Fated to the Warrior Wolf (The Hunted Omegas #3)

60. Leigh

SIXTY

Leigh

T he girls all kissed me on the cheeks before they walked out of the bridal room, leaving me alone in the cool darkness.

I felt like I was burning up, whether with anticipation, need, or nerves I wasn’t quite sure. It was a potent cocktail regardless.

Olivia was the last one to walk down the aisle, and she paused before picking up her ceremonial perfume.

“I hope you don’t mind, but you didn’t have a specific bouquet planned. So I made you one. It’s not much as far as wedding gifts go, but I still hope you like it.” She tucked a red curl behind her ear and pulled the most gorgeous white bouquet I’d ever seen out of a box.

“It has roses from the garden here, but also ranunculus, hydrangeas, lilies, and peonies.” She pointed to each flower as she named it, and I noticed her omega-marked palm seemed to brighten as she held them in her hand. “This one is special,” she said, reverently touching a single bloom with dark stamens at the center. “It’s a white poppy. They’re rare in this part of the world, but something about it just called to me, almost like it wanted to be included.”

She shook her head as if clearing a fog, then passed me the bouquet.

The stems seemed to pulse with energy when I took them, and not for the first time, I wondered what her special affinity for plants meant.

“Thank you, Olivia, it’s the perfect wedding gift. I love it, really.” I stroked the petal of the beautiful poppy, feeling a bit of that draw she mentioned, myself.

As Olivia stepped out of the room, I drew in a deep breath and held it, steeling myself to walk out in front of all those people. What I found as I walked out to the entrance of the garden was nothing short of a fairy wonderland. It was so beautiful, it was beyond anything I could have imagined. The lights, the rose garden, the flower petals. Even the fireflies sparking in the air added a level of wonder I couldn’t have dreamed up. All the people gathered, smiling at me and excited to celebrate our bonding.

Gael had pulled it off, and it was perfect. I smoothed my free hand over my dress and started to walk down the aisle. It curved a little, so I couldn’t see Gael yet.

I hoped he would like my gown. I had never planned to be pregnant in my bonding dress, but it somehow felt right to have Petal here with us.

Although, Priestess Lisanne had surprised me by choosing a nearly sheer fabric and insisted I be fully naked underneath. She worked some kind of wizardry with a nude fabric backing in key areas so nothing showed through that shouldn’t, but ninety-nine percent of my skin was on display, and there was a slit all the way to my hip bone, where the full skirt fell like a waterfall from beneath my bump. The fabric was soft and supple, caressing my legs with every step, and the cool night air caressed my fully bare back. It swooped so low, she had stopped it less than an inch above my ass. You could see the dimples in my hips, as well as every single line of my mate marks. There was no other dress like it in the world, I was certain.

I sped up a little in my eagerness to get to him, looking down to make sure I didn’t trip over the front of my gown. And when I looked up again, he was there.

He looked thunderstruck, and I had to resist the urge to hike up my hem and bolt into his arms. The way he looked at me made me feel like the most gorgeous woman in the whole world.

But I understood the feeling, because the sight of him was enough to turn my bones liquid with desire. He looked like a shifter prince of old, surrounded by the maidens in his dove-gray slacks, with the creamy shirt a stark contrast against his throat. But it was open, unbuttoned halfway so that all his rippling muscles were on display, casting shadows between them from the twinkle lights.

I was so ready to be his. I still had no idea how any of the mess was going to work itself out, but ever since our marks had appeared, there was this certainty in my chest. He was mine, and I was his. And everything was going to be okay, somehow.

The last distance between us disappeared, and I practically threw myself into his arms, crushing the beautiful flowers under our feet and sending up a fresh burst of their perfume as he pulled me into his chest. A gentle kiss on the top of my hair had me pulling back enough to see his face.

“Hello, princess,” he whispered, the words just for me.

“Hello, prince,” I whispered right back, and he smiled.

Priestess Marciana cleared her throat, and I took a half step back so I could angle myself to see her, but still be in Gael’s arms.

It wasn’t traditional, but I didn’t care. I loved him with all my soul, and I never wanted to be separated from him again. His warm palm on my bare back was like a brand, and I loved every second of it.

Kane was the first to step forward, smiling widely as he took in the two of us. “For prosperity,” he said loud and clear, so even the maidens at the back of the crowd could hear, and held up a jaw-droppingly beautiful necklace. A teardrop-shaped moonstone longer than my thumb dangled from it, the setting inlaid with diamonds. He laid it carefully at our feet and then stepped back into his position.

Brielle came next, shooting a secret smile at Kane before leaning in to hug me and kneeling at our feet. “For fertility,” she said, and all at once, the flowers were drowned out by her omega scent, cool, crisp water surrounding us as she sprinkled the rosehip-infused water over our bare feet. I had a feeling there was a bit more fertility juju than usual in the water.

Olivia came forward next, looking beautiful and shy as she lifted her chin and spoke the ceremonial words. “For passion.” She carefully lifted my curls as she dabbed the sides of my neck with the perfume stick, then did my wrists, repeated the dabbing on Gael, and took back my bouquet so my hands would be free for the next part.

Reed stepped over the necklace, holding two shining rings in his palm. I didn’t even know how Gael had managed to find rings, given how remote this enclave was and the fact that we’d decided to bond yesterday, while under attack. But he had.

“For eternity,” Reed said, offering first Gael and then me the other’s ring so we could slide them onto each other’s fingers.

My hands were shaking. Eternity .

But when Gael took my left hand in his, I remembered why eternity was a good thing.

Priestess Marciana’s voice was clear and warm as she spoke the next part of the bonding. “Gael and Leigh, we gather here under the Goddess’s moon to bind you two together as perfect mates. It is a lifelong bond, unable to be broken, even in death. Gael Starling, prince of the blood of Spain, alpha in your own right, what do you offer this female to prove that you are worthy of her love and capable of her protection for the rest of your days?”

It was a more formal address than I’d ever heard in a bonding, but Gael looked unfazed.

“Priestess, given our circumstances, I didn’t have a gift purchased in advance.”

The priestess nodded as if this was no surprise, but he wasn’t done.

“As such, I would like to offer my mate a personal sacrifice as proof of my devotion.”

“As head priestess of the Maiden’s Enclave, I can offer you the warrior’s rune. It is painful and it is permanent. They are only awarded to skilled warriors and those who are proven worthy friends of the enclave. It is an honor not bestowed on many.”

Painful? No, I didn’t want him to do anything painful. We’d been through enough. But before I could argue, Marciana turned to me.

“Your male offers you a great honor. Do you accept this sacrifice, or will you reject his hand?”

I looked at Gael, slightly horrified. “Gael, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Please, I don’t need this. I would accept you with nothing. You are my gift.” I cupped his cheek in my hand, begging him with my eyes.

Marciana was immune to my begging. “A worthy sentiment made with a pure heart, but I will not reject his request. If you accept him, you must accept the sacrifice.”

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “Say yes, princess.”

“Yes, I accept this offering.” The words quietly slipped from my lips, and I resisted the urge to cling to Gael’s hand as he stepped back, out of the circle. I didn’t know how one got a warrior’s rune, but I clutched both Olivia’s and Brielle’s hands for dear life when they stepped into the circle next to me.

Gael quickly shucked his button-up shirt, handing the garment to Kane before turning to face the gathered crowd. Two of the priestesses stepped forward, carrying a heavy-looking pot between them, with a single metal rod sticking out. A third priestess stepped forward with a pouch and sprinkled something over the pot. It billowed smoke and steam, and Olivia stiffened at my side.

“Wolfsbane and… salt,” she whispered, somehow identifying the contents from a distance.

No, no, no, no…

Marciana stepped forward, gripping the handle of the metal rod, but not yet removing it from the pot.

“Kneel and receive your rune with honor.”

Gael did as he was told, locking eyes with me as he knelt, hands clasped behind his back, bare chest on display.

The red-hot iron she pulled from the coals smoldered, and I tried to intercept her, but Kane stepped in front of me, not letting me out of my position.

“Be strong for him,” he murmured, a hint of alpha command fastening me to my spot. With nothing else to do, I held Gael’s eyes as she pressed the brand to his shoulder. He flinched, but didn’t move, didn’t utter a sound as she lifted the brand away from his skin.

The mark it left behind was raised, the full moon crossed with the curved blade of the Maiden’s Enclave, and another runic symbol that I didn’t recognize.

“Bear the rune with honor for the rest of your days. Go forth, warrior, and claim your mate.”

When Gael rose, there was a heat in his eyes that belied the pain he must have been feeling. He strode back into the flower circle with purpose, dropped to one knee, and fitted the ring onto my finger. It slid home with perfect ease, and my hands shook once more as I slid his own ring over his knuckle with a kiss.

Marciana had ditched the brand before stepping back into her place as the ceremonial leader, and when she spoke now, it was for all to hear. “The bond between mates is sealed with a bite. It is tradition for this to be done privately, and it must be completed before the moon sets on this night. In the eyes of the Moon Goddess and these witnesses, I bless this joining. Go forth and claim your mate.”

Gael surged to his feet with masculine grace, wrapping me in his arms and planting a searing kiss on my lips that held all the pent-up need and desire between us. I felt cherished, but also a need blooming inside me to claim him.

He scooped me off my feet, hooking my heels behind his hips, and showing off far more of my bare leg in that slit than was decent, but neither of us cared. Whoops and cheers rose from the maidens, and they began to sing a new song as he carried me back down the garden path, into the night.