The Heart of the Shadow

10. The Vows

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Ryka's POV
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   "Louis! Hold still!" Mother commands. I walk into her room and see Louis running around without a shirt on. He spots me and uses me as a hiding place.

   "Go get ready Mother, I can handle this." She sighs and walks down the hall to her room. Louis continues running around the room while I try to catch him.

   "You can't get me!"

   "Louis! Stop now!" He halts his attempt to dive under the bed. "I will give you a cookie if you put your clothes on right now." He scrambles to throw on his clothes, getting stuck multiple times. He ties his shoes as I fix his bow tie. 

   "Can I have a cookie now, Ry?" I take his hand and lead him to the kitchen. Stealing two cookies that are for the coronation.

   "Go hide in your room so no one sees it." He runs up the stairs giggling, I gasp as someone spins me around.

   "I know I didn't just see you give him a cookie." Ray smirks as I blush.

   "Nope you didn't see anything." I turn to run upstairs, but a hand clasped around my wrist stops me.

"Ryka, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" My heart pounds in my chest as I think of the worst. Our eyes lock and he takes a deep breath.

"Will you be my date to the coronation?"

"My dress is navy blue." He releases his grip and smiles at me. I bound up the stairs, chomping on my cookie as I go.

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, Ray, I'll go with you." I walk into my room to see Mother laying out my outfit. She's already in her emerald green dress that matches her eyes.

"You need to get ready, we have to be in the Grand Ballroom in two hours. Go put your dress and shoes on, I'll help you with your hair and makeup." I nod my head at her instruction, making my way to the bathroom and squeezing into the dress. It has no sleeves, fits tight into my waist, and flares out to the top of my knees. After slipping on the silver heels, I walk back into my room, only to be ushered to a chair in front of my vanity.

"How long is this going to take?"

"Well with your mess of hair it will probably take about 45 minutes to curl. The makeup should take less than 30, I'm not going to do much." She begins to curl my hair as I play games on my phone. "So, do you have a date?"

"Yes, actually, Ray asked me." She almost burns my ear from excitement. "Hey, be careful, I need that ear."

"I'm sorry, this is just so exciting! You've never had a date before."

"Yes I have, Kaid counts."

"No he doesn't, I do like Ray though. He's a nice boy, one that will treat you right." I groan as she keeps rambling.

"Mom I get it, you already want us to be together. You do know that probably won't happen, right?" She gives me a knowing look.

"That's because you're too hung up on Ryder to notice anyone else."

"That is not true! Ryder is my best friend, I don't like him like that!"

"You can think that."

"Are you finished with my hair yet?"

"Just a few more pieces." She finishes with my hair and starts on my makeup. She piles on what feels like pounds of makeup.

   "Mom that's so heavy I can't even open my eyes."

   "Seriously, stop being a drama queen, it's only foundation." She explains everything she put on but I don't remember any of it.

   "Are you finally done?" She claps her hands and then puts away all her supplies.

   "Yep, all done. Now, we have to go find your father and Ray." She wiggles her eyebrows as she says my dates name.

   "Quit it mom." We travel to the top of the left staircase in the ballroom. From here you can see everything, the party starts in about 30 minutes and most of the Pack is already here. Waiting at the bottom of the stairs is my father and Ray. My mother and I link arms and walk towards the two men.

   "You look beautiful." Ray comments.

   "Thank you. You look handsome yourself. Guess all that training pays off." His suit fits snug against all of his lean muscle, making him look extremely handsome. I take his hand, and he leads me to a table. His parents and little sister are already sitting on one half. I look to the left side and see Louis eating a cookie.

   "You look pretty, Ry." Louis says with a mouthful of cookie.

   "Thank you, you look handsome Munchkin." I ruffle his hair and he smacks my hands away.

   The party is in full swing two hours later. I've danced with Ray multiple times, Louis stole the spotlight a couple times. It's time for the actual coronation part to start. Harley and Kaiden have been absent until now. They each stand at the top of one side of the staircase. Wearing white suits to show the purity of a new beginning for the Alpha couple. Mark stands at the bottom of Kaiden's staircase, and Taylor stands at the bottom of Harley's staircase. Kaiden and Harley slowly walk down to the center of the stage. Two knives sit on a table in front of them.

   "Kaiden Black, will you protect this pack with your life? Use your strength and wisdom to be a trusting leader? And love this pack as they are your children?" Mark holds the knife as he asks Kaiden the vows.

   "I do." Kaiden takes the knife and cuts across his palm. He lets the blood pool in his hand as we wait for Harley.

"Harley Hemsworth, will you protect this pack with your life? Use your strength and wisdom to be a trusting leader? And love this pack as they are your children?"

   "I do." Harley slits his palm just as Kaiden had done. Mark grabs Kaidens wrist and Taylor grabs Harley's wrist, pushing their cuts together to create a bond only broken my death. I wince as a headache forms from my soul accepting a new Alpha couple. Harley crumples to the floor as the voices in the Pack link develop in his brain. Kaiden helps him stand as they both block out the onslaught of voices.

   "Who is ready to run?" Kaiden yell. A chorus of howls erupt as we all charge outside.

    I jump into the air and shift into my wolf alongside Ray, his rusty colored wolf follows me through the woods. I sprint until I reach Kaiden and Harley, who are leading the pack. We run about half of the perimeter before Harley gets tired, Kaiden hauls his mate onto his back and continues his run. Somehow, Louis' blonde wolf ends up beside me, he makes it about 2/3 of the way before I have to carry him. We slow down as we begin to reach the Pack House, everyone returning to their respective homes for the night.

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I won't be able to post for the next few Mondays due to school related exams. Though I may find time to post one more chapter.
Night_Shadow
3/7/19
5/6/19