Chosen

35

The day after Golden Moon left, I awoke to bright sunlight and warm lips on my shoulders.

I giggled as Rykor continued to pepper kisses across my neck and chest. A playful growl passed his lips as I squirmed, his arms coming around me to caged me to his chest. I reveled in the moment, in his arms, in the way my heart expanded and filled my chest and sent electricity all the way down to my toes.

"Come, Lahla, we should leave now so we can get home before it's too dark."

My brows furrowed. "Leave? Where are we going?"

"To White Moon, of course."

I sat up in the bed, shocked. "What? Why?"

Rykor sat up as well, his hands reaching for mine. Since the weekend with Golden Moon, he'd been a lot more physical, always wanting to be in contact with me. I couldn't complain, though. Any time spent apart from him felt like I was missing a vital part of me, and it was only once I was back in his arms that I felt whole again.

"We told Golden Moon that we are Mates. There is no guarantee that they will not spread the news to other packs, and I know you wanted to talk to your... old pack before others knew." His mouth twisted as he referenced my old pack.

My hands smoothed down his face, thumbs brushing over his lips to ease the creases his frown had created. "Thank you. Yes, we should go. I want...I want them to hear it from me first."

Rykor nodded, and I knew he understood. Together, we got ready for the day. Rykor went to take a shower while I dressed in a forest green shift dress, the long sleeves and square neckline making me feel professional and casual all at once. Due to the cold, I paired a set of brown leather boots with the outfit, deciding on a simple crown braid for my otherwise unruly mane.

Rykor was still in the shower when I finished, so I made us both a quick breakfast. Rykor finally came down as I set it all on the table.

He looked delicious in his standard black trousers and crisp black button up. His hair was half up in a braid, the rest tumbling in dark waves about his shoulders. I admired him openly, and if I were I cartoon, I was sure I'd have hearts in my eyes. Rykor, however, regarded me with a frown.

I, too, frowned as I looked down at my outfit. "What's wrong?"

He didn't speak, instead held up a finger as he made his way back upstairs. A moment later he descended, his hand in a fist at his side and the braid I'd admired hastily undone from his hair. I continued to frown, confused.

He stopped before me, unfurling his fist to reveal a soft silk ribbon. A forest green ribbon.

"You are my Mate. We should match." It was so simple, the way he said it. Like a definitive fact, no fluff about it. I blinked away the tears in my eyes, grateful as he turned to sit at the table so I could braid the ribbon into his hair.

When I was finished, I tipped his head back and brought our lips together. I poured my love into the kiss, my gratitude to him for simply being the male that he was, the male that I needed. His answering rumble of approval let me know he felt the same.

We decided to take one of the pack cars. White Moon was nearly a two day journey as a Lycan – well, it was a two day journey for me. Rykor could make the trip in a little less than a day. Taking the car, however, meant that we could travel between the packs in just a few hours. Beta Shawn met us at the garage that housed all the pack cars; since most Lycans tended to travel in animal form, it was rare that a single Lycan ever owned a vehicle, but many packs had them for emergencies. The vehicles were often shared by the pack, with members requesting their use when necessary.