Chapter 15

Friday came faster than Remy expected, but he and Thyme had been up to their eyeballs in preparation for the joining ceremony, as well as keeping tabs on Leif, Brilla, her family, and Leif’s cronies. All told there were two dozen people they were keeping their eyes on with trackers they watched on phone apps.

With the trackers, they’d managed to thwart Leif from going after the mayor again, Jacob from threatening Marty and Mila again, and Brilla from causing problems with another pride family that supported Thyme.

They’d both read through the law books and history for the pride a second time, and they had finally looped Liam into what had been happening, showing him how Leif, Jacob, and Brilla had been going out of their way to try to undermine them in the pride as well as financially injure and threaten pride families.

Liam had been furious but admitted that there was little he could do. While what the group was doing was shitty, they weren’t technically breaking pride law. He suggested they stay the course, keep prepping for the joining and ascension ceremonies, and keep each other safe.

As the day of the joining ceremony arrived, Remy and Thyme had the support of everyone in the pride except for the two dozen who supported Leif. They’d spoken to everyone individually and promised to do what they could to keep them safe. It felt good to have so many people support them, since he was still a virtual stranger to them.

“I wish you and Mom could be here,” Remy said to his dad on the phone as he dressed for the joining ceremony. Wildcats wore all black for the joining ceremony so he’d purchased jeans, a fitted t-shirt, socks, and shoes that were solid black, and Thyme was going to wear jeans and a black tank top that showed just the right amount of cleavage to drive him wild.

“Us too,” Linus said. “But I understand how ceremonies can be closed to group members only, even for immediate family. We’d be there with bells on if we could be.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“How’s it going? You’ve had a hell of a week with her family.”

“I think it’s going okay. We have the support of most of the pride, so her half-brother and his family couldn’t say that there were not pride members supporting us. But anything can happen, and I won’t trust that we’re out of the woods with him until the full moon.”

“When can we see you? We’d like to come visit or have you and Thyme visit here.”

“After the full moon, but I’ll let you know for sure.”

“Remy?” Thyme called for him from outside of the main bedroom.

“Yeah babe, give me a second,” he called back. “I need to run, Dad. Give Mom my love, and the girls too.”

“What about Lennox?” Linus asked with a chuckle.

“Give him a punch on the arm.”

There was a smacking sound and his brother said, “Ouch, bro, what the hell?”

Remy laughed. “Thanks. Love you.”

“Love you too, son. Be safe.”

Remy ended the call and joined Thyme in the family room, where she stood near the window.

“You look amazing,” he said, gripping her waist and smiling down at her. She was petite and curved, and just perfect in every way.

She rested her hands on his shoulders and bit her bottom lip as her eyes shone with excitement. “I’m so glad we made it to Friday.”

“Did you worry we wouldn’t?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been a little concerned.”

“I’ll admit that it felt tenuous at times, but you’re right, we did make it and we can face anything together.”

“Definitely,” she said. “Are you ready to go? We should head out to the clearing.”

“I’m ready.”

He lowered his head and kissed her.

She went onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her hips and brushing her body along his. He pushed slightly on her hips with a chuckle. “Feisty sweetheart, we need to leave, not get something started.”

“You’re very tempting, I can’t help myself.”

“It’s only because we need to get moving that I’m not following through on the desire to toss you over my shoulder and head back to the bedroom.”

“Oh, that sounds fun.” Her eyes glittered with arousal, a hint of teasing in her tone.

“Later,” he promised.

Together they left the house and he drove to her father’s house, which was closest to the clearing the pride used for ceremonies. As soon as the sun set, the ceremony would commence and they’d be interim alphas until the full moon, when the ascension ceremony would occur and the elders would officially hand over control of the pride to them.

Remy never expected that he’d be the alpha of a wildcat pride, but he was looking forward to the challenge of being alpha alongside his beautiful mate. They’d both been raised to be alphas, and there wasn’t anything that was going to stop that from happening.

Not on his watch.

Remy watched from a short distance as Thyme and her best friend, Dana, hugged near the huge bonfire. Her friend had graciously moved out of the house she’d shared with Thyme so the couple could have it to themselves, and he knew that his mate missed having her friend around.

As the last bit of daylight slipped away into night, more wood was added to the fire until the flames stretched high above the burning logs and the heat was intense. Thyme joined Remy as Dana moved to stand with her family. All the pride members were in their family groups, which meant that Remy and Thyme were standing with Brilla, Leif, and her family. To say that Remy didn’t much care for Brilla’s family was an understatement.

Even though they’d managed to thwart any more issues stemming from Leif’s intention to cause strife in the pride, there was a definite unease among the shifters, and there were plenty of aggressive looks toward Remy and Thyme.

He just didn’t understand why they were so intent on Leif taking over.

What the hell was the benefit?

Was it simply them wanting Leif as alpha, or was there more to it?

He’d walked the hunting grounds with Thyme and it was clear there wasn’t a single living thing there, even the birds had abandoned the trees, and those were in shaky shape. If shifters didn’t have accelerated healing, he suspected some would succumb to illness related to the toxins from the factory that polluted the river.

Jacob and Liam stepped in front of the pride, standing a few feet away from the blazing bonfire with their back to the flames. Liam motioned Thyme and Remy forward, and they stood on either side of him, facing each other.

A hush fell over the pride.

Liam spoke loudly, “When your great-great-great-grandfather and his beloved mate started the pride in the town of Marin, they always intended for the eldest child of each generation to lead once he or she took a mate after the age of twenty-one. Every generation has grown stronger, the pride living and working together in harmony, and this generation is no different. There have been conflicts and difficulties, but those come before any change of leadership.

“Thyme is the eldest of Alpha Olsen’s children and is past her twenty-first year. Tonight she joins with her truemate, Remy Mayfield, which is the next step in the change of leadership. After tonight, Thyme and Remy will be mated before the spirits of our forefathers under the stars and before the fire, and officially be interim alphas, learning to lead before taking over the pride on the June full moon’s ascension ceremony.” Liam looked at Thyme and took one of her hands, then he looked at Remy and took one of his. Drawing their hands together, he held both in his and said, “As elders, Jacob and I are honored to pass the torch to Thyme and Remy, and as a pride member, I welcome the opportunities that will come with the move to Copper Creek.”

His genial smile slipped for a moment, and Remy realized he was looking at Leif and Brilla, and the severe frowns on their faces.

“We aren’t human and this is not a marriage ceremony, therefore it doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with Thyme and Remy taking over the pride. Democracy has never been our way of life, there is one joint leadership and that is the alphas alone. As is our custom, after tonight and prior to the ascension ceremony, if any pride members would prefer to leave the pride, they will be granted exile, but know this: exile is permanent and cannot be revoked.”

A murmur slipped through the crowd but Remy couldn’t make out what was being said.

Liam growled and the murmurs stopped.

As the joining ceremony began, Remy was reminded of how different it was from the way wolves joined together, with the blood, oil, and ash that represented their people, a leather strap to join the hands of the couple, and the high-ranked males standing watch. But he wasn’t part of a wolf pack anymore, he was going to be alpha of a wildcat pride alongside his gorgeous mate.

The firelight flickered over her face, her eyes glowing with happiness and her smile one that made him feel warm from the inside out. Her dark hair gleamed from the red and oranges of the bonfire, and he could pick out her sweet scent even among all the other smells around him.

He was one lucky male.

“Do you, Remy, take Thyme as your mate, to honor her above all others, to provide for her and protect her and your young, until you’re called into the great beyond by our ancestors?”

“I do.”

Liam asked the same questions of Thyme, who smiled so sweetly, with tear-filled eyes, as she answered that she, too, took Remy as her mate, that he wanted to fall to his knees and hold her tightly.

Jacob had remained in stony silence the entire time. Remy wondered why he even bothered to stand with Liam, except it was expected of him as elder.

Something landed in front of them, a tinny sound ringing softly in the dirt.

Remy looked down and saw a metal cylinder, but before he could act, thick smoke poured from it, enveloping them swiftly in a noxious mist. He choked and coughed, his eyes stinging so he couldn’t see anything.

Thyme let go of his hand and he shouted her name, swinging his hands through the smoke but not finding her.

“Thyme!”

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he could feel a change in the air, even though he couldn’t see anything. He closed his stinging eyes and reached for his wolf, using his heightened senses.

He felt the connection to Thyme and reached for her. Pulling her safely into his arms, he pivoted her the other direction and felt something rush by him. There was a cascade of sparks from the bonfire and the screams of someone being burned.

“Clear the fucking area!” Remy bellowed.

As if everyone had been waiting for someone to tell them to leave, the pride suddenly raced from the clearing. Remy dropped to the grass with Thyme, where the smoke was the least thick and rubbed his eyes.

“You okay?” he asked, in between coughing fits.

“Yeah. You saved me.”

He brushed at smokey smudges on her cheeks. “That’s what mates do.”

The male who was screaming was now moaning in agony.

“Liam?” Thyme called.

The grass rustled near them and he crawled into view. “Let’s head back to the house where the air is clear. You’re safe?”

“We’re good,” Remy said. “Who’s injured?”

“I believe it’s Brentiss,” he said with a snarl. “He’s being taken to the house with the healers.”

They all stayed low until they were clear of the smoke and could breathe and see more clearly.

Remy sat back on his heels and stared at the smoke that had filled the clearing. “I met Brentiss,” he said.

“Yeah,” Thyme said, coughing violently for a moment. She brushed at her cheeks where tears from her stinging eyes had made tracks through the soot. “He’s one of Leif’s friends.”

Remy knew exactly what the plan had been: the smoke bomb was to disorient them and hide their intentions, providing perfect cover for Brentiss to rush to the front and shove Thyme into the fire.

“I want to have a talk with him,” Remy said. He hugged Thyme close, thankful that they were both safe.

“Who, Brentiss? I have a feeling he’s suffering a good bit right now.”

“No, Leif.”

“Definitely. He’s got some explaining to do.”

She stared toward the bonfire, which was barely visible as a flickering orange glow through the smoke and shivered.

Remy hugged her a little tighter.

He didn’t want to think about how close he’d come to seeing her badly burned or even killed.

Her half-brother was going to pay for what he had done.

Enough was enough.