Ari’s POV
I can’t believe he can show past projections! We weren’t even touching! Father always had to touch the person he was passing the projection to, but I guess because we are mates, the mate bond must connect us on a deeper level that he doesn’t need to touch me!
I got so caught up in my own shock and amazement that I didn’t realize Ares was not saying anything, and he looked like he was…shaking? I could barely tell but he was.
“Ares?” I call to him in a calm, mellow voice.
He doesn’t move or even look at me for that matter. My body was on fire! Every now and then I would get these jolts and aches that made me feel like vomiting while being kicked in the guts, but I made it through them. Sienna was whimpering for Eros and seemed wiped out. She barely spoke to me.
After Ares didn’t respond, I call for him louder, “ARES? Baby?”
He still wasn’t responding. He felt, lost. Our bond was so strong, I felt his fear. I had to go to him! I
Ari's POV ‘Do you, Ares Cain Martin, take Arianna Marlina Erickson, as your bride, mate, and QUEEN?’ My father was standing in the throne room wearing his regal crown and robes. Ares was kneeling beside me in front of my father. ‘I do, in every way I can, I DO!’ Ares declared loud and proud for all to hear. There was a massive crowd of people surrounding us and filling the throne room to the brim. I don’t think I have ever seen so many gathered in our throne room as I do now. ‘And do you Arianna Marlina Erickson, take Ares Cain Marin as your groom, mate, and KING?’ My father turns to glare at me where I am kneeling beside Ares, our fingers laced together as we hold each other’s hands side-by-side. I look at Ares and he lifts our intertwined hands and kisses my knuckles, giving me a longing and loving look that melts my heart and soothes my soul. I smile, ‘I do! With all of me, I DO!’ A tear of joy trails
Anika’s POV Oh, my goddess! I cannot believe I have finally found my mate! He is SO GORGEOUS! I probably looked like a lost puppy, drooling all over myself staring into his eyes, like the last meal I ate was - never and he was a big juicy piece of steak! Eventually, my friends snapped me out of my daze and I couldn’t have been happier to realize that my mate is the beta of Ares’s pack - the Freedom Ridge Pack! Granted, our pack has never been on the friendliest of terms with the Freedom Ridge pack; the pack is now under “new management” with Ares’s father being murdered and all, so maybe under Ares’s control, things will be better, right? I feel bad for the guy. That totally sucks! You go to your first Mating Ball and Claiming and your dad gets killed...that's a tough break! My heart ached for Ari and Ares having to go through all of that. I’m so excited to see the pack though! It is every she-wolf’s dream to meet their mate and then be swept off to their new pack to
Anika's POV I ran off to go pack. I have to leave the palace and go to my parent's cottage. It isn’t far from the palace. It’s actually one of the closest buildings to the palace since my parents both work on the palace grounds being that my father is King Harmon’s gamma. When I get home, I avoid my parents’ prying eyes. I try not to let them know I’m home because that would just raise questions. I can answer their questions later and they honestly don’t expect me home for another 2 days since I told them I would be staying at the palace with Ari for the celebration days. I sneak into my room, throw some clothes into my backpack and slip back out the back door. Just as I am headed back to the palace, the alarms start sounding. SHIT! King Harmon realizes Ari and Ares are missing. I hope Alec is okay! I grab my phone and call him. We aren’t mated yet, so I can’t mind link him, and I can’t mind link Ari because she is probably passed out still. She isn’t answering me an
Anika’s POV I woke up when I felt the car come to a stop. I yawned and stretched, looking around for Alec. He was pumping gas. We stopped for gas. Then I looked at the clock. We had been driving for 3 hours. It was the middle of the night, or the wee hours of the morning, whichever way you want to see it. Shockingly enough, when I sat back up, I felt rested. How well did I actually rest? Why was I so refreshed with just a few hours of sleep? Was this a part of the mate pull? I would ask Alec whenever he got back in the car. I was still frustrated with Alec, but I know I’ll get over it. Right now, I needed to get to know Alec better, and I needed to be sure we were actually going to get to Ari. Until I saw her with my own eyes, I was still going to have my guard up a little. Alec was sooo amazing even pumping gas! Those muscles, that jawline, and THOSE EYES. His eyes for a green I couldn’t comprehend. They were a bright pastel green when he seemed calm
Anika's POV “Wow…” I uncrossed my arms and instantly let my guard down realizing that no one other than Freedom Ridge pack members actually knew what Freedom Ridge was like! Well, of course, them and the current Alpha King. He wouldn’t allow things like the rumors to go on in a pack under his rule. “Have I rendered my mate speechless?” He smirks. “No! I just never looked at it that way. SO what is Freedom Ridge REALLY like?” “Well, that my beautiful, you will have to see for yourself, but what I can tell you is that it is the most secure location in the wolf nation and it is far from a prison! There are some beautiful landscapes and wilderness within our borders that can take your breath away. I have a favorite spot I can’t wait to show you!” He was glowing as he told me about his pack. Just the little bit he is telling me is still vague but gives me hope as I see him glowing talking about it. He really does love it there, so I’m sure I will too.
Ares’s POV We’ve been mating for what seems like days. Eros won’t let me release her so we can finally sleep. He doesn’t smell her with pup yet. I’m exhausted, but Eros keeps surging me with more and more energy. Ari is exhausted in every way imaginable. Alec is on his way and should be here within the hour. I had the whole place locked down with the retractable windows and doors covering the place. When I raise one of the retractable doors to let Alec in, Ari’s scent will explode in the area. I trust Alec. He’s bringing his mate, so he should be pre-occupied himself. I’m just worried about how much of her scent will get out and that it will be strong enough, even in that short period of time I open the door, to attract her father’s wolves on patrol. If they pick up her scent, we are as good as screwed. The full force of his pack will come down on us to retrieve her. I can’t let that happen. Think Ares, THINK dammit! ‘Tell them to get a hotel room in the
Ari’s POV Ares wasn’t wrong. The next morning we woke up reinvigorated like never before and we mated in every corner of the room, bathroom, and virtually everywhere upstairs since apparently he told Alec not to come up here. Since we were obviously not going anywhere for a few days, Alec focused on Ani. I’m sure she is close to hitting her heat at this point since it’s been two days since they arrived. I’m not sure if Ani has let him mark her yet, but I assume the deeds already done. Once they mate and mark each other the first time, she only has two to three days and she will hit her heat. I just felt so much better just knowing Ani was here with me. My heat was starting to relax. The waves weren’t hitting me as hard anymore. I felt a dull pain throbbing in my uterus and frankly, I couldn’t tell what was hurting, my lady bits or my uterus because of the heat. I was so sore in every aspect and inch of my body. ‘Can we just tell him we are with pu
Ares’s POV Another day has passed and I think Ari slept half the day away. I, on the other hand, spent that time wrapped around her sleeping body, lost in my own blissful thoughts. After Ari told me she felt that she was with pup, my heart sang. Eros couldn’t be more proud of himself and our efforts. I know Ari wanted to finish her degree before we tried anything like starting a family, but I just don’t see that as an issue since we have daycare at the Pack University. She doesn’t know that, but I also realize that it is my fault. I naturally am not very forthcoming with information about our pack with anyone, it’s just habit. All my higher-ranking wolves have been trained this way for a reason. Since we arrived at my safe house, I have tuned the outside world out and lost myself in Ari and our bond. Eros had one thing on his mind, breeding Ari. With Ari done with her heat and Anika hitting her heat with Alec, we have another few days of solace before shit hi