CHAPTER 20
The storm blew itself out around midnight and the next day dawned bright and clear, with a pure crystal blue that almost hurt the eyes to gaze at. The temperature had dipped considerably causing little puffs of white with every breath. The pack was in an uproar, working frantically to get everything ready, again, for Chase and Carson's bonding. The two had discussed it and decided that they would rather go ahead and complete the ceremony now with the moon waning than to wait another month for the next full moon as was traditional. Given the events of the past few days, the council had acquiesced and gave their blessing.
The clearing shone brightly lit by a hundred torches and a scattering of borrowed patio firepots to lend warmth. Overhead, the stars twinkled brightly and the moon smiled down at the couple standing before their alpha, declaring their love and devotion to each other.
Chase reached over and touched the gemstone broach shining softly from the pale blue dress she had borrowed from Rachel. Shooting a smile at his soon to be brother in law, he nodded his thanks. Cayson had found it sitting in the grass of the little clearing in the neighboring woods. When he returned it to his sister, she had cried.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispered to her. Then taking her hand, they turned to face Jeff.
Clearing his throat, Jeff began the ceremony. “The life of a wolf is long and filled with danger, and for this reason Luna has given to us the gift of life mates. A life mate is that perfect entity that was created to love and be loved by one specific wolf. Many times, finding a mate takes a long time, perhaps years or even decades, not to weaken us but so that we are truly thankful for them when we find them. Luna knows what she's doing.“
He smiled at them. “Chase and Carson have found each other at a very young age and as such, will have a lifetime to spend together – a lifetime of love, joy, and happiness but also sadness, pain and heartache. However, this is the intrinsic meaning behind our mates – when one is weak the other is strong. When one is hurt the other nurtures. When one cries, the other comforts. It is nature's greatest wisdom that she has blessed our people with so great a gift. Our pack is doubly blessed for not only do we have a strong couple, but one that individually retains strong gifts - a dreamer and a healer. Together they will care and nurture our pack. Together they will strengthen our people through their own gifts and later through their children.”
He turned to Will who had pulled out a cord made of vines. Taking the cord he held it up. “This is the cord of bonding. Carson's mother and Chase's sister harvested vines in the woods that were carefully woven into one strand. Vines are used to represent the wild feral side of our nature. That they are created by those women who are closest to our hearts represent the fact that wolves are pack animals nurtured by our females. Our females are precious and give to us the beginning of our lives. It is only fitting that they be the ones to give us over to our new lives. This is a representative of our lives, two mingling into one, becoming stronger than the two individuals.” He looked at Chase and nodded.
Chase leaned over and kissed Carson's cheek; then taking a small knife, he cut a few locks of her hair and then handed the knife to her where she did the same to him. They held the hair out in their palms between them. Jeff took the strands and quickly knotted them into the weave of the cord then wrapped the cord around their hands, tying them together.
“This is your life, bound closely in the strands of your past and the lives of your families. It is not complete until you find your mate and they combine with you to make your life stronger. This is a bond that cannot be untied but must be severed to be removed. To sever a life is to remove it from this world. So also will your bond be. Now that your lives are bound, so shall your blood be bound.”
They turned to face each other and she swept her hair away from her neck, craning it slightly. He stepped forward. “Our blood will be intermingled, our hearts bound and our lives forever more tied together.” Then he allowed his wolf to surface enough to cause his canines to elongate. Moving in closer, he inhaled her fragrance; lilacs, vanilla and sweet honey. Carefully he closed his jaws over her neck where it met the shoulder, puncturing her skin enough that he could taste her blood; it was ambrosia, sweet and delicious. She gasped as the sensation of their lives becoming entwined curled through her core. Gently he removed his mouth and licked the drops of blood that welled to the surface.
“Our blood will be intermingled, our hearts bound and our lives forever more tied together,” she whispered then standing on her tiptoes, sunk her own canines into the sweet flesh of his shoulder. As she tasted his blood, the binding was complete, fusing their lives together inseparability until they could each feel each other nestled into their souls. She licked the wound gently and pulled back, smiling at him tenderly, her eyes glossy with unshod tears.
He raised his hand and cupped her cheek, running his thumb over her lips, removing a drop of blood that still remained. “Forever,” he murmured.
“Forever,” she responded.
Then they kissed, unhurried, full of the love they carried for each other until they broke apart breathlessly to applause. Raising their still bound hands high in the air Chase shouted “FOREVER!!”
.-~*~-.
The newly bonded couple had made their excuses shortly after midnight and slipped off from the revelry. Stepping into the forest, they undressed and shifted, slipping into the night quietly. Chase's leg was almost healed, and it felt good to be able to stretch it. After a good run, they found themselves at the lake and shifting back, Carson dove into the chilly waters, surfacing with a gasp. “Dear Luna, that is cold,” she said through chattering teeth.
He laughed then dove in after her, swimming under the placid surface then wrapping a hand around her ankle, pulled her under. Clamping his mouth on hers, he slid his tongue into her lips and tasted her. Together they broke the surface, arms and legs tangled as their lips sought each other, kissing with a fevered passion. He slid his hand into the wet length of her hair, knotting his fingers in the tresses. The kiss broke and she moaned softly, her head falling back exposing her neck to him. He groaned and kissed along the pale length to her shoulder and the still fresh mark still there. “Exquisite,” he mumbled. She shuddered as his breath slid over her wet skin, trailing kisses down. With the new bond between them, she could feel what he felt, could sense his amazement and wonder at the knowledge that she was finally and truly his. Her heart beat faster.
They made love on the banks of the Sapphire Lake as the moon watched over them. Afterwards, they lay together, enjoying the sweet harmony of their love.
“Oh wow,” she breathed.
He chuckled. “That was just the first round. Let's go home to a soft bed and we'll see how many rounds it takes before we both collapse in exhaustion.”
“I like how you think, Dr. Blackston,” she giggled softly. “I love you.”
“I aim to please, Mrs. Blackston,” he rumbled. “I love you too.”
She kissed him and jumped up. “Last one back has to go get our clothes,” she grinned and shifted, taking off towards his... no their cabin.
He laughed, “you little minx!” then shifted and bolted after her.