Chapter 125
Summer’s POV
“The pack Seer? That’s where we’re going?” I stared at Alexander in surprise as we drove through the winding forest roads of Blackwood territory. The morning sunlight filtered through the ancient trees, casting dappled shadows across the dashboard of his sleek black SUV.
“We’ve put it off long enough, don’t you think?” Alexander’s hand found mine across the center console, his thumb tracing lazy circles on my skin. “I can’t wait any longer to officially bind you to me, Summer.”
My heart fluttered at his words. Even after everything we’d been through together, he still had the ability to make me feel like a lovestruck teenager.
“I thought the mate bond was already pretty official,” I teased.
His eyes darkened as they flicked to the my neck, and his grip on my hand tightened possessively.
“The mate bond is just the beginning, sweetheart. For wolves like us–especially for an Alpha pair–the ceremonial binding is sacred. It connects not just our bodies and hearts, but our wolves, our souls, our
very essences.”
I bit my lip, suddenly nervous. After my disastrous marriage to Foster, the thought of any formal ceremony made anxiety curl in my stomach.
Alexander seemed to sense my hesitation immediately–our connection growing stronger with each passing day.
“Hey,” he said softly, pulling over to the side of the road. He turned to face me fully, his powerful hands cupping my face. “Talk to me, Luna.”
“It’s silly,” I admitted, leaning into his touch. “After everything we’ve been through, I shouldn’t be nervous about a ceremony.”
“It’s not silly at all,” he assured me, his eyes–those mesmerizing eyes that had captivated me from the start–searching mine. “Your last experience with a wolf ceremony wasn’t exactly positive.”
I winced at the reminder of my binding ceremony with Foster. What should have been sacred had been nothing but a political transaction, a power play disguised as tradition.
“This isn’t like that,” Alexander continued, his voice low and intense. “This binding is about us–you and me. About cementing what our wolves already know: that we belong together. That we’re stronger together.”
My eyes stung with tears as I nodded. “I know. And I want it more than anything.”
His smile was radiant as he leaned in to press his lips against mine, a kiss so tender it made my heart
Chapter 125
ache. “That’s my girl.”
+15 BONUS
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to a small cottage nestled deep in the woods. Unlike the modern, imposing architecture of the pack house, this structure seemed to have grown organically from the forest floor–all weathered stone and ancient wood, with climbing roses and wild vines embracing the walls.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, feeling a strange energy emanating from the place.
“Madame Willow has lived here for as long as anyone can remember,” Alexander explained as he helped me from the car. “Some say she was born in the time before territories, when wolves still roamed freely.”
“That would make her ancient,” I said skeptically.
His eyes twinkled. “Never mention her age. That’s the first rule of visiting the Seer.”
Before we could reach the door, it swung open to reveal a woman who defied all my expectations. I’d imagined someone elderly, wizened perhaps, but Madame Willow appeared ageless–her silver–streaked black hair hung loose down her back, and her amber eyes seemed to see straight through to my soul.
“Alpha. Luna.” She nodded to each of us. “I’ve been waiting.”
“Seer Willow,” Alexander inclined his head respectfully. “Thank you for seeing us.”
She gestured for us to enter, and I was immediately struck by the contrast between the cottage’s rustic exterior and its interior. Inside was a blend of ancient and modern–crystal balls sharing space with computer monitors, herbs drying alongside scientific journals.
“Please, sit,” she instructed, indicating a pair of comfortable chairs positioned before a low table adorned with various crystals and a bowl of clear water.
“You seek to know when to hold your mating ceremony,” she stated rather than asked.
Alexander nodded. “We do.”
Her eyes–now decidedly amber–fixed on me. “You’ve suffered greatly, Luna. Lost much.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Yet your spirit remains unbroken. Remarkable.” She tilted her head, studying me with an intensity that made me want to squirm. “You were meant for greatness, though not in the way you once imagined.”
