It’s the night before Alexander and my birthday. He will become the alpha of our portion of the pack and I will be the beta. Well, depending on who my mates are. Because if Summer and Jared are my mates, I don’t know that I’ll be staying here. I don’t know, maybe I’m just getting my hopes up. I don’t know what the Goddess has up her sleeve. I can’t pretend to know what she has destined for us. But I legitimately can’t imagine myself with anyone else. So, if we find out that Jared isn’t my mate tomorrow, then the trio that we have created for ourselves won’t happen. Which just makes my stomach hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt before in my life. I feel like I’m panicking and I don’t know how to make it stop. Everything that I want, every damn thing that I have ever wanted in my life, hinges on who I scent out tomorrow when I wake. Alexander is feeling the exact same thing I am. Though, I’m pretty sure we know who his mates are and he’s begging the Goddess that he

We stayed with Dad throughout the night, laughing about old times, talking about the responsibilities that will come with our new positions, and talking about the matebond. I can’t wait until I get back to wake up and find my mates. The fact that I know exactly who my mates are, that they are the ones that I’ve wanted my entire life, takes away all of the anxious energy that I’ve been feeling leading up until my birthday. Now, I’m just filled with excitement and impatience. “Am I allowed to tell Summer?” I ask Dad as we’re getting ready to leave. “Yes,” he smiles wide. “You can even mark her if you want. She’ll feel the sparks.” Dad’s face suddenly takes on a worried expression. “Selene was supposed to be here to tell you that. She swore me to secrecy a long time ago. Hell, before Jared’s birthday. She said that she made it work out like this because of the fact that the three of you are Elite warriors and will be needed in the war to come. She wants you at your stronge

All of us fall forward, bodies in tangles in the sheets. But the rest doesn’t last long. Because Rowen’s wolf is the one that is always closest to the surface, he tends to incite Summer and my wolves into even more of a frenzy, especially when we are in bed. And now? When we still have one more mate to mark? They are rubbing themselves around in our minds, urging us to complete the bond. They want their final mate marked and mated. And I, for one, am very happy to oblige. I manuver in the bed so that I’m behind Rowen. I pull on his hips until he’s on his knees. “Mmmm, what are you doing back there, Jare?” he asks, his voice full of desire. “Fucking my mate,” I growl out, slamming into his hole, bottoming out in one thrust. “Holy shit!” he nearly screams, pain and pleasure mixed. I know that his wolf loves the savageness with which I’m taking him. And I know that Rowen himself loves it when we dominate him. It doesn’t happen often, because he’s just so damn good at it.

Alexander and Jared ask to talk to me in the alpha suite after the ceremony is finished. I wait until the party is over and allow Mémé Clara to take Lily to our rooms. Esteban and I take the elevator to the fifth floor of the large packhouse. “Why do you think they want to talk to you?” Esteban asks, though I’m pretty sure he knows. “Tehre’s only one reason they would call me on the night that they have figured out that they are mates,” I say, drily. “Same reason they didn’t have Jacob take over his role as lune tonight?” His face mirrors the anxiety that I’m trying hard not to let consume me. Because this is not going to be a fun conversation. I nod. “JoJo.” Jacob lets us into the room, having changed already. I hug him. “Hey, cuz. How you doing?” He hugs me tightly before gesturing me to come in. “Reaping the consequences of my rash actions,” he says sorrowfully. He turns to my mate, hugging him as well. “Hey, Jacob. Congratulations on finding your mate,” Esteban say

I’ve been hanging out with some of the acolytes from the Crone, Maiden, and Mother covens since we came Arcadia. It’s been great to be around all of these witches again. I’ve missed the sisterhood that comes with it. Many of the witches were weary about interacting with me. But after calls from Nora, Citra, and Bella, they relaxed. With their leaders believing me, they were willing to give me a chance. Though my powers are far and above the acolytes, they are the closest to my age and I’d rather find some friends than a magical peer. Not that’d I would have find one anyway. When I told Kayla that my powers are far above behind and beyond any other witch’s, I was telling the truth. The unfortunate part is that I don’t have a lot of the same experiences as they do. Being stuck in underground tunnels with old hags my whole life and very little interaction with the outside world, I don’t have a lot in common with them. My accent and the fact that I’m still seen as a Riding H