Once Upon a Shifter (85 page)

"Mena, can you hear me?"

"Mmmhmm," I said.

"I'm going to roll you over on top of Ace until you two feel better."

I wanted to scream for him not to do it. I still didn't fully believe that Ace and I suddenly becoming ill was caused from us being separated for only a few hours. I mean, what kind of sick game was the universe playing on me?

Eventually I sighed, and used what little energy I had left to give him a nod.

"I kinda like you on top,"
Ace said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Can we try it this way for our fifth date?"

"There isn't going to be a fifth date. You had a life before me. Don't you want to try and figure out a way to reverse the bond?"

"I've never been happier, Andra, even though you're in love with someone else, so no, I don't want to reverse the bond. Besides, it has never been done."

"Just because something has never been done, doesn't mean it can't be done,"
I said, and felt his arms wrap around me.

"Bond or no bond," he whispered in my ear. "I'd still be yours." He kissed my cheek.

"Well," Phoenix said, "that didn't take long. Mena, are you able to get up? The celebration begins in less than two hours."

My eyes opened, and I stared into pretty greenish-gold ones.

"Don't fall in love with me, Ace."

"Too late."

Epilogue

Mena

After I showered, Lea helped me slip into my dress and did my hair and makeup. The dress was beautiful on me—floor-length, white chiffon and satin, neck-line low and the back… well, it plunged.

I was running late when I walked out of Phoenix's bathroom, but both Phoenix and Ace were standing in the room, dressed impeccably in tuxedos, and holding something in their hands.

"Wait!" Lea yelled. "Your shoes!"

She sat two clear glass high heels in front of me to step into. I frowned at her.

"Whose idea was it for me to wear glass slippers?"

She blushed. "Mine."

I rolled my eyes as she held me steady while I put them on. "Let's just hope my carriage doesn't turn into a pumpkin at midnight."

I glanced over my shoes and smoothed my dress with my hands. "Do I look okay?" Ace's mouth was open as he looked at me, nodding slowly. But Phoenix—Phoenix was rubbing his chin.

"Something's missing," Phoenix said, and then held out a light-blue, rectangular box wrapped in a white bow.

My alarmed eyes darted back up to his. "You got me Tiffany's?"

He smiled slyly. "Open it."

I ripped the ribbon off then opened the lid and gawked at the most luxurious diamond and blue topaz necklace I had ever laid eyes on.

After taking the necklace from the box, I stood still while he clasped it at the nape of my neck. I ran my fingers over the beautiful jewels. He leaned in and whispered by my ear. "The gems match my eyes, so everyone will know who your date is."

Ace cleared his throat, and Phoenix took a step back, so Ace could present me with his gift.

"He got you a sash," Phoenix whispered, and I gave him a stern look. He shrugged.

"I'm sure it's lovely," I said.

Ace's present wasn't wrapped. A fine scarlet fabric was laid over his arm. He bowed to me, and I curtsied. Ace draped the soft material over my left shoulder, and then pulled the two halves together at my right hip. After reaching in his pocket, he pulled out something colorful and shiny.

"What is that?" I asked.

He grinned. "Oh, nothing important," he said, with a wink and pinned the two ends of the sash together with the brooch. "It's just… something fit for a Queen."

From that arrogant smile, I was guessing the brooch was more important than he was letting on, but if he didn't want to gloat, I was completely fine with that.

Phoenix offered me the crook of his arm, and so did Ace. I took them both, and we walked out of Phoenix's chamber together.

v''''v

The Full Moon

Mena

After conversing with Heath and Brad, their wives and Roel about it earlier in the day, we'd decided to have Alex accept the moon first. Yes, he was a werewolf already, but accepting the moon gave him immortality—or else he would continue to age and eventually die.

Brad informed me that some still chose not to accept it, believing they wouldn't go to Heaven if they chose immortality, since it was not God's will.

I actually hadn't given it much thought, but it wasn't like I had a whole lot of time for thinking between the time I killed Marc and my pack found me, since I had been bitten on a full moon. There had been plenty of time for Alex to think about it, and I thought he was ready to do whatever his heart was telling him to do.

He'd been to visit me the day before, too. We chatted for hours, like old friends do. I was extremely pleased that he had no intentions of turning me in for Marc's death, Chris's death, the girl found murdered at Hellhound's death—though I still didn't know who'd killed that one—Dana's death or Daryn's death. My, you'd think I was a serial killer or something. Alex also wasn't angry with me for not caring about him the way he did about me. I was a little flattered to learn that he'd had a crush on me since high school, though. But I was relieved when he told me he could clearly see that Phoenix was the right guy for me, and that he could finally move on knowing I was happy. I still didn't know if I was happy how everything had turned out, but I did feel that my life was moving in a positive direction.

My seventy-eight pack members, Ace and the six werelions gathered around Alex, and Phoenix's clan surrounded all of us.

"The choice is yours, Alex," I said, when he glanced up at me from his knees.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he simply nodded, and then looked up at the full moon.

With a clenched jaw and a hiss, Alex grabbed his side with one hand as the palm of his other slapped the concrete. Throwing his head back, he cried out as the weight of the moon was laid on him.

"Just accept it, Alex," I whispered. "It'll stop."

Another violent spasm put him on his side, curled up into a ball. The veins at his temples popped out in contrast under his skin. It was painful to watch him go through this, but I knew from experience that he was feeling far worse right now than I was.

"Alex, tell it yes or no! Stop torturing yourself!"

"Yes," he gasped. "I accept you." He rolled to his back and gazed up at the starry night, focusing in on that massive, white moon. "I accept you."

I smiled as everyone began to clap, and then Roel's loud tenor broke through the noise.

"One… Two… Three!" he shouted, and then everyone shouted at the same time, "Yea, Peanut!"

Alex was laughing as Brad and Heath helped him to his feet.

I had one last thing to do tonight before I could say my month as an Alpha pack leader was complete: I had to choose my Beta.

Phoenix had offered the room where he had told his clan that I was his new second in command for the night's festivities. He planned to give that particular position back to Jaxon, since I didn't want it, but, for some reason, he thought making the guy sweat a little longer was a good idea. I wasn't getting in the middle of his politics; I had plenty of my own to deal with, and now I had Ace's pride to worry about.

I made my way up the steps to the stage and walked alone to the podium. Both Phoenix and Ace had requested to join me, but I felt this was something I needed to do on my own. I was their Alpha, after all.

The ring Jess gave me that had belonged to Chris was warm in my hands as I stared out at over two hundred faces. I cleared my throat and began.

"I'm going to make this as brief as possible. I know long speeches are a bore, and I know most of you are hungry. First off, everyone give Phoenix a hand for letting us borrow the space and catering for us tonight."

The room boomed with noise as I smiled down at my boyfriend. This was the first time his clan and my pack had been in such a small location together. I was praying for the best and trying to keep the mood light.

Phoenix bowed and waved a hand in the air at the crowd.

"I haven't exactly been the best Alpha in the last four weeks, but it wasn't because I didn't want to be. Each and every one of you has a special place in my heart, and I vow to do everything in my power to be there for you, whether it may be a broken heart or something threatening you. We'll conquer it together. I have grown to love a few in this pack over the last month. They have gone above and beyond what was asked of them to make sure I didn't give up on myself. I would like to call them up here for recognition. Bradley Rutherford…" I clapped, and the audience joined in as Brad made his way to the stage to stand beside me. "…Heath Crowley…" Another round of applause broke the silence as Heath skipped up the steps and across the stage. "And Roel Sullivan."

A mighty howl escaped Roel's mouth as he punched the air then ran and jumped on stage, not bothering to use the stairs. I laughed as he grabbed me up in a big bear hug and spun me around.

After he put me back on my feet, I turned my attention back to the crowd. "Please, give them a hand, because if it wasn't for them, none of us would be here." They clapped as I took a minute to calm my racing heart. I really needed Ace's touch. "I told all of you the last full moon that my pack and Phoenix's clan were to be allies. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I made the right choice. I believe we will be stronger together than fighting against each other for the wrong reasons. Please," I gestured to Phoenix again, "please keep the noise going for a man who took a chance on a crazy idea."

The room exploded with applause as Phoenix joined us on stage and kissed my cheek sweetly.

"Welcome your newest pack member, Alex Rhodes!"

"Peanut!" Everyone shouted, and I snickered when the people standing around him shook his hand and patted him on the shoulders and back.

My eyes met Ace's, and I smiled as I extended my hand out for him. He leaped up on the stage in a single bound, and linked our fingers together. I noticed him relax the instant the tension left my body. "And the next to last thing on my speech list, is to introduce the man who saved the world. Ace and his pride were seeking allies when he agreed to bond with me. Little did he realize that he would be gaining a family of crazy misfits."

The whistles, catcalls, shouts and clapping made me want to cover my ears it was so loud, but I smiled and let them get it out of their system. This was a party, after all.

I turned my head to give Ace a bright smile. "I think you're welcome here."

He winked at me, and I took another big breath before releasing his hand to walk to Roel.

"This man has caused me more trouble since I met him than anyone I have ever met in my entire life, but this man also stood by me and never stopped trying to make things right. To Roel, the man who isn't afraid to fuck shit up and then have a blast fixing his mistakes, I have a question for you…" Roel dropped to his knees when I held my hand out and uncurled my fingers, revealing the Beta ring. "…Will you be my Beta and second in command?"

His eyes shimmered with emotion as he looked up at me with total admiration and loyalty on his face. He took the ring from my palm and slipped it on his right ring finger. "I would be honored, Andromeda," he said, and bowed his head as the room erupted in cheers once again.

Ace picked me up and twirled me around as the music started. We danced to three songs before Phoenix walked up to us with two flutes of champagne.

"May I cut in?" Phoenix said.

Ace looked down his nose at my boyfriend for a long moment, before leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. Before he pulled away, he whispered in my ear. "Leave your mind open, so I'll know if you need me. I'm going to mingle."

I nodded, and he walked away.

Phoenix handed me one of the glasses, and I drank greedily. The dancing and all the bodies in the room had really heated things up in here.

"Dance with the devil?" Phoenix said, holding his arms open.

I snickered as I placed my hand, the one not holding the flute, in his, and let him glide me across the floor. "You're hardly the devil."

"Oh, I was referring to you, my sweet lupacchiotto."

I laughed. "Oh, really?"

He nodded. "Most definitely. Only the devil is evil enough to make a man who has lived nearly nine centuries fall in love with her." He grinned when I bit my lip. "I love you, Mena."

My heart swelled, because he had never said it in so many words before. "I hardly think it was evil."

His mouth lifted on one side, and his eyes told me he wasn't entirely happy about something. "I will always love you," he said.

My brow furrowed as he removed his hand from mine to get something out of his pocket. "I got you something."

"I think the necklace was enough—" I studied the vial of pink liquid clasped between his fingers. "What is it?"

"It will release you from the nexus spell. If something should ever happen to me—"

"Why would anything happen to you?" I said quickly as my heart began to race.

"No reason in particular. Calm down. This is a good thing. We're all going to take one," he said, but I sensed dishonesty in his voice. Regardless of how good the man thought he was at keeping secrets, I always saw what he tried to keep hidden.

"Where are the other six? Huh?"

"The potion is difficult to make. We will get ours in time."

"I call bullshit," I said. "Tell me the truth."

He sighed, and cast his eyes down for a moment. "Ace brought it with him. He thought you would take it if I asked you to."