Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Leah was trembling so badly she feared she might sway too far to one side and collapse. She was grateful she wasn’t standing, but kneeling was hardly better.

She kept her gaze down and her hands clasped behind her back as expected. She would not do anything to jeopardize this ceremony or break with tradition. She would obey the expectations of her society out of deference for her family. If nothing else, she would do nothing to ruin her sister’s future claiming.

Khloe was actually excited about her mating ceremony that would take place next year. She would be devastated if Leah did something to make her life difficult. Not that there was any reason to believe that Leah’s actions could derail Khloe’s future, but Leah would never take that chance. She would behave as expected.

All concerns or thoughts of behaving disagreeably flew out the window from one second to the next the moment she inhaled the scent of her mate. It was so powerful that she thought she might faint.

She drew in a second long deep breath and held it, afraid to draw in more oxygen. He was close. So close. Yards away. She couldn’t be sure, but she suspected he was standing in the hallway outside this round room. Why? Why didn’t he open the door and come inside?

Everything she’d ever heard was true. She couldn’t have believed it without experiencing it, but now that she was here in this moment, she was dumbfounded by the force of emotions bombarding her.

The top of the list was the need for him to enter the room. She needed to hear his voice and feel his touch. She knew he would stand before her while words were spoken and promises were made, not touching her until the ceremony was nearly complete. It was then he would set a hand on her head, making their first connection.

She longed for that moment more than her next breath, which she also needed. After blowing out the air in her lungs, she drew in more oxygen, more of her mate’s essence, more of what she wanted to envelop her completely.

Wolf shifters had heightened senses, chief among those was the sense of smell. They were inherently more sensitive to foods and odors. They knew things about each other that normal humans would never know. At least that’s what she’d heard. She’d never met a non-shifting human. None of them lived in her part of the world.

Another inhale.

Her body tingled. Strange things happened to her that were completely unexpected. A fluttering sensation in her stomach went beyond nerves. With each breath, her chest rose and her nipples rubbed against her shift. They felt sensitive. Her breasts felt heavy.

Leah’s thighs stiffened. Her knees were resting on the soft white pillow, but she wished she could pull them together. She wouldn’t dare move, but something was happening between her legs.

For the first time in her life, she felt lust. That was the only way to describe the way her private parts throbbed. Moisture built, leaking from her to soak her panties.

Mortified, she wondered if everyone could scent her growing need. Need for what? She wasn’t entirely sure. Sex she assumed. After all, she was aware that part of belonging to a mate was the desire to lie beneath him and accept him into her body.

She’d never expected to crave such contact, but apparently she’d underestimated a number of things. All the things.

Finally the door opened.

As her mate and his parents entered the room, Leah sucked in a breath and held it. How would she survive this ceremony? How would she be able to speak the words as required by tradition?

Her mate took his spot in front of her as his parents assumed their positions to each side of her.

Leah’s body shook as she focused on her mate’s shoes. Dress shoes. Black. Brand new. His suit pants were also black and pressed to perfection. His stance was wide. Maybe he felt the same dizziness she felt. In which case, he would need to part his legs to keep from swaying.

Or perhaps his size was what caused him to stand in such a way. She didn’t need to lift her gaze to know he was a large man. That was expected. She’d heard that Alpha Protectors were significantly larger than the shifters she knew in the valley. That would include her own father.

Her face was near his crotch, and she had to force herself to keep her gaze on his shoes. It was expected. How many times had the word “expected” entered her mind? A billion today alone.

As his father spoke, greeting her parents and thanking them for raising Leah and keeping her safe for this moment, she could focus on little else besides her breathing, the way his scent filled her lungs over and over, and the way her nipples seemed to grow harder as they rubbed against the front of her shift.

Leah had never been one to consider her sexuality, and she’d certainly never touched herself intimately. Until recently, she’d never felt the urge, but as this day had approached, she’d grown irrationally more aware of her body.

It was her mother who’d sat down with her about six months ago, explained in clinical detail what to expect from her body and her mate, and told her it would be in her best interest to avoid touching herself when thoughts of arousal entered her mind.

Leah had thought her mother was off her rocker at the time, but over the months, she’d grown to understand better what her mother had meant. It was as if Leah’s body had ripened in preparation for this moment.

She tried and failed to focus on the words being spoken, grateful this would be brief. She listened to the ceremonial words and nearly thanked her mate’s father out loud when the older man set a hand on her head, bracing her.

She learned her mate’s name was Elias and wondered if he had known her name before today. Probably. After all, Alpha Protectors were permitted some details about their mates from the time of their birth and throughout the twenty years until she came of age. Females were not granted that same courtesy. Another annoyingly barbaric detail.

Finally, Elias’s father removed his hand, and a new palm grounded her. Elias’s. Every molecule in her body reacted to his touch, coming more alive if that were possible.

His warmth and support spread through her all the way to her fingers and toes. Her heart raced. Her nipples tightened further. She trembled from the need growing between her legs.

Please tell me everyone cannot scent my body’s response to my mate .

Part of her was furious with her inability to control her reactions to this man. It was ridiculous and, yet, undeniable.

His father spoke again. “I hereby declare in the presence of these witnesses, following the norms of our pack, which have stood for centuries, that this couple is now mated.”

Leah held her breath while her parents touched her shoulders before all four older adults exited the room.

The door closed with a resounding snick that made her flinch. She didn’t dare move. The room was spinning. Elias still had a hand on her head. For a moment, time stood still as she wondered what was expected of her now.

That moment was short, however. Elias squatted in front of her as he let his hand slide down to her shoulder, steadied her with his other palm on her opposite shoulder, and dropped to his knees.

It was unexpected, and her breath hitched as she kept her gaze lowered.

“Look at me, Little one.”

His voice… It penetrated deep, seeping into her soul, making her shiver. The only other words he’d spoken so far had been “I do,” and those had been spoken softly.

Leah held her breath as she lifted her gaze, slowly taking in the size of him, the broad width of his chest, the thickness of his biceps, and finally his face.

Her eyes went wide. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. He took her breath away. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin. His jawline was square and firm. He looked imposing, as she’d known he would.

He slowly smiled. “Are you as stunned as I am?”

She swallowed and nodded.

He blew out a breath, seemingly relieved as his shoulders relaxed, and he slid his hands up to cup her face and stroke her cheeks with his thumbs.

She couldn’t look away, and he didn’t seem to require it. She simply stared. This was not how she’d expected to feel in this moment, tongue-tied and lustful.

His gaze lowered from her eyes to her lips, hovering there as his brows furrowed. “Totally blindsided,” he muttered. “I want to kiss you.” He shook his head. “No, I want to flatten you to the nearest wall, press my body against yours, and devour you.”

She gasped. She wanted that, too. She trembled with need. The suggestion caused her brain to swim and her private parts to clench.

Elias drew in a deep breath and groaned. “Shit. It’s powerful.” He rose to his feet abruptly, hauling her up with him. He was much taller than her, taller than the average male in the valley. Super human.

She felt tiny in front of him, and then she wondered how in the world they were going to consummate this union without him breaking her in some way.

“We have to get out of here, Leah.”

She nodded. She was in agreement on that issue.

He pulled a vial from his pocket and held it up. “I’m going to put a drop of this potion on your tongue. It will knock you out so you can sleep while I carry you up the mountain to our home.”

She bit her lip. No one had mentioned that part. Fear mixed with her arousal.

“You’ll be safe. I promise. You’ll wake up in a few hours in our home.”

She nodded. It was all she could do.

Elias lifted the dropper from the vial and held it up. “Open your mouth for me, Little one,” he encouraged.

She did as she was told even though a part of her wanted to defy him, argue, demand to know what was in the potion. The devil on her shoulder tapped his foot and furrowed his brows, shouting at her to jerk out of his grip and take a step back before she lost herself.

The angel on her other shoulder insisted she trust this man, who was now her mate, and obey him.

She took the angel’s advice, parted her lips, and tipped her head back.