Werewolf Wedding by Lynn Red Page B

Without you, all of this, the mansion, the business, it’s all for nothing.”
    In a huff, Barney emerged from the kitchen with an entire pig on a tray. “Wolves are impulsive creatures,” he said. “But they are loyal unto death, and once they meet their life mates? I’d rather not get in his way.” He said all this in a short whisper in my ear, as though I needed any convincing about Jake’s impulsivity.
    Then again, I was aching to just say ‘yes.’ I couldn’t though – everything going through my head about the stupid childishness of marrying some guy I barely knew? That’s what I was going to listen to. That’s the good stuff right there. Reason feels good , I thought. Being steadfast and logical and calculating. Spock would never have it any other way .
    I closed my mouth as soon as I realized that it was hanging wide open and that I was lucky I hadn’t drooled. “But I mean,” I started. Jake took my hands – both of them this time – and stood up, pulling me with him. “It’s so... This is just...”
    He knelt in front of me.
    “Oh holy fuck you’re serious,” I said in one syllable’s worth of exhale. “You’re really doing this and I’m really here.”
    Reaching into his open collar, Jake pulled at the cord around his neck, snapping it effortlessly. In a quick flick of his wrist, the cord was gone and a ring was in his hand. “This is for you. Werewolves are more into biting to mark their mates instead of wearing little trinkets.”
    “You’re really doing this and you’re serious and I’m not gonna start sweating and gross you out and...” I took a deep breath. “I’m already sweating but you aren’t leaving so it must not be that bad.”
    “We all sweat,” he said as he kissed my hand. “We are all animals, after all. I think I said that once before, when I...”
    “Oh God yes,” I said. Actually it was more like hearing myself say it. I had a serious case of out-of-body experience just about then. I was vaguely aware of a buzzing noise off in the distance, getting closer. But let’s be serious – I was being proposed to by what was either actually a werewolf, or a lunatic. Or I guess the option I didn’t consider at the time was that I was the lunatic. Wait, is lunatic offensive now? Oh God, werewolf... moon... lunatic. I shook my head as my thoughts raced.
    “What’s that sound?” I asked.
    “Doesn’t matter. The world is you and me right now. I’m the alpha, I want you to be the vita. The pack needs you, Delilah,” his voice was so smooth that I’m fairly sure my panties fell down a couple of inches that had nothing at all to do with me shifting my hips back and forth.
    “What,” I swallowed, my throat clicking. “What is a vita?”
    “Means life. It’s Latin. Anyway, the alpha is the leader, the vita is his mate. She’s the life of the pack. The heart, the soul.”
    “I’d like that,” I said, despite every intention to say no. “That sounds nice. That buzzing is getting really loud, and there’s a light now. What’s going on, Jake?”
    He shook his head, dismissively. “Doesn’t matter. Was that a yes?”
    No! No, no, no, no, no, or at least think about it!
    “Yes,” I said, my voice hollow and weak. “I’m insane.”
    “You’re wonderful. You’re perfect. I am the crazy one.”
    “Master Somerset!” Barney shouted, bursting into the dining room. “Your brother! He’s—”
    It wasn’t words that cut Barney off, it was the bay window exploding, and a motorcycle whizzing past my head before skidding down the table and falling over on a side, ripping a gash in the beautiful cherry wood.
    “Am I late?” Dane said, standing up and brushing the glass off his leather lapel. “Oh, hello Delilah. Funny seeing you here, it’s almost like I planned this.”

-10-
“Why can’t they just be NORMAL brothers that hate each other and only talk on Thanksgiving?”

-Delilah
    ––––––––
    “T his is not okay!” I was shouting as