Chapter six

As I'm walking to my seat I hear the whispers start. I've gotten used to it from my pack-and they all know I got the wolf hearing. These guests, though, don't seem to know.

"That's the wolfless one that Alpha Ronald found and adopted."

"I heard she's human."

"Do you think I could make her my wife? She looks too good to go to waste. Too bad she's not a wolf."

And with that whispered comment, I feel overwhelming anger, but it's not my anger. It's not like I haven't heard these kinds of comments before. I realize then that it's Damian's emotions I'm feeling through our bond. I know I can't turn around and look at him, so I look up and see my brother coming straight to me in a hurry and my dad with a murderous look on his face. Samuel reaches me and to my surprise, he continues past me to a younger-looking man sitting where I had just walked past. He grabs him by the collar of his shirt and lifts him. "You would do well to remember she's the daughter of an Alpha," Samuel tells him and releases him unceremoniously back into his chair.

I can feel Damian relax, though he is still very mad. He offers his arm to me and escorts me to the front row to be seated next to King Aaron, the wolf king. We both bow our heads. He stands up and, to my absolute surprise, pulls me into a hug.

"You look stunning Annie, dear." He says loudly while he releases me but holds my hand as we sit down. It would seem that everyone in the room heard the comments. I smell Damian as he gets close. As I stand to move down, he shakes his head and motions for me to sit back down where I was.

The pack Elder stands and walks up to my Father and Samuel. He welcomes everyone and as he begins, I feel Damian's arm come up and rest behind my shoulders. King Aaron looks over at Damian and smiles before turning back to my Dad and Brother.

The ceremony is beautiful. I know today is hard for my dad, handing over his pack to someone else, even if it is his son. I know Samuel will do well, and his Beta, Delta, and Gamma are all great guys and will do what's best for the pack.

The Elder instructs everyone to stand as Dad stands and Samuel finally sits on the pack throne, officially becoming Alpha Samuel of the Brooks Pack. As I stand, I feel Damianbring his arm across my shoulders and back before completely releasing me, leaving me to feel suddenly cold and alone. I've avoided acknowledging the bond thus far, but after feeling Damian's anger and loneliness at the lack of his touch, it's really hard to ignore that it's there.

Everyone in the room is looking at my brother, so l take a chance and reach my left hand over just enough to find Damian's as he wraps his around mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. He's so comforting and I start to think that maybe, just maybe, we can make this work. My parents start to descend the stage and I realize now that people may look our way so I reluctantly release his hand.

Samuel sits on the pack throne with his men behind him and releases his first roar as Alpha, causing all but the royal family and present Alpha to bow their heads and bare their necks in submission. I noticed though that I was not affected, but I had always responded to my dad's Alpha commands. I guess Damian has noticed because he leaned over slightly and, in the lowest of whispers in my ear, said "You're the mate of a royal. Alpha commands won't work on you." It wasn't what I was expecting him to say.

The ceremony is complete and as we stand to leave I realize my being between Damian and the King has complicated our exit now.

Typically, the new Alpha would exit first with everyone after in order of hierarchy, but since the Royals are here, they must exit first. As He turns to leave first, King Aaronturns back to us, "Damian, why don't you escort sweet Annie out? I'm sure our new Alpha Samuel won't mind." He turns to Samuel, who just smiles and says "Of course I won't mind the Prince escorting my sister" but not without shooting a look at the guy he mildly assaulted just 40 minutes before.

Damian steps before me and offers me his arm while wiggling his eyebrows and says "My lady" and I honestly can't help but giggle.

I catch my mom's face out of the corner of my eye and she's simply beaming at the entire interaction. I take Damian's arm with my hand and he reaches his other hand over to place it on mine as we walk out behind his parents. We reach the end of the aisle and out of view of everyone when my brother reaches forward and grabs both Damian and me. He leans forward behind us and says to Damian "Watch your hands, bro" with a smirk.

"Oh, I will be watching where they go." Damian returns to Samuel and for a moment I think my brother might lose control of his wolf. "I'm joking Sam. I'll always take care of her," he tells him, and I'm touched by the sincerity in his voice. He barely knows me, though. It's an empty promise, but he's trying.

With the ceremony being over, it's now almost time for the reception. Hopefully, my actions earlier and the delay haven't hurt the dinner service too much. I know I'm not supposed to be in the kitchen today but Father has already sent me there once and it would look terrible on the pack if things didn't go smoothly. I make up my mind and decide to head there.

"Damian, I need to go to the kitchens and make sure things are ready. I'll meet you all in the dining room once I know they're settled." I tell him and his brow furrows. "I'm the head chef for the pack and while my sous chef is handling everything since this was a family gathering, I'd feel much better if I could go make sure everything is ready and they don't need extra hands." I continue, realizing I'm not sure if he even knows I'm a chef.

"I can come with you if you need to, but I don't want to leave you."

"I'll be fine, honestly. It's just my staff

there, and you met Cody earlier, I think. I'll be fine and head back immediately I've cross-checked everything".

"Annie, you're the future Queen now. You don't have to work anymore," he tells me, and I know he's trying to be kind, but that hurts.

"I've never been required to work. I had to convince my father to even let me have this job. I really enjoy it. It's how I'm able to contribute to my pack."I tell him, but I realize that in my hurt I've said more than I meant to. I have complicated feelings about my role in this pack and I didn't mean to spill them out before him.

"OK, Annie. I understand. At least let me walk you to the kitchen so I know you're safe, please." I know his request is genuine and he just wants me to be safe, but with more people leaving the ceremony and coming around, I don't want anyone to see. I nod at him but release his arm. "It's this way, I tell him and start walking toward the direction of the service stairs."

I can feel his irritation at me for releasing his arm through our bond, but I continue and he doesn't say anything. We reach the bottom of the stairs when he suddenly grabs my arm and sniffs the air. He sniffs again and then pushes me against a door and sniffs my neck slowly. His body is pressed gently against mine. He's so close and towers over me and his scent has enveloped me and I'm beginning to feel completely overwhelmed.

"Everything down here smells like you" he finally tells me."It's so strong."

"Oh, uhh, yeah. I spend all my time here. The kitchen is down that hall and my office is there. The door behind me is the one to my suite."I tell him.

"Show me. Please" he says, and I consider it for a moment. He's so close and it's making my heart race, and then he pushes himself against me the slightest bit more and kisses the spot on my neck where a mate's mark would go. I almost cave, but we're too close to think clearly and I need to tell him the endless list of problems with us being together. "Later" I whisper out because it's as much as I can squeak out with him so close. I hear him take a deep breath as he pushes his weight off me, but he still stays where he is towering over me.

"Later" he whispers back to me while we both take a moment to regain our composure. "Are you ready?" he asks after a moment, and all I can do is nod. He steps back and waves his arm out motioning for me to go in front. I walk to the kitchen door with him behind me and turn to him "Thank you for walking down with me", I tell him.

"You're welcome. Are you sure you'll be up for dinner?"

"Father will drag me there if I try anything," I tell him and he smiles.