Page 241 of Prey for Me
“I can’t accept this.”
“I always knew I’d pass it to my son’s future mate. I’d be honored if you would wear it.”
Tears fill my eyes.
She motions for me to spin. When I do, she clasps it around my neck, then hugs me from behind in the mirror. “Ready to join our family?”
She holds out an arm for me and walks me down the stairs, out the front door of our cabin, and to the flowered altar. It’s decorated with string lights and stands in the center of the Hunter’s Quarters, where Caleb, in a tux, awaits me under the full moon and stars.
I walk down the aisle to my mate and gaze at him. “Hi, handsome.”
He blushes and smiles at the ground before gazing back at me. “Sorry it took us so long to get here.”
I shake my head. “We’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
“Caleb Waller has prepared vows he would like to share,” the officiant says.
My eyes widen, and my head snaps to Caleb.
“Vows? You wrote vows? I didn’t prepare anything.”
“I know you didn’t. It’s not traditionally done, but I wanted to declare my vow in front of everyone.”
I melt as he pulls out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and reads, “I vow to always fight.”
We stare at each other.
I squint my eyes knowing he’s up to no good.
Where’s he going with this?
“Fight with you.”
The crowd laughs along with me.
“But mostly fightforyou. When you need it, when you don’t. The battles you know, the battles you don’t know. I will always have your back. No matter what comes our way, we will face it together, however you need me to. As your enforcer, your protector, your defender, your soldier. I willalwaysbe there for you.”
The officiant smiles at Caleb, then addresses the crowd. “Now would you join Mr. Caleb Waller and Ms. Jade... eh.” He looks to me, pleading.
“Oh . . . my last name? Um . . . Well, I don’t—”
I don’t have a last name. I’m sure I did at some point. But I’ll never know it.
Caleb chimes in. “It’s Waller.”
He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out an intact photo and hands it to me. “Jade Waller.”
I flip it over, and there it is, my name. Myrealone.
I clutch it to my chest, my eyes water, and my heart melts into a puddle.
The officiant nods. “Will you please join Mr. Caleb Waller and Ms. Jade Waller in prayer?”
Tears spring from my eyes.
The officiant recites a prayer in an old native tongue. Suddenly, everyone’s eyes light up gold as the pack’s mindlink opens to me.
“I now pronounce Caleb and Jade Waller as Bloodhound’s alpha and luna.”
Practically lunging for each other at the pronouncement, we share a long, passionate kiss. The entire pack cheers and howls.
When we break, I say, “You know this means you’re stuck with me, right?”
He chuckles. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, baby girl.”
After the ceremony, comes the traditional lighting of the ring. It is meant to symbolize purification and transformation as we embrace a new beginning. Together, Caleb and I release the burning arrow, and the fire ignites the ring upon impact.
I have a pack. A purpose. A mate. A family. It’s everything I could have ever prayed for and more.
