Chapter 9 - Katelyn

Wyatt leads us to the head table.  The pack has set up another spot for Bridget at his head table.  Only Beta Ford and Lead Warrior Mason have been sitting at the table up to now.  If they have mates, then their mates would have been able to sit next to them too.  Then, of course, Wyatt’s mate has a seat at the table right next to him, but since his mate’s death, the seat has been vacant.  However, that is the seat I’ve been using since I’ve gotten here.  

The Alpha rearranges the seats a little, so my friend is sitting next to me while Mason and Ford are on the other side of Wyatt. 

As we sit down, my mind finally begins to work again.  I look around the dining hall, but I don’t see Mason or Ford.  We have been able to introduce Bridget to Mason when we were in the backyard earlier. 

He was just finishing up a training session, which I fortunately was able to get out of it today only because my friend is here.  However, we still haven’t had a chance to introduce her to Ford.  Wyatt had sent Ford off to do something for him, but Ford should be back anytime. 

Everyone in the pack knows that if you want to be able to eat, you have to get to the dining hall on time.  Otherwise, they can’t promise that the younger werewolves haven’t eaten all the food. 

Bridget gently taps my arm.  “Katelyn, who are you looking for?”

Still scanning the room, I mumble, “Ford.  He is the pack’s Beta.  I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

Wyatt adds, “I’m sure you will like him.”

She smiles and chimes, “I’m sure I will.”  Suddenly, she takes a big sniff.  “Do you smell that?  It smells like vanilla.”

I look at Wyatt.  We both shake our heads and reply, “No.” 

I ask, “Are you sure you are smelling vanilla?”

She takes another big sniff and smiles.  “Yes.  It is most definitely vanilla, and it smells amazing.”

Confused, I glance at Wyatt.  Why would she be smelling vanilla?  There are a lot of spices and seasonings used to cook the meal, but vanilla isn’t one that stands out to me. 

A smirk slowly spreads across Wyatt’s face. 

I can’t help myself when I ask, “Wyatt, you know what is happening.”

With a sparkle in his eye, he nods.  “We just need to wait now.  It is only a matter of time now.”

Bridget tilts her head and furrows her eyebrows.  “Only a matter of time for what?”

Wyatt playfully points to towards the door and teases, “For your mate to find you.  If you can smell his scent, he can definitely smell yours and he will be drawn to you.  Now, we just wait.”

Mate?  Bridget’s mate is here.

As my mind continues to swirl and tries to process everything, Ford comes rushing into the dining hall.  He takes a moment to scan the room and when his eyes stop on my friend, a growl suddenly fills the room.  “MATE!  MINE!”

She gasps and softly whispers, “Mate.”  She doesn’t move with her eyes glued on Ford as he rushes toward her. 

Everything seems like it is in slow motion, but it is only a matter of seconds before Ford is standing in front of Bridget and lovingly gazing into her eyes.  It soon becomes apparent that nothing else exists but the two of them, as Ford reaches up with his right hand and gently caresses Bridget’s cheek while she lovingly gazes into his eyes. 

Oh, this is how I dreamed it would happen with me and my mate. 

A few lone tears slowly slide down my cheeks.  I’m torn between being happy for them and wishing that this is what I would have.  However, I know my fairy tale will never happen now.  My mate has already claimed someone else, and it isn’t me.   

Ford smiles and softly chimes, “I’m Ford.”

My friend smiles back.  “I’m Bridget, Katelyn’s best friend.”

A warmth slowly engulfs my body as a smile spreads across my face.  She has found her mate.  At this moment, I can’t let my own sorrow ruin this moment for her.  However, in the back of my mind, I can’t help but to wonder why I couldn’t have something like this too. 

Ford slowly closes the small distance between him and her.  His hand gently slides down from her cheek to her shoulder and then down her arm before snaking around her waist. 

The room continues to watch in anticipation as Ford hovers his mouth slightly in front of her trembling lips and whispers, “You’re beautiful.”

The room is completely silent. 

You could hear a pin drop. 

At this very moment, there isn’t anything more important or exciting than watching Ford and Bridget meeting for the first time. 

Her tongue slowly peaks out of her mouth and licks her lips. 

The tension in the room instantly builds as Ford’s eyes immediately snap to Bridget’s mouth.  A low growl fills the room right before he pulls her tight against his body as his mouth latches onto and engulfs her plump lips in a passionate kiss. 

The tension in the room continues to grow as he begins to devour her mouth.  However, no one is moving to stop them.  Not even Wyatt is moving.

As each second goes by, my mind begins to, once again, betray me and wish that I could have something like this.  I have dreamed of something like this, but instead, I get a mate that believes the lies that others tell him. 

Finally, Wyatt reaches out and pats Ford’s back.  In a stern voice, he barks, “Go claim your mate in your room.  I’ll send her bags to your room later.”

Without looking back at the Alpha, Ford breaks the passionate kiss and grabs Bridget’s arm before he drags her out of the dining hall.  All eyes watch the couple leave, but no one says anything.  After the two disappear from the dining hall, Wyatt turns to everyone and chimes, “Let’s eat and don’t forget to welcome Bridget into our pack later.”

I turn towards him and softly add, “They need to eat something.  Are you going to make sure that they have food?”

He smiles and nods.  “I have already mind linked with the people in the kitchen and have asked to have food taken to Ford’s room frequently over the next 24 hours.”

24 hours.  Is that all the time that they are going to be together?  I thought my father told me it would take days.

He chuckles and lightly grabs my arm.  As he pulls me back to the table and down onto the seat next to him, he chimes, “Well, the first 24 hours are most intense.  However, after that, the werewolves can often come out of the room on their own, but they rarely stay out too long before heading back into the room together and continue the claiming processing.”

Oh, when am I going to get used to him being able to read my mind?  Shoot.  This feels like we are already mind linked with each other.  The only problem is I can’t get any messages from him.  He can hear what I’m thinking, but I can’t hear anything regarding what he is thinking.  

A soft chuckle escapes from him again.  He pats my arm and chimes, “Once you go through the ceremony and I accept you into the pack, you will be able to mind link with everyone in the pack.  Don’t worry.  It won’t be much longer.” 

He glances around the table.  “Oh, besides being able to talk to the pack, when your mate claims you, you will also get the ability to read minds like the rest of us.”  Wyatt picks up his glass and takes a drink.

However, I’m frozen.  My mind can’t get past his words.  When my mate claims me.  I have given up hope on that.  My mate has claimed another person.  The moon goddess doesn’t allow for us to have another mate.  Right?  Well, this isn’t something that my family has ever talked about, and I never have asked about it.  I don’t think that I would have to ask.

He puts his glass back down on the table. 

Once again, he chuckles and gently pats my arm.  “Yes, you can have another mate.  The moon goddess allows us to be able to find another perfect mate for us if something happens to our original true mate.  Granted, the initial pull isn’t there, but she allows us to develop the bond.  Over time, that bond grows to something that is just as strong as if the new mate was your first true mate.”

My mind is swirling.  I don’t know this is even an option.  Why haven’t I been told about this before?  Wait.  What about children? 

I look at him and softly ask, “Can the second mate still have children, then?  I was always told that it was harder for you to have kids if it isn’t with your true mate.”

Wyatt looks into my eyes and for the first time since I’ve been here, I see a tenderness.  I know he is kind, but he has never looked at me like this before. 

As he continues to pat my arm, he replies, “In the case like your mate’s situation where the one party is deceived and lied to in order to get them to claim the other, the moon goddess will never allow children into such a bond.  Yes, there is a bond, but it will never truly finish forming, thus the moon goddess will never allow for her to get pregnant.”

“However, in your case where your mate was taken from you and has claimed someone else, the moon goddess will allow you to find another mate.  It will take time, but eventually, you will be drawn to the second mate, and you will be able to form a bond with him.  Eventually, you will be able to have kids with him too.”

A weight has suddenly been lifted off of me.  I can still have a family.  I thought I have lost all hope of ever being able to have a family.

Without even thinking, I instantly jump towards him and engulf him in a hug.  As tears roll down my cheeks, I softly mumble, “Thank you.  Not only have you given me a new life, but you have given me hope too.”