The Young Mate

twenty four

Christal McCade

Sam pulls up behind the large building in the center of the pack territory and gets out of the car. Shawn opens the door and gets out before holding out his hand to help me out. I take hold on his hand, a pleasurable shock of electricity shoots through me.

"You're minutes from meeting your pack," Shawn whispers and I nod, gulping. I look around, houses and random buildings cover the land around the center.

"I-" my voice gives out and I gulp, looking around, my heart hammering in my chest. "I'm not ready," I manage to whisper.

Shawn turns and pulls me into his chest. "Yes you are love, you're ready."

I squeeze my arms tightly around Shawn and let out a shaky breath.

"I'm scared," I whisper and hold Shawn even tighter to me, not wanting to let go. In his arms I'm safe, out of them I feel vulnerable and weak. I don't like it so I don't let go.

"I'll be there by your side the whole time darling, don't worry," Shawn assured me and kisses the top of my head.

Sam comes up to us and taps Shawn's shoulder, "It's time, the pack is getting impatient."

Shawn nods and hugs me even tighter. As my head rests against Shawn's chest I listen to the beat of his heart, a perfect pattern that I've fallen in love with. Every night I listen to the soft beating of his heart, I hope for it to never end.

You used to hate our mate, now you're obsessed with him my wolf says, the first thing she has said to me since we turned 18.

Like my brother told me, give in, accept him, it's the only way to truly be with your mate and love them I remind her of what my brother told me the night I found out Shawn was our mate. What's your name?

You'll find out when the times right...

"Common Christal you have to let me go," Shawn reaches for my arms that are right around him, not willing to let go. I make a noise, indicating my protest to letting my mate go. I moan in displeasure as he continues to pull my arms away from his body. My grip weakens slightly but I whine even more.

"Don't leave me, please don't," I whimper and snuggle my face into his suit jacket, he smells so good. Like, rosewood and mint.

Shawn grunts lowly, deep down in his chest. "I'm never going to leave you, I'm here, I'm here. But for only two minutes you won't be touching me, you have to let go for now until you're introduced to the pack."

I frown and slowly unwrap my arms from his body. Shawn smiles and cups my face, thousands of more shivers are sent throughout my body. He places the softest of kisses onto my lips, my eyes flutter closed, weak at his touch. My knees bend slightly as I relax into his kiss.

And in just a second the kiss is over and Shawn is walking to the stage to greet his pack. Soon our pack.

Alex walks next to me and places a hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry, they will love you."

I smile softly back at Alex, "thank you."

As Shawn talks to the pack, updating them on the alliances and The Yellow Ridge Packs plans Sam walks back and to my other side.

"He's about to announce you," Sam says, his expression is stoic and he looks around, making sure no one is back here still.

"What do I do when I eat up there?" I ask nervously, watching as Shawn stands up on the stage confidently as he walks the stage with his long strides. Shawn's arms are out as he is talking about the Yellow Ridge Packs attack on us not long ago.

"Finally," Shawn starts, "I promise you all something years ago when I was sworn in as your alpha," He pauses again. The pack is silent and I can tell that he has a small grin on his face just by the way he is speaking.

"I promised to make our pack whole again, I promised to make us strong. And now, finally, after years of searching, I can make us whole again. Who I am about to introduce to you is one of the bravest, strongest and beautiful woman I have ever come across."

Sam starts to walk forward, ushering me to come with him. Alex and Sam stand side to side, walking in front of me so I am blocked from the packs view as we walk up the back stage stairs and onto the black platform.

"My mate, your Luna, Christal May McCade," Sam and Alex step away from me, leaving me so I'm in the open view of everyone in the pack. I look out to the crowd involuntarily and observe how far the crowd stretches. Shawn's pack is triple the size of my old pack.

A gentle bolt of electricity runs through my hand as Shawn reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me towards him in the middle of the stage.

Shawn pulls me in front of him, wrapping his arms around my body so they rest in the front. Shawn kisses the back of my head and squeezes me securely.

"I got you baby," he whispers in my ear, his ear mic doesn't pick up on what he said to me since he was too quiet. I nod and hold my hands on top of his, trying to get myself to relax back into his body.

The crowd is in a frenzy now, everyone whispering about where I came from, my looks, how old I am, how long I've been here in the pack and how happy they are to finally have a Luna.

I smile lightly and look back to Shawn over my shoulder. He's smiling widely, he seven more confident now that I'm on stage and the whole pack is going crazy with all these questions.

Shawn lets them gossip and question for a little longer before he starts to quiet them down.

"Alright now, quiet down," Shawn says, his voice stern. Everybody listens and I'm just three quick seconds it's silent again. "I realize you all have questions," Shawn says, pulling me even farther back into him. "We will be taking a few now and a more later, at Christals swearing in ceremony."

Again the pack erupts at the news of the ceremony being today. Normally a pack would have weeks, even months to prepare for the ceremony but this pack only has hours.

"Don't worry, I've already made the preparations, no work is to be done, just dress up and show up. She is your Luna and this ceremony will be like any other," He adds and the pack starts to quiet down again. Sam and Alex walk up next to me and Shawn. They hand me a microphone and Shawn moves me so I'm standing at his side, one arm wrapped around me waist.

"We will be taking questions now."