Can you at least try to smell me again? You’ve always said I smell funny. Maybe that funny has something to do with this entire thing.
He inhaled, pulling it across his tongue and tasting. He shook his head. You smell strange, as always, but I don’t know what it is or what it means. I’ve never smelled a female like you before. Your scent has a thin layer of ozone or something attached to it.
Ozone? Not what I was expecting. I tried a new tactic. You don’t have to stay, you know. Dad can’t force you to do this if you want to leave. I know Selectives can be excused of their duties at any time. I knew this was going to be a hard journey and I never wanted to put you or Danny in any jeopardy. It makes me sick thinking you could die here because of me.
He sputtered out loud and looked horrified. “I’m not leaving you!”
“Then we don’t have another choice,” I challenged. “Dad said if we all continue on—it’s this or nothing. He won’t support it any other way, and I agree with you needing your full power if you’re going to have a chance to survive.”
Danny clapped Tyler on the back. “It’s okay, mate. It’ll be like this for only a quick bit, and when we get back things will go back to normal in no time. No one can fault you for trying to protect your sister. She’s your blood-kin after all. If the Alpha orders you to swear to her, you do it.”
Tyler stared at me, his irises churning. “Fine. I’ll do it, but I’m sticking by my original theory. I don’t think it will work. Blood binding is not something tangible—it’s full of magic. When you choose your Alpha and make that pledge, the blood you swear to has to be stronger. The magic will know. It won’t bind unless it’s true.”
“Frankly, if we try and it doesn’t work, I’ll be relieved,” I said. “At least then we can move forward in good faith.” If my father ordered it done and it didn’t take, there was no risk of breaking the rules. “Okay, how do we do this?”
Tyler dropped the pack on his back and reached for his belt. “It’s a relatively easy oath—like I said, the blood does all the work. The words are spoken and they mix with the blood and it either takes or it doesn’t. That’s why you don’t see alpha wolves rounding up followers. You have to be Alpha. There are very few who qualify in a Pack.” Naomi and Ray moved forward but kept quiet. I wondered briefly what was going through their minds. For the first time I realized Naomi had come without Eamon. Maybe he had finally abandoned us after all his threatening.
Danny and Tyler formed a loose circle around me.
Tyler brought a knife up from its sheath on his waist. “Just repeat the words I say—”
“No. Stop!” I grabbed on to his wrist as a bolt of fear shot through me. My wolf howled. Something was about to change. I didn’t know what, but it felt major. “Tyler,” I said a little desperately. “You have to promise me you’re doing this of your own free will. If it doesn’t take, fine, but none of us knows for sure what my blood will do to either of you. We all have to swear to live with the consequences. I don’t want it to tear us apart.”
Tyler’s irises shot to amber, emotion churning deeply in their depths. “I get it, Jess. You don’t have to worry. I don’t think you’re Alpha, but I can honestly say I don’t know what you are, so I’m willing to give it try. Whatever happens, happens. But I’m not leaving you, and Dad’s right—we can’t do this without changing the game. The stakes went through the roof when the Underworld joined the party. This is of my own free will and I’m willing to deal with the consequences.”
“If you’re not really Alpha,” Danny said, “I, for one, am curious to see what you are. Honestly, I haven’t had this much fun since I broke into the palace at Whitehall to give Queen Elizabeth a cheeky surprise. She’d been tied up with that Dudley sot, but as soon as he’d left she’d been putty in my hands. We had quite a romance after that. I’d like to think it’s why she never married.” He winked and inclined his head in the direction of his waist.
“Danny, you never cease to amaze me. The Queen of England?” I shook my head. Danny could diffuse a situation like no other and I was grateful. “Okay,” I said, getting back to business. “Let’s go.” I dropped my hand from Tyler’s wrist.
Tyler lifted the knife again and said, “I’ll feed you the words while I cut Danny’s palm. He can go first.”
“We don’t need to do anything more formal?” I asked. “This seems too easy.”
“Nope,” Tyler said. “It’s all about the words and the blood. Ready?”
“Yes,” I said. As ready as I could be. My wolf paced back and forth in my mind, patiently waiting. Do you know what’s going to happen? She snapped her muzzle at me and lifted her head. I took that as a maybe.
Tyler said, “Of my mind and body, I ask thee.”
He sliced Danny’s palm open and I repeated the words. “Of my mind and body, I ask thee.”
“Do you Pledge of me freely?”