Sarina burst out laughing at Vane's serious expression. She laughed until his lips twitched and they were laughing together.
"They can hear it, but that's about as much of you as I'm willing to share, lumara."
"Ditto, luma."
Chapter 22
It didn't take them long to get dressed and return back downstairs hand in hand. At the sight of the Kategan family together, it was quite apparent they were related. They each had thick hair, dark eyebrows, high cheekbones, and the same tan skin. Vane and Sarina took a seat together.
"All right, Vane's already told us what's been happening. What we need to know next is when the marriage is set for?" It was the same man who’d yelled at them to go back at her father’s house. He had dirty blonde hair, mix of dark brown and blonde.
Sarina cleared her throat and looked at Vane. "Tomorrow."
"God dammit," cursed the other brother with dark, shorter hair. She recognized him too from her escape. He kept to the shadowy corner. She reminded herself to thank them both later for all their help. "That doesn't give us a lot of time."
Just then, the sound of a door opening had everyone turning to see Alison coming down the hallway. With her wet hair slicked back, her skin reddened from the shower, and her glasses perched on her nose, she looked fresh and very feminine. She made a quick glance at the blonde brother then quickly scooted to sit in a seat furthest from him. Sarina saw the blonde brother frown.
"Sorry I'm late." Alison looked better, but her voice was still just as wretched. Everyone in the room winced.
Vane spoke up. "I have some tea. Vera would you mind?" She rolled her eyes dramatically, somehow making the action look sophisticated and strolled into the kitchen. Bringing Sarina's hand to his thigh he continued, "Actually, I don't think you've formally met my brothers. This is Darien," he said, nodding to the dark-haired man, "and the one with the smirk is Roman, but everyone just calls him Rome."
They each exchanged hellos and nods. "And who is this?" Rome asked nodding towards Alison who looked like she was ready to bolt.
"This is Alison Bennson, a good friend of mine. Sorry her voice is hoarse, she sacrificed it to aid in my escape" Sarina smiled at her friend.
Rome came forward and held his big hand out to Alison. She blushed. For a moment, she didn't move and Rome looked curiously at her, but then she clasped his hand quickly and released it as if it burned. He tilted his head at her.
"Nice to meet you." She didn't reply, just nodded, and squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.
Sarina was dying to know what her friend thought of Vane’s brother. She hadn’t seen Alison blush at a man in years.
"Now then,” Vane continued, “back to business. The only way to negate the Prince's marriage contract is to perform the mating ritual on the next full moon."
"Which is tomorrow," said Rome.
Sarina's gut clenched in worry. Perform the mating ritual with Vane? Bind her to him permanently and be his Queen? The idea both thrilled and scared the crap out of her. She looked at his handsome face and couldn't help but wonder does he really want me? The breeding cycle exerts a tremendous amount of hormones to both the female and males in the vicinity. What if what he felt was just that? But then why did he just plaster me to the shower wall like was trying to get to it through her?
"That's what we’ll do. We wanted to bond together anyways."
"We do?" Sarina asked quietly, her voice bringing all the heads in the room to hers.
"You don't wish to bond with me, Sarina?" Something dark grew in Vane's eyes.
Hers flicked nervously to the other faces in the room. "I don't know. I mean I do, I was just wondering...um, that is, if you only felt for me because I was in my breeding cycle. I wouldn't want you to be shackled with an unwanted mate for the rest of your life."
He laughed. He actually laughed at her! Sarina frowned, and he snatched her up too fast to stop him. But then he she was in his lap and he was kissing her with long, drugging kisses.
"Sarina, I love you, lumara. Of course it wasn't just the breeding cycle. Besides, I have been around other women's cycles before and never have I felt for them what I do you. I told you, we didn’t meet by coincidence. You will be my Queen, and you will be a wonderful."
"Say it again," she said, her eyes soft and round. "Say you love me again."
He smiled widely at her, a dimple popping up in his right cheek. "I love you, Sarina. I would be the happiest, proudest Alpha if you’d mate with me."
"Yes, yes, yes! I love you." She flung her arms around his neck and pressed kisses all over his face.
Vane groaned at her teasing lips, at her words, at her soft body sitting on his. He wanted nothing more than to pull her clothes off and sit her back on top of his hard dick. Something or someone coughed not too delicately, another cleared their throat.
"Well, I for one, am not going to sit here watch my brother get naked," Vera said and handed a hot cup of tea to Alison.
"Amen to that." Darien scowled. Sarina laughed, a blush reddening her cheeks.
"We must do it tomorrow," Vane said.
"But what if her father and Prince Conlin show up?" asked Rome.
"We'll invite the Justicars," suggested Darien.
Vane thought about it. "That’s not a bad idea. Then the Prince's contract will be void by the new mating ceremony and the Justicars will be there to see the proof of bonding. He won’t be able to argue he was wronged."
"You guys alert the pack that there will be a great celebration tomorrow," Vane said to his family. "And now, I need you all to leave. I need some time with my soon-to-be Queen."
Sarina tugged on his arm. "Wait, can Alison stay here? Her car is parked off in the woods back near my father's cabin. It’s too far to walk now."
Rome crossed his arms across his chest and grinned. "She can stay with me." Vera rolled her eyes. "What? I won't bite—unless she begs."
Vera turned her back on her brother. "If you want, you can stay the night with me, or I can drive you home if you don't live too far,"
"Thank you. If you really don't mind, I'll stay with you. That's easier than me having to drive all the way back here again for the ceremony tomorrow," Alison croaked.
"Sure thing, but I have rules. No spooning and you fix your own damn food." Alison grinned and they shook on it.
"Everything's settled then. At the full moon tomorrow we'll celebrate our new Queen," said Vane. The others turned to look at Sarina with varying expressions of acceptance and happiness. A feeling of honor filled her heart and soul. Tears formed in her eyes, but she didn't mind. As everyone said their goodbyes and filed out of the house, Sarina cuddled into her man, her Alpha with a contended sigh.
This was what she'd always dreamt of.
Chapter 23
Sarina was content to lie in Vane's arms all night. The heat of his body warmed her better than any comforter ever could, and his scent was one constant stream of decadence. Even though tomorrow was probably going to be the biggest day of her life, she was able to relax in his arms, and enjoy the kiss of his lips against her hair.
Her stomach chose that quiet, peaceful moment to growl in a very unladylike way. Sarina stiffened and flushed.
Vane laughed. "A little hungry? How about I feed you then?"
Sarina couldn't help herself when she saw his grin, the laughter shining in his eyes, and kissed him fully on the mouth. He made a little oomph sound and didn’t hesitate to slide wetly inside her mouth. She met his tongue with a thrust of her own. He tore his mouth away on a curse.
"Not now, we can't." At her cute pout, he added, "Lumara, I must feed you first. Don't worry, sweetheart, I plan on taking my time with you tonight."