Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
After the last whip struck, Brandon howled.
Letting go of the tree, Drake placed a clean towel over his back. He didn’t need to fear infection. Turning to his mate he saw tears streaking her face. “I swear to you, Elle Smith, I’ll never give you cause to be in pain again. You’re my whole world. You’ll be by my side for the rest of our lives running this pack together.”
The pack cheered.
“We give ourselves to you,” the pack said in unison.
She nodded, opening her arms for him. Brandon went to her without a moment’s hesitation. He pulled her in close inhaling her scent.
“You didn’t have to do that for me,” she said.
“Yes, I did. You’re my woman, and the pack knows it.” He kissed the top of her head. Alexander cleared his throat gaining Brandon’s attention.
“Does that make up for my lie?” Brandon asked.
“Your punishment was most fitting your crime. I sense her forgiveness. Sometimes it takes an extreme act to win the woman of our heart.”
Brandon smiled, kissing the top of her head. His back burnt like a fire was dancing on it.
“You didn’t tell me your mate was under the thrall of a vampire,” Alexander said. “What?” Brandon froze, as did Elle.
“I sense the control of another. May I please look into your mate’s eyes to determine who and what caused this enthrallment?” Alexander asked.
****
Brandon had punished himself to show her his feelings. She was his woman, and she couldn’t believe what he’d done to show her how sorry he was. Tears fell from her eyes at the shock of what just happened. She’d never expected him to punish himself because of her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she held onto him tighter making sure not to touch his back.
When Alexander spoke she froze at his words.
“I sensed the enthrallment from a woman when I first visited here. She’s older than your mate but looks very similar,” Alexander said.
“That would be Vivian, Elle’s mother,” Brandon said.
“Let me look in your eyes, sweet one.”
Brandon let go of her. “It’s okay, Elle. I trust him. He won’t hurt you.”
Elle turned to the vampire and stared into his black gaze. His eyes were far darker than Brandon’s. She sensed the death around the vampire in front of her. The vampire accessed her memories, the ones that had been trapped from her and only coming through when she was dreaming. She gasped as she recalled the vampire draining her mother and her father coming in as the vampire in question was about to finish his curse.
Alexander let her go, swearing as he did. “It is what I feared the most,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Brandon wrapped his arms around her.
“I took away the enthrallment. The vampire must have had access to the prophecies as it was foretold of your mating to a human. He tried to stop your mating.”
Elle listened to their conversation as suddenly her mind opened up. She sensed the pack around her. Grabbing her head, she felt everything including Brandon’s feelings for her. Before that moment she’d been cut off from everything only feeling half of what was around her. Alexander had opened her mind, and she felt the approval of the pack. The gentle hum of their kindness filled her heart. The love Brandon had for her touched her. Even as he was talking with Alexander, he was reaching out toward her. His hand stroked down her arm. He needed to touch her and have her by his side.
“Can’t you sense the change within her?”
Brandon turned her around. She stared into his eyes and finally saw the dark brown depths staring back at her. It was like a cloak had been lifted. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she slammed her lips down on his.
“I love you,” she said, holding him close.
This is where she was supposed to be. She was supposed to be by Brandon’s side, loving him and embracing his pack.
He broke the kiss tucking her head against his chest. “Thank you. I can’t believe you’ve done this for me.”
“We need to talk about this, Brandon. This is why I came this year to the meeting. The eyes are the access to the soul, and the vampire had cloaked her vision to hold her back from you. You and Elle were meant to be together.”
There was a huge whoop around the forest. Elle giggled as the pack started to cheer for their leaders.
After some time Brandon led her back to his home. Their visitors followed, and Lizzy held her hand as they walked toward Brandon’s home.
“I can’t wait for your wedding. It won’t happen right away. You’ll be married by the end of the year, and it’ll start snowing,” Lizzy said.
Elle chuckled. The woman beside her made her nervous.
Once inside her mate’s home they all gathered around. She was introduced to the warlocks and the witches along with the bears and the vampires. They all looked serious. Her father entered several minutes later. He looked nervous as he held a couple of scrolls.