bThe /bbpriestess /bbdropped /bbher /bhands and sat back. “Noth of you will btur /bbto /beach other band /bspeak bfrom /byour heartb. /bbTell /beach bother /bbabout /byour bdevotion/bb, /band your deepest feelings for each other. bThe /bgoddess will bbe /blistening, and whatever byou /bbsay /bbwill /bbcarry /bweight bin /bbher /bdecision here today.”

    Shannon was already turning to face Brandon fully. She grabbed his hands and stared up at his faceb. /bb“/bbI’ll /bgo firstb./bb” /bShe nced bat /bthe priestessb, /bwho just nodded. Shannon smiled, and everyone quieted to listen to their ims of devotion. “I remember bmy /bbfirst /bbday /bing to the pack house. It was before I was to start at school. The only wolves I knew were my dad and Ainsley,” she sighed. “I was nervous about meeting the alpha. But then my dad brought me into Alpha’s Vince’s officeb, /band you were there.” She blushed. “You were so serious, and wouldn’t even look at me, but I knew that day that I was going to mate with you.” Sheughed as she shook her head. “It was a silly thought, but every year in school I did my best to catch your eye. And finally, after you shifted for the first time, you saw me.” She leaned in. “You saw me when no one else would look at me. You didn’t care about my rank, who I was rted to or what I could do for you.”

    Nix snorted. Yes, he did.

    What? Megan tilted her head.

    Nixughed. He cared about what she could do for him. It just wasn’t anything to his standing in the pack. He just cared that she would put out.

    Megan threw her head back and howled. That’s fair.

    “You saw me and loved me. Not Amy. Not anyone else. You loved me.” A tear traced down her cheek. “I have loved you since bI /bwas five, and now I get to be your Luna.” She leaned

    up

    and kissed his lips. A few girls in the crowd sniffled.

    Good grief. Nix groaned as she repositioned. They act as if she had said something amazing.

    Megan snorted. It was all her friends. And they were probably mad that she somehownded Brandon, and they didn’t. I coughed to hide my snort.

    Every eye turned to Brandon. He looked out over the crowd, and his eyesnded on me. I could feel the smile on my face slowly fade as something almost like recognition ignited in his eyes. But then Shannon tugged his hand, and he turned back to her.

    “Brandon?” Her whisper was soft, and it did the trick.

    He smiled down at her. b“/bI remember that day. You were wearing a beautiful blue dress and had the cutest dimples in your cheeks.” Shannon froze with a smile on her face, and if you didn’t know better, you would think she was eating up his words, but I did. And I had to quickly adjust my grip on the tray as a few sses clinked together.

    You okay? Rowan’s voice whispered in my ear.

    Yeah…just trying not tough.

    Why would youugh?

    Because Shannon wore pink that day…and she doesn’t have dimples. I pictured the day in my mind, and Rowanughed out loud again.

    You were the cute little girl in blue with dimples? That’s amazing. Heughed again. The man can’t even keep his memories of you straight. She’s blonde, and you have ck hair. He shook his head.

    “I was smitten that day, and every day since.” He leaned down and kissed her.

    Rowanughed out loud again and started ppingb, /bcausing the crowd to follow suit. “Amazing vows.” He called outb, /bslurring his words more.

    The priestess paused for a second before picking up the bowl and handing it to Brandon. “With your devotion in your heart dered, the goddess is waiting. Take three drinks from the bowl. Once for your past, once for your present, and thest for your future.” She watched as Brandon and then Shannon drank from the bowl. “Mother, hear our prayer. These two have bound themselves together in this life and the next. Bless the chosen bond and seal their fate together.” There was a pause as the sun

    bfinally /bbdipped /bunder the bhorizon/bb, /bband /bthe bmoon /bshone bdown /bbin /ball a full glory. b“/bMark beach /bother under the bmoonlight/bbi, /i/bbiand /i/bbiin /i/bbfront /bbof /bbyour /bbwitnesses/bb. /bIf bthe /bbgoddess /bagrees bto /bthe bond, the man bwill /bform.b” /bShe waved them bboth /bbforward/bi. /i

    bShannon /btilted bher /bhead to bthe /bside and waited bfor /bBrandon to mark her. iHe /ihesitated for a second before leaning down biand /i/bbiting her neck, Shannon moaned loudly for the crowd, causing quite a few women to grimace. Brandon pulled back band /blicked the wound shut. Then bhe /bleaned down and tilted his head, giving annon ess,

    Shannon leaned up and bit quickly. She pulled away after licking the wound a little itoo /ilong. Then ithe /icrowd drew biin /i/ba bisilent /i/bbbreath/b, waiting to see if the bond snapped into ce.

    After almost a full minute, the dark lines of the mate bond grew from the bite marks on their necks. The goddess iactually /iblessed the bond. The crowd cheered.

    Derek was the loudest, cheering with everyone with his arms in the air, until the omega that was behind him pulled a knife she had hidden and stabbed it through his back.