Page 105 of My Shy Alpha
“We’re a mess,” Noah sputters through laughter.
God, that sound is bliss. It’s so contagious that I drape myself over him, weak with love for him. For our mess.
Noah shakes his head, capturing me by the waist to tug me into his arms. We share a giggly kiss, but as he cuddles me flat to his overheated chest, his heaving lungs press us even tighter. A deep, satiating ache squeezes my heart, relieved to be back in his arms.
Dave, I’m going to need one more minute to stare at my mate before everyone else falls in love with her too.
Noah’s smile widens as I gape at him, unable to trace where this boldness is coming from tonight. But his wolf is there to remind me - zooming around our bond’s secret world with pure joy.
By the time we clean ourselves up and rearrange my disastrous sex hair in a presentable fashion, I can’t stop biting back my smile at our reflection. What I see in us has forever changed into something beautifully vulnerable. I think Noah feels the same. He freezes behind me in the bathroom mirror, his eyes bright. My grin spills over, creasing the corners of Noah’s eyes with his mirrored smile.
It’s painful to pry ourselves off each other, but Dave’s honking car startles us into action. We race down the hall in a fit of giggles, tied by the hand. With one last kiss on my porch, I anchor myself to Noah’s steady form, trusting he’ll be there for me tonight.
38
Dave drives us deep into the forest, Noah’s SUV rocking over uneven dirt paths. Noah pulls me closer, stabilizing me in the backseat. The moon’s delicate glow buzzes over my skin, exciting my knee into bouncing.
As we pass the Greenfield Pack neighborhoods and Noah’s cabin, we head deep into the mountains where the forest grows thick with all-consuming trees. In the ceremony space itself, there’s a wide clearing, two-hundred-foot-tall trees acting as dark guardians at the perimeter. Everything is a soft shade of blue, dimly lit by the full moon.
I’m already shaking, but we’ve only stepped out of the car. Thousands of wolves mill about in hushed conversation, a crowd large enough to fill a stadium. I’m dizzy with overwhelm.
A sea of heads turns the second we arrive, lacing the atmosphere with quiet curiosity. I’m not the only new pack member tonight, but with how private Noah and I have been, I get the sense they’re curious about me in particular. Maybe even hesitant.
At the same time, serene, welcoming scents surround us, a majority of the pack holding space for its new faces.
Countless eyes track us as we make our way to the ceremonial stage, running my mouth dry.
But I catch a familiar, bright smile at the front of the crowd, framed by silky red hair.
Holy shit, you’re wearing the dress! Amy mindlinks.
I bite my lip, unable to contain my gushing smile. You were right, of course. I feel like a goddamn rockstar beside my rockstar mate.
You better own it, babe! Huddling against Kira, Amy shoots me a wink. You look gorgeous beyond words, girl. And not just you. Both of you look incredible, together.
Amy’s mindlinked words expand my ribcage with my rising elation, making Noah turn to me with a gentle smile. I proudly take his hand, and we stride up the stage steps.
With the river flowing behind us and the moonlight brushing Noah’s stubbled jawline, time slows into a trance-like state. Noah’s voice is soothing and deep, even when he has to project his welcoming speech over a massive crowd.
The Rogue wolves I’ve met are usually timid and dejected, but Noah takes his time to nip every one of their palms, sealing their blood bond into his pack’s family. Many of them weep with joy, their bright smiles warming my heart.
The intention behind Noah’s stoicism morphs before me, reemerging as a quiet respect for everyone’s emotional state. He meets us where we’re at, and he’s not putting on a mask of royalty. He’s present. A consistent, sturdy pillar, bracing our pack’s core.
With each new pack member, a tiny spark of newness buds in my heart, warming a little more space. I hadn’t realized how clearly we’re all connected until their emotions expand my chest, filling each breath with overwhelming joy. By the last member, I’m weeping. Noah does a double take, pausing the ceremony to dry my eyes. No one rushes him, in the same peaceful, loving trance I am, thanks to his gentle guidance.
He’s not what I initially pictured an Alpha to be like. But that’s why he’s loved.
And targeted, according to Amy. I hate the thought of that more than anything.
“Are you ready to be introduced, my sweet Omega?” Noah strokes my dried cheek.
I lean into his palm, breathing in his sweet scent. It peeks through a blend of everyone else his hands touched tonight.
“I’m in awe of you, Noah. I’m more than ready.”
But as I take center stage, my stomach sinks. Whispers flicker among the wolves. The fear of what they could be saying outweighs the kind smiles, threatening to strip away my sense of safety.
Noah’s hand on my back grounds me back into the present, allowing me to stand straighter. “It’s my honor to introduce my loving mate, daughter of our beloved, late Beta, Takahiro Matsuoka.”