The Bearington Brothers & Their Fated Mate (My Love; My Mate; My Shifter - Chronicles - Book One)
Chapter Eleven: The Ceremony

Laila stared at the Shaman. “What does he mean by that?”

“The human he seduced was our mother,” Paxton said with a growl.

“Oh,” Laila said as she sucked in a breath. She hadn’t expected that.

“I can’t help that humans replace me irresistible,” Vectore said with a smirk.

“Can I hit him? Pleeease let me hit him,” Paxton said as he punched his palm with his fist.

“No,” Park said with a shake of his head, “we need him for the ceremony.”

“I bet you couldn’t seduce me,” Laila said as she stared at the too arrogant Shaman. And she had thought Paxton was cocky.

The twins stared at Laila. Is she crazy?

“Not crazy,” Vectore said with a grin, “ballzy.”

The twins glared at him for reading their minds.

Laila snorted at the way the Shaman had pronounced ballsy with a Z as if that made it funny or something.

“I’m neither,” Laila said as she crossed her arms over her chest, “I just want to knock you off your pedestal.”

Vectore laughed, “I like her.”

“Don’t touch her,” Paxton said as he stepped between Laila and the Shaman.

“It’s okay,” Laila said as she touched Paxton’s arm and looked up at him.

“Laila,” Riley said from behind them.

Mark held onto Riley to keep her out of what was going on between the twins, their mate, and the strongest Shaman in existence.

“Trust me,” Laila said, then moved around Paxton and took a step towards Vectore. “Bring it on,” she said, taunting him.

Vectore grinned, “she has spunk.”

Laila took a deep breath. She hoped she was right because if this doesn’t work, she doesn’t deserve to be the twins’ mate.

“Come here,” Vectore said.

Laila couldn’t stop her feet from moving towards the Shaman.

Paxton moved towards Laila, and Park stopped him. Paxton turned to his twin, and Park shook his head. They turned to watch their mate and the Shaman. The Shaman was Don Juan when it came to the seduction of human females.

Laila stopped just in front of Vectore. He had commanded her to come to him, and here she is. He was more powerful then she’d imagined. What if he orders her to kiss him? Or worse, have sex with him right here in front of the twins.

No! I would NEVER, could NEVER, do that to them. They are her mates, her husbands, if you wanted to get human about it.

Vector’s face came within inches of her own.

“Kiss me,” he whispered, his lips forming a mischievous smile.

All she had to do was lean forward, and her lips would touch his. She could feel his pull on her. He wanted her to kiss him.

She couldn’t hold back the urge any longer. It has taken hold of her whole body. If the twins get angry with her, they will have to deal with it because she can’t hold back any longer.

She smiled as she gave in to the overpowering urge.

The Shaman yelped in pain when Laila’s knee connected with his crotch.

The twins stared at Laila in shock; their mouths hung open in disbelief.

“Holy fucking shit,” Paxton said, stunned.

In two seconds, he and Park were flanking Laila’s sides ready to protect their mate from the Shaman.

Vectore laughed as he held onto his crotch. “You boys don’t have to worry. I won’t take revenge,” he said, sucking in a deep breath.

He was in a lot of pain, and they could see it in his eyes. But he was still laughing.

“You deserved that,” Riley whispered.

“Shh,” Mark hissed, holding her tighter.

Vectore continued to laugh. “No, no. Your mate is correct; I did deserve that. If not for today, then for all those years ago with the twin’s mother. Their father had been much too lenient with me,” he took a deep breath then stood up straight. “She has passed the final test.”

“What?” The twins asked at the same time as they stared at the Shaman, confused.

Vectore smiled and pointed at Laila. “She can tell you two apart. She has an inhuman bond with all animals, and now she has passed the final premonition.”

The twins continued to stare at the Shaman, still confused.

Vectore sighed. “Did you two forget the last part of the prediction?”

The twins looked at each other than at Vectore.

Vectore shook his head. “Sometimes, I wonder about you two,” he said, then cleared his throat. “She will choose you over seduction, and you will know where her heart lies.”

The twins looked from the Shaman to their mate and grinned, then took her into their arms and hugged her.

Laila stared at the Shaman, as the twins kissed her all over her face. “Are you saying that THAT was another fucking test?”

Vectore nodded and smiled at her.

Laila let out a squeal as she went after the arrogant prick. “I’m tired of these stupid fucking tests!” She growled.

Vectore chuckled as the twins caught her and held her. “You have yourselves a wild cat with that one,” he said with a smile. “Your lives won’t be dull, that’s for sure.”

“Let me go!” Laila squealed.

Park kissed her lips, and she calmed. When his head lifted, he looked into her eyes.

“This test was to show us how much you love us,”

Park said with a smile.

Laila snorted, “you could have just asked me.”

The twins and the Shaman laughed.

“We love you too,” Park said as he leaned his forehead against hers.

She snorted, “and how do I know that that is true? I mean, you didn’t get tested...” She stopped talking when his lips claimed hers.

She moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She could taste his love on his lips; it was like the richest chocolate she’d ever tasted, and she smelled chocolate chip cookies again.

When Park lifted his head, ending the sweet chocolaty kiss, she whimpered. He smiled as he removed her arms from around his neck, and she started to panic until he turned her and handed her over to Paxton.

Paxton grinned and took her into his arms then kissed her. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When his tongue touched hers, she moaned and pressed her chest against his. He groaned as his hands slid down to her ass and squeezed.

She squealed against his mouth but didn’t pull away from the kiss. He tasted like the richest darkest chocolate, and she knew he loved her as much as she loved him. The rich dark chocolate smell of chocolate chip cookies made her weak in the knees.

She so loved both of these men. The same amount yet differently.

“We should get on with the ceremony,” Vectore said with a smile.

Paxton lifted his head then ran the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “I love you,” he whispered.

Laila thought her heart was about to leap out of her chest. It was the first time either of them had actually said the three most important words.

“I love you too,” Park whispered into her ear.

Tears ran down her cheeks.

Paxton half-smiled half-frowned as he wiped away her tears. “I hope these are happy tears.”

She nodded, then leaped into his arms. “I love you too.”

Paxton chuckled as he held her in his arms. She pulled away, then turned and threw herself against Park.

“I love you both so much.”

Park smiled as he held her.

“It is time!” Vectore called from further in the cave.

Laila backed out of Park’s arms and smiled up at him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled.

“Let’s go make it official,” he said.

She nodded, and they each took one of her hands.

~🐾~

Laila looked up at Park as they stood before the Shaman.

“Please face each other and hold hands,” Vectore instructed.

They turned to each other, and Park took hold of both of her hands.

“I already knew she was your destined mate the minute you walked into the cave, and the Ospreys confirmed it. The test I performed was more for you, boys. To show you how much your mate loves you. She will be a good queen and mother,” Vectore said with a smile. “The power I can feel vibrating off the three of you is enough to convince anyone that you three will give us the future Kings of the Animal Kingdom. Shifters and non-shifters alike.”

Laila stared up into Park’s eyes as the Shaman said his words. She still couldn’t believe how lucky she is to be a part of this world.

“Do you dedicate yourselves to each other? Do you swear to uphold the shifter laws and love each other for as long as you both shall live?”

Laila smiled. It was kind of like a human marriage ceremony.

“I do,” Park said, his eyes boring into hers.

Everyone looked at her, and she chuckled. “Are you nuts?” She asked with a grin. “Of course, I do.”

Park grinned and went in to kiss her, but the Shaman placed his hand between their lips.

“Not time for that yet.” He said.

The others chuckled.

The Shaman lifted two black rocks from a burning furnace and turned to them.

Laila wondered how his hands weren’t burnt then remembered something very important.

Magic.

The Shaman cracked the two rocks together, and they split in two. He then held them out towards them, and Laila gasped when she saw the ring nestled inside the rock in front of her. It was a beautiful silver band. Wide in width, yet not too wide to be uncomfortable.

She blinked as she looked over at Park and watched him pull the ring from his rock. She looked back at the ring in the rock in front of her and cautiously touched it. It was cool to the touch, and she grinned as she pulled it out of the rock. She had expected it to be hot.

“Please exchange rings,” Vectore said.

Park held his left hand out to her, and she slid the ring she had pulled from the rock onto his ring finger. She sucked in a shocked breath when her name scrolled across the band in gold letters.

He took her left hand and placed his ring onto her finger. A gust of wind blew her hair, but there was no wind in the cave. Her finger glowed a yellowish-white, and she watched as the glow ran up her hand, her arm, then her whole left side was glowing brightly.

When it dissipated, she looked down at her body and felt slightly different. She looked at the ring on her finger and smiled when she saw Park’s name scrolled across it. She looked up at Park, who was grinning down at her.

“Now you may kiss her,” Vectore said with a chuckle.

Park pulled her into his arms and kissed her as he’d never kissed her before. This kiss was different than any other kiss they have shared.

Riley watched her best friend with her mate. Only half of her body had glowed. Does that mean she’s not fully protected? She asked Mark about it, and he chuckled then lightly kissed her lips.

“There’s two of them,” he whispered, then said no more.

Park pulled back from the kiss, and Laila was still smiling. She couldn’t help it, she was so happy. Park touched her cheek, then stepped back as Paxton stepped forward and took his place in front of her.

“Are you okay, sweets?” Paxton asked, studying her face.

She nodded, her smile still in place. “I’m more than okay.”

He chuckled. “Are you ready to be united with me?”

She nodded her head enthusiastically.

The Shaman performed the same ceremony for Laila and Paxton. When it came time to place the rings on their fingers, she was elated to watch the same glow cover the right side of her body. She smiled as she watched Paxton’s name scroll across the ring on her right ring finger.

She took a peek at the ring on his finger and smiled when she saw her name scrolled across it.

“You may seal it with a kiss,” Vectore said.

Paxton pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Just as it had been with Park, Paxton’s kiss was different, and she sighed. She was in heaven, and she knew things in her life were never going to be the same.

Paxton lifted his head from the kiss, and Park joined them. They both held her, and she never wanted them to let her go.

She looked at the rings on her fingers with a smile. She twisted them with her thumbs and noticed that there was writing on the underside. She completely spun them around, so they were both up and read the small inscription.

‘My Love; My Mate; My Shifter.’