Pack Alpha (9 page)

Elizabeth stood in front of her, and Marissa knew that regardless of how long she had avoided this talk, it was going to happen now. Or her sister wouldn’t go.

“I love you,” Marissa started, going with honesty. “I will admit that over the years I’ve been jealous of you. I didn’t want to be different. I wanted to be either a were or a human.”

“Oh, honey.”

Marissa shook her head, cutting off Elizabeth’s sympathy. “No. It’s not your fault and it’s not mine. Talking with Gage and Logan, I realized we both had a bad deal. We both deserved a better Pack than we got.”

“If I’d have known…”

Marissa hugged her then cupped her cheek. “But you didn’t. Please, I want to give you this day. I want everything to be perfect for you. I’m okay.”

“But…”

“I’m okay, Elizabeth. Please believe me.” Marissa needed Elizabeth to drop it. If she kept busy and let Elizabeth’s happiness fill her she didn’t have to think of everything she’d missed out on.

“Okay.” Elizabeth took a deep breath and Marissa was glad her sister hadn’t cried. They didn’t have time to fix her makeup. They were already late.

“So, let’s go!” Marissa ushered her toward the door.

Elizabeth smiled but didn’t move. “One more question.”

She knew what was coming. Even knowing didn’t help with the answer.

“What about you and Gage?” Elizabeth asked.

“I don’t know.” Marissa could only tell her the truth. The last few days with Gage had been wonderful but also confusing. She wanted the Alpha more each time they were together. It was like she couldn’t get enough of him. For an independent woman who’d never given a thought to settling down, her relationship with Gage confused her.

“But you do care about him.”

“I do,” she admitted. “But I’m not a Pack member. I don’t belong here. I have to go home soon.” It was the first time she’d spoken the words out loud and they broke her heart. Still, the reality was that she had a home to return to. Even though Gage kept mentioning a gathering with his Pack, Marissa knew she wouldn’t be there. Couldn’t.

“You could stay. Be part of the Pack. We could be close again.” Elizabeth spoke of everything Marissa had already thought about.

“I can’t. I’m sorry, but I just can’t,” Marissa told her softly. She really didn’t want to have this conversation. “Please don’t let this ruin your day.”

Elizabeth smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “No. I won’t let anything ruin today. I just wish you’d think about staying.”

“What if I promise to visit more?”

Finally Elizabeth’s smile reached her eyes and lit up her face. “Are you going to be coming to see me or Gage?” she teased.

Marissa laughed. “Good question.” But did she know the answer? What if after she left, Gage never wanted to see her again? Marissa couldn’t handle any more rejection. As much as she was trying to keep things light between them, she hadn’t managed to do so.

The previous night after they’d made love, Gage had wrapped his arms tight around her and she’d just gazed at him until she’d fallen asleep. The feeling of being safe and protected was so foreign that she never wanted to be without it. Still, Gage was an Alpha. He had an entire Pack to take care of and that meant one day providing cubs for a future generation.

There was no way Marissa would be able to give him children. The chance that they would be non-shifters was something she wouldn’t be able to deal with. Because of her own limited abilities, she’d never bring a baby into a world that had been so cruel to her. Gage deserved a woman that’d be able to give him and the Pack strong shifters.

As she followed Elizabeth out of the door, Marissa tried to push all her insecurities down. These worries didn’t belong. She needed to enjoy the limited time she had left. That would allow her to live the rest of her life without any regrets.

* * * *

Gage paced his office while Logan sat back comfortably on the couch.

“Nervous?”

“Of course I’m not nervous,” Gage growled. This wasn’t the first time he’d performed the mating ceremony. Almost like a human marriage ceremony, the mating forever ceremony just had more detail added by the shifters. A wolf in the wild only took one mate. That was how his Pack took their own vows. No matter what came up in the future, the mating between two shifters would hold strong.

“She sure is something.”

“Yes, she is. Everyone loves Elizabeth.” Gage knew that Logan didn’t have a thing for Elizabeth so he didn’t know what his second was getting at.

“I wasn’t talking about her.”

Gage stopped in front of him, noting the smug look Logan had. “What?” he questioned. Then he knew. Gage rolled his eyes. Logan had been on at him about getting a commitment from Marissa but Gage was trying not to push her. So he was being very careful.

“Have you talked to Marissa about staying longer?”

Gage went back to pacing. He’d tried to talk to her about Pack life. After all, committing to the Pack wasn’t committing to him. But she’d changed the subject when he’d brought it up. She was due to leave the next day. Every time they were alone together, he broached the subject. And she successfully distracted him.

“So you’re just going to let her go?” Logan shook his head.

Gage knew he was only trying to help. There was a reason Logan was his second. The Pack respected him because he was fair, and Logan was like a dog with a bone. Never giving up on something he believed in.

“Maybe you don’t deserve her then if you’re just going to let her go.”

“Watch your step, Logan,” Gage warned.

“Excuse me, Alpha, but you are more than just my leader. You’re my friend. I haven’t seen you this relaxed…this happy in years,” Logan pleaded. “And we both know it’s because of her.”

Gage walked across the room to stare out of the window onto the grounds of his territory. His home. He loved it there and knew if Marissa gave the place and him a chance she would find her own happiness.

When he’d seen her staring out at the trees behind Elizabeth’s house she’d seemed more shifter to him than human. Gage would take her either way but he wanted to give her the choice.

If he could bring her wolf close to the surface, even if she couldn’t shift, she would feel more complete. But Marissa wouldn’t be easy to convince.

Marissa gave enough of herself to be intriguing yet held back, making her a challenge. She’d spent time with him every night so far—sharing her body with him—yet she’d insisted on returning to her sister’s house to stay most of the time. She kept a distance between them and he wasn’t sure how to push the issue without sending her running.

“It would be a mistake to let her go. Not only does she need a Pack to protect her, but you’re in love with her.” The last was said quietly, but, to Gage’s ears, it might as well have been yelled.

Gage spun around, denial on the tip of his tongue, but stopped himself. There was no reason to lie to Logan or himself.

He felt the change in the house, in him. Elizabeth and Marissa had arrived. “They’re here.” The timing got him out of confessing that Logan was right. He actually felt disappointed that he hadn’t agreed out loud.

Logan nodded. “So let’s get started.”

They greeted the two women outside the door. Marissa smiled up at him and Gage’s heart swelled. He
was
in love with her. Even if it had only been almost a week, even if he hadn’t told her yet. The wolf inside him had chosen her and the man couldn’t have picked better.

“Hi,” Marissa greeted, looking beautiful in her short summer dress.

“Hello.” Gage leaned down and kissed her mouth.

The blush that stole over her face would have been cute if it didn’t tell him what he already knew. She was okay with what they did in private, but publicly she still shied away.

“I…um…” She nervously shifted from foot to foot. “Thanks for doing this.”

Gage nodded and hugged her to his side. “You can thank me later,” he whispered into her ear.

She gasped, and Elizabeth and Logan laughed out loud.

“Most of the guests have arrived and Greg is already outside,” Logan, ever the peacemaker, announced.

The look of relief that crossed Marissa’s face was comical. “She’s ready,” she responded, avoiding everyone’s eyes.

Gage laughed, letting go of Marissa. He knew he shouldn’t tease her in front of others, but now that he had admitted to himself that he was in love with her, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

First, though, he had a ceremony to perform. He released Marissa but she didn’t move away. That made him feel better. He gave her a wink before giving his attention to her sister.

“You look beautiful. Greg is very lucky,” he told Elizabeth, kissing the top of her head.

“No. No. I’m the lucky one. I know that. He has been so patient with me for all these years.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I love him.”

“I know you do, honey. And it’s time to do this.” Marissa hugged her sister. She turned to Gage and offered him a smile as well.

Gage resisted the urge to kiss her once again. If he let himself, he would get all wrapped up with her and the ceremony wouldn’t get started.

Logan offered Marissa his arm. “Allow me to take you to your seat, my lady.”

Shyly, Marissa put her arm through Logan’s. She liked him. He’d never treated her differently even after the embarrassing scene in the woods. Or for her relationship with Gage.

In fact, every time that Logan spoke with her he always brought up how great Gage was. Like he actually wanted to see them together. Marissa shook her head to let her thoughts go. This was Elizabeth’s time and she needed to forget about the Alpha for a little bit.

Logan led her out of the back door to where the ceremony would take place. Gage would follow when it was time for the ceremony, escorting Elizabeth. As they headed to where the chairs had been set up, Marissa looked around, taking in the full picture. White lace and ribbons had been hung up. Her sister and Greg would stand under the arch while Gage performed the ceremony.

Lighthearted, Marissa smiled at the guests and Logan escorted her to the front. She didn’t know the Pack and they only knew her as Elizabeth’s sister. They wouldn’t know she was defective.

She felt the unsettling sensation of eyes on her before understanding who was staring at her. Turning her head, she met the pair of dark brown eyes, eyes she knew so well. Eyes that had haunted her dreams for more years than she wanted to remember.

Almost stumbling in surprise, she was glad Logan was there.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“Nothing,” she lied.

He would know it was a lie. Not only would he be able to smell it, but also she had started to tremble. She didn’t know what Brandon was doing there but it couldn’t be good. She watched Logan look over also and knew she wouldn’t have a choice about telling Gage.

“Who is he?”

Tearing her gaze from Brandon’s, Marissa held onto Logan. “My old Alpha’s son,” she whispered.

Logan knew little about what she’d been through and her relationship with Brandon was something she had shared only with Gage.

Oh, God, Gage was not going to be happy. He’d asked her repeatedly if she wanted him to look into her old Pack’s action but Marissa didn’t want any more trouble. It was time to let her past go and move on knowing she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Logan got her to their seats in the front row. He would sit next to her for the ceremony—that had already been decided. She was now grateful for the arrangement as she could feel the other man’s eyes on them as they sat.

Her palms were sweating and she rubbed her hands over the skirt of her dress.
Deep breaths
, that was all she needed to do. Ignore everyone but Elizabeth and Greg.

The music started, announcing Gage and Elizabeth, and Logan placed his arm around the back of Marissa’s chair. Protected, that was what she felt. Logan wasn’t hitting on her. Instead, he was keeping her safe. She tried to relax, concentrating on her sister.

The ceremony was beautiful, and watching her sister commit to Greg brought tears to Marissa’s eyes. It also served to take her attention away from the other guests. She watched Gage as he stood with pride and presented Greg and Elizabeth to the Pack and guests.

Their eyes met, causing a shiver of excitement to ripple through her entire body. He was like no other man she’d ever met. While he was domineering and demanding, he still remained calm and kind. She would never have thought that all the traits he carried could be found in one man, a wolf, and a Pack Alpha.

Logan nudged her, reminding her it was time to stand and walk to the reception. Marissa purposely kept her gaze straight ahead, avoiding any guests. She didn’t know why Brandon was here and she should have no fear from him now, but years were hard to just replace. The promises and threats he’d made were still fresh in her mind.

Logan led Marissa to her sister, and while they hugged, he motioned for Gage to step aside. Marissa held Elizabeth, then Greg took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. It felt brotherly and warm.

“I always wanted a sister. My mother had eight boys.”

Laughing through happy tears, Marissa tilted her head back. “Well, you’ve got one now. You have no idea what you’re in for.” It had only been her and Elizabeth for so long that Marissa hoped Greg really meant his words.

Also laughing, Greg kissed her cheek. “I’ll hold you to that, Marissa.”

Marissa understood the warning. She wasn’t done with this Pack. Greg considered her family and wouldn’t let her disappear out of his and Elizabeth’s lives.

An older couple walked up and Marissa was introduced to Greg’s parents. They were sweet and loving and before she knew what was happening she was nodding as Greg’s mom talked about the holidays. Marissa had no idea if she would be returning for them but the plans sure seemed good to her.

Elizabeth caught her hand and gave her a squeeze before leaning against her new mate. Marissa pulled out her phone so that she could capture the moment. They were beautiful together.

“What is it?” Gage asked, never taking his eyes off Marissa as he saw tears sparkle in her eyes. He knew she was thrilled for her sister, but he just wanted to hold her. Just be close to her as some of the Pack began to come up to the newly mated couple.