Series: Unforgiven Country Series by Jenika Snow
Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 12868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
Wyatt speaks these words in each of our heads, this link that tethers all of us together.
It is so strange, yet incredible at the same time.
And then one by one they lower their heads and surrender, accepting me, accepting that I am the mate of the Alpha. There is no challenging, no resisting. I feel a thrill as it moves through me.
And just as each one starts to rise, there is one wolf, stark white in coloring with bright blue eyes, who takes a step forward. His head is lowered, his focus on Wyatt. He says nothing but I sense his hesitation, his anger.
I sense his hurt.
He doesn’t want this. He wants to fight, challenge Wyatt. But I can also sense that it isn’t because of me, but because of some underlying rift between them.
“Colt, stand down,” Wyatt says in each of our heads, his warning growl low, his hackles rising.
He takes a threatening step toward Colt, but the other wolf doesn’t back down. He makes a low rumbling sound. I feel the moment of a fight happening, of bloodshed, and my fear spikes.
“You always get what you want, don’t you?” Colt’s voice drips with ice. “Taking the title of Alpha after my father passed away, even though it was my rightful place.”
“Now is not the time,” Wyatt replies. “I was cited in as Alpha fairly. You submitted in the challenge. What’s done is done.”
Colt growls low again.
“You must accept me as your Alpha and Kendra as my mate. If not, you know the other option.” There is a moment of tense stillness. “You leave the pack for good.”
Colt doesn’t move, and I could swear that he doesn’t even breathe for long moments. He looks at me for a second, his icy blue eyes piercing right into mine. I feel a chill wash over me, his hurt, sadness, even his sense of betrayal.
It is all absorbed into me and I feel them as if they were my own emotions. My heart races, because it feels like the air is being sucked from my lungs.
“It’s not worth it. It’s never been worth it,” Colt finally responds and looks back at Wyatt. “You’ve got what you wanted. I’m gone.” Colt turns and leaves, disappearing into the woods.
I feel him disconnect from all of us.
For a long second everything is still, tense. And then Wyatt turns and looks at me, his gaze penetrating into mine, his apology spoken without a word being sent.
“We accept her.”
“We accept her as your mate.”
“Welcome Kendra, mate to Alpha Wyatt.”
Each one of the wolves in the pack speaks to me, letting me know that I am welcome, that there will be no division of the pack from this. I feel pleasure move through me, knowing that I can stand beside Wyatt and not have to worry about disgracing him or his pack. As a newly shifted wolf, I have a lot to learn. But I know with Wyatt by my side anything is possible.
Whatever the future holds, Wyatt and I will face it together and conquer it all.
“I love you,” he says to me, his words in my head filled with so much happiness and love that if I were in my human form, I would be crying.
“I love you so much, Wyatt.”
He walks up to me and rubs the side of his face against my side, rubbing his scent on me.
“This is the first day of the rest of our lives.”
Yes, it really is.
EPILOGUE
KENDRA
We’re lying in bed, recovering after Wyatt made love to me, lazy and slow. Every time he takes me … it just gets better, more intense. I know it’s because of the mating, how he’s claimed me … how my wolf has finally risen.
It’s been six months since Wyatt made me his and every day feels like our connection grows. I have everything I ever wanted and more. I never dreamed I could be this happy. Since finding my wolf and taking my rightful place at Wyatt’s side, I finally feel whole.
With the joy there has been a little pain. I lost my grandmother a couple of months ago. Her passing was painless and I was by her side the whole time, holding her hand. And in return, Wyatt was with me, giving me his love and support.
After my first shift into my animal form, I approached my grandmother. I needed to know how it was even possible. That’s when she told me that my father was a wolf shifter, something he kept hidden because he wanted to make my mother happy. Apparently, my mother could never accept that life.
She kept me a secret from him, and eventually my father lost his will to live—having been rejected by his mate ... and his pack since he turned his back on them for her.
My heart ached for my father and for the joy that he missed out on. I’ve promised myself that I will hold on to my happiness and live life to the fullest, making sure to never take it for granted. And ever since my wolf emerged, I swear she senses his spirit, as if he was right here beside me, giving me his strength.