15. Welcome to the pack

Chapter 15

Welcome to the pack

THORIN

It was so early when we pulled into the Grasslands Pack territory, that there was little fanfare. Warren greeted us with smiles and offered a key card to each of the women who got off the bus, per the instructions I had mind linked to him once we were within the pack's borders.

"What is this?" Josie, one of the women who had been claimed by a mate asked.

"If I could have all the women from the Mirage Island Pack gather around for a moment?" I asked. The women hesitantly did so, but only after they glanced to Nika to make sure it was okay. "I know some of you agreed to second chance mate pairings with a few of my pack's men. Considering the circumstances, I wanted to give all of you the option to take a breather, truly think about what you want, and then if you still accept those men as your second chance mates, you are free to proceed with a mating ceremony that will bind you together."

I heard rumbling from the back of the crowd where the men who had traveled to Mirage Island stood. "I know that you all are excited about the prospect of a mate, but I want to caution everyone that this is a delicate situation, and I don't want any of the she-wolves who came from the island to think they were forced into a mating that they might not want. That is not the case. If you are part of a pair that formed on the island, I want you to take a bit to get to know one another and come to me when you're ready to take the next step."

While some of the agreements were reluctant, eventually, all of them saw reason. The men wouldn't want to take a mate who only felt beholden because they were rescued from that cursed island. I turned my attention to my mate then. "That applies to you as well, Nika. I hope and pray that you will agree to be our Luna here, but the choice is ultimately left with you."

"Thank you," she offered with a small smile as she took a room key from my beta as well. I glanced at her and then her friend, Janella.

"The room you are meant to occupy is a suite. I thought it would be best for both of you if you kept Janella close."

"We appreciate that immensely."

"I would like to introduce all of you to the pack at brunch in a couple of hours. While I would love to give everyone more time to get acclimated to their surroundings, I think it is important for safety reasons that the pack knows who all the newcomers are and why they are here."

"I agree with that." I was thankful that Nika agreed because it wasn't something that I could compromise on. The safety of my pack and hers would be in question if members of the pack came across unknown shifters in our midst.

"I don't have to tell them that you're my moon-blessed mate yet, but I have a feeling word will spread quickly as we didn't bother to swear any of the men to secrecy."

"That is understandable as well. Though, I would ask that you let them know that we will observe the old ways of courting for a full moon cycle before we commit to a mating ceremony."

"You want to wait that long?" It was something we probably should have talked over on the way back to the pack. Nika seemed like she hadn't had decent rest in a long time, though, and I didn't want to bog her down with all the preparations and logistics when she needed rest more.

"Yes, I mentioned waiting when we were on the island. It has to be one of my stipulations."

"The mate bond is hard to resist, especially for an Alpha and Luna pairing," I reminded her.

"The old ways were a test of the couple's endurance and their ability to put the pack before themselves. Considering how things went with Aiden, I have to insist on doing it that way, even if it is deemed archaic by most these days."

"I see," I muttered. It seemed I would once again be punished for what Aiden had put my mate through. Nika wasn't to blame. I couldn't imagine what it was like for her to discover that her mate not only cast her aside to keep his harem, but he did so by imprisoning her on an island for rejected mates. One day, I would find a way to get Aiden back for all the extra strife he caused us in what should have been a beautiful beginning to a mating. Instead, it felt as though I had to run a gauntlet of tests to win the prize. There was no doubt in my mind that I would do exactly that, but I would much rather have spent our initial time together wooing her romantically as we celebrated our union.

I wondered if our moon-blessed mating would ever be something Nika felt deserved a celebration. As things stood, it felt more like a business agreement than a potential relationship.