Nicky bit his lip. “You know I do. ”
“Then try harder for me. You’re allowing the wildness in your nature to take over. It’s traditional for all pets to wear the white robe when they go through the mating ceremony. All the pets, including the males. I wasn’t trying to single you out or humiliate you. It means you’re entering into a new life, becoming part of the werekin. ”
“You all keep saying this feral nature is coming out in me, but I don’t feel any different. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing has really changed for me in any way. Well, except for the gay thing. ”
Marco shook his head. “No, Nicky, it’s you. You are changing. ”
“Look, I get angry sometimes and irritated when Rory tries to boss me. That’s not anything new to me. Maybe I do need to clean up my language, especially if it bothers all of you so much, but I can’t stand this walking around on a leash. It’s not this so-called wildness, either. It’s the way I’ve always been. I don’t like people telling me what to do. ”
Looking worried, Marco shook his head. “I know that’s what you believe, but you’re not thinking straight, Nicky. I’ve been feeding you my blood—you haven’t had anything else to eat since you were changed, have you?”
Nicky looked surprised. “Uh…well, no. I guess not. ”
“Doesn’t that strike you as odd? Doesn’t the fact that you’re drinking my blood seem odder still?”
&n
bsp; Nicky got a stunned expression on his face.
“Right. You’re not human anymore, baby. Not totally. You have to accept the idea and stop saying nothing has changed. Don’t you see? Everything has changed for you! My blood is supposed to have a calming effect. It should be making you docile and sleepy and easily controlled, but you’ve been anything but easy. You’ve been fighting almost everything and everyone when I’m not around. So far, I’m the only one who can handle you. It shouldn’t be like this, and I’m worried. ”
Nicky grabbed Marco’s arm and held on, his hands shaking. “What’s going to happen to me, Marco? Tara told me about the ones who let their savage nature get the best of them. Am I going to become a monster?”
“Of course not. ” Even though upset with him, Marco put his arms around him comfortingly and kissed his temple.
“Tara said there was this one guy, and you’re thinking you may have to…to p-put him down. ”
“Don’t even think such a thing! She’s mistaken. We’d never do that. We’re treating him with female hormones to make him less aggressive. As for you, I’m going to keep working with you and stay with you all the time if I have to. If I’m the only one you respond to, then I’ll have to take some time off and take care of you. Feed you more often. Whatever it takes. We’ll get through this together, baby. I promise. There’s a lot more we can do. ”
“Like what?”
“Training. Understanding what it means to be submissive. Or the hormones, maybe. I’ve seen that work before. But that would only be used as a last resort. ”
“Hormones? Female hormones? Oh my God!” Nicky put his hands over his face and wept.
“Stop freaking out. That would only be a last resort, baby. I’ll increase your feedings first and use more restraints. Train you more. Please don’t worry. We’ll work it out. I promised you I’d take care of you, and I meant it. Now get ready and let’s go down to our ceremony. I’ll get a leash. Along with my presence, that should calm you. Please tell me if you start to feel agitated again. ”
Nicky nodded, walked closely behind him to the closet and held stone-still to have his leash attached.
Nicky looked up at Marco with a frightened gaze. “But what if nothing works, Marco? What if I’m a mistake? What if I can’t be like the others? What if I’m more like that other guy?”
“Don’t talk that way, baby. You’re not a mistake! I’d never let anything happen to you. Not ever. If I have to, I’ll take you somewhere and keep you safe. Just you and me. I’d never leave you. I can’t, don’t you see?”
Nicky stepped up close to him and laid his head on Marco’s chest.
“Now put on your robe, baby. We have people waiting for us downstairs. ”
Nicky slipped the robe over his head. Marco smiled approvingly and put his arm around his waist. They walked through the door and down the hall toward their mating ceremony.
Marco led Nicky down the stairs to the group assembled in the large common room. He stopped at the back of the room and unclipped the leash, laying it aside. “Stay back here, Nicky, until I call you forward. ”
Nicky nodded, unable to raise his head even to look at Marco. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him, singling him out. Embarrassed and humiliated, he desperately wished this whole thing was over, so he could go back upstairs. Hearing a soft whisper beside him, he looked up to see Tara smiling at him from the back row. Seeing her friendly face made him feel a little better, and he raised his gaze to survey the room. Probably about a hundred people were gathered there, both wolves and pets, the pets all dressed in the leather pants. They all looked quite solemn, as befitted the occasion, but whenever he caught someone’s eye, he was rewarded with a friendly smile.
He looked toward the front as Marco began to speak. For the first time, he noticed Marco was wearing a dark suit and looked very handsome. It occurred to him he’d never before noticed anything Marco was wearing—Marco’s presence was so overwhelming, nothing else mattered. Or was it because, as Marco told him, his mind had been clouded before.
“I’m here today to introduce my new mate to all of you. Nicky, please come forward. ” Marco held out his hand, and Nicky moved toward him like an iron filing to a magnet. When he reached the small dais in the front of the room, Marco gave him his hand and then pulled him to his left side, his arm tightly around him.
“This is Nicky, and I hold him to my heart in the hope that he will lodge there forever. I pledge to him my love and faith, and my promise to always care for him, always protect him. My soul has found its mate, and I will never forsake him. Even unto death, my heart will follow his. ” Marco turned to Nicky, seeming to be in the grips of a strong emotion. His face was flushed and his eyes glittered with tears. He bent down and kissed Nicky tenderly, and then he pulled away and gave Nicky a slight push to move him to the side. Shedding his clothes, he fell down onto his knees. Nicky watched in fascinated horror as his body morphed. He dropped his head, but Nicky could see his face elongating and changing. His arms lengthened and morphed as hair sprang out all over his body. In less than thirty seconds, Marco shifted into a huge silver wolf. He put back his head and howled—an unearthly, strangely human-like sound that chilled Nicky’s blood. He heard answering howls and dragged his gaze away to see wolves shifting all around the room in response to their Alpha’s call.