Chapter 757 You won’t believe this. Damon found his mate
Corvine calmed the pack members while Voren and Seraphine stepped closer to Pete and Nicole. The air still carried a low undercurrent of tension, but the Alpha’s steady presence settled most of it.
“How did it go?” Seraphine asked Nicole, eyes sharp with interest.
Nicole’s face lit up with a smile she could not contain. Color rose high in her cheeks. “Well, he said it hurt like shit when I marked him. Like someone took a hot iron to his neck. But later he said it was a turn on. So I encouraged him to do the same. Can you believe his canines elongated right then? They just pushed out like they had been waiting for the chance.”
Seraphine’s eyes widened. Her pulse kicked up. “Does that mean the mark would give him some of our abilities?”
Nicole pursed her lips, mulling it over. She glanced at Pete, who stood a few feet away talking with Voren, still rubbing the side of his neck like he could feel the phantom burn.
“That’s what I thought. But after he finished the marking and we mated, he slept so deep it scared me. Like the dead. This morning he felt completely normal. No extra strength. No sharper senses, just him.”
“Okay.” Seraphine responded thoughtfully, her mind already racing through possibilities. “Keep monitoring him even after you return to the human world. Any change at all, you tell me.”
Voren was speaking with Pete at the same time. This should have been Corvine’s job, but Voren took it up himself because Pete was his assistant and would be more comfortable around him.
“Pete, it’s time you learn about this pack. We have ranks, and everyone has responsibilities, just like running a company in your world. The only difference is there are unforeseen wars. So we train like soldiers to protect ourselves and each other.”
“You mean I have to train too?” Pete’s voice wavered. Uncertainty crept in and settled heavy in his stomach. His hands flexed at his sides.
Voren explained it with steady patience, never rushing him. “You aren’t expected to undergo extreme training. For you it can be a form of exercise. And you have to formally join the pack since your mate is a member.”
Pete’s head spun. Everything piled on top of everything else until he felt like the ground might tip. “You mean there are procedures for that?”
“Yes,” Voren responded calmly. “And for you there will be an oath of secrecy.” His expression hardened. His eyes turned to flint. “Should you tell anyone about our world…”
Pete did not let him land the threat. He lifted both hands, palms out. “Who would believe me anyway? I might get thrown into rehab or a psychiatric home for sputtering nonsensical things. My own mother would have me committed by noon.”
Voren smiled, knowing it was true. The hardness in his eyes eased. “Good. I shall take you through the pack membership ritual now. Then I can explain the ranks and introduce you to the pack formally.”
“Wait.” Pete stopped him, brow furrowing deep. “What will I be doing as a member? I see everyone has responsibilities here. When I woke up earlier I saw from the top how those cleaning the pack were different from the farmers who brought food. Some were already training hard even before the official session began.”
Voren smiled, appreciating the observation. “You’ve seen a bit of the activities that go on here. So after the ritual you can take part in the administrative unit since you are experienced with that. Mind you, things are different here, but you will get used to it. And if a war should arise, you shall be protected.”
Pete opened his mouth, but Voren added one more thing. “Also, you shall be paid for your services here. Everyone gets paid.”
Pete raised a brow. Surprise flickered across his face, cutting through the leftover nerves. “There seems to be a lot to know. With you, your wife, and Nicole around, I’m not afraid.”
Voren allowed Oriana to take Pete through the pack ritual. One of Voren’s worries lifted the moment Pete felt the mind link. The connection snapped into place like a live wire.
“This is awesome,” Pete exclaimed after the sharp pain from the mind link subsided. He pressed a hand to his temple, eyes wide. Nicole smiled beside him as voices flooded his mind, warm and overlapping.
’Congratulations.’
Pete wondered how to respond, then realized the moment he thought about it a response was already sent. A grin broke across his face. “I think I can get used to things here.”
Voren explained after. “You already met Corvine. He is the Alpha of this pack, and that is his wife, Liah. She also is the Luna.”
Liah stepped forward and welcomed him warmly, her smile genuine and open. “Good to have you, Pete. I’ve worked with a lot of humans, so feel at home. No one here is going to bite.”
“I plan to,” Pete replied. Nicole laughed under her breath as Corvine raised his voice and announced him to the pack.
“Family, we have our first human member, and he’s mated to Nicole.”
Applause echoed through the gym. Pack members moved in, embracing Pete warmly, clapping him on the back, welcoming him into the fold. Some of the younger ones stared a second longer than the rest, curiosity bright in their eyes, but the overall feeling was solid acceptance.
Then Pete turned to Voren, still a little breathless from the sudden crowd. “Sir, what is your rank here?”
Before Voren could speak, Corvine answered in his stead. “He’s our King. Not just to this pack but all others in the werewolf community.”
Pete’s eyes went wide. His jaw went slack. “You mean there are more places like this?”
“Yes,” Corvine said. “But every pack is different, and they all have Alphas, Lunas, and betas. The Alpha King and Queen oversee all packs. Over here we have two betas and three gammas. Kael is a beta, and so is Damon. The two ladies there,” he beckoned at Sloane and Faye, “are gammas. There is another, but she’s currently in Paris.”
Pete was suddenly excited. Energy buzzed through him so hard he almost bounced on his feet. “So can I stay here for a while? It’s so nice to be roped into something new. Feels like the first real adventure I’ve had in years.”
Voren smiled. “You only have to arrange it with Kael. As long as he’s ready to hold the fort in the city, you are always welcome to your new home.”
Thus Pete and Nicole stayed for four more days before returning to the human world. The days passed in a blur of training sessions watched from the sidelines, shared meals, quiet conversations under the trees, and long nights where Nicole and Pete simply held each other and tried to process everything that had changed.
Before Nicole left, Seraphine pulled her aside and instructed her with quiet intensity. “Let me know as soon as you get pregnant.”
Nicole nodded, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach even though nothing had changed yet. “I sure will.”
The next day Kael returned with Damon, but they were not alone. Kael announced it the moment Damon attracted stares from every corner of the conference room.
“You won’t believe this. Damon found his mate.”
Author’s note:
Now let’s dedicate a few Chapters to Damon’s love life.