Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

AILEEN

T here's no white dress, no string quartet or relative to walk me down the aisle.

There's not really an aisle at all.

The moment I put my hand on the stone archway, all eyes in the huge room turn to me. I've never seen a space so big. After the station, it's boggling. At least three stories high, metal braziers with real fire burning in them lighting the massive hall.

The smoke stings my eyes, and I look away from the crowd of aliens as I blink it away.

Blink it away and try to get my bearings all at once.

The stone arch teems with carvings. A deer, something I remember from an old Earth book, hides between thick foliage. A wolf stalks it, the arch displaying the progression of the hunt.

The deer ends up on the forest floor, the wolf's fangs sunk into it, another wolf so lifelike behind it I can almost hear the howl coming from its open mouth.

My heart slams into my chest as the reality of what I'm doing truly sinks in.

I am marrying an alien.

An alien werewolf.

"Welcome to the newest member of Clan Claw, bride of Brekker Claw, Aileen," a loud voice booms out from the end of the hall.

The werewolves congregated let out a blood-curdling howl. Goose bumps immediately prickle across my skin.

"I smell your fear, which means they do too," Brekker's lips brush the curve of my ear. "I need you to smell like something else."

I can barely hear him over the noise. It grows louder as it echoes off the stone walls and high ceilings, reaching a crescendo that should terrify me.

But with Brekker's chest presses against my shoulders, his hands wrapping around my waist, the fear recedes. Still there, still enough to make me feel antsy, but in its place is that heady, delicious lust for him.

"I present Aileen of Clan Claw," Brekker shouts, and I curl back into him, surprised at it. "Aileen," he roars my name. I try to step away from him, but he holds me close, his fingernails digging into the silken dress.

Not fingernails.

Claws. Holy shit.

"Aileen of Earth, do you accept me as your mate?"

I have an out. I can say yes, but if something goes hellaciously wrong, I can call Violet from Starlight Lottery. This is going to be fine.

It's going to be an adjustment.

The hall falls eerily silent, save for a few high-pitched yips of excitement.

Better than the computer-voiced brain in a vial making lewd comments at me. I shiver.

Brekker starts touching me, though, and my thoughts fall away. The pads of his fingers rub small circles on my stomach, the bottom of my rib cage, making my breath catch.

Making me want,making me wet.

"Yes," I say, and I'm surprised to hear how clear and strong my voice is.

"Good little mate," Brekker breathes against my skin, the words warm against the curve of my neck and shoulder. I squirm against him, craving the hard length of his cock. It's pressed against my lower back, and I want it.

"So small and?—"

Whatever else I am is cut off.

"No human has the right to lead Clan Claw as the mate of the Alpha," a new voice sounds.

A low growl tears from Brekker. It reverberates through my chest from the force of it, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.

"That isn't your choice to make, Konrad," Brekker says. He sounds inhuman, too much bite at the end of the words, like his mouth's having trouble forming them at all.

"She smells like a human. Weak. Afraid. Prey." The speaker, Konrad, finally pushes through to the front of the werewolves. His fingers have fully transformed, long claws where the nails should be, his teeth longer than humanly possible in his mouth. Violence radiates from him, and he's not wrong—my first instinct is to turn tail and run.

"She smells ready for my seed," Brekker growls. "She smells ready to bear my pups."

My nose wrinkles. "Pups?" His seed? What the fuck?

Then his fingers start that absolutely spectacular circle beneath my ribs again, and I decide maybe I do like pups, after all.

"Do you agree to be my bride, Aileen of Earth?" Brekker asks again, and this time, there's a possessive edge to it that makes me want to crawl into bed with him and stay there for the next month.

"Yep," I say immediately. I cringe, though, because did I really just say yep? That's how I answered my new?—

Sharp fangs dig into my neck, right where Brekker's been breathing all over. Pain and shock war for my attention, the blinding pain turning into an aching throb.

"Oh," I gasp. My knees give out, but Brekker pins me to his body, his arm a vise around my waist.

He bit me.

It hurts .

Blood roars in my ears, so loud it takes me long, too long, to realize the crowd is chanting my name. His claws dig into my flesh, and I struggle weakly against him, my stomach roiling.

Finally, the pounding rush of blood and pain in my shoulder gives way, and I sag in relief. Something cool rasps along the wound, and I flinch in surprise when I half turn toward it.

Brekker is licking me.

The gathered assembly of werewolves howls, a cacophony of otherworldly voices.

"Now we're married," Brekker tells me, still holding me so tight against him that I'm not sure I could breathe deeply.

I guess I won't get a wedding at all.

Just a chomp. Wham, bam, chomp you, ma'am.