Destined mate

The day of the wedding

Chloe studied her reflection, the simple white dress with thin straps and open back, the crown of wildflowers resting in her loose hair with just two side braids meeting behind her head, white satin ribbons trailing down her back. Her bare feet pressed against the cool wooden floor.

When Liam entered, he stopped in the doorway, breath caught. He approached her slowly, reverence in every step.

"I'm the luckiest man alive," he whispered, fingers brushing her cheek. She closed her eyes as his lips met hers. "Ready?"

She placed her hand in his outstretched palm, smiling.

Outside, the gathering took her breath away. "Liam? Where did all these people come from?"

"Word travels fast in the bayou," he murmured.

The massive bonfire cast dancing shadows across the assembled crowd. The elder waited, raising his hand for silence.

"Liam, leader of the bayou shapeshifters, has found his destined mate," he announced. Cheers erupted. "They will lead us together, and we shall honor them." More cheers followed.

The elder produced a knife, handing it to Liam. He sliced his palm, then passed it to Chloe. As she cut her own skin, a memory flashed, her mother cutting her hand to draw pain away from Chloe's welts.

The elder produced a white scarf, binding their bleeding palms together. His chant rose and fell in an ancient language, the words mysterious yet somehow familiar to Chloe's ears. When he untied the cloth and examined their joined wounds, she caught a fleeting shadow cross his face, gone so quickly she questioned whether she'd imagined it.

"Now love each other, and live free," he proclaimed, and the crowd erupted.

As drums began to pulse, the elder embraced Liam, then leaned close to Chloe. "Enjoy him," he whispered, but when she sought his gaze, he averted his eyes and slipped away. Wine flowed freely as she was passed from one pack member to another in dance until Liam's voice cut through the revelry.

"Return my mate to me," he commanded. They swayed together, her cheek against his heartbeat, breathing in his wild scent. When he bent her backward in a dramatic dip, her hair brushed the earth. Through half-lidded eyes, she glimpsed a solitary figure watching from the shadows. Their eyes met briefly before closing, his from the sudden wind carrying her scent, hers from the sensation of Liam's lips trailing down her chest. The pack howled their approval.

She tossed her bouquet over her shoulder, watching a young girl with wide eyes catch it against her chest. At the water's edge, a small boat awaited them, its hull adorned with wildflowers and trailing vines. Liam steadied her as she stepped aboard, then started the motor with a gentle pull.

Drawn by an instinct she couldn't name, Chloe trailed her fingers through the water. The river responded, illuminating with an otherworldly blue glow that spread outward from her touch. She moved to the bow, dipping her other hand in, and watched as luminous spirits rose from the depths. She lowered her head in reverence while onlookers fell silent along the shore. Fireflies emerged from the darkness, swirling around the boat like living stars. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Chloe lifted her gaze to the ancient cypress trees, their moss-draped branches forming a cathedral above. "This is the happiest day of my life," she screamed, turning to find Liam watching her, his smile reflecting all she felt.

When Liam knocked, she wrapped herself in a towel, water still dripping from her hair. He offered the folded clothes, but she caught his hand instead. His kiss began gentle, then deepened as she responded. Her fingers worked at his shirt buttons while his arms encircled her waist.

In one fluid motion, he carried her to his bed. The woodsy scent of his sheets enveloped her as nervousness fluttered in her chest. His touch was knowing, patient. When he finally moved inside her, the brief discomfort melted into pleasure that arched her back and stole her breath. Time suspended as they moved together, her cries echoing in the room as they both shattered.

His lips trailed down her chest, lingering at her stomach before reaching her navel. His hands slid lower, fingers tracing the curve of her back. She let out a soft moan, and he eased into her again, slow and deliberate. Her breath hitched as their rhythm deepened, her moans growing louder, more urgent. He held her firmly, his grip tightening around her waist as she arched into him, her body unraveling with him.

His arms tightened around her. "You're mine," he whispered, voice rough with emotion. "Only mine. You feel this too, don't you?"

"It's undeniable," "This, pull between us, it's like I've always known you."

He shifted her onto her back, propping himself on one elbow to look down at her. "I promised to explain everything, but…" his gaze traveled over her body "I can't think straight when you're like this."

"I could turn away," she offered with a small smile.

"That's even worse." His mouth found her shoulder blade, trailing kisses down her spine. Her soft sounds encouraged him as he moved behind her, one arm circling her waist, the other hand caressing her breast. He tried to be gentle, mindful of her tenderness, but desire coursed through him like an addiction. Her scent overwhelmed his senses.

Later, when her breathing deepened with sleep, he carefully extracted himself and drew the covers over her naked form, resisting the urge to wake her again.

His phone buzzed. He stepped onto the balcony, answering with a low grunt.

"Son, he’s pissed. He turned him into a vampire and now he’s got orders to bring her in." "Let him try. I’ll rip him apart before he lays a hand on her. She’s mine."

"We don’t even know what she is, do we?"

"All I know is when I walked in to get her, vampires were on their knees like someone had flipped a switch. Scared the hell out of Callum. That’s why he wants her gone."

"Not gone, alive. He wants to turn her, the elder said