Butch
I had nearly lost my mind when Tempest stopped glowing, hearing her struggle to breathe as her arms started turning black nearly suffocated me. I had acted on instinct, running to her side...but when it only got worse I blindly followed her mothers advice...and put my hand on the mark I gave her, and spoke to her as if she could hear me...
At first nothing happened, but then her mark glowed even brighter than before, as well as the rest of her markings as the black disappeared. But the most bizarre thing that occurred was when the glowing started to transfer to me...as my hand stayed on her shoulder the vine started wrapping around my arm, replacing my tattoo sleeve completely as it went from my wrist to my shoulder...attaching itself to the mark she gave me as it also began to glow brightly...sending a warm feeling through my body.
And when her brother suddenly developed glowing marks on his body, that's when it really started to get intense. A sphere like orb of black smoke started forming in between them, seeming to come directly from Alec himself....and all of us watched in stunned awe as it began to slowly burn before bursting into smoldering dust...
All of us stay completely silent too, watching as both of them sit motionless for a few moments, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest. Then suddenly, their marks turn blindingly bright before disappearing completely...and they both start falling backwards. I immediately catch Tempest in my arms, and her mother catches Alec before his head can hit the concrete floor.
"Tempest? Babydoll, can you hear me?" I call softly, and after a moment she stirs.
"Butch?" She whispers, her voice sounding tired. And I finally sigh in relief at the sight of her beautiful baby blue eyes looking up at me, blinking slowly as if she's fighting sleep.
"Goddess babydoll, you really worried me the last few days...please don't scare me like that again...okay?" I murmur as I bow my head so my forehead touches hers, closing my eyes while I deeply inhale her lavender and mango scent. I open them again as I feel her hand slowly caress my cheek, seeing the softest of smiles in her face.
"I promise mishka...I don't think I have it in me right now to argue..." She slurs, and I let out a deep breath.
"Just rest then baby, we can talk some more after you get some sleep."
"You too...I know you're exhausted too." She insists as her eyes start to drift close, and it's like the tiredness hits me all of a sudden. I silently debate with myself as I watch Zuzu curl up on a blanket in the sunshine.
"Take a nap with me Butch...I promise I'm not going anywhere."
I yawn as I pick her up in my arms, and make our way to the nearest empty bed in the next room. I'm too tired to argue myself at this point, and honestly I'm happy with getting some rest with my mate curled up in my arms.
Listening to soft sounds of her breathing, I close my eyes as the swirling thoughts of my mate, our pup, and the exciting future fills my dreams.
Tempest
It's been two weeks since I brought my brother back from the Spirit Plane, and a lot has happened in that amount of time...most of it within the first twenty four hours afterwards.
First was after me and Butch woke up from our overdue naps, when me and my brother reunited with our family...which was an emotional roller coaster in itself. After more reassurance that we weren't angry with him, Alec was immediately swarmed by my mother who was crying tears of joy, my father who was just as emotional even though he fought off the tears, and our ecstatic siblings Viktor and Dinara who hugged his neck so tightly I was sure he was suffocating.
It makes me immensely happy to have him back, even if he is a little older and taller, he's still my little brother.
The second round of amazing news was when I found out, after everyone else, that there was a strong possibility that I was pregnant...which was quickly confirmed after a visit to get an ultrasound from the pack doctor, and I'll be honest when I say I'm still trying to wrap my head around the news is an understatement.
I'm a cross between nervous and excited, while Butch is thrilled and even more clingy than I ever thought was possible...he hasn't really left my side much since I woke up, and it's gotten to the point where he's pretty much living with me now...though he will be moving in officially in the next few days, and there's hardly a moment when he isn't running a hand over my mostly flat stomach or nuzzling his cheek against it as he talks to our growing pup...it's immensely adorable.
Next was the news that my parents officially decided to move down to North Carolina, upon my moms desire to be closer to her very first grandchild. They plan on living in town, which is only twenty minutes away from the pack lands.
And then the unexpected news of Alec...who, after only a week and a half of being back, found his mate in a sixteen year old human girl who lives in town and works at a pet shop. They are still in the early stages of their relationship, but I can tell being with her and her Dalmatian puppy named Dottie has helped him start readjusting to his life.
And finally, the announcement of me and Butch officially becoming the new Alpha and Luna of the pack...with Elliot becoming Beta, and Dustin becoming Gamma along with his mate Haley. Which is happening in an hour from now...and truthfully I'm a little anxious, the ceremony itself is a large event that involves almost the entire pack...all of them watching us on the platform as we recite our oaths...
It's been years since I felt stage-fright, to the point where I struggle to make even the smallest decisions...like what to wear...
Groaning, I toss yet another of my dresses onto the bed in frustration, it's too flashy for this kind of event...while the others are too boring. Crap...it's like our first date all over again.
"Babydoll? You ready yet?" Butch calls from the hallway, his footsteps entering my bedroom. He wraps his arms around me from behind as I lean into his chest, his hand resting over my belly button instinctively.
"Considering your still wearing nothing but my t-shirt, I'll take that as a no..." He chuckles, kissing my birthmark softly as I groan again.
"I have no idea what to wear...and we have less than an hour before the ceremony starts." I sigh, and he hums against my neck.
"Are you open to suggestions?" He murmurs, and I crack a smile.
"As long as it doesn't involve me going in your shirt...I'm open."
He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my jaw before walking over to my closet...and I can't help but stare at how fine his butt looks in those black jeans he's wearing. Goddess...
"Babydoll, if you keep staring at me like that...we are definitely going to be late to the ceremony." He rumbles as he looks through my dresses hanging on the rack, and I smirk as I give him one last once over before looking at the back of his head.
"Sorry, I can't help that you look damn fine..." I purr, and his lowly growl makes me smirk wider.
"You little temptress..." He purrs again, and I watch his muscles flex through the back of his shirt.
"You know you love it..."
"I do, and it gets me in trouble." He answers as he grabs a dress and turns back around, and I have to admit he looks even better from the front. His dark green dress shirt is tucked into the waistband of his jeans, the sleeves rolled up to elbows revealing his tattoos, and the top three buttons are undone while his pendant gleams in the light...
I am one lucky girl...this man is all mine.
"You really are making it difficult babydoll." He murmurs, and I look up to take in the glow of his molten steel eyes...darkening around the edges with hunger. After he reaches me I place a hand on his cheek, the light stubble on his jaw and chin surprisingly soft to the touch.
"Like you aren't." I reply, and he gives me that familiar lopsided smile.
"I think you'd look perfect in this one..." He says, holding up the dress he's chosen to my chest, and I smile as I notice not only is it the perfect one...it also matches his shirt perfectly.
"I think so too, not to mention the fact you've got excellent taste..." I grin as I flit to the bathroom to try it on, pulling off his shirt and putting on a lacey black, strapless bra and the matching underwear I grabbed on my way out before I do.
Looking at my reflection, I smile in satisfaction as I immediately begin putting my hair up in a braid up bun, using my magic to help French braid the back part before pining up the rest in a bun with a circular gold clip dotted with pearls. I put in my favorite emerald and pearl studs along with my pearl string dangle earrings, and finish off with putting my great aunts vine ring on my right middle finger. I keep make up simple with black mascara and eyeliner, and pink matte lipstick.
I go back into my bedroom to see Butch hanging the last of my rejected dresses back up in my closet, and I quickly pull on the gold colored heels I already planned to wear that I left sitting by the door before I get his attention.
"What do you think teddy bear?" I call out, and the look on his face makes me blush a little as he looks me over appreciatively.
"You look absolutely stunning..." He replies as he walks towards me, his voice a bit awestruck as he gazes down at me. I shiver as he traces over my exposed shoulder slowly from his mark to the Luna pendant he made for me, the sparks warm as they dance across my skin.
"Thank you, would you mind zipping me up?" I ask as I turn around, and I hear his low growl as he begins slowly zipping my dress up...one of his knuckles brushing up the middle of my back as he does, no doubt intentionally giving me chills as sparks dance up my spine.
"Tempest...trust me when I say that the only thing I enjoy more than seeing you in this dress, is the knowledge that I'll have the greatest privilege of taking it off of you after you've officially become my Luna tonight..." His husky voice whispering hotly in my ear makes my body heat up in response, my heartbeat racing wildly as I gasp at the sensation of him leaving a hickey just behind my ear.
"Until then, let's go to our ceremony...I've been looking forward to this day for a very long time." He continues after he's finished, and I nod as he leads me out the door and into his car, spending the next few minutes trying calm my overheating body...and keep out the blush worthy thoughts of what he's planning for tonight.
~~~~~
"I now officially declare you as Alpha Butch and Luna Tempest." Alpha Dylan announces, his voice immediately drowned out by cheering.
I internally sigh in relief as we finish our oaths, happy that I remembered everything correctly. Butch takes my hand as we turn to face the massive crowd in front of the wooden stage we're all standing on, Butch's family standing behind us along with Beta Elliot, and Gammas Dustin and Haley. My family stands in the crowd right in front of the stage, mom and dad looking at me with immense pride as well as the rest of the pack...their faces illuminated by both the full moon and the paper lanterns hanging from the trees above.
All that's left before the celebration is Butch's first speech, and he looks quite confident as he brings the microphone up to his lips.
"I can be completely honest about the fact that this has been one of the greatest days of my life." He starts, squeezing my hand as we stare out into the crowd.
"I say one of because in the last few months, I've had many great days...first of which being the day I met Tempest...my Luna." I blush fiercely as the crowd 'awws', "another was the day we found out we are expecting our first pup..." The crowd cheers and whistles excitedly at the news, and I see Butch's gaze on me for a split second...a twinkle of excitement in it.
"But there's one more thing I want to add to that list, something that will make this day even more special for me than it already is...hopefully for both of us." He continues, and I look up at him in confusion as he turns to face me directly.
"Butch?" I whisper, and he smiles.
"Tempest...you have become my sun, my moon...and my greatest joy in waking up each morning. You're the person who can make me smile when I'm upset, and can bring me back to earth when I've lost my ability to see reason. You bring out the best in me just by being by my side..." He murmurs as he looks me directly in the eyes, and I can feel my eyes water at his touching words.
"So babydoll..." He starts again, and my eyes widen in shock as he lets go of my hand...and drops down on one knee. I can barely hear the gasps of the crowd as I stare down at my mate, watching as he pulls a little black box from his pocket and opens it up to me...revealing a gorgeous ring inside.
"Would you make me the happiest man in the world by marrying me?" He asks with biggest smile, and for a brief moment I can't remember how to speak.
"Goddess girl, tell the man yes!" Haley calls out from behind us, and the crowd laughs a bit as I recover enough to get out my words.
"Of course I will, you romantic teddy bear." I sniffle out with a smile on my face, and the crowd cheers once more as Butch stands up, sliding the ring on my left hand before pulling me in for a deep kiss...both of us ignoring the whistles and cheers as they watch.
Rule 35: Love is Dangerous...but it's worth it if it's real.