Dark Legends, page 282
“Heartsick,” she murmured with tears in her eyes.
“Don’t cry, my love. I’ll never give you reason to cry again.” I grinned.
Autumn rolled her eyes. “Sure you will. You can’t help yourself. Whatever guys are lacking on that Y chromosome, it makes a huge difference.” She blew the hair out of her face. “So, I baked you a cake.”
“You did?” My face felt like it would break; I kept smiling so wide.
“Yeah. You can’t have it until tomorrow, though.” She shrugged.
“I can wait.” I bent low to graze her lips with mine. “I’ve been waiting forever to do that.”
“Forever…or four days.” She shrugged.
“I bought you something,” I murmured against her temple.
She gazed up at me and I melted inside. I’d be putty in her hands for the rest of our lives. I knew it. God, I hoped she’d never figure it out. “So what is it?” She batted her eyelashes, and I stood there mesmerized like an idiot.
“What’s what?” I ran a hand through her hair.
She giggled. “At the risk of sounding mercenary, what’d you buy me? And please, don’t let it be an ‘I’m sorry’ gift.”
“Oh, that!” I squeezed her again. “No. It’s an ‘I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you’ gift.”
“Huh?” Her brow furrowed until I dropped to one knee and pulled out the box. Then she covered her mouth with both hands.
“Listen, I’m not good at this. I never was. I never wanted to be, until you.” I reached up to take her left hand in mine. “See, in our culture, there are no rings. I never even thought about the importance of one. I can see how it would matter to you, though, so I wanted something special, something you would look at and think about us. I needed something extraordinary, like you.” I popped the top on the box. “This isn’t much and if you hate it, I’ll buy you whatever you choose, but for now and forever, I’d like you to know how much I love you and want to be yours. Will you wear this for me, for us?” I released her.
Slowly, Autumn reached down and pulled the ring from the box. For several seconds, she simply examined it. A smile spread across her face. “This is absolutely perfect.” Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. “Of course, I’ll marry you. I’m here, aren’t I?” She sniffled and swiped at her eyes. “See, you already made me cry again, you beast.”
I chuckled. “Let’s see if it needs to be resized, then we’ll dry those tears. I’m dying to be alone with you.” My brows wiggled suggestively as I pushed the ring on her finger, pleased to discover once in place, it looked like it had been made for her, much like she had been made for me. I stood and dried her eyes, then I planted a lingering kiss on her lips. “Let’s go to the Alpha Suite.” I tugged her toward the patio.
“Not until tomorrow,” she whispered. “My mother’s here.”
Chapter Nineteen
Autumn
We enjoyed a big family dinner on Thursday, and when it was all over, I reminded my almost husband I planned to stay with my mother in the Presidential Suite. “You’re sure you don’t want to come back to our place?” Ronan kissed my knuckles and made my resolve nearly melt away.
“No, I’m not sure, but I know if we can survive one more night, we never have to be apart again.”
“I hate that I have to sleep in our bed alone, but I love knowing it’s only for one night.” He crushed me to his chest again. “So I’ll see you at breakfast,” he murmured as he walked me to the suite.
I bit my lip to hide my grin. “About that…”
Ronan released me and took a step back. “Tell me you’re not going to make me wait to see you until the wedding.”
I shrugged in response. “Yes?”
“It’s an archaic tradition,” he argued.
“Yes, I agree. And yet this is coming from the man who’ll be sticking me with a dagger because of some centuries-old curse.” I moved closer to him and wrapped his limp arms around me. “We’re having The Joining, The Mating, and The Changing for you. Can’t we squeeze in a few of my traditions too?” I stared up at him, hoping to convey all the love I could.
Ronan sighed. “Of course. We’ll have a nice day apart, I suppose, and then tomorrow night…all the excitement and anticipation will make The Mating even more special.”
“That’s the spirit.” I laughed. “It’ll go fast. I promise.”
“We’ll see about that.” He leaned in and kissed me ever so gently on the lips. Once more, I nearly caved. Lord, how I wanted this man.
“Okay. Go before I change my mind,” I mumbled numbly.
“So you’re saying I have a chance,” Ronan teased as he bent to kiss me again.
I caught his face with my hand and pushed him back. “Hold up, big boy. Tomorrow night you can have everything. Tonight, we behave. Please.”
“Ugh. Well, only because of the please.” Ronan smiled at me. “I love you, Autumn. I’ll never stop and I’ll never love another. This is the beauty of finding your true mate.”
“Right. Like the feelings won’t change over time.” I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, they’ll change, but only in the best ways. Our feelings will grow more intense, but never wane. Watch after tomorrow. You’ll see.” He turned me toward the door and playfully smacked my ass. “Hurry up and go before I change my mind.”
“Fine. See you tomorrow night. I’ll be the one in the fancy dress. I just hope you like it.” Already I was racked with doubt over my dress choice.
Ronan wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear. “I’m sure I’ll love you in it almost as much as I’ll love you out of it. Now go before I lose my resolve.”
I squeezed his arms and then unlocked the door and joined my mother in the suite. This was my last night as a single woman. I sank down on the floor as I faced an even bigger realization. This was my last night as a human.
My wedding day was spent in the kitchen overseeing the daily operations and then the special preparations for our reception after the ceremony. The biggest challenge wasn’t getting everything ready, but in avoiding Ronan. Though he had vowed to stay in the study and the Alpha Suite, he’d come to the dining room multiple times. Luckily, I’d been hidden behind the cake, focused on decorating it. This wasn’t my first cake, but it was the first cake I’d ever made for me.
Finally, at six in the evening, Kady came to find me. “You planning on hanging out in here? See, there’s this wedding you should attend…”
I nodded and numbly let her lead me back to the Presidential Suite. When I entered, I discovered a team of people waiting to serve me. Kady motioned for the woman carrying champagne flutes to pass one to me. I gladly took a sip and hoped the alcohol would take hold soon to calm me. “Nervous?” She asked as she gave me a gentle hug. I nodded. “Don’t be. You look amazing in the dress. We have people here for hair and makeup. Oh, and this guy will be recording everything for posterity.” Kady pointed to a man standing off to the side, camera at the ready.
Inhaling deeply, I tried to think of the big picture. Soon I’d be joined to Ronan, in every sense. The marriage was the part I looked forward to, the idea of forever with someone who would offer unconditional, everlasting love. The parts in between were simply hurdles I had to overcome.
“Is there anything I need to know?” I asked as soon as I was sure my mother was out of earshot. “I’m worried I’m going to mess this up.”
“Nah. You won’t. It’s pretty much impossible to fail at this. You merely have to follow Kane’s instructions.”
“He’ll be there for The Mating and the Changing?” My eyes widened, a combination of shock and fear.
“What? Ew! No!” She shook her head and laughed. “I thought you were talking about The Joining.” She held her hands up. “You’re on your own for the other parts. I’m confident Ronan will take the lead there.” Kady winked. “You know what? We’re about to be sisters. I always wanted a sister.”
“What about Payton?” I frowned. “She’s blood at least.”
With a laugh, Kady reminded me. “After tonight, you’ll share our blood too.”
I sucked in a breath, downed the rest of my champagne, and set my mind to getting ready. By the time I was done and the team had their way with me, I barely recognized me.
“You look so beautiful!” My mother gushed.
“Let’s go!” Kady tugged me toward the door after passing me the bouquet.
The ceremony passed in blur. I’d heard brides say that before when I’d catered weddings, but I never understood it. How could I not recall every minute detail of one of the most important moments of my life? Now I knew. The minute I stepped through the hedges and prepared to walk down the aisle, I sought out Ronan. As soon as we made eye contact, everything else melted away. Sure, I went through the motions. We had The Joining, complete with the handfasting. We said our vows. They were beautiful...I think. Man, I hoped there was a videographer. I’d like to see what I missed sometime. Finally, we were pronounced joined for life.
“Now what?” I stared up at Ronan, my heart pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ear, while wondering if we had to go straight to The Mating.
“Now we eat, drink, and have fun with our friends. I’ve heard there’s cake.” He gave me a reassuring smile and laid his hand on my back in the most loving and protective way as we exited the garden. “Come back to the room with me for a minute,” he whispered. “We should be the last ones to arrive at our reception.”
The Joining seemed like every other wedding I’d attended so far. With a shrug, I let him lead me back to our new home. “I haven’t been in here since that day…”
“Well, I spent an incredibly lonely night in here, and I’m glad I don’t have to repeat it.” Ronan spun me around to face him in the hallway. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“The door’s right there.” I pointed. Then as he came at me, I grinned. “Oh, baby. You want a hernia for the honeymoon.”
“Stop it. You have no idea how strong shifters are, for one. Oh, but mostly, you’re not nearly as big as you seem to think you are. In the south, they’d call you thick.” He yanked me up against him. “Here, I call you absolutely perfect.” Then he scooped me up into his arms and carried me over the threshold as if I weighed nothing more than one of my sacks of flour. “I thought you might appreciate me embracing one or two more of your traditions.” He nodded toward the new kitchen.
I followed his gaze and gasped. “It’s perfect. God, I could kiss Kady for this. She’s amazing.” Then I realized there were hydrangeas on the counter, some champagne, and chocolate covered strawberries. “How did you get all this without me knowing?”
“Well, you had some silly rule about us not seeing each other today, which made it rather simple actually.” He chuckled. “Read the card.”
Filled with curiosity, I picked up the envelope propped up against the vase. When I opened it, I discovered a beautiful “To my wife on our wedding day” card and tears pricked my eyes. “Sure.” I sniffled. “Not married an hour and you already have me crying. Clearly our vows mean nothing to you.” I blinked a few times, hoping to preserve my makeup while my new husband peppered my neck with soft kisses. He gave me a squeeze before speaking again.
“The hydrangeas have a special meaning. In the language of flowers, they signify heartfelt love and deep understanding. I thought they were perfect for us. Without a deep understanding, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.” Ronan passed me a flute. “Before we join our guests and I introduce you to the rest of the pack, I wanted a minute alone with you.” He swallowed hard. “I know we have the blood moon hanging over us, but I don’t want you to think for one minute, the end result of our meeting would’ve ever been any different.” He reached out and cupped my face. “The blood moon put our relationship in the fast lane, but the destination was always going to be the same. There was no way, after having met you, I could do anything other than marry you.”
I could feel more tears stinging my eyes. “Thank you for saying this.”
“Oh, I’m not done,” he warned. “We still have a toast.”
“What shall we toast to?” I smiled at him while my heart felt ready to burst.
“We’ll always toast to the same thing.” He leaned in and kissed my temple. “Here’s to letting love grow.”
We clinked our glasses and sipped the champagne. After roughly fifteen minutes, Ronan took the flute from my hand. “It’s time. Let’s join our guests. I’m ready for some cake.”
“You know, there’s more to this reception than the cake.” I placed my hands on my hips indignantly. “I did this thing with goat cheese, figs, and puff pastry that could make your mouth water.”
“If I want my mouth to water, I’ll look at you.” He winked.
“You think you’re smooth, don’t you?” I smirked.
“Actually, in my personal life, I’m usually as socially awkward as a person can get and still function. Then I get around you, and everything seems to fall into place. The anxiety disappears. You settle my crazy, restless wolf.” He lifted my chin. “Thank you.”
Ronan
Is this what happened when a man found his mate? I turned into to a complete fool for this woman. Suddenly, I gushed. I overshared my feelings. I completely bared my soul to her. Somehow, I knew this was only the beginning, and it would get worse once the ceremonies of the evening had ended. I figured we could stick around for an hour or so, then I would carry her off to our suite, kicking and screaming if necessary. Although, judging from the heated looks she kept giving me, Autumn would be a most willing participant.
We had our public toast. I ate some of her cheesy fig puffs. They were better than I thought they’d be. We cut and ate cake, but while my belly was happy, the reception did nothing to satisfy my hunger for her. We danced, but having our bodies so close together only made me long to be alone with her. We wandered around the room, thanking our guests for attending while I introduced her to everyone who mattered in our life. This was my exit strategy. Finally, we reached the Tuatha Daan.
“Kane, I’d like you to officially meet Autumn,” I murmured when we finally ran into each other while mingling.
“Delighted to meet you, Autumn. It was an honor to perform the ceremony.” He smiled as he squeezed her hand. Then he smiled at me. “I have something for you.” Kane passed me the mug he had been clinging to, then he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a sheathed dagger. “It has been blessed.” He stared at me meaningfully. “You should go.”
“Time to make our escape.” I smiled down at her. “Ready?”
She nodded, but even three glasses of bubbly couldn’t dull the fear in her eyes. “You’ll be gentle?” Her gaze fell on the dagger in my hand.
“Of course. Like I told you before, I could never hurt you.” I cradled her against my chest.
Then she turned to face Kane. “Will it hurt? The Changing?”
He tugged on his chin while he considered her question. “If you do it right, no. The trick is to use the dagger right as you’re beginning. Then, ideally, by the time your body is metamorphosing, you’ll also be climaxing. I’ve heard the orgasm can dull the pain.”
Autumn gazed up at me. “No pressure, Ronan, but you heard the man. You need to rock my world.” She winked at me and then grabbed my hand and set her jaw. “Let’s do this.”
“What? No foreplay?” I chuckled.
“Oh, there will be foreplay and post-play…”
I stopped her mid stride. “Is post-play even a thing?”
“It is now.” She sighed.
We strode back to the room, me thinking romance and lovemaking, Autumn thinking about changing. I could feel the fear she struggled to tamp down. When we entered the suite, I saw the maid had followed my instructions in preparing the room. A fire blazed in the fireplace in our bedroom. The bed had been turned down. Robes had been laid out. There was a Moscato chilling on the nightstand and a plate with slabs of cake.
“What’s all this?” Autumn smiled.
“This is what it’s like to have a mate. We’re built to be devoted to our other half. Even though I’m the Alpha, there’s nothing in the world that comes before you and your happiness.” I took her hands in mine and stared deeply into her gorgeous emerald eyes. “I mean it. You before the pack. If you are afraid of The Changing, then we won’t do it.” I shrugged. “No hard feelings. No guilt. No worries.”
She bit her lip a moment. I could see her struggling with the decision. It was a lot to ask of anyone. The choice couldn’t be made lightly. The Change was permanent. There was no going back to being human after this. Worse, we had this looming time limit hanging over us, adding even more pressure. I wouldn’t blame her if she wanted to back out.
Autumn shook her head and blew out a breath. “No. This can’t be about me. I’m here because my love is bigger than my fear.” She placed her hands on either side of my face. “I love you, Ronan. I love you so much it scares the crap out of me. I love you more than I ever knew I could love anyone.” Her lids lowered for a moment. “As your mate, I have a responsibility to the pack too. I can’t back out now. I won’t let you down, ever.” Then she turned and murmured, “Help me, please.”
Her words hit me in the core of my being. How did I get so lucky? How did my wolf know? With shaking hands, I slowly unzipped her and watched as the dress slid down her arms, exposing her beautiful back.
“Sorry about the corset,” she mumbled. “It made for a smoother silhouette. I know it’s false advertising.”
I began to unhook the corset next. “Do you think I don’t know what you look like, Autumn? Believe me, I’ve seen you naked and I loved what I saw.” As the corset fell away, I slid my arms around her and kissed the back of her neck moving onto her shoulders. I could tell she enjoyed it from the way her heart raced and her breath came out in short puffs.
I released her long enough to pull the dagger from my pocket and to start undressing, because there was no way I was going to have her naked all alone when we could be skin to skin. As soon as she realized what I was doing, she slid off her panties and then grabbed a robe and moved closer to the fire. “Are you okay?” I frowned.
