*Maddox*
Shit.
I can feel Antony’s smug grin even though I can’t see him. Sure, proposing to the woman who is already the mother of my child AND my Luna at a party in the honor of my new Beta is ridiculous, but he was right to say I had done everything backward already. So, why stop?
But now Trinity and Elijah are standing in front of me, stealing what I hoped would be Isla’s spotlight.
“Of course,” I say, smiling despite the fact that I’m internally screaming. Isla grabs my hand, her mouth stretched in a beaming smile. Well, at least she’s happy about it. Now what am I going to do?
Elijah shows very little emotion but seems relieved as he turns to Trinity and leads her away, the two of them walking shoulder to shoulder.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Poppy giggles. “She wasn’t a threat to you after all, Isla.”
Isla turns and glares playfully at Poppy, who makes a funny face at her in return. I catch the placement of Antony’s hand as it rests on Poppy’s stomach and meet his eye, noticing the gleam there. Obviously they have no plans to officially announce their news anytime soon, but I’m thankful Poppy told him, even if I’m not supposed to know anything about the matter.
Everything is finally falling into place.
Except for the ring currently burning a hole in my pocket.
I’m an idiot for thinking this was the right time to do it, even if I’d planned on pulling Isla to the side and seeking solace in the back garden to drop down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage. I had no plans for a public display by any means, but I’d just watched her spend the last three days walking the earth like a fucking goddess. She was meant for the role of Luna.
I’m an even bigger idiot for not realizing that a year ago.
So, I have no choice but to let the party for my new Beta drag on well into the night. Eventually, Isla leaves my side all together and makes the rounds, disappearing into the swelling crowd. Drinks and music flow, and by the time the party-goers begin to leave the castle to go back to the camps organized by pack, I find myself sitting on my throne, slightly buzzed from the glass of scotch I’m nursing–alone….
Until Antony walks up, his hands tucked in his pockets.
“I’m taking Poppy to bed,” Antony says in farewell, giving me a mocking bow. He straightens and smirks, looking me up and down. “Still going to ask her tonight?”
“I should have asked her months ago,” I murmur, looking into my drink. “This must be why some men only honor the mate bond and don’t marry.”
“You married once before,” Antony argues, rocking on his heels.
“This feels entirely different, and I don’t understand why,” I admit. I roll my lower lip between my teeth, thinking back on my engagement to Rebecca. We’d been so young, so in love. The mate bond had been there, of course, but…
“She’s not going to say no,” Antony chuckles, patting me on the shoulder. “Just do it.” He walks off, whistling to himself as he scans the room for his mate. I follow him with my gaze as he walks to where Poppy is loading a plate with sweets. He takes the plate from her, kissing her on the forehead as she argues with him about carrying the plate back to their bedroom herself.
I wonder if they told Isla that they’re leaving for Maatua soon.
I spot Elijah in the dwindling crowd. He makes his way toward me, and I straighten up a bit, swallowing back a mouthful of scotch.
“Thank you for the party,” he says formally, bowing a bit.
“There’s no need for such formalities now, Elijah,” I reply, swirling what’s left of my drink. “Does Hunter know you’re here?”
Elijah smirks and plops down on the steps leading up to the thrones, one leg outstretched as he leans back.
“Yeah, he does.”
“Is he going to show up at my doorstep and demand I release you from your new title?”
“If he knows what’s good for him, no.”
I look down at Elijah, who is looking around the room, an unreadable expression on his face. I sigh, setting my cup down, and resting my elbows on my knees as I lean forward, thankful I can drop the Alpha act for the night.
“Did you come here for Trinity?”
He smiles absently but doesn’t meet my eyes. “How else was I supposed to get her attention?”
“Almost getting ripped in half by the heir to the Swollen Creek back is one way to do it, I guess.”
Elijah shrugs, chuckling to himself. He’s obviously not a man of many words, so he doesn’t say anything in response for a long while, the two of us shifting our focus to the drunken party goers who are filtering out of the ballroom. After a moment, he says wistfully, “My father taught me how to fight. We had to learn like all of the men in our line. Across the river, against the rogues.” He pauses, his eyes unfocused as a memory sweeps through his mind. “A lot of training has to do with deception, as you can imagine. Playing dead in order to survive.”
“You had us all convinced you were dead,” I laugh, shaking my head. “Trinity especially. I was under the impression she was scared of you and wanted nothing to do with you until that moment.”
“Most women are,” he jokes, and for the first time since the day I met him I notice a sliver of emotion behind his hazel eyes. “I hope you don’t find it offensive that I came here solely for her. I do intend to serve as your Beta to the best of my abilities.”
“Brutally honest,” I quip, smiling to myself. “You could have brought her back to your pack. Why go through all the trouble of the Beta trials?”
His eyes darken, and he looks down at his lap, toying with the seams of his pants for a moment before saying, “I prefer to keep what's mine away from my brother.” The tone of his voice gives me pause as I looked down at him, seeing the darkness swell behind his eyes. As much as I want to pry and ask what the hell he means by that, I let it rest, and he moves on. “Your old Beta, Seth, is he still alive?”
“He is,” I reply, then throw back the rest of my scotch. It burns my throat just as much as the thought of Seth pains me. “He’ll hang tomorrow. That’s why the camps are still up and most everyone who came for the trials is staying for another day.”
“I could kill him for you, if you wish.”
I run my tongue over my lower lip, shaking my head.
“He was my friend before… all of this.” I wave my hand in a circle, exhaling deeply. “Had he done something else… anything else…. Anything that didn’t involve trying to sabotage my family? Sure, I’d have you kill him. I’d take his life with my own hands, maybe even duel but… not for this reason. I can’t because of the nature or his crimes. He’ll hang like the traitor he is.”
Elijah nods, pursing his lips as he looks out over the crowd.
I see Isla walk back into the ballroom looking a little tired from dancing and mingling with the crowd. She’s walking with Trinity, and to my surprise, laughing and smiling. Elijah notices as well and makes a noise in his throat as the women start to close the distance between us.
“She told me everything. About what she did to you and Isla.” Elijah shifts his weight, preparing to stand as his mate approaches. “It was the first thing she said to me when we were finally alone. It was like she was trying to convince me to reject her.”
“Would you have?”
“I’ve seen people do much worse to secure positions and status within the ranks of a pack,” he answers without hesitation. He stands, looking me in the eyes before nodding in farewell and walking down the steps to his mate, who has obviously been indulging in the sparkling wine.
Isla steps up to my side, and we watch the mates walk away, both of us silent for a moment.
“It’s been a very weird couple of weeks,” Isla says, sighing.
“It’s been a weird year,” I amend.
“Do you want to go to bed?”
“I–actually–” I rise to my feet, the ring box in my suit pocket suddenly impossibly heavy at my side. Was now the right time? “Do you want to go on a walk?”
“A walk? Maddox, it’s almost two in the morning–”
“The garden will be empty, then.” I take her hand, noticing the deeply rooted suspicion in her eyes as I lead her out of the ballroom. She follows me out into the back garden regardless, her hand tucked in the crook of my arm. The entire property has been decorated for not only the trials but the party held tonight, string lights shimmering in the deep blue haze of a humid, star filled night.
We’re in the thick of summer now, and the heat is intense even in the early hours of morning. Isla lets out her breath as we walk a long, slow loop around the back garden wall, chuckling softly as she pulls me to a stop.
“It’s hotter than hell! Why did you drag me out here? Do you want to go have sex in the gazebo again?”
“I definitely do,” I reply, the thought of her splayed out on that stone table sending a rush of heat down my spine. “But no, I just wanted a moment alone with you. The last few days have been incredibly demanding.”
“Well, why don’t we sit down for a minute?” She waves in the direction of a bench situated between two rose bushes, which are heavy with flowers.
I grit my teeth, nodding as I allow her to lead me toward the bench. I sit down with my mate, but I can’t relax. I want to jump out of my skin. I’ve never felt like this in my life.
“What is the matter with you?” Isla pokes me in the chest a few times, frowning. “Are you feeling all right? You’re completely rigid.”
“I’m fine,” I grind out, then clear my throat. I only vaguely remember proposing to Rebecca, and I sure as hell wasn’t feeling like my life depended on her answer. It wasn’t like Isla was going to say no. She wouldn’t say no.
Right?
“I want to ask you something?”
“Oh?” she laughs, shifting her position so she’s facing me. “If it’s about Trinity and Elijah moving into our home–”
“It’s about us.”
Isla’s face falls suddenly, and I instantly feel like I’ve already fucked up.
“Isla, I love you,” I say hastily, taking her hands in mine. “I’ve been… I’ve done this all wrong, from the beginning. There is no reason why you should be here, by my side, after everything I’ve put you through and I… I don’t deserve you. I never will.”
“Maddox–”
I let go of her hands and rise to my feet, reaching into the pocket where the moonstone and sapphire ring is currently burning a hole through my pocket. Isla looks incredible in diamonds, sure, but after the debacle with the Diamond of Faith, I figure something else is appropriate.
Isla’s eyes widen as I drop down onto one knee in front of her.
“You’re my mate. But you’re so much more than that, so much more–” I open up the box, the ring catching the moonlight beaming over our heads. Isla looks at the ring, then at me, her eyes shining with sudden emotion.
“But–”
“You’re already my Luna. The mother of my child. The love of my fucking life. I would be honored if I could also call you my wife.”
She stares back at me, and my breath catches in my throat.
What if she says no?