Mated To The Cold Hearted Alpha
Chapter 44

Leander

I kept Lucky close by during the ceremony. Not just for the reason I gave Hycinth…because Lucky didn’t seem to give a shit before he said whatever the hell he wanted…I liked his boldness and the opportunity he might spout other useful tidbits of information about my little mouse. However, the other reason was much, more simple I wanted him to see how she reacted to me, I wanted him to see us together. Regardless of his parentage and his history, he was a full adult male Wolf. I could sense it pained him not to have his own mate…and he understood how nature was driving me to possess mine.

I also wanted his blessing. I would never tell him that, but I recognized how invaluable it would be. All I had to do was be transparent enough, and let him see the truth for himself…how I felt about his sister. Maybe it wouldn’t change anything, maybe it wouldn’t help…but maybe it would. It couldn’t hurt to try. And I was willing to try anything at this point.

After we received the last Wolf that wanted to talk with us, I leaned down to Hycinth and whispered, “It’s tradition for the pack to run, and my Wolf very much wants you by his side.”

Both she and her Wolf responded favorably. Intense anticipation warmed her insides, making my Wolf puff out his chest even further. He was more than ready to touch our little mouse and her Wolf for himself. As I slipped away to remove my clothes and shift, I wondered how she would respond when she saw him.

When I returned, the instant she made eye contact with him, a hurricane of emotions crashed through her. Her lake blue eyes opened wide. Shock. Awe. Disbelief. Love. Pain. All of them rolled over her in one tidal wave, leaving her trembling from the force.

My Wolf was equally affected, drawn to her like a magnet, quivering on the inside-she was his. And he had no intention of ever letting her go, regardless of the promises I’d made. He comprehended the basics of human thought, but instinct would always be his driving force. He would always follow Nature’s laws rather than the finer nuances of human reasoning. And he would never understand why she chose to leave. If we had to face that reality, I dreaded his reaction…I dreaded what he might do. When the time came for her to decide, if she chose to walk away, her rejection would destroy him.

I pushed away those thoughts. I needed to focus on only positive things right now.

With every step closer to Hycinth, my Wolf’s anticipation heightened. He’d never allowed a female to touch him. She would be his first. He’d put up with my urges for s****l release, but had no interest in any of them. Until we saw her for the first time. After that, there was no going back. No other female would do.

When he finally stood in front of her, she reached out her trembling hand and stroked her fingers through the fur on his head. He shuddered hard, his heart racing. Then her little fingers clenched into the scruff on the sides of his neck, holding on for dear life. Her trembling had become more pronounced. She swayed again. After a moment, she could no longer stand and dropped to her knees in front of him, overcome with emotion.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a death grip, while he settled his rump down on the ground and lowered his head, making it easier for her to cling to him. He positioned his paws around her little body so that she was tucked under his jaw, close to his chest. His nostrils flared, deeply inhaling her spicy scent, cinnamon, and sweet orange mandarin. He was equally overwhelmed by her affection and need for him. A solid thrum of satisfaction and contentment rumbled from his chest.

The moment lingered, her head buried in his shoulder, her nose tilted toward his neck, as her tears wetted his fur. The wolves around us were completely silent, respectful of the unexpected intimacy.

Finally, her breathing evened out. She pulled back slightly and wiped her knuckles across her cheeks to dry her tears. He rubbed his head against hers, transferring his scent, and his tongue came down, slowly licking the mark I’d made. She inhaled sharply, warmth filling her body, but it wasn’t s****l heat. Only my contact with my mark had that effect. The same would be true when he placed his own mark on the other side of her neck. Once his mark was in place, any stimulation to it from him would feel exactly as if he were stroking and licking her sweet p***y, not the flesh on her neck.

He pushed his thoughts into her head, “Run with me.”

Her eyes opened wide in surprise. The doorway my mark had opened would remain one-sided if and until she returned her mark to me. We could feel her emotions, and my Wolf could convey thoughts into her head. Excitement replaced her tears. She nodded her head and looked around trying to figure out what she should do next.

Lucky was still staring at us in sharp surprise. She turned to him, and I prayed she wouldn’t do anything so reckless as to hug him goodbye. If she did, she would be putting him in extreme danger. Again, my Wolf understood the basics of human nature, but he could scent that Lucky was unmated male and that he and Hycinth didn’t share b***d. It wouldn’t matter what title she assigned Lucky, whether or not she called him her brother, my Wolf would treat him exactly as what he was-an unmated male-a threat to her and competition to him. And he wouldn’t hesitate to take him out.

Thankfully, she seemed to understand the potential for Lucky to be harmed because she didn’t even take a step in his direction. Ever came forward and ordered the guards, “Go ahead and take him back for now.”

“Bye,” she whispered.