Chapter 24
~Levi~
“Stop” I giggled into the pillow as Kyle nuzzled the back of my neck.
“You love it baby, so don’t fight it” he whispered in my ear. I rolled over a bit and met his mouth with mine.
It’s been a couple months since recovering for the hunter attack at Alpha Redding’s pack house. Now Kyle and I were back home under The Blue Moon’s roof. The reunion back was definitely an emotional one. Wyatt the former Beta and his mate had been the ones to pick us up from the ‘The Eclipse Pack’ I had found out their pack name from Cyrus. The moment Kyle and I stepped out though the front door his parents swarmed him in giant hugs. I had to step away from getting knocked over but I watched in anxiety waiting for Kyle to lose it any moment but surprisingly I saw him reach out and hold his parents close, burring him face between theirs.
I remember having to bit my lip from holding the tears in like a total wuss.
*Flashback*
“Kyle!” I heard a women and a man scream the second we hit the porch. Too quick for my eyes to see my mate was enveloped in limbs and held tight. Skipping out of the way I watched his parents hold him so close I was afraid they were going to break him. The anxious feeling of waiting for Kyle to attach his own parents was to close for comfort but it never came. Instead he wrapped them both up in his strong arms and held them close. A knot was forming in my throat as I watched and I had to clear my throat of the clogged emotions.
“I thought we lost you baby” I hears his mother cry in his ear.
“No, I’m right here and going nowhere.” Kyle reassured.
Finally when they both let go of him they were wiping their eyes. Quietly I scooted passed them letting them have their privacy and took our luggage to the car trunk when I felt something rub against the back of my pant leg. Glancing down I saw Lakota gazing up at me with those beautiful yellow eyes. Smiling I slammed the trunk closed and lent down in the snow, I scratched him behind the ear till he leant into my hand.
“Last call buddy, you can come with us” I told him but got the same answer as the other million times I asked him that. He shook his head with a huff and licked my hand. I sighed and shrugged,
“Alright but you might want to go say bye to Kyle before we leave. And know that you’re always welcome at Blue Moon k” he gave a bark and raced up the porch steps and tackled Kyle who was looking a bit embarrassed as he talked with his parents.
A hand was suddenly dropped on my shoulder and snapped my head to the side to see Cyrus watching them as well.
“I might miss you Levi, and even your crazy mate over there.” He said squeezing my shoulder a bit. I rolled my eyes and shoved his hand off my shoulder playfully.
“Well I’m not sure I can say the same.” I responded snarkily.
Cyrus chuckled,
“Just so you know that advice you gave the pup goes to you too” I frowned at him in confusion. He glanced at me with slightly soft look.
“You are always welcome here.” I smiled at him and shoved at his shoulder.
“Of course I am Cyrus, you wouldn’t be able to live without a visit from me.” he shook his head and let out a laugh.
“Punk”
That was when Kyle and his parents came back to the car. My mate smile gave me such elation that had to walk forward and take his hand in mine.
“Levi?” Wyatt said suddenly and I looked up to his grateful face. “Thank you for watching over our son, it means so much.” He reached out and squeezed my arm gently while his mates small form rammed into mine, I was glad that Kyle was there to catch me.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she chanted in a wavering tone in my shoulder. I laughed and patted her back lightly.
“It was no problem” I reassured her. When she moved back she stepped into Wyatt’s arms her hand up to her mouth.
“Alright shall we go” the former Beta said reaching out and opening the back door for Kyle and I. I glanced over at my mate and smiled with a nod.
“Have a safe trip you guys” Cyrus waved at us. I slid in beside Kyle and closed the door while Wyatt shook Cyrus’s hand saying something before he got in the driver’s seat. My eyes trained on the two figures of Cyrus and Lakota as we drove out of the territory. I turned my head towards Kyle.
“Are you sure you want to leave Lakota behind?” I whispered under the happy weeping Mrs. Parkers was doing in the front seat. His beautiful gray eyes were soft and joyful.
“Yeah, he wants this and he deserves to have whatever he wants. Plus you already told him he can come to stay with us if he wanted to so I’m pretty sure that he’ll come visit us one day.” He told me a gentle smile on his handsome face. I let out a huff of a laugh and leant over the seat pressing my lips to his.
“Ok”
The moment we got home there was a welcome party waiting for Kyle but I knew that this time Kyle wouldn’t be so accepting about being swarmed by people; and I was right. The minute there was too many faces around him he began breathing hard and his hand tightened in mine. I had to push people away and tell them to give him some personal space.
The only person that I did let come close to him was Alpha Liam and Alpha Aiden. Alpha Liam had asked us to talk in his office whereupon Kyle had told him that he had lost him memory due to a fall when escaping the Syrin’s dungeon with Lakota. I sat there listening to the whole story over again and it was just as bad if not worse than the first time. The thought of anyone harming my mate pissed me off to know end. To know that your mate was tortured for two years in ways you couldn’t possibly image and he hadn’t even told me how either.
Throughout the meeting with the Alpha Kyle had a hold of my hand the whole time and refused to let got not that I would let him. I saw Aiden shrink into his mate from time to time and I knew exactly how he felt because I was tempted to do the same.
Then out of nowhere Kyle stood, walked right up to the Alpha and knelt down in front of him with his head bowed and fist over his heart. Alpha has straightened up in surprise as he watched Kyle do this.
“I kneel before you Alpha, in deep regret and apologize for my actions towards you and the things I have down in the past. They are unforgivable but if you could take it upon yourself to have mercy on to my mate Levi I would be forever in you debt.” He had said and I stared in shock.
What the hell was he talking about?
Alpha Liam frowned at my mate the same way I was when he put his hand on Kyles shoulder who flinched suddenly causing the Alpha to let go.
“No one holds any ill will towards you or your mate Kyle, you are pack.” His deep voice was stern and soft. Kyle shook his head,
“I know you and I have bad blood between us, the way I was to you so long ago is inexcusable and I am not worthy of such kind words.” Alpha Liam sighed,
“Your right, you and I have had history between us. Bad things happened, words were exchanged along with punches but if you are willing to kneel before me in such a manner I can see that you are willing to turn over a new leaf, so I am willing to do the same. Stand Kyle, you’ve been though too much I can see it in your eyes.” slowly Kyle rose to his feet, Liam doing to same.
“I can’t say this is the beginning of a new improved friendship because those moments passed us by long ago but I can say that it is something.” The Alpha smiled slightly and reached out a hand. Kyle had glanced over at me and I grinned up at him with a nod. Clasping the Alpha’s hand Kyle inclined his head,
“To something”
End of Flashback
Since then Kyle and I have share everything we possibly could with each other and it was perfect. There were those day’s where he had an off day or nightmares where I would hold him for hours trying to calm him down and I cherished every moment. Then there were others where we stayed in bed all day nothing but talking and making love.
“Have I told you that you smell really good?” Kyle muttered in my ear nipping at it. I bit my lip as I arched into him.
“No, what do I smell like?” he chuckled gripping my hip and pushing my ass further into his groin.
“Apples, sweet, sweet apples and pine.” He moaned kissing my mark he gave me. I let out a shaky breath and dropped my head forward unable to hold it up anymore.
“Great, I’m a walking, talking glade plug in.” he laughed deeply causing my body to heat up more.
“More like my own little sense and spray.” He growled and rolled me over on my back. His eyes were darkening as he gazed down at me, his soft blonde hair was hanging over his forehead made me reach out and comb my fingers through the ridiculous soft fringe.
“What?” I whispered as his face grew serious.
“I just realized something.” I frowned.
“And what was that?”
“I haven’t told you something that I should have told you a while ago.” I laughed as I continued to brushing my fingers through his hair.
“That is?” slowly he leant down to me kissing me on corner of my mouth and up towards my ear before stopping. I heard nothing but the sound of our soon laboring breath.
“Kyle?” I asked and he kissed my ear one more time.
“I love you”
Those words made my world stop completely. I never thought I’d hear them coming from Kyle’s lips but there they were… And they were beautiful.
I closed my eyes then as everything got blurry and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
“Levi” his voice was a little apprehensive and I smiled.
“I love you too” he pulled back to look in my eyes with his wide gaze. “So much, Kyle”
It looked as if his body gave a sigh of relief as he sagged. He then nuzzled his head into my neck,
“You have no idea how long I’ve been holding those words in.” he muttered into my throat.
“Oh really.” I chuckled.
“Really.” he was silent for a bit before continuing. “It’s really pathetic but from the moment I thought I would never see you again, when those demon women had me all I could think of was you. I know it should have been sooner than that, more like from the day I first saw you in the hallway but like a coward that I am I ran from you and I regret that so very much. I regret how I treated you all those years back; I could have just accepted you and made you happy for as long as possible.
“Now I feel like I’m giving you damaged good and that’s not fair to you but I’m too selfish to give you up ever again. I would die before I let you slip through my hands one more time. So this is all I have to offer you, a person who can no longer stand to be too close to people, a wolf who is unable to trust, and a man who’s unable to survive without you as his link to this earth. But with all my being I am completely and madly in love with you.”
‘Oh dammit here come the tears’ my heart was beating out of my chest like it was trying to find a way out. I stared up at Kyle who had pulled back earlier as he told me his deep confession. His eyes were moist as well and it made me cry harder.
“Oh god, Kyle” I breathed out in shock unable to form anything other than that.
“Can I ask you something” his voice was shaky. With my voice out of commission I gave him a nodded wiping my watery eyes to see him more clearly.
Again he lent down to my ear and whispered.
With a stunned gasp I snapped my head to stare at him wide eyed, was he serious?
Epilogue
My shaky hands fumbled with the gold tie around my neck. I glanced up from what my hands were doing in the full length mirror to see my light grey suit making my already pale face seem paler. Was I really going to do this…? I laughed shaking my head, hell yeah I was. But I’ve never been so nervous in my life as I was right at this moment.
Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself with images of my beautiful mate which usually did the trick but this times it caused more butterflies to go fluttering around in my stomach.
“I think I’m going to throw up” I muttered to my reflection.
Reaching up I smoothed my long gelled hair back with an unsteady swipe of my hand when I noticed a shadow in the background lurking in the mirror and turned around. A smiled grew wide on my face,
“What’s with that nervous face? You look like your gunna shit you pants.” Caleb said from the doorway. He was dressed in a navy blue tux and his hair was gelled back.
“Caleb!” I cried and ran to hug him.
It has been forever since I’ve seen him and it was a good thing he was here because I was in desperate need of his presence.
“How you been Levi?” he muttered hugging me back.
“I’ve been good.” I said shakily.
“I can tell from the ‘I’m about to faint’ expression.” Caleb chuckled clapping a hand my shoulder. I smiled before it fell and Caleb shook his head with amusement.
“Come here.” He said reaching out and straightened my disaster of a knot.
“You look very handsome, Levi.” I met his gaze, “I still can’t believe it.”
“Me either” I said letting out a heavy breath.
“At least Kyle’s seen the error of his ways.” Caleb said give the tie a final tug before brushing his hands down my jacket smoothing out the wrinkles.
“You can say that” I mumbled to myself dropping my eyes to the ground.
‘Just wish he hadn’t been tortured to see the errors.’ I thought.
“I heard about what happened to him” I glanced up to meet his eyes. I could see the concern and anger in them from what Kyle went through. “I wish I could help him get past it but I can’t. I can only help those with mate problems.” I nodded in understanding. I remember when I though Kyle had left me, Caleb had help me and my father get past our grief of the loss of our mates.
“I know” I said hugging him again.
There was a knock on the door and we both looked to see my dad in the doorway in black suit and a smile on his face.
“You ready?” he asked me. I bit my lip and glanced over at Caleb who nodded and pushed me towards my dad.
“Let’s do this thing.” He said closing the door behind me.
As my father, Caleb and I walked down the fancy hallway of the hotel we were staying at I couldn’t help but think about how this all came about. I smiled as memories of that night came back to me.
How Kyle had confessed his love to me in out bed. I remember how I thought my heart would explode just from the overload of feelings I was getting. How I couldn’t speak a work as he let me know his heart in that special moment we had together. I though nothing could top this feeling of love and safety he was giving me and I him when he whispered those few words to me and I couldn’t believe them.
We had moved up in our relationship in these last few months but what really made me believe that was the day I confessed to Kyle about the marks on my wrist. I knew he had seen them but made no move to mention them which I was grateful for. I told him about the way I felt the time I though he had left me and went to finish my pain in the bathroom thinking that is want he wanted.
I felt ashamed of my actions as I told him my darkest secret; I thought he would be mad at me for being such a fool but unexpectedly he had grabbed me close and cried on my shoulder apologizing for all he put me thought and I joined him as I told him that I should have searched for him and not have given up like I did. I remember how my heart ached as he gathered my wrists in his hand and pressed soft warm kisses on each scars.
“You will never have to go through something like this ever again, I promise” he told me and I truly believed him.
Mere days later he told me he loved me and made an even bigger leap and asked me a question I never thought I would hear.
*Flashback*
“Oh god, Kyle” I breathed out in shock unable to form anything other than that.
“Can I ask you something” his voice was shaky. With my voice out of commission I gave him a nodd wiping my watery eyes to see him more clearly.
Again he lent down to my ear and whispered.
“How do you feel about confessing our love in front of the council?”
With a stunned gasp I snapped my head to stare at him wide eyed, was he serious? I guess I stared at him too long without answered because he started to get fidgety and nervous.
“Levi?” he asked his voice an octave lighter than normal. “Will you marry me?”
I finally shut my gaping mouth and blinked in disbelief.
“Yes” I breathed.
There was no other words in my head but yes!
*End of Flashback*
Now here I was a few weeks later in the most extravagant hotel in one of the few all wolf resorts in Alberta, Canada thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Parker’s and the Alpha’s generosity. This was also the place where the Elder council’s headquarters was located. So this was officially happening, I was getting married to Kyle in only moments and though I was nervous as shit I was excited all at the same time!
Wolf marriages were a little different that human ones but a lot less current these day. It was kind of an old tradition and all I know about it was that it started in Western Europe ages ago and had been performed by an Elder council members. Though back then it was dangerous for an Elder to come out of hiding because they were discriminated against for their abilities and hunted; they still are now but not as bad as they were. They are protected fiercely by almost all packs from those few ignorant wolves now.
Caleb went and opened a side door for us to walk around towards the back where the ceremony was being held. My heart was beating out of my chest the closer my feet brought me to Kyle. I grabbed onto my dad’s arm to keep myself up and not fall on my face. I was so shaky I was seeing double of everything. Dad chuckled and placed his hand down on mine.
“Take a deep breath, Levi” he said in my ear. I glanced up at him anxiously and did as he said.
The closer we got to turning the corner I could hear a piano playing, along with the soft sounds of stings instruments; I smiled. I remember telling him that I was in love with the song off an anime I had watching a while back.
‘Kyles your such a dork’ I thought as the song played but all words died as I made it around the corner and caught sight of him standing at the edge of the lake, a white carpet leading down to him. The wedding was being held in the back of the building where there was a backdrop of large mountain of green trees on each side of a beautiful aquamarine colored lake, behind Kyle. Also standing behind Kyle was a black robed and hooded figure that was one of the council members that would be marrying us today.
It was beautiful, but Kyle surpassed it all. He stood tall in a black tux and bow tie, his hair brushed up in an edgy style. His head was down as he stared at his shoes before it snapped up the moment I stepped foot on the carpet. The crowd of people, mostly the Blue Moon Pack stood. I saw Cyrus among them, also Caleb’s mate Avery and their son Connor.
My heart jumped again at how many people were staring at me as my dad walked me down the aisle; the music began to crescendo.
Looking back at Kyle his grey eyes met my brown ones; he was gorgeous as his body straightened up.
‘Will you marry me?’ Kyle’s words echoed once again in my head.
This was really happening!
Halfway down the aisle I saw someone beside Kyle that I had never seen before as his right hand man. He had brown hair down to the nape of his neck and startlingly familiar golden eyes; I frowned a little but focused back on my mate. He smiled showing off all his pearly whites and reached out a hand towards me. Instinctively I took it noticing for the first time that I was standing right in front of him now.
Sparks flew between us as out skin touched and I gasped. A wind began to pick up slightly swaying our clothes a bit when an all too familiar sent hit me.
“Who gives these two to be bonded in unity?” a smooth deep voice said coming out from the hooded man. My eyes widened as I recognized the voice.
“My mate and I do” Kyle’s father Wyatt spoke firmly as he stood up from the front row.
“As do I” my dad’s much softer tone sounded behind me.
“Very well” the deep voice spoke again.
“Lets begin with the ceremony” slowly his hands rose up and pulled the large hood that covered his face back to reveal none other than Jim the pack Elder. I knew it! He smiled down at us both before pulling out a worn and tattered leather book.
“We have been brought here under the guidance of the Spirits to bind these two together in unity. Mating is a precious part of our society and they brighten our lives to the fullest but sometimes a bite isn’t enough. Others want to put a ring on their mates finger to signify to everyone wolf or not that they are taken.” There was a hum of laughter from the audience.
Kyle looked at me with a knowing smile.
“Lakota” Jim said expectantly his head turned towards the young man standing behind Kyle and my eyes widened. No way that… was Lakota! I watched him step closer and hand Jim something slowly he looked at me and smiled.
“Please lend me your hands, palms up” Jim asked bringing me back.
We both reached out with our palms facing up when a cold object landed in our hands. Glancing down I examined a beautifully crafted platinum Celtic knot wedding band.
“These bands represent the strength of our race and your love for each other forever bond.” He motioned us to slide the rings on each other.
“We are gathered here to bind these two together under the guidance of the Spirits, they have been chosen for each other and so shall they be till their last breath.” Jim announced.
As the ceremony proceeded Jim wrapped a white silk ceremonial scarf around out our hands together as he spoke in the ancient language of the Lycans. I couldn’t take my eyes of Kyle at all through the whole thing. I said what I was told to say and did what I was told to do all the while staring him till the words I do came out of our mouths did I jumped into Kyle’s arms and give him a passionate heavy kiss. Kyle hugged me tightly to him and kissed me back, I swear my heart was on fire.
Loud applause rang in my ears, I pulled away to see our pack standing up and cheering.
“May the Spirits be with you both.” Jim said to us with a gentle smile stepping aback and bowing his head in respect of our union.
Together we turned to face everyone with big smiles. I saw my father wiping tears from him face as he stood by Kyles parents who were hugging each other happily.
“Your entirely mine now” Kyle murmured in my ear. I glanced up at him beneath my lashes and chuckled.
“I always was” I whispered kissing him once more. “From the beginning”
Our hands entwined together and I stood there in front of everyone ready for this new beginning with the man that would be my forever.
Fin