— Kaden —

I saw the wheels spin behind the wizard’s eyes. I let them.

I’ve had more than enough time to think about it.

“See,” I said. “My advisory council doesn’t have a Head of—what would it be—magic? It has been a terrible oversight from my part and I do intent to correct this as soon as possible, and you seem like an excellent candidate.”

“Just like that?”

“Mishka vouched for you. You save my mate twice. You have done great work and as been great council. What should be more to show me your potential?” I asked. “I can ask Elaeya it if makes you feel better?”

He said nothing for a full minute. I leaned back in my chair, watching the gears spin in his mind.

“You know that I’m not a werewolf, right?” he finally said.

“Obviously,” I said. “But if I can accept werejaguars, and freaking werecoyotes, I don’t see why I couldn’t make an exception for you.”

“But those as shifters, I’m not.”

“From what I’ve heard, there’s been more than a few wizards who’ve dabbled into shapeshifting.”

“Sure, but that’s magic.”

“Weren’t you the one telling me half an hour ago that shifting is magic?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s different.”

“Is it?” I asked. “Do you think that after accepting a mate like mine, and her family, that I will have many qualms about you?”

“Right,” he said quirking his head aside.

“I like having competent people,” I told him. “I like having reliable people, loyal people, trustworthy people.”

“I’m not really good at worshiping the ground someone walks on.”

“I’m not asking you to,” I said.

“But that’s kinda what your people do.”

“They show respect the way they see fit. If you see differently, I can respect that.”

He slouched in his chair thinking.

“You don’t have to give me an answer now if you’re not ready, but I am. The moment your mind is made, I will process. And resources will be given for you to more here.”

“And where would I live exactly?”

“Where you want. If you accept the position I’m offering, you would be justified to live in the packhouse, you could get a house, an apartment. On Blakemore proper, or in Blakeden. If you prefer on the other territories, I can make an official request to the Alpha in charge.”

“That would depend on the rent.”

“Any ranking position automatically includes living accommodations.”

“Rank?”

“I consider rank beyond just betas and gammas.”

“You think a human can be part of a pack?”

“Aren’t you a wizard? Aren’t you the one with all the answers?”

He thought about it. “In theory, it would work.”

“Then?”

“Oh, what the hell,” he said raising his sleeves.

— Elaeya —

“Well,” said Shae. “I think we should separate them all. The introduction to the pack, the Luna ceremony, and the wedding. Three events.”

“Wouldn’t that be too much?” I asked her.

“When will be the marriage?” asked my mother.

“On the full moon, or course,” replied Shae.

“So the Luna ceremony would be on the waxing moon?”

“Exactly.”

“It sounds sound.”

Shae beamed at her.

“Would it be possible for me to preside over both? I don’t mean to take over all the ceremonies, just to have a few things of our traditions?”

Shae clapped her hands together.

“That sounds brilliant,” she said. “I don’t see why we could not.”

There was a lot of white fabric that was being twisted over my frame by Morea.

She titled her head sideways.

“It doesn’t feel right, does it?” told her Shae. Both her and my mother were sitting in our drawing-room while I was standing on top of the coffee table to be twirled and moved around by Morea.

“No. I don’t think this is a good fabric for her. I would go with something with more pizazz,” said Morea.

“Yes, please,” said Shae. “I want everyone present to be blown away. This is pretty, but not out of this world. She’s out of this world, so I want her to wear a dress that says the same.”

Morea thought carefully.

“You know what I’d like to see?” she asked.

“Pray do tell,” said Shae.

“Something riské.”

“Like what exactly?” I asked suspiciously.

“I don’t have the image in my mind exactly. At least not precisely, but it’s getting there.”

“Let yourself go wild,” said Shae. “And make sure it looks like nothing you see on most weddings.”

“I can do that.”

I looked around a little unsettle. My mother gave me an apologetic smile.

“Now, you and I,” said Shae turning to my mother and taking her hand in between hers. “Have a lot to talk about.” She looked at her watch. “My son should be back soon, so we should go and take care of business, and leave the love birds on their own for a little while.”

My mother nodded.

Everyone kissed and they all left within a few minutes. I was left a little dizzy on the love seat.

Kaden came in not long after.

“So, how have been things here?” he asked as he walked in.

“Your mother is a little intense,” I told him.

“You don’t have to tell me, I know.”

“I think the final decision is to make three events.”

“What? For what?”

“Make me part of the pack,” I said ticking one finger. “Luna ceremony,” I said ticking a second. “And the wedding.” I ticked a third.

He dropped on the seat next to me.

“It’s not that I’m against it, but I’m not sure I have time for this,” he said at a loss. “When would be the first?”

I shrugged. “She said one per week, as the wedding would be on the full moon,” I said calculating, “Then it would make the first, this Friday.”

His eyes got rounder.

I wrapped my arms around his arm. “Let’s eat first, and then we can see how to make your workload lighter,” I told him.

“Are you gonna magically sort everything, because if you do, I’ll marry you.”

I smiled. “Something like that.”

It was in the early hours of the morning, when we finally went to bed, but we’d gone through at least four full day’s worth of work together.

We were so spent that we barely got out of our clothes to drop on the bed and were asleep instantly.

We spent the next couple of days doing mostly the same, I would come to his office and do anything I could to help accelerate the process so to have his workload as reduced as possible.

On Friday, it was the first event on our calendar.

We have managed to make Shae keep this one on the smaller end of the scale. She regardless, made an evening event in the ballroom where every Alphas and ranked member of Blakemore and its packs were invited.

I spent most of the evening being introduced to people I had never met, and a few I had.

I have received more flowers than, well, I don’t think I have ever received flowers before.

There was someone dedicated to take the bouquets from me after each time I received them. They all disappeared, I don’t know where, but I suspected that I might find a lot of them in vases over every surface at home.

Everyone was kind and respectful.

I sipped a little champagne, and ate from the buffet of amuse-bouche, Kaden nearly always by my side.

I felt more at ease when he was there. It was like his confidence was radiating through me.

I could do this, couldn’t I?

He made me feel like I could.