Azalea

We sat for a few minutes. Suddenly, something felt different. I sensed a shift, as if Liam had yielded control to Gavin. My suspicion was confirmed when I heard, in his deep, sorrowful voice, "Hello, Little Mate."

I sat up, meeting his gaze. Liam's strong features were sad and remorseful. "Hi," I said, feeling less confident. He looked into my eyes but remained silent. I reached up and cupped his face. He continued to look into my eyes. "Clemencia didn't want to leave. I wasn't strong enough for her. I'm sorry," I said.

His eyebrows shot up. "That's not your fault, Little Mate."

"I'm still sorry. She was your other half, and now she's gone." I waited, but he said nothing. "Gavin, I don't blame you for what happened. I don't think you would have done that under normal circumstances. You work so hard to help Liam protect me, and I appreciate that." He nodded. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to start over. I think I could be your mate, too."

He cocked his head, seemingly confused. "Little Mate, you sure are special."

"What do you mean?"

"I should be groveling at your feet after what happened. You should never want to speak to me again. And yet, here you are, apologizing to me and asking to share yourself with Liam." He gently kissed my forehead. "Little Mate, I could never properly apologize for my actions. Influenced or not, they were unforgivable. The simple fact that we're sitting here speaking means you're far better than anything I deserve." He looked down, delicately taking my wrists. Bringing them to his lips, he kissed each one just below my palm. Holding my hands, he ran his thumbs over the places where the bruises had been. "If you're willing, I'll take you any way I can have you. I'll spend the rest of our lives making up for my actions and showing you that I'm worthy of your forgiveness. I'll never break your trust again."

I nodded. "Okay," I said. Then I laid my head on his chest and let him hold me. I think we both needed it.

I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up in bed with Liam cuddled behind me. His scent enveloped me. I looked down to find I was wearing his shirt, with only my bra and panties underneath. I smiled, knowing he'd done it.

I looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was just after 5 AM. The announcement was set for 10 AM. Lily said she was coming by at 8 to help me get ready. Nerves began to set in as I realized I was going to be facing the whole pack today. So far, only about half the people I'd interacted with seemed okay with me. That wasn't a very good percentage.

I tried to wriggle free from Liam's grip, but my movement only tightened his arms around my waist. I turned and poked his cheek. A soft, low growl rumbled from his naked chest. "Liam," I whispered. He didn't move. "Liam," I whispered again. Still, no movement. I got an idea. Twisting enough to whisper in his ear, I said, "My Alpha." Again, a growl came from his chest, this one more pleasurable and less annoyed. His eyes cracked open, and a smirk graced his lips.

"Good morning, my Little Luna," he murmured, nuzzling my cheek. "I think I like it when you call me that." I giggled.

"I like it when you let me out of bed to pee," I said.

"Fine," he said with a pout. He removed his arms, but before I could move, he was on top of me, peppering kisses on my face. I continued to giggle at his playful attack. "Say it again," he said between kisses, a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Liam, please," I gasped.

"Say it again, Little Luna," he said, still showering me with kisses. I laughed. "Come on, Little Luna. Say it for me."

"Fine, fine!" I gasped. He paused a moment, and I tried to catch my breath. He looked at me with hungry eyes. My cheeks flushed red.

"I'm waiting," he said with a smirk. He was enjoying teasing me.

"My Alpha," I whispered. His eyes darkened. I could feel his erection through his shorts.

"Mmmm. Yeah, I think I like the sound of that from your pretty little lips," he said with a wink, seemingly satisfied. He rolled off me with a chuckle. I quickly scrambled off the bed and onto the floor. I could feel his eyes on me as I hurried to the bathroom.

Closing the door, I sighed. I went to the sink to wash my face. Lily had redone the bathroom during our evening in the city. Now there was a double vanity with drawers for both of us, more towels, and a remodeled shower with a large tub big enough for two.

"Baby, I can feel your nerves," Liam's voice came from the doorway. He leaned against the frame, a concerned look on his face.

I gave him a tight smile. "I'm okay," I said.

"Are you worried about today?" he asked. Now that I was marked, our bond was even stronger, and he could feel all my emotions.

"Maybe a little," I said, looking away. He walked toward me slowly.

"I think more than a little," he said. His hands gently cupped my chin, tilting my face to his. "If you aren't ready…"

"No!" I said quickly. I knew I would be letting him and Lily down. I was just worried about the pack members accepting me, especially since the former Alpha and Luna certainly didn't. "I'm just worried about what people will think of me being your mate. We know how your parents feel…" I trailed off.

"I don't care how anyone feels. You're my mate, and trying to defy the Moon Goddess got me nowhere. I'd give up being Alpha before I gave up you," he said, caressing my cheek. I relaxed slightly under his touch. He knew exactly how to calm me. "Come back to bed with me. We still have a couple of hours until Lily kicks me out anyway." I nodded, giving him a smile. He bent down, giving me a soft kiss.

We lay in bed cuddling until Lily banged on the door. Liam had fallen asleep quickly as I cuddled into his arms. I lay there trying not to worry about this afternoon.

Liam groaned at Lily's banging. "Is it time already?"

"Let's go! Get your Alpha butt out! Come on, Liam!" she shouted from the hallway. I giggled.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he said, looking down at me. I looked up at him with a small smile and shrugged. He bent his head and whispered, "Except you're about to be stuck with her for the next two hours. You thought trying on dresses was bad?" My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I hadn't thought about that. He laughed as he rolled out of bed, leaving me feeling cold without his warmth.

He went to the closet and returned with a shirt. He tossed me a pair of my pajama shorts with a wink. I slid off the bed and put them on. Liam grabbed his phone and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before opening the door. Lily looked at him with her arms crossed.

"Finally," she said, looking him up and down. "All that time, and you couldn't even put a shirt on?" He gave her a lopsided smile and scooted past her.

She rushed into the room, excitement erasing her irritation. "Ready to do this?" she asked excitedly.

Lily truly had some serious magic. In the past couple of years, I'd learned to style my hair and found a style I liked, once I had the money and ability to shop for myself. But Lily was in a league of her own. Yesterday, we'd found the perfect dress: a vintage-style dress with a fitted bodice and swing skirt that fell to my knees. It was deep blue with a baby blue sash around the waist, a sweetheart neckline, and sleeves that barely covered my shoulders. Small sequins sparkled throughout the fabric. The dark fabric brought out my freckles against my pale skin.

She'd done very little with my makeup, which I preferred. My hair was curled to accentuate its natural wave, and the front was swept back into Dutch braids that met at the back of my head, adorned with a gorgeous gem-encrusted brooch that matched the dress. We'd also found a pair of baby blue saddle shoes that went well with the dress and spared me from having to wear heels—I'd confessed my fear of tripping during the announcement.

Liam came in while I was putting on my shoes; Lily had left to get ready. She and Damien would accompany us before the pack. I was happy to have their support. I stood as his eyes lifted from his phone and landed on me. They widened in surprise.

"Is it okay?" I asked.

"Wow," he said. "Baby, you look amazing." His eyes swept over me. I felt my cheeks warm under his gaze.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

He chuckled. "If this weren't so important, I wouldn't let you leave this room." He turned and went into the closet. I checked myself in the mirror. When Liam emerged, he was handsomely dressed in a baby blue dress shirt to match the sash on my dress. He looked dapper with his dark locks tousled from bed.

"I have something for you," he said, coming up behind me. I looked at him questioningly. "Close your eyes," he whispered. A shiver ran down my spine. I closed my eyes and waited. I felt something cold and small against my chest. I opened my eyes as Liam fastened a necklace around me. My mouth dropped open.

"I was going to wait, but I'm just so happy you agreed to be introduced to the pack and be my Luna. I wanted to give you something to remind you that you'll always be my world," he said sweetly. I looked at the pendant: a white gold wolf howling at what appeared to be a blue topaz moon. It was gorgeous. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Liam, it's so beautiful," I whispered. "Thank you." I turned to him, reaching up on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his lips.

He kissed me back, then broke the kiss. "We need to go. I'm sure there's a Beta downstairs with a neurotic mate waiting for us," he laughed. I nodded and pulled away. He smiled, holding out his hand. I gratefully took it, wanting all the comfort I could get. But it wasn't enough; with every step toward the outdoor reception set up behind the pack house, my nerves intensified.

Liam

I held her hand as we descended the stairs. We would meet Lily and Damien by the back doors. Damien, Lily, and I would go onstage first, then Austin would bring Azalea out for her introduction to prevent murmurs before I spoke. I could feel her nerves through our link, and honestly, I was a little nervous, too.

I hoped this would go well, but my parents' absence would send a message. Many pack members might hold a grudge against her. Damien and Lily were waiting with Austin by the back door when we arrived.

"Good morning, Luna," Austin said, flashing her a big smile. After speaking with Austin and Jacob about their escorting Azalea to the clinic, Damien and I agreed it was best to leave Azalea's protection to Austin until we found a permanent guard.

"Good morning, Austin. And please, call me Azalea," she said politely.

"No can do, Luna. So, are you ready to go?" he asked. She nodded shyly. "I've got it from here, Alpha," he said to me. I nodded curtly.

I turned to Azalea. I cupped her face. "Ready?" I asked quietly. She nodded. "We'll only be apart for a few minutes, and Austin will be with you the whole time, okay?"

"I'm okay, Liam. Everything will work out," she said. I gave her a quick kiss before letting her go with Austin.

"Let's get this over with," Damien said flatly. I knew he didn't mean it harshly; he just hated formalities. I couldn't say I loved them either.

Damien, Lily, and I walked into the backyard and onto the small platform we used as a stage. Most of the pack was present. The murmuring died down as we took the stage. Damien and Lily stood beside me, holding hands, while I gained the pack's attention.

"Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining me today. I have a very exciting announcement," I began. "As you all know, almost three years ago, my father passed the Alpha title to me, even though I hadn't found my mate. As many of you know, I've been diligently searching for her since my seventeenth birthday. I'm happy to announce that I have found my mate and our future Luna!" There was applause and cheers. I let it subside before continuing. "Now, she's very shy, so please give her a warm welcome."

I looked to Damien, who nodded, signaling he'd already contacted Austin. Austin and Azalea emerged from the back door. I could see she was pale. He led her, with a hand on her back, toward the stage. I'd have to talk to him about touching my mate. She was quickly by my side, and Austin joined Damien and Lily. I took her hand.

"Everyone, please welcome your future Luna, Azalea Simmons," I announced. She looked up with a shy smile. There were cheers from younger members who didn't know about her. Confused whispers came from some who'd heard rumors. Then there were outright enraged looks from some older members—I assumed they'd been involved in stopping the overthrow of my father and knew who she was.

"Don't you mean, my future Luna?" a loud voice boomed from the back.

"No…" Azalea's voice echoed in my head.