Who better to choose to fill that position than someone who chooses the role for themselves? I nod my head in acceptance of him, and he graciously bows his head before taking point beside me.
No one dares to question my decision, and I wonder if that’s why Darien didn’t step in sooner. Maybe he was waiting for me to decide, or maybe that is just wishful thinking. Either way, he didn’t stop me, so he is at least okay with it.
We turn and take off into the darkness with every wolf following at our heels. It’s not long before we come across the scent of an elk herd.
My heart sings and my stomach rumbles in anticipation.
Our movements become slower and quieter as we track the scent. As it grows stronger, the pack keeps their distance because too many bodies will give us away. Only me, Jerek, Darien, Trace, and Asher make our way closer to the herd.
As we approach a clearing, we stay down low in the tall grass and crawl forward to get a closer look at the grazing elk. Each wolf looks to me, granting me the first kill as per tradition. My eyes scope out the herd for my target. Never charge in without a specific target or a backup just in case plans go south.
The wind is in my favor as I stalk closer. I’ve trained myself to be as quiet as a mouse. Wolves hunt as a pack, but if I was going to go rogue, I needed to be able to provide for myself. Instead of using tricks and games that wolves tend to use, I taught myself how to go into stealth mode. Even when in a dead sprint I learned how to control my movements and breathing to make as little noise as possible.
As my eyes lock onto my prey, I take off full speed towards him. Before the large bull can get more than a couple strides in, my teeth close around his thick neck. My powerful jaw has a death grip on him that can’t be easily broken.
Using the force of his momentum, I use all my strength to pull him down. He struggles against me as he falls, and I focus on avoiding his antlers before making my last move. One slash to his throat where I had already torn into with my teeth finishes the job.
Trace and Asher take down another bull together not far from where I made my kill. Darien and Jerek had been too busy keeping an eye on me and are now making up for lost time, still chasing down their prey. They end up taking down a young bull, and an older female at the edge of the clearing.
Now that all of the kills have been made, we howl in unison. The pack echo’s our song as they run to join us. We share our kills with the pack. This is our bonding ritual. Not only me to Darien, but to the pack, signifying that we, together, promise to provide for them. Darien joins my group.
You just had to go for the largest male, didn’t you? His disapproving voice enters my head. I flash him a bloody grin in response.
A small light brown wolf in our group also catches my eye, and the fact that her glowing teal eyes resemble mine, I know it must be Alex. Somehow, she even winks in wolf form, and my wolf huffs a quick laugh before we return to feasting.
Four large elk feeds our present pack of about twenty-five fairly well, but now it’s the rest of the packs turn to hunt and provide for us. This is how the tradition works. It shows unity. There is a hierarchy to keep order, but it is also one big family. We don’t feel as if one person’s worth is less or more than the others.
Unfortunately, there are some Alpha’s that do think they’re above the rest, like Alpha Flint and Darien’s father.
I used to feel unimportant, but in my short time here, my eyes have been opened. I felt it when Darien poured some of his power into me. We live, love, fight, and die for each other. Obviously not all packs are the same, but that is how Darien and this pack feels, and I am proud to be a part of it.
Under the light of the full moon, the pack hunts late into the night, while the rest of us wait patiently in the forest. To not wipe out all of our large wildlife in the area, they stick to smaller critters, like rabbits, a couple deer, and ducks.
The pack members present them to us, and we take what we want, leaving them with the rest. The higher ranks never take more than they need though, or at least shouldn’t. A true Alpha makes sure his pack is taken care of first.
It is no surprise when Darien lets Trace, Asher, Jerek, and I make our selections first. I remain by Darien’s side though, not needing more than what I’ve had. His wolf urges me to eat more, but I ignore him. Finally, he gives up before selecting a duck and dropping it in front of me for us to share.
My wolf would roll her eyes if she could, but this girl would never turn down perfectly good waterfowl. I guess it would be rude not to partake in what the pack provided for us.
As my wolf feeds with her mate I reflect on how much has changed. Up until a few days ago, I was practically a lone wolf.
Now I’m head over paws for a gorgeous, amazing man, surrounded by a pack that doesn’t hate me, and I’m actually excited to get to know them. This is my life now, and I am finally happy and home.
Darien
Her grace and her beauty in both human and wolf form is astounding. Her strength was obvious from the very beginning, but she was also timid and unsure of herself. Now she is spreading her wings and taking on her new life in stride. Ari truly fits in perfectly and even earned herself her own personal bodyguard and friend, apart from myself.
Somehow in just a few short minutes, she changed the path of a lost man; a wolf I was sure would go rogue before the end of the year.
I remember the stories I had heard of the bride I was to take. Being on the other side of that coin, I did my best to ignore it all, and judge her by what I saw. According to those rumors though, my Ari was hotheaded, disobedient, and borderline crazy.
They also said she was wild and untamed, which that part I have seen with my own eyes, and I hope that never changes. However, I have been given the pleasure of knowing her story, the real story.
Since the moment I saw her standing in the cabin of that jet, greatly outnumbered, with fists up and holding her own, I couldn’t believe someone hadn’t snatched her up.
That thought triggers an involuntary growl. She tilts her pretty little head at me and I press my nose to her muzzle to reassure her. She licks my muzzle in return before laying her head back down on the forest floor. I stare down at her, feeling like the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.
Fate is a funny thing. Even the craziest, ugliest circumstances can lead you to something beautiful. Perfection like this doesn’t last though. This is real life. Though they call us kings and queens, princes and princesses, this is no fairy tale. After all we are creatures of horror stories. I need to be ready for the storm that I know must be coming.
Aside from still needing to change this beautiful woman’s last name, everything has been sorted out, so it’s time to get back to work. For the next few moments though, I’m going to enjoy the calm serenity surrounding my pack, my family.
Ari
I wake up before Darien and take in the beautiful late morning. It was a long night; one I won’t ever forget. Darien has literally saved my life. He has done so much for me and showed me a life I never dreamed possible.
I wanted to do something for him. Something I have never given or done for anyone.
I take advantage of him being asleep, and slowly slide down the bed and gently take him into my mouth.
His body tenses as I roll my tongue around his tip before taking him in deeper.
He tenses further and that’s when I know he’s finally awake. I also realize that I have no idea what I am doing.
When he moans my name in that sexy deep voice, I decide that I don’t care, and resume stroking him with my mouth. His moans of pleasure encourage me, making me feel powerful, and I had no idea this could make me feel so much pleasure. I suck harder and deeper until he pulls me away and throws me on my back.
“Geez, was it that bad?” I tease, earning a growl in response.
I help him get my shorts and tank top off quickly, and once I’m free he instantly buries himself inside me, filling my need.
“Fuck, you feel amazin
g,” he groans in that bone melting voice. He gives me a moment to adjust before moving inside of me. He thrusts into me deeper and harder every time, his huge length hitting as far as it can go.
All too soon, the world explodes around me. He bites my nipple, and I scream his name, bringing him along for the ride. Before I can catch my breath, his mouth is on mine.
I’m in his arms as he tenderly rubs and tickles my bare skin.
“So, what’s the plan for today, Alpha?” I break the silence, and he growls before pinning me on the bed.
“Just Darien, or mate, Ari. None of that Alpha stuff,” he says before nipping my neck. His scent fills me, and I am ready for the next round. He laughs and drags me off the bed with him. “You and I, mate, are going to enjoy a nice breakfast, then get dressed and go apply for our marriage license. Before the week is over, I’m going to change your last name to Arianna Wilder.”
My breath is caught in my throat. He waits for my reaction, and all I can do is stare into his fiery emerald eyes. This man has learned a lot about me over the past few days, and he still wants to marry me knowing what he knows.
“I love you,” the words blurt out of my mouth before I can even think about stopping them.
“What did you just say?” he asks before looking at me in disbelief. It takes me a second to say it again, but the hopeful look on his face rips the words out of me again.
“I love you, Darien,” and I’m suddenly in his arms. His lips take mine as he spins me around in triumph. I giggle and he sets me down, but doesn’t let me go. He bends down to one knee and reaches under the bed. I can’t believe my eyes when he pulls out a little black box. I mean sure, dad gave my mom a ring that has been passed down in their family, but this box is not a hand-me-down. I can smell the newness of it.
“I love you with every ounce of my being, Ari. Make me the luckiest bastard in the world and marry me,” he says rather than asks as he opens the box to reveal a breathtaking diamond ring with smaller diamonds running down the band and interwoven with beautiful emeralds. Both of our birthstones intertwined together as a stunning compliment to one other. It’s far more beautiful than anything I could have picked out.
“Only if you’ll take me forever,” I smile and he kisses my hand before sliding the ring on my finger. A perfect fit. He gathers me in his arms again.
“You had no choice in that matter. You are mine forever and always,” he growls before claiming my lips again. “I have something else for you.”
What the hell else could he possibly have for me? I wait as he goes to the closet and pulls out a hanger with—oh my God, what is that?
My mate and soon to be husband is holding a Steampunk wedding dress. The dress is about knee length, with lace, taffeta, and a brown leather underbust corset. And it’s absolutely gorgeous.
“Do you hate it?” he asks uncomfortably. “I wasn’t sure how you really felt about weddings or what you pictured, but this reminded me of you. I can take it back.”
“Don’t you dare return that! It rocks! Seriously, I love it,” I practically squeal as I reach for it and touch all the different materials. “What shoes am I going to wear with it?” I ask to myself, but he answers for me.
“Alex actually found some. She is going to bring them by later. She’s a photographer so she’s going to take our pictures on our wedding day.” He just pulled out all the stops, didn’t he? And what do I have for him? Nothing, but an overdue “I love you”.
Getting our license was shorter and much less exciting than I imagined it would be. Even Darien seemed bummed, but that’s mainly because the lady at the counter said we needed to wait three days before we could marry. Strangely enough that had upset me too. I thought I was doomed to be a Wilder for life, but now I am anxious to be a Shield. Darien’s mood brightens when we get back in the car.
“So now that we have a few days, where do you want to get married? There’s a venue in town that I’m sure has openings but we can go farther for a bigger space. We can go look at caterers, do some cake testing, and pick out some decorations and floral arrangements. Whatever you want, we can…” the words keep flowing from his mouth and my head starts to spin.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it. Why do we need all that?”
“Ari, it’s a wedding. Every woman wants those things on their wedding day.”
“Sounds expensive and unnecessary,” I mutter. He’s quiet now, unsure how to proceed. I’m not sure what else to say. I never went to pack weddings. I never imagined I’d have one of my own. Not one I willingly attended anyways. I didn’t see the point. Maybe if I saw two wolves in love getting married, I would be more inclined, but I have never witnessed love like the way I feel for Darien, and the way he appears to feel about me.
“If this is about money, we can afford a nice wedding.”
“No! It has nothing to do with money.”
“So, what do you want, baby?” he asks softly, sending chills through me. I think this is the first time he used a term of endearment for me, and I actually liked it. Thankfully he’s smart enough not to call me “princess”.
“I don’t know, Darien. Can’t we just get married like somewhere on your ranch? Just something simple?”
“That’s not a bad idea. There are plenty of chairs and tables from pack meetings. A couple pack members own a restaurant in Spokane and maybe they can come out and cater. We still need to figure out flowers, though we won’t need many if we do an outside wedding. I can have one of the guys get ordained to marry us, and that way, it will be all pack members. No worry about being uncomfortable around humans.”
It still sounded a lot more complicated than I imagined, but Darien seems excited. I am being selfish. If Darien wants a real wedding then we can have a real wedding.
“I can take care of flowers,” I offer and he grins at me, happy that we have a plan of action.
“Good. I’ll talk to some people later and get the details worked out, but there is some other stuff we need to accomplish today,” I laugh at his excitement, but when we pull up to a bank, I wonder what on earth we would be here for.
When he told the Teller that he was adding me to his account I almost choked.
The Teller seats us with a man wearing a nametag that reads “Brian”. He pulls up Darien’s account, and they ask for my info. It’s a good thing that I didn’t leave my bag at home. I hesitantly hand him a small envelope with everything he needs, though I want to run out of the building.
After a couple minutes of Brian punching stuff in, he glares at the screen, takes a breath full of anxiety as if he’s about to give us terrible news.
“It appears that you have different last names,” he muses.
“Yes, but that will change in a few days. I am adding her to my account now though,” Darien says proudly and sternly.
“I see. That’s wonderful. I hope it’s a beautiful day. However, as a small community bank, it’s our policy to recommend that you wait until then to add Miss Wilder to your account. You never know what could happen, and it could leave your account in danger. Of course, I can set up her own account today then easily add her on to yours at a later date,” Brian says dismissively, unaware of the now enraged man sitting beside me.
When Brian realizes he hasn’t gotten a response, he finally looks up at my mate.
Fear fills my nostrils, and I can see it clear as day on his face. I feel bad for him. Though I have never been on the receiving end of Darien’s anger, I know his power is electrifying. And for a human, it is the stuff of nightmares. Darien reaches for my hand, and I realize he is trying to recover his control. I caress his hand in an attempt to soothe him.
“I. Said. Add her. To my account,” Darien growls between gritted teeth.
“Yes, sir,” the smart man gets back to work, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“A withdrawal please,” Darien selects an amount but I’m lost in my own thoughts. I went from nothing to my name to instantly having God knows how much now,
and I didn’t even have to do anything to earn it. I can’t see myself ever feeling comfortable spending what isn’t mine. I really need a job, and soon.
After our adventure at the bank we head home, and I thankfully avoid him having to spend more money on me. Once inside, Darien leads me towards the couch and pulls me down into his lap. The stress of earlier gets pushed to the back of my mind as he takes center stage. His scent and sweet nature towards me, soothes my soul. I relax into his body that I seem to fit perfectly against.
“I love you, Ari,” he whispers in my ear, sending shivers through my body. I say it back, and he hugs me tighter to him as if someone might drag me away if he lets go. Only home for minutes and already the room is hot and steamy with need. His breathing grows harsh and I am right there with him before the doorbell rings, effectively snapping us out of what was about to happen right here on this couch.
Alex is at the door, and she smiles brightly at us, but her nose wrinkles the moment our scent reaches her.
“Sorry for interrupting,” she says not really sounding sorry. She walks through the doorway and thrusts a box in my hand. Right. The shoes Darien said she picked up for me. I tentatively remove the lid and am beyond thrilled to reveal brown combat boots with buckles. They will go with the dress perfectly. Not to mention the rest of my outfits as well.
“Yes! I knew you’d love them!” Alex cheers.
“You knew?” Darien challenges.
“I’m the one who found them,” she sticks her tongue out at her Alpha. Damn, where has this girl been all my life? Why was no one in Alaska like her? Would I have been able to ignore her too?
“Thank you. Both of you. You have gone far beyond anything I even hoped to imagine. This is truly awesome.”
“What, you never thought about your wedding day?” Alex catches on, and I’m not sure what I should tell her. Apparently, the truth, as it spills out before I can stop it.
Chosen Page 14