Madeline’s POV
The voices came back in full force as soon as Dimitri left the room.
My heart raced and I tried so hard to ignore them. My head felt like it was going to explode and I just wanted Dimitri to come back. Everything was better when he was here.
I couldn’t take him away from his pack, though. He was an Alpha. He had a job. He couldn’t be with me all the time.
“Maddie?” Beta Will called me and I looked at him.
He sat down next to me and gave me a small smile.
“Are you okay?” he asked and I nodded.
“I am fine,” I said. “I am just a little bit tired.”
I wasn’t lying, though. I was tired. I was exhausted. And hearing all those voices inside my head was making it worse. I wanted Dimitri. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me. I wanted to close my eyes and sleep.
“Can you hear them again?” Beta Will asked worriedly.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave him a small nod.
“It’s easier when Dimitri is here, isn’t it?” he asked as a small smile spread across his face.
I nodded again and his smile grew.
“I can’t explain to you how happy I am that he finally got you,” Beta Will said. “It’s been so hard watching him having to go through all that shit in the past nine months. I wanted him to tell you sooner, but he refused. He wanted you to experience it all.”
My heart clenched painfully and I looked down at my lap.
If he had told me that I was his mate before I turned 18, I would have probably run away. I was so ashamed to admit it, but it was the truth. I wanted to leave the pack ever since I got here. If I found out that I was going to be tied to this place forever, I would have left before I got a chance to experience the bond.
I wasn’t sure if I could leave him now.
I started to love him. I loved him. I loved him with every part of my heart and soul. I belonged to him. I wanted to feel his body against mine. I wanted to be surrounded by his scent. I wanted to be around him.
No, I couldn’t leave him anymore.
“I know it’s a shock, Maddie, but you are not alone,” Beta Will spoke again and I looked up at him. “You have Dimitri. He is an amazing man and he is going to be an amazing mate. He already is.”
He smiled and I nodded. He really was an amazing mate. He’d done so much for me already.
“You have me as well,” Beta Will continued. “It is my duty as a Beta to keep you safe. You are my Luna and we have our own bond that I can’t and don’t want to break. The need and the duty to protect you is written in my blood.”
He smiled and took my hand in his.
“But I also want to be here as a friend, Maddie, not just a protector,” he added softly. “I know that we just met and it will take you a while to relax around me, but I really want to be your friend. I want to be here for you and I want to help you through everything. I want to do it for you and for Dimitri.”
I felt tears in the corners of my eyes.
“Thank you,” I said, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “I am sure that we will be great friends.”
I needed to find a way to relax a little first. I needed to find a way to stop feeling so guilty. I needed to find a way to let myself believe that I was really Dimitri’s mate and the Luna of this pack.
It was surreal, though. Everything just felt like a dream. I was planning on leaving the pack just s a few hours ago and now I was a part of it.
“I can’t help but think that you are a bit unsure about everything, Maddie,” Beta Will said after a few moments of silence.
I sighed and gave him a small nod.
“I am having a hard time believing it,” I said honestly. “I feel like I’m going to wake up and realize I was dreaming the entire time.”
Beta Will smiled and shook his head.
“It’s not a dream,” he said. “I know it feels like it, especially with how fast everything is going, but it’s not a dream, Mads.”
I took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“I just hope that I will be a good Luna,” I mumbled quietly. “I hope that I will be worthy of Dimitri.”
Beta Will squeezed my hand and smiled at me.
“You will be an amazing Luna,” he said. “You are already worthy of Dimitri. He should be worried about being worthy of you.”
Beta Will winked and I chuckled a little.
“Don’t worry so much, Mads,” Beta Will continued. “That man is head over heels in love with you and has been for the past nine months. He fought so hard for you even before you knew who he was to you. He obviously thinks that you are more than worthy of him.”
My heart skipped a beat and I felt like crying.
I really needed to talk to him. I really needed to apologize for the way I behaved after I found out about him being my mate. I hurt him so much and he had done nothing but love me and care for me.
The voices inside my head suddenly got louder. I groaned and placed my hand on my forehead.
“Dimitri is on his way,” he said worriedly. “He will be here in a few minutes.”
I looked at him and furrowed my eyebrows.
“What about the reception?” I asked.
“You are more important than that, Maddie,” he said. “Besides, the pack doesn’t need him to eat and have fun. He will just give a short speech, thank them all for coming, and he is coming back.”
I nodded and felt a wave of relief wash over me.
“Is it bad?” Will asked quietly.
I furrowed my eyebrows and sighed.
“It’s louder,” I said and he nodded.
“Okay,” he said softly. “Just a few more minutes and he will be here.”
I looked at the door and gulped. I couldn’t wait to see him again. I couldn’t wait to be in his arms again.
