Her Mortal Mate

Chapter Sixty Five: Preparations

Jadea

Even though I only went to sleep a couple of hours ago, I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day.

My pack, Adam and I were sharing the one guest bedroom Adam and I had stayed in previously. It was cramped, but it wasn’t the worst my pack and I had to deal with either. Out of respect, Adam and I had been given the bed—even though we hadn’t utilized it for most of the night.

Contentment settled over me and a smile pulled at the edges of my mouth as I reminisced about the early morning hours.

After rewarding me, he had taken his time making me fall apart for him over and over again before satisfying both of our needs. It had been sweet bliss.

When we got back to the house, he took me into the bathroom where he helped clean me up and rubbed some cream into my sore backside. I was very satisfied with his level of aftercare, because while he was taking care of me, he asked me how I was feeling. He had taken his role as the dominant very seriously.

Slowly, I rolled over and stared adoringly at his peaceful, sleeping face. I wasn’t sure how long I had stayed there, watching him sleep. All I knew was that it was long enough to catch Garret’s attention.

“Stop being a creep,” he teased.

“Don’t be jealous,” I quipped back.

“C’mon! The household is starting to wake up,” Garret announced.

“Who’s the alpha exactly?” I teased.

“Haha, you. Definitely you! I would lose what little sanity I had left if I were in your shoes.”

I chuckled in his mind, a smile breaking across my face. “Let’s go see if there’s anything we can help with. Wake the others, but keep quite. I don’t want to wake Adam, he needs to rest.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Garret smirked in my mind. “You guys were gone for most of the night. There was a moment I didn’t think you would be coming back and that we would see you doing the walk of shame in the morning with twigs and dirt—

“Thank you, Garret,” I snapped. “I get the picture.”

Sighing softly, I eased off the bed, making sure I didn’t wake Adam.

The others rose and we shuffled out of the room towards the kitchen where we found a beautiful red head darting around the kitchen. She was a little heavier set, but obviously size didn’t matter around us.

She heard our approach and dark emerald green eyes met mine. “Oh you must be Jadea!” She gushed in a southern accent, rushing over to throw her arms around me. “I have heard so much about you from Lance and Lucien! Aren’t you just a pretty as a peach!”

I awkwardly hugged her back, not necessarily used to being pounced on by a stranger.

“Oh my goodness! Where are my manners!” She stepped back. “I’m Yennifer, Nikolai’s mate.”

“You know me. This is Garret, Blade, Briar and Derrick,” I introduced. I felt my pack’s amusement and surprise at learning who this woman was. We had heard about her—

“Is it true when you first met Nikolai, you ran him over with your truck?” Garret blurted.

I elbowed him in his ribs for his rudeness, however she just waved him off with a laughter as sweet as pumpkin pie. “Yes, but it was his own damn fault. He ran out into the road! And, on top of it, I didn’t know he was a person, you know. I had just been a measly mortal back then who had no idea about werewolves and demons and vampires and such! He was like a wolf speed bump!” She shuddered at the memory. “Only knocked him unconscious, though I damn near thought I’d killed him initially. Took him home, nursed him up and, well, the rest is history.” She shrugged.

“Oh, I think I’m going to need to hear the whole history,” Garret teased.

“Maybe some other time,” she winked. “I’ve got a lot to do before the ceremony tonight!” She turned back into the kitchen. “Would y’all mind helping me make breakfast?”

I nodded to my pack to fall in line and she told them what she needed each one to do. “And you sugar,” she nodded to me, “Could you help me with the pancakes?”

I stood shoulder to shoulder with her as we worked. “Ceremony?” I asked her after we had all settled into our roles.

“Yes! It isn’t very often when a mortal is turned to a wolf, is it sugar?”

“I guess not,” I shrugged.

“I remember my turning,” she sighed. “Everyone turned should get to feel special on their day. I reckon, it is a big decision to make and should be celebrated. I’ve got some decorating to do, but other than that there will be some games going on. Not your typical games,” she corrected. “More along the lines of sword play and archery and whatnot.” My pack perked up at this news. It wasn’t often we got to partake in these kinds of games with others.

Why were we celebrating? There were two of the guard being held captive. This didn’t seem right somehow.

“Now, don’t go giving me that look,” she scolded. “Now is the best time for a celebration! It will help get everyone’s mind off the bad for a bit, until we can do something anyway. Isn’t that part of the reason your beau offered to turn tonight? To help Constance?”

I nodded. Yes. It had been part of the reason, though he had been set on turning anyway.

“I like her,” Briar said.

I did too. “What will you need help with after this?” I asked.

“Well, I’ve put Gabriel, Nikolai and Obsidian—

“Obsidian is back?” Garret blurted.

“Yes,” Yennifer replied hesitantly.

“Go,” I told him. He had been looking forward to seeing his sister and apologizing for abandoning her, though it wasn’t his fault.

“What’s got his goat?”

As I explained his situation, others started to trickle into the kitchen. Attracted by the delicious smells no doubt.

“We got the garlands,” Gabriel announced.

“And the ribbon and decorations you requested,” Nikolai added. “Everything’s out in the garden.”

“We’ve got a fresh kill hanging in the garage,” Jordan announced. “Anyone want fresh blood?” He offered.

The hustle and bustle only got worse from there. Yennifer and I made a line with the others of my pack and we dished up breakfast for everyone as they filed in and out of the kitchen. Then, she ushered us out with plates filled with food. “I can stay and help—

“Nonsense! I’ll send Aaron,” Nikolai’s beta, “in with the others to clean up. Now go!” She shooed me out of the kitchen. “All y’all need to eat up! It’s going to be a busy day. I’ll set a plate aside for Adam when he get’s up.”

Amused, I walked out into the garden where others had finished their meals and were starting to decorate as Constance and Alessandra shouted orders. It was rather amusing to watch.

In a corner, I caught a glimpse of Garret with a woman who looked very similar to him. I smiled softly, glad he had his sister back. I knew they had been close in youth, and her death had been the hardest on him.

I sat down on the ground with my pack and dug into the food. It tasted heavenly.

“So, why are we celebrating?” Blade asked quietly, not entirely sure about the festivities either given the circumstances.

“When I was younger and staying at the demon stronghold, I remember a celebration occurring after the half breeds had been saved by Constance, Uriel and the demon guard. Celeste, at the time, was the only one who hadn’t been rescued and was still being held hostage by Victor and Balthazar. Then, there was also Gabriel who had fallen into darkness at the time as well. Even though Constance didn’t want to celebrate, there had been something worth celebrating: the successful rescue of the half breeds and the one who had made it all possible, Constance. This helps ease the heavy burden of one’s mind. It helps bring everyone together. Even though it feels wrong to celebrate because not everyone is here, I believe it is more important than ever to do it during such times of hardship.”

Everyone stayed quiet as they contemplated my words.

“We are going to participate in the games, right?” Blade asked.

“Of course we are!” I exclaimed. This was the best time to get in some much needed training, and to pit ourselves against the best of the best.

Derrick and Blade gave each other a high five and Briar rolled her eyes.

“I dare you to take on Constance! Though I doubt you’ll win,” Derrick baited Blade.

“You wouldn’t make it past Raphael,” Blade bit back.

As they continued to banter back and forth, I couldn’t help but stew over Elam and Hans and where they were right now…