“It’s open,” he said loudly.

Fane’s mother Alina came through the doorway. “I brought you the vows you are to say during the ceremony, and I was wanting to ask you if you had gotten Jacque an offering yet.”

“I actually got her two things. The first is an autographed book she told me she loved as a child but no longer owned a copy of. I hope that it shows her that I listen when she speaks and the things that she feels are important to her are important to me as well. The second I think I should show you.” Fane walked out of the living room and went back to the bedroom, returning with a small black box.

“Fane, is that what I think it is?” Alina asked.

“I know that she isn’t ready to go through the human ritual of marriage. I have tried to explain to her that bonding is more permanent than marriage, but still she wants to wait. Through the bonding ceremony she will have my mark, my scent, and that will tell all Canis Lupus that she is mated, but human males will not recognize this. They will, however, recognize an engagement ring,” Fane explained.

Alina was shaking her head when she said, “Barbarians, all of you. Possessive, bossy, over-reacting wolves.” Fane knew she was teasing because she was beaming from ear to ear. “Well, let me look at it.”

Fane opened the black box to show his mother the ring he had chosen to put on the finger of the one woman who would complete his soul. The ring was a wide platinum band and engraved all the way around the band in Romanian were the words 'finalizarea, absolut, chiar, intreg' (complete, absolute, unmovable, whole), and in the center was a very rare red diamond in a marquee cut.

“Fane, it’s beautiful. I recognize the band as the one that I gave you to hold onto until you met your mate, but where did you get the stone?” his mother asked him.

“The day I spoke with Da and he told me Sorin was coming, I called Sorin and asked him to look in the vaults in the pack mansion for a red stone for the band. I figured with the vast size of the vault and the centuries of things accumulated he could surely find one. I knew the bonding ceremony would be taking place sooner than we originally planned and I wanted the ring to be ready. The day that Sorin took Lilly to her book store he made a stop at a jeweler while Lilly was working and had the stone set. I wanted red for two reasons. One, she is my micul incendiu (little fire), with so much personality packed into such a small package, and two, it will be a reminder of this day when we both shed blood to bind our souls to each other.”

Fane suddenly fell onto the couch, face held in his hands. “Mama, how is it possible to love someone so intensely, so much that at times it feels like it’s going to make your heart explode because you just can’t contain it?” Fane looked up at his mother, his eyes drawn together, mouth tight.

Alina satdown next to him on the couch, handing back the black box, taking his free hand in hers. “I don’t know if there is any way to explain or truly understand the bond between mates. It’s not human; it’s beyond the realm of reason and that makes it hard to believe it is even possible. I know you haven’t known her long, I know you are both young, but you will grow close faster than you can imagine. She will become your best friend and you will become hers. Even now I know you feel it, that no one in this world will ever love you as she will. You were born to love each other and that love will grow stronger as time goes on.” Alina wiped a tear from her cheek as she looked upon the face that she had watched grow from an infant to a strong Alpha male.

“What if I don’t make her happy?” Fane’s voice was so soft, laced with fear and worry.

“Oh, Fane.” Alina began wrapping her arms around her only son, pulling him close. “You will make her happy. You will also make her mad, sad, and annoyed, probably a little claustrophobic at times, but you will make her happy. Your wolf will step in when your human side steps out of line. The wolf only sees black and white, all he understands is that she is your mate, that you must love her, protect her, provide for her, play with her, and make her content. Your human side will fill in the gap of emotions the wolf does not understand. She will make you a better Alpha, a better man. You will give her what no other man ever could: the other half of her soul.”

Alina stood up to go, but first handed him a piece of paper. “These are your vows, you can add to them but the first part must be said, for it solidifies the bond.” Then she turned to go.

Fane stood up, and before his mother could make it out the door he said, “Mother, my Alpha, thank you.” And he turned his head, baring his neck.

Alina looked Fane in the eye and held his stare as she told him, “Te iubesc fiul” (I love you son), and she turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Fane unfolded the piece of paper and with hands shaking read:

On this day I kneel before you, my mate, to ask if you will make me whole. Will you give yourself to me, finally calming the beast inside, bringing order to chaos, shining light where there has been only darkness? Will you bind your life to mine, your fate to mine, and your soul to mine and in doing so complete the mate bond?

After Fane read that it would be Jacquelyn’s turn to respond with her answer and her vows. Once they read the formal vows, if they so chose they could recite their own vows. Up until a few moments earlier, Fane hadn't been sure what to say, but his mother had remedied that. Everything his mother had said was what he was feeling. Fane grabbed a pen, sat down, and quickly wrote out the words he would pour from his heart to his mate.