Chapter 90 Show Time
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I rushed back to my office, annoyed that Alpha Christian had been found in my mate's bedroom with my little sister. I knew if the roles were reversed, I wouldn't be able to keep my distance from Adeline. By pack law, no one held the power to keep mates apart—problem was, Sophia still had no idea that Alpha Christian was her one true mate, and my big brother instincts were already in overdrive, desperate to protect her.
When I returned to my office, I quickly changed into my black and red military-style suit, then poured myself a glass of whiskey as my wolf began to pace. I regretted not taking the long way back from my border patrol run this morning, knowing that my wolf wouldn't be settled until the mating was complete with his mate.
I heard a familiar giggle echo through the hallways outside my office, so I chugged back the amber liquid and placed the crystal glass on my desk as I opened the office door. A growl escaped my chest when my eyes locked on Alpha Christian and Sophia, inches from each other's faces. Alpha Christian stood in front of Sophia, pinning her body against the wall with his. Sophia's eyes immediately darted to the floor, and Alpha Christian jolted backward.
"It's not what it looks like," Sophia said in a whimper, her stare still glued submissively to the floorboards.
"I'm pretty sure I know what it looks like, Sophia. Don't let me catch you near my sister again, Christian, or there will be repercussions," I said sternly. Alpha Christian struggled to hold back his smirk; both of us were aware that it was getting increasingly difficult to keep them apart. Sophia straightened her posture. "Um, I should go check on the preparations," she announced, her cheeks bright red, then hurried down the hallway.
I followed Alpha Christian into my office and made sure to close the door behind us. "The pull. It's getting stronger, Jax. It's like I can't control my wolf when I'm near her," he admitted as he approached the chair across from the desk and sank into it.
I fixed another drink for myself and one for Alpha Christian, placed his in front of him, and leaned against my desk with my arms crossed. "Do you have any idea how weird it is to nearly walk in on you with your tongue down my sister's throat?" I asked.
Alpha Christian shifted in his seat and tossed back the liquid in his glass. "I get it. Listen, man, I'm not going to do anything before he recognizes me as her mate. I'm going to do this properly, not force it on her. I promise you," he finally admitted.
"Soon. Just don't put yourself in a situation where you can't control your wolf. Mate or not, I'll rip your throat out," I warned, taking a deep breath before sipping my drink.
"You nervous?" he asked, clasping his hands together while confidently lifting one leg over the other. I couldn't help but chuckle—Alpha Christian could clearly see through me. I ran my hand across my jaw for a moment. "I've waited so long for this; it's surreal that it's happening. I can't imagine the mate bond getting stronger than it already is."
A sinister smile crept up Alpha Christian's face. "Man, I can't wait to feel that. Soon our pups will be playing together like we did long ago." The thought of having pups with my mate made my wolf ecstatic, but the idea of Sophia having pups with Christian? Not so much. I patted his back. "We'll see, Christian. Let's get out of here," I finally replied.
My heart pounded out of my chest, anxiety taking over my thoughts and making me want to run to my bedroom and take my mate right then and there. We proceeded down the hallway and toward the staircase in silence until Alpha Christian began to slow down, then came to a complete stop.
"Ah, Jax? There's been some suspicious activity around my borders. My men just reported it. I won't be staying long after the ceremony," Alpha Christian admitted, fear igniting in his eyes.
"Rogues?" I asked suspiciously. He shook his head as we stepped outside the pack house. "Too early to tell."
The fields had been transformed, matching exactly my vision for Adeline and my mating ceremony. "Think she'll like it?" I asked Alpha Christian, trying to take his mind off a potential attack near his borders. He was on edge—not that I blamed him; any Alpha would feel nervous thinking his pack was in danger.
Alpha Christian chuckled. "Is this what I'm going to have to do for Sophia?"
A low growl vibrated in my chest, making Alpha Christian's grin even bigger. The ceremony had been intended to be held inside the auditorium, but once the RSVPs from the guest list began to arrive, it was clear we would need a bigger space to host the event. I wasn't even certain a single invitation had been declined. Since word got out that the vicious Alpha of Midnight Moon had been given a mate by the Moon Goddess, my love life had become the hottest topic in the shifter world.
The fields were lined with a red glossy laminate floor, and the linens on the tables were pintuck black with gold Chiavari chairs to match my mate's gown. I had spent hours secretly daydreaming about what Adeline would look like in that dress, but I knew no matter how good she looked in it, it would spend more time on the floor than on her body. A canopy was built over the area, all draped with dark crimson red roses contrasted by the sharp white of moonflowers, which were scheduled to bloom under the new moon later that night. I knew how much Adeline adored moonflowers, which was why I was adamant about incorporating them any way I could.
Higher-ranking shifters from packs near and far approached me before I could make my way to the front, all expressing their happiness for my mate and me. No matter how much I tried to stay focused on the conversations, my eyes kept flickering around, hoping to see my mate in the gold sequin dress. I wondered if Adeline liked the dress or even realized the significance behind my choice. My mind raced with thoughts of her—was she nervous? Maybe I should have thrown out old traditions and escorted her myself.
I excused myself, deciding to address the shifters from my pack. I knew this day had been a long time coming for us all. The next time they'd feel this much energy combined from the pack would be if the Moon Goddess decided to bless us with a pup—a day that couldn't come soon enough.
I noticed many of the shifters beginning to take their seats when the trumpet sounded. Smiles and excitement filled the forest, signaling that it was nearly time. Soon, I would sport my mate's mark on my neck—something I had waited too long for. I cracked my neck to ease the tension when I noticed Alpha Blake approaching me, his mate hanging off his arm with a smile on her face.
"Alpha Jaxon, I was just telling my mate here that this must be the most exquisite ceremony I've ever seen. We might have to have another one, honey," she said in a deep accent. "I'm sure your mate is a lovely girl, although I felt great sorrow to hear about what happened with Beverly."
The mention of the traitor's name sent chills up my spine. I tensed my jaw, holding myself back from leaping at her.
Alpha Blake locked eyes with me and quickly approached, the stress lines on his forehead deepening. "Alpha Blake, Luna. Pleasure to see you, as always. Alpha Jaxon, I believe you should take your position. Your beautiful Luna and my dear friend will be down shortly," he said calmly, patting my back and discreetly pushing me in the opposite direction.
