Page 50 of The Wolf King's Demand

Addison could hear Cassia screaming in the background, and her head spun from where it had hit the ground in the fall.

She reflexively brought her knees up, managed to get her feet into Letitia’s belly, and kicked with all her might. The wolf went flying, landing hard on her side with a grunt and lying motionless.

Addison willed her body to get up and finish the evil woman off, but she was still feeling stunned from the bash to the head. She managed to roll onto all fours, shaking her head desperately to clear it.

Both women staggered to their feet at the same time. There was a new quality to their circling now. Both were far more wary. Both were hampered by injuries. One mistake and that would be it for one or the other of them.

Addison watched carefully. Letitia was lame on her left foreleg and was bleeding from a gash to her head, the blood trickling down her face into her eye. If Addison could maneuver her to the wall, then she could force her opponent to turn, and she could monopolize on her injuries.

Carefully, she sidled to the side of the chamber. Too late, Letitia realized what she was doing. She leapt lamely just as Addison swung the bar like a baseball bat and hit her hard in the side of her head with a sickening thud.

The wolf dropped to the floor like a stone … dead.

“Addison!”

It was Tyler’s voice. Sweet Tyler, Addison thought as she passed out, falling into his strong, welcoming arms.

THIRTY

TYLER

Every mating ceremony was different.

Some things were the same in all of them. In any mating ceremony, the two partners would declare their love before an audience. They would embrace each other. But beyond that, there was a world of different traditions and versions to draw from. Even if Addison and Tyler had confined themselves to the mating ceremonies as performed in Somberglen, they would have had dozens to choose from.

They hadn’t. They had planned a mating ceremony that reflected them. It would be formal and solemn, as it had to be, but also passionate and personal. In his own way, he was proud of the ceremony they were about to perform. But mostly, he was just happy. He was happy that he finally had a day to celebrate a relationship that had made his life better in every way.

He walked into Cassia and Liddy’s room. Addison was there, helping Cassia straighten up her dress and look nice for the ceremony. The children would all play a special part in it.

“How are my girls doing?” he asked, smiling. His wolf stirred at just being near his little family.

“Tyler,” Addison snapped. “Haven’t you heard it’s bad luck to see your mate before the mating ceremony?”

“As if you’ve ever brought me bad luck,” said Tyler, rolling his eyes.

Addison was certainly a beautiful sight in her dress. It was deep purple with a bright blue sash in the middle to accent it. The dress was cut so that his bite mark was entirely visible. She looked as beautiful as ever but also uniquely stately. Every movement she made was surrounded by a torrent of fabric. There was no questioning that she was a royal. She emanated dignity with every step and motion.

“Let’s let the girls decide,” Addison said. “Liddy, Cassia, is it okay for Tyler to be here even if it might be bad luck?”

Cassia thought about the question seriously. She always thought about questions before she answered them. “Can bad luck actually hurt people?”

Addison smiled and shook her head. “No. It’s just a superstition.”

Liddy interjected. “Then I think it’s okay. I like it when both of you are together.”

“Are you ready for your part in the ceremony?” Tyler asked.

“Yes!” Cassia said. “I even practiced, so I know I’m gonna get it just right.” Liddy nodded her agreement.

“You’ll both do great,” Tyler agreed. He turned his attention to his soon-to-be mate. “I just wanted to check if there was anything you needed. As far as I can tell, everything’s on schedule.”

“There were a few guests who needed rides and waited until the last minute to ask,” Addison said. “But I’ve got them all dealt with. I think we’re just about ready to go.”

“All right then,” said Tyler. “I’m about to open the castle gates for the audience.”

Addison looked nervous for a second. “You’re sure they’re going to be okay with me?”

Tyler laughed and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Addison, after hearing that you took down a shifter to save your daughter even though you can’t shift yourself, I think most of them think you’re cooler than I am.”

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