Chapter 48


    Chapter Forty-Eight


    Caleb’s Point of View


    Today has not gone the way that I had nned. I had nned so carefully, down to the flower


    arrangements. I thought


    that I had every base covered, surely nothing could go wrong. I had been arrogant, cocky enough to


    believe that no one would try to attack. My pack was known to be fearless, and it was no secret that my


    allies would be in attendance of my mating ceremony. I had pulled my guards in so that they could


    witness the ceremony, and in doing so I left my people vulnerable. I did this, in my own arrogance I


    created the war zone that was


    before me.


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    I can only stare in horror at the woman who saved my life. I underestimated Dorian. I was already tired


    from fighting


    Alpha Jason when Dorian had surprised me from behind. He was quicker than I imagined he would be.


    He was also a


    better fighter than I ever would have


    given him credit for. Scarlet saved my life, but in doing so she lost her destined mate. I can only


    imagine what is going through her head, knowing that she was


    the one that took his life.


    “Mine.” Theo’s words snap my attention


    directly to him. I turn to see him staring


    at Scarlet, tears in his eyes. His eyes are boring into Scarlet, and I can see that his body is fighting a


    war with itself. 10


    “Theo” I try to draw his attention away,


    but it can not be deterred from Scarlet. I


    know that he does not believe in second


    chance mates, but perhaps she is his. Daphne starts wiggling in my arms,


    trying to break free from my grasp. My


    attention finally falls on her and I realize


    she is fighting to go to her sister. I let her


    go,


    Daphne runs over and wraps Scarlet in her arms. Pulling her back into her chest and rocking her on the


    ground as if she were a child. I knew that today would


    changer our lives, but I could have never of predicted that it would be this way. For once I do not know


    what to do, what to say, or even how to begin processing everything. 2


    “Caleb, I need to go. Something is not right with me; I think I am headed to the infirmary.” Theo’s voice


    pulls me out of my self-loathing and snaps me back into reality. I look Theo over, looking for any signs


    of trauma, other than the


    superficial bruises and cuts that have


    appeared. I can find nothing that would


    warrant a trip to the infirmary.


    “Theo what is going on, I do not see


    anything.” I do not normally question Theo, but on this asion I must.


    “No, there is something not right with my head. I am imagining things.” Theo’s voice is shaky, and I


    notice that he is still


    staring at Scarlet. Since we are in such


    close vicinity, and werewolves have


    excellent hearing I decide to use the mind


    link.


    Would your trip to the infirmary have


    anything to do with the fact that you are staring at Scarlet, and called her yours? I


    do not mean to be blunt with Theo, but I


    cannot waste any time trying to figure out


    the next moves for everyone involved.


    She just lost her destined mate. She cannot possibly be mine. I do not believe


    in second chance mates. I want to go to


    her, but I cannot. I am not the man that


    she needs. Theo also chooses to use the


    mind link tomunicate. Looking to


    where Daphne and Scarlet are, I can understand his hesitation, and my heart breaks at the


    predicament that Theo has


    found himself in.


    I cannot tell you how long we stood there, simply staring at the two women. Unsure of how to bring


    them anyfort. Scarlet lost her mate, Daphne had to kill her father, and I was helpless to do


    anything to help them. Finally, both women stood, arms wrapped around each other they turned and


    started walking towards Theo


    and me.


    When they are less than twenty feet away,


    I watch as Scarlet skids to a sudden halt.


    Her head snaps up, her eyes go wide as if


    she is a deer in the headlights. I can tell that Daphne is asking her what is wrong, but Scarlet is staring


    straight at Theo. Although it is the worst timing ever, I can


    tell that she is processing the fact that


    every fiber of her being is telling her that Theo is her mate. Again, I am lost as to how I can help


    anyone. Theo is as stiff as a board beside me. The great Alpha and Beta of the Blue Mountain pack are


    “We need to talk.” I was surprised that it was Scarlet that spoke first. Of course, her words were


    directed at Theo. I can see the worry and the fear sh through his eyes. This will not be an easy start


    for them. Daphne is utterly lost as to what is happening between the two of them.


    “I will understand whatever decision you make. I only have one request and that is that you give it


    some time, before you decide.” Theo’s voice is soft, and I can tell that he is fighting the urge to try and


    comfort Scarlet. Scarlet thankfully shakes


    her head in agreement with Theo’s


    request. 4


    “Daphne, I am so sorry. It was my own arrogance that lead to this chaos. I am the reason our ceremony


    is ruined.” There is so much more that I need to apologize to my mate for, but right now is not the time


    for me to get into all of that.


    “No, it was not your fault. It was my father’s fault, and Dorian’s fault. Their greed, their arrogance, their


    demented minds. My father’s violence is all I have known since I was born. Now he is gone, and I feel


    free.” Daphne’s voice is hard, and I can tell that she is fighting back her emotions. Even if it is a


    stranger, the first time you take a life is hard. I wrap my arms around her pulling her tight to me.


    Behind me I hear a wail piercing the night sky, and both Daphne and Scarlet stiffen. Daphne moves to


    look behind me and her


    face goes ghostly white. I shift trying to see what is causing her pain, only to find her mother kneeling


    over Alpha Jason’s corpse. It did not ur to me that she would be here and judging from the girl’s


    faces they did not expect it either.


    The shrieking woman turns and zeros her attention on Daphne. “You murderous. whore. You have


    taken everything from


    me, everything. It should be your corpseying here, just like it should have been you that died instead


    of your brother.” I watch a tear fall down Daphne’s cheek,


    and I have had enough of this madness.


    “I will permit you to take your mates


    body and leave here. If you evere back, I will kill you myself.” My voice is booming through the


    night air. Daphne has suffered enough; I will not permit anything else happening to her. Amanda does


    not heed my warning, or perhaps


    she does not care. She starts stalking towards Daphne and I, murder evident in her eyes. 2


    She never made it close to us though. Scarlet stepped around Theo, ran full


    force and tackled her mother on the


    ground. Before I can even blink Scarlet has both of her mother’s hand above her


    face, and she is sitting on her chest.


    “You are not going to hurt her anymore, do you understand. I watched you hurt her for years, the only


    joy you ever found was in hurting her. I hate you for it, I


    think I hated you then. Look at what that


    has done. Dad is dead, our brother is


    dead, and if you do not leave here you will


    be too.” Scarlet is releasing some of the anger of her childhood out, and I can see


    that she needed to.


    “You spoiled bitch, get off me. You killed


    your own mate you are no better than her.


    Both of you murdering, lying little


    whores. I curse the Moon Goddess for


    your existence.” I can see the fire in


    Scarlet die at her mother’s words. Words


    that she has heard yelled at Daphne over and over, but never at her. In her own


    pain Scarlet had loosened the grip she


    had on her mother’s hands, and Amanda


    breaks free. She swings up and hits. Scarlet in the jaw. The blow was enough. to knock Scarlet off


    bnce. I move, but Theo is quicker. He quickly snaps


    Amanda’s neck, before turning his


    attention to Scarlet. This time he does not


    fight the urge to wrap her in his arms. 7


    “Oh, I did not see thating.” Daphne’s


    voice is soft. I look down and see the


    stream of tearsing from her eyes. I


    wish I had a time machine. 2


    I do not get long to process everything.


    Marcus is at my side, informing me that


    our warriors have removed the bodies of


    the dead. We had some wounded on our


    side, and a few casualties. I am thankful


    that our pack is strong. Our wounded warriors will heal up in a few days at


    most. Our fallen warriors will be


    celebrated, and I will ensure that their families are taken care of. I nce over at Daphne; this is her


    first fight. 3


    “Please make sure that all the warriors


    are attended to immediately.” She surprises me by her request of Marcus. Hannah is right behind


    Marcus, with a


    few of our other pack members. 1


    “Caleb, we have an issue. You and Daphne did not get toplete the ceremony.” Hannah’s brow is


    creased with worry.


    “Hannah I will make sure that we


    reschedule the ceremony soon. Right now, we need to finish cleaning up, tend to the wounded, and


    make sure that all of


    our guests are ounted for.” I hope that Hannah is not offended by my tone.


    “No Elder Preston informed me that the


    ceremony had to bepleted tonight. You and Daphne have already started the binding ceremony.


    He said if it is notpleted tonight, then the Moon


    Goddess could see that as a refusal and


    the mating bond could be broken.” Now I


    understand why Hannah was so worried.


    I look to Theo to see if he can confirm the


    Elder’s words, or if it is just superstition.


    “I am sorry Caleb, but she speaks the


    truth.” Theo looks at me, and then at


    Daphne. “I am so sorry Luna, I know that


    this is not a great night for you, but the


    ceremony was started and must be


    “Fine, Hannah please gather everyone if


    you can. It may not be the night that we hoped but it is what will have to do.” I can


    only be proud of my mate. She rolls her shoulders back and has handled tonight with a level head. I


    know that she may break downter, and I will be there for


    her.


    Hannah is quick to gather everyone, and once again Daphne and I are facing each other. She is still in


    the overlyrge shirt I found, and I am in a pair of shorts. This is not how I intended to be bound to my


    mate, but I still can not be happier. Elder Preston continues where he left off


    earlier, and soon he is wrapping the blue ribbon around my wrist.


    “With this tie, you Alpha Caleb of the Blue Mountain pack are tying yourself to your mate. You will


    protect, and cherish her throughout this lifetime, and the next.” I agree, and he moves on to


    Daphne and repeats the same vows. She


    agrees and our hands are formally tied


    together, a binding for life.


    “Daphne, as your mate I promise to love and cherish you. Words can not express how happy I am that


    we are destined to be


    one. You have saved me in more ways


    than one. I once questioned how the


    Moon Goddess could mate me with a


    ve, but the truth is that you were always a queen. Everyone was just too blind to see it. I am proud to


    have you as my Luna, and my partner in life. My life means nothing unless you are by my side. It is not


    only the mating pull that brings me to you. I love you and will spend everyday proving that love to you.


    })


    “Caleb, as your mate I promise to stay loyal to you, and to cherish every moment we have together.


    You have given me a life that I could only imagine in my wildest dreams. I thought that no one would


    ever love me, that no one would


    ever see me as anything more than a ve. You taught me how to love myself. I


    am proud to stand by your side and will


    try my best to be the Luna you deserve,


    the Luna our pack deserves. I love you


    100.” a


    With our personal vows said and the binding ceremonypleted, I pull my mate in and kiss her.


    Sparks flow through us. We are now one, I am in love with my


    mate.