He Held Their Vow, I Canceled Mine

Elvira's POV: After seven years together, I canceled the mating ceremony with my fated mate, Kellan, before we could form our mating bond. The staff member looked startled. "Everything is ready for the ceremony. Don't you want to wait until Kellan gets back?" I took one last look at the Moon Goddess altar I had spent three months decorating myself. "No. He doesn't have time. He's at Frostpeak Pack, holding a mating ceremony with his first love." ***** In all our seven years together, Kellan had never let me touch his computer. This time, he'd gone to the northern pack to discuss border patrol arrangements and forgotten to shut it down. While tidying the study, I happened to notice the screen was still on. His Friend: Kellan, did you really hold a mating ceremony with Maeve at Frostpeak Pack today? You didn't exchange mating marks, but you pledged yourself to her in front of the entire pack. Aren't you afraid Elvira will find out? You and Elvira are supposed to form your mating bond in Grayridge Territory in just three days. She's your fated mate. Get a grip! His closest childhood friend was confronting him in a private chat. Kellan was next in line to become Alpha of Grayridge Pack, and I was his fated mate. Our wolves had recognized each other the first time we met. But he had insisted on waiting to give me his mating mark until the night we were supposed to form our mating bond. I had waited seven years. I braced myself against the desk, almost convinced I was dreaming. Maeve Langley was Kellan's first love, the girl he'd fallen for when he was 18. They had broken up when her family moved to another pack. That had been 8 years ago. How could he hold a mating ceremony with her when ours was only days away? I gripped the corner of the desk until the veins stood out on the back of my hand. I stared at the screen without blinking, waiting to see what he would say. His reply came quickly. Kellan: It's true. I know exactly what I'm doing. Maeve and I made a promise when we were 18. This is the one thing she's asked me to do, and I'm going to keep my word. It's just a ceremony. I won't mark her. As for Elvie... The chat window showed Typing... for a long time. Kellan: She doesn't know anyway. I'll act like nothing happened from now on. I stared at that message in disbelief. After a while, a bitter smile tugged at my mouth. It was too late to pretend none of it had happened. 'I already know, Kellan.' I pulled over a chair and sat down. My hand shook slightly as I gripped the mouse and opened his conversation with Maeve. We had been together for seven years, and I had never known any of this. They talked every day. When Maeve sent him a picture of a kitten she'd seen, he replied. Kellan: It's as cute as you. When she complained about the pressure at work and her irritating boss, he took the time to type out a reassuring reply. Kellan: You're under pressure because you're making progress. Don't overthink it. I'm here for you. When the power went out in her apartment complex, she sent him a meme about being afraid of the dark. He answered instantly, without a second thought. Kellan: Wait for me. My period had started that day. I had been writhing in bed with cramps, while Kellan rushed out without even getting me a glass of water. I went through those little exchanges one by one. Every one of them showed how much care and attention he gave her. The hardest part to bear was what had happened over the past month. They had been planning their mating ceremony. He asked her about the venue. Kellan: Do you want the ceremony at the Frostpeak altar or on the lawn by the lake? Or should we do both? He sent her pictures of dresses in every style. Kellan: Do you like lace, satin, or embroidery? I've canceled my afternoon meeting. I'll pick you up at 3 p.m. to try them on. He handled everything, from the venue to whether they should use confetti or streamers at the ceremony. He was constantly on the go. He even asked whether she wanted pictures of them together in their wolf forms in the ceremony album. I had asked for that too. He'd said it was too much trouble. Then there was our ceremony. When I asked whether we should hold it at the Grayridge altar or by the lake, he said, "Whatever you want." When I wanted him to come with me to try on a white ceremony gown, he said he was too busy and told me to choose whatever I wanted. When I finished the guest list and asked him to look it over and sign off on it, his answer was the same. "You decide. Whatever you want." I had thought that was simply how Kellan was. He didn't care about the details. Then I saw his conversation with Maeve. When she couldn't decide between a veil and a moon crown, he had put together three different plans for her. Each one was 20 pages long. The care in every line forced me to admit something at last. There had been some love in our seven years together. But I had to keep making allowances for how busy he was. All she had to do was say she liked something.