Scottland – Awake in the Stillness
The second day of heat came quietly.
No panic. No pain. Just… warmth. A kind of glowing awareness beneath her skin. Every nerve lit gently, every breath a little deeper.
Scottland lay on the bed surrounded by Grant's scent, watching the sun rise through the soft curtains. He sat near the headboard, still in jeans and a shirt, half-asleep, a book in one hand.
He hadn't left her side once.
He hadn't kissed her again.
Hadn't asked for anything.
Just stayed.
Safe. Solid. Steady.
She studied him for a long moment.
The way his brow creased as he read. The rhythm of his breath. The scar that crossed his forearm from a fight long before she knew him.
She realized something startling.
She was falling in love with him.
Not because of the bond.
But because of who he was.
She sat up slowly and whispered, "You didn't even look at me like I was something to take."
He glanced over the book and smiled.
"I look at you like you're something to cherish."
And that's when she knew.
Grant – The Moment He Didn't Expect
He saw it in her eyes.
The shift.
The decision.
She moved closer—quiet, calm, beautifully certain. The bond between them pulsed, gentle but present, as if waiting patiently at the edge of something holy.
She crawled into his lap, straddling him, her small hands resting lightly on his chest.
His body tensed—but not in desire.
In restraint.
In reverence.
"Scottland," he said, voice rough.
"I know," she whispered.
And then:
"I want you to bite me."
His breath caught.
She wasn't in the full grip of heat. She wasn't out of her mind with need. She was here—awake, aware, choosing.
She reached for his hand and pressed it to the spot above her heart.
"I want this. Not because my body needs it. But because my heart already decided."
Grant could feel his wolf push forward inside him—desperate to complete the bond, but willing to wait another thousand years if she changed her mind.
He brushed his thumb over her cheek.
"I love you," he said hoarsely.
She blinked, then smiled through glassy eyes.
"I know. I think I've loved you longer than I realized."
Scottland – Claim Me
She had waited her whole life to feel in control.
To say yes without fear.
To choose her own story.
And now?
She looked into the eyes of the Alpha who had never once pushed, never once punished, never once made her feel small—and said with trembling certainty:
"Claim me."
Grant cupped her face in both hands, blue eyes burning.
"You are so much more than a bond."
"I know. But I want to be yours. I choose to be."
"Then I need you to say it again."
So she did.
"Grant Gray, Alpha of the strongest pack in the territory, I choose you."
And then he kissed her.
Not with hunger.
But with every soft, aching, beautiful promise he'd ever made.
The Bite
He laid her down gently on the bed of blankets and kissed her again—slow and careful.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Last chance to back out."
"Grant."
She smiled.
"I'm not a candle flickering in the dark anymore. I'm the one who lights the flame."
He kissed her jaw, then her neck, where her pulse fluttered beneath his mouth.
And slowly—oh so slowly—his fangs slid down, brushing against her soft skin.
Then came the bite.
Sharp.
Brief.
Beautiful.
Scottland gasped—not in pain, but in feeling—as something ancient, deep, and powerful clicked into place between them.
The bond roared to life like fire catching dry grass, then settled into a steady hum.
Grant groaned softly against her skin, breathing her in.
And when he pulled back, her mark was clean and beautiful—right over her mating gland.
A perfect crescent of belonging.
Not ownership.
Connection.
Her heartbeat settled against his chest, and she whispered, "I felt it. I felt it."
He kissed her forehead. "So did I."
The Afterglow
They lay together, hearts thudding in rhythm.
Scottland curled into his side, her cheek on his chest.
She could feel his bond inside her now—a thread that pulsed with his presence. It didn't control her. Didn't weigh her down.
It just was.
Like sunlight through leaves.
Like the gentle hush of belonging.
"Are you okay?" he asked, brushing her hair back.
"I feel full," she whispered.
"Full?"
"Like I've been walking around hollow my whole life, and now I'm not."
He smiled, eyes wet.
"You've always been whole, sweetheart. I just helped you see it."
She ran her fingers across his chest, thoughtful.
"I thought the bite would make me feel like I belonged to someone else."
He watched her carefully. "And do you?"
She shook her head. "No. I feel like… I belong to myself now. I just finally have someone who sees me."
Wren – A Knowing Look
Later, as they walked hand-in-hand into the dining room for dinner, Wren was already waiting with two mugs of tea.
Her eyes dropped to Scottland's neck.
Then lifted.
"About damn time."
Scottland blushed.
Wren stood, embraced her, and whispered in her ear, "You smell like home now."
And for the first time in her life, Scottland didn't shy away from being known.
The Pack – Respect
That night, when Scottland passed through the hallways, the Omegas didn't look away.
They smiled.
They nodded.
The Alphas didn't leer or challenge.
They stood aside.
Not out of fear of Grant—but out of respect for her.
She wasn't just the Omega rescued from the Roger Pack anymore.
She was the chosen mate of the Alpha who waited.
The girl who stood before her abuser and didn't tremble.
The one who lit her own fire.
And danced in her own dress.
And chose her bond like a queen placing a crown on her own head.
She even stopped at the library and asked the elder Omega, Lottie, if they could start a reading circle.
For other girls.
Girls who hadn't yet found their voices.
Lottie beamed.
"You've got the makings of a Luna, little light."
Scottland only smiled.
She hadn't come here to lead.
But maybe she could… help.
Grant – Quiet Joy
That night, as she curled into bed beside him—small, soft, and content—Grant whispered:
"You're everything I never knew I needed."
Scottland laughed lightly. "You're everything I did know. I just didn't believe I could have you."
"You were never meant to suffer the way you did."
"No," she said gently, eyes meeting his. "But if I hadn't… maybe I wouldn't know how precious this is."
She laid a hand over his heart.
"You don't save me. You just make the light easier to carry."
He pulled her close, resting his forehead to hers.
"And now?"
She smiled.
"I'm not afraid of being loved."
Closing Lines – The Choice Was Hers
Long after the candles burned out and the wind kissed the windows, Scottland dreamed—not of running or hiding.
But of standing on a hill, head high, golden hair catching sunlight.
And beside her stood a wolf with eyes like the sea.
Not ahead of her.
Not behind.
But with her.
Always.