your position as our woman, alpha of the pack, knowing the demands we will make of you?” R.D. asked, like some kind of ritual.
Here in his arms surrounded by wolves, Jasmine knew only one thing, she was safe. If she could have purred she would have. His scent was driving her crazy with need. He was waiting for her, but could she promise all those things? Yes.
“I am yours and I’d be honored to be included in your pack. I thank you all for your help tonight. I will never be able to repay what you have done for me.” Jasmine looked up out over the pack as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“All of you have taken the Nightmare Man away and replaced it with peace. For the first time in my life I’m not afraid of living.” She snorted. “Maybe a little afraid of their demands, but I know you would never hurt me.” Everyone was quiet. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m nervous.”
Shutting up, Jasmine lowered her head again and closed her eyes, when R.D. kissed the side of her neck, before biting down hard. “MINE!” he growled while each wolf howled to the moon and that’s when she felt it, the connection to the pack through a common link.
Her knees threatened to buckle, but R.D. held her tight, releasing his bite. “You are now part of the pack and mine, ours. Tomorrow will bring the full moon and your first change, as well as our mating ceremony.” R.D. stepped in front of her as Logan moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her as R.D. had and repeated everything R.D. had said.
She gave herself to him and the pack once more and waited for his bite. His teeth gripped and broke the skin. “MINE!” Logan growled.
“Yours,” Jasmine mumbled before everything started to fade.
Chapter Nine
Jasmine rolled over and opened her eyes. She was in a strange bed and her mother was in a closet, humming as she went through a whole string of new dresses. “Where am I and who are you? My mother never hums this early in the morning,” she mumbled and curled up to the pillow that happened to smell like R.D.
Her mom twirled and smiled down at her and Jasmine groaned. “You are way too happy. So what is going to happen now?” she mumbled but shot up in bed when she remembered last night. “Ceremony? There’s going to be some kind of ceremony? What does that mean?”
“It means you are getting married today, Princess,” Cole said, coming into the room carrying a tray with coffee and mugs, while Sara and Monica brought in the food.
“Married? No one asked me to marry them,” Jasmine frowned and scooted to the end of the big bed. “Are we talking about last night?” she asked Cole, and he nodded.
“You gave yourself to my sons. Tonight the ceremony will take place, even though R.D. could have given us more time to prepare,” Cole grumbled pouring coffee into three cups. “Come, drink up, we have much to discuss before your mother starts throwing clothes at you.”
She held up her hand. “Wait, explain what this ceremony is? I’m totally lost here. I mean I agreed to have them, well you know sexually, but married?”
Cole actually looked pissed off as he turned to her. “I’ll have you know my boys will not touch you sexually until you are married. That I made them promise.” Cole sighed and knelt down in front of her.
“Princess, a ceremony is both a formal wedding and a pack mating. Tonight my sons will make you theirs in front of the pack as a wolf and later, you will have your wedding night.” He leaned in and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks. “Even before I realized you were meant for my boys, you were my daughter. I’ve always wanted the best for you, little girl. Tonight you will have the wedding to fulfill any little girl’s dreams.” He stood and helped her stand.
That’s when Jasmine noticed she wore a very large T-shirt. “You won’t see R.D. or Logan until the ceremony tonight, but they sent you this,” Cole stated and nodded to the door where three men came into the room carrying three different kinds of flowers—roses, daisies, and lilies—all her favorites. Each man handed the dozen flowers to her and left, to be replaced by three more men.
She laughed. “What did he do? Get the whole pack to help?” Jasmine asked, staring in shock as one stepped forward and waited.
“Go to him and see what gift my sons have sent you,” Cole encouraged her, so she handed the three dozen flowers to her mom, who had tears running down her face.
“Don’t start or you’re going to get me going,” she mumbled, and hugged her mom without crushing the flowers, before moving to the man who now knelt before her.
He took out a piece of parchment paper and read.
Loving Demands
1. I will not only demand your undying love, but total and free access to every inch of your body.
2. In the matter of safety, your life will always be placed before anyone’s. I have and will continue to prot
ect you until I cannot anymore and will die at your feet if necessary.
3. There will be nights when I need totally submission from you, no words, just loving.
4. No one will touch or lay a finger on what is ours again. They will die and you will be punished.
5. There will be times when we will argue and we promise to listen, but there will also be spanking and times when we will be groveling at your feet for forgiveness.
6. Children, lots of children.
7. Lastly, you own our hearts. Only you can control the beast within us both, trust us to give you what you need: unconditional demanding love.
The man rolled up the scroll and handed it to her, leaving the room. The next man stepped up and knelt at her feet.
“The pack welcomes you as their queen and we give you this as a way to show you how much you belong.” The man lifted up a narrow jewelry box and opened it. “Every female in our pack wears a symbol of our protectiveness and belonging. Will you accept it and wear it?”
Jasmine stared in awe at the emerald and diamond ankle bracelet. “Each woman has one made just for her. This one is yours, our queen.” In the middle were two miniature silver wolves, R.D. and Logan.
“I’d be honored,” she said.
The man took the ankle bracelet out of the box and held out his hand, waiting for her. Jasmine placed her right foot into his hand. “Once this is put on, it won’t come off. It’s charmed to always stay with you even with the change.” The man told her and she nodded, glancing over her shoulder at Cole and her mother.
“You make me proud, daughter,” Cole said and tears filled her eyes.
“Okay, now I’m going to cry and have big puffy red eyes,” Jasmine mumbled watching as the man put the ankle bracelet on, watching as the clasp disappeared leaving no way to take it off. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”
He nodded as he stood. “Welcome, my queen, to the pack. It will be an honor to protect you.”
Before she could say anything he was gone and another man knelt before her. He held up two ring boxes. “As a token of their comment to you, our alphas had these made for you and would like your permission to use them in your ceremony tonight. If there are any changes, please let me know and I will work on them for you this day.”
Jasmine took one of the boxes and opened it, sucking in her breath. Two men’s rings were inside, silver at that, her favorite. “I thought wolves would be allergic or something to silver?” she asked and the man laughed.
“No my queen, another rumor by humans. Do you like the design for their rings? Would you like anything added to them?”
Jasmine took one of the rings out of the box and stared at the engraving on the ring. “It’s stunning. The outside is perfect. Can you write something inside the rings - an engraving?” she asked as an idea formed in her head.
“Yes, of course,” he grinned and pulled out a piece of paper and pen. “Write what you want inside.”
Taking the paper and pen, she quickly wrote the words that came from the heart, handing the paper to him. “You won’t show them the rings, will you? I want the engraving to be a surprise,” she asked, as he read the passage she had written.
He laughed and gave her a heated once over. “They will not see the rings until you put them on their hands. I’ll leave these with your father this afternoon.” He cringed, looking down at the floor. “What about the other rings?”
“Are you okay?” she asked, wondering about the change in his attitude.
“He is fine, he’s just stepped over the line a little and my son has chastised him. I’m afraid R.D. is a very jealous man, Princess, and any heated gazes you get from any man will not go over well.” Cole nodded to the other box. “Hurry up and look at your rings before R.D. comes storming in here dragging Garth away.”
Jasmine glared over at Cole. “He has done nothing wrong. Stop picking.” She took the other ring box from the man as she gave him the men’s rings. Using her thumb, she popped the box open and gasped.
There were two rings in the box. “Here, this is for you,” Garth said handing her a piece of paper.
Princess,
There will be no engagement rings on your fingers. Instead, we give you our bands of love to wear, one on each hand. I hope these are to your liking. And, no, we didn’t ask you to marry us, because you already accepted both of us in front of our people. This is a much stronger commitment than any human marriage could ever be.
Your alphas and mates,
R.D. & Logan
She took one ring out and held it up to the light when Jasmine noticed the inside, Promises of Unconditional Demands and Love. She burst out laughing after reading it. “This is perfect,” Jasmine knew R.D. had insisted on this saying as she lifted the next ring and read it’s inscription. A lifetime of explaining and love.
“They are perfect. Don’t change a thing, and thank you,” she handed the rings back quickly, hearing a growl outside the door.
“Don’t you dare come in here,” her mother shouted and ran to the door, stepping outside as Garth left, closing it behind her.
Jasmine was about to sit down when Cole reached out and pulled her to the small table where breakfast awaited them. “I know this a lot to take in, but you were meant to be with them, Princess. They’ll give you everything you want.”
“I know they’ll try, but everyone can’t get everything they want, Dad. Even you know this,” Jasmine took a sip of her coffee and jumped when someone pounded on the door.
“Knock it off, Jasmine, I’m trying not to come into that room right now, but hearing your little moans is not helping,” R.D. growled and her mother laughed out there.
“Relax, you’ll have her tonight. Now go, you two have a room to finish and a honeymoon to plan,” her mother yelled, squeezing into the door and slamming it before either of them could peek in. “I swear, they’re a bunch of little boys wanting their candy.”
Both of them moaned out in the hall. “You had to say candy,” they grunted and Jasmine laughed, hearing them stomp down the stairs, mumbling.
Jasmine popped a piece of bacon in her mouth. When she heard the door open again. Hendrick and his wife Betsy came into the room. “Are we too late for breakfast with our little girl?’ Betsy asked as Jasmine got up and hugged her grandparents.
“Never too late. Come sit,” Jasmine said and took her seat again.
“Well, we come bearing gifts for you,” Betsy said giving her a jewelry box. “This was Hendrick’s mother’s necklace. It is now yours. Something old to wear.”
“Oh my God! This is too much,” she looked at Betsy and then Hendrick. “Shouldn’t something like this go to Maddy or your blood grandchildren?” she asked trying to give the emerald choker back to her.
“What! Have we ever treated you any differently than our other grandchildren?” Hendrick snarled and stood, taking the choker out of the box and placing it around her neck.
“Well no, but you know what I meant, old man,” she said, touching it as he knelt down in front of her.
“Jasmine, you are our granddaughter and would have been even if you hadn’t been mated to Cole’s sons. Just as I know Cole thinks the same thing. You are his daughter first and don’t think he or I won’t take them to task if they hurt you.” Hendrick kissed her cheek and sat down next to Betsy.
“Maddy is helping set up the gazebo for your wedding since the boys don’t know what they are doing, but she wanted me to give you this. It’s something borrowed. I gave her this when she graduated college and it would go perfectly with the dress your mother has chosen for you.” Betsy took her hand and clasped an emerald bracelet around her wrist.
“Wow, just wow, and when did you pick out my dress?” Jasmine asked her mom who laughed.
“Actually I picked it out when you were about 15?” she looked to Cole who nodded. “Yep, when we were in New England she found it.” He took a bite of his food watching as her mother got up and pulled out a garment bag.
“I had a
ll the alterations done last week when he dropped the bombshell about his sons being your mates. I knew how fast courting and marriages went for their kind,” she grumbled, lifting her ankle up showing off her bracelet and glaring at Cole.
Cole just shrugged. “We know the first time we meet someone who is supposed to be with us. There is no reason to hold off on the ceremony when you know the one you are supposed to be with arrives in your life.” Cole turned in his seat and gave her mother one of those stares.
“Are you not happy with me?” he asked and at once her mom was there climbing into his lap.
“I love you, never doubt that, but a girl would love to be courted a little, you know. Date nights, movies, dinners, plays, a ride in Central Park in a horse buggy. Things like that.” Katherine said.
Betsy snorted. “Good luck with that. I’m afraid, dear Jasmine, our men are not romantic at all. Do you know what this man got me for out fifth wedding anniversary?” she pointed to Hendrick, who moaned.
“Woman I apologized for that over and over. What else do you want?” Hendrick asked.
“He got me a new kitchen and said and I quote, ‘Now you can make me the meals I love without having to do too much work.’” Her grandmother glared at him.
“And do you know she hasn’t made her lasagna since that date!” he grumbled back and Cole laughed.
“I don’t know what you are laughing about. Where did we go for our honeymoon?” Katherine asked, getting up and opening the bag on the bed. “Alaska in the middle of winter. Do you know how freaking cold it was up there? Even with Mr. Heatbox over there, I still think I got frostbite on my ass.”
Jasmine never laughed so hard in her life as Cole and Hendrick grumbled while Betsy and her mom took the dress out and laid it on the bed. “From what I’ve been told this dress was made back in 1900. What do you think?” Her mother asked as she stared at the late Victorian red dress.
She reached down and ran her hand over the silk. The bodice was cut very low, even for the time period, but what drew her attention was the half-naked back where the green laces were. The dress and train was a good three feet long. “It’s one of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen.” Jasmine hugged her mom tight. “Thank you.”
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