The Vow (Black Arrowhead #1) - Dannika Dark Page 0,107

me, wife. We have a wedding to attend.”

I rose to my feet. “I’m a little underdressed for a mating ceremony.”

Lakota smirked. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“That’s because it’s not for real. Why did you bother dressing up?”

He pinched my chin. “My clothes are drenched in blood.”

After he directed me to the nearest bathroom on the first floor, I washed up. My hair wouldn’t cooperate, so I tied it in a ponytail and pulled a few strands free on each side. Strangely, I felt torn about returning to my normal, humdrum life where I belonged. Business here felt unfinished. Maybe it was Tak not returning, or maybe I’d grown too comfortable being around a pack again.

Or maybe I’d fallen in love with Lakota.

I was old-fashioned, so I didn’t want to be the one to make the first move. Although I had to laugh. Did I actually want Lakota to court me when we were about to get mated in a few minutes? While we’d gotten tangled up in each other’s lives for a few days, Lakota didn’t love me. He couldn’t. I’d been through enough relationships in my life that I could feel the difference, but Lakota had never learned how to separate sex from emotions. It was all new to him. Even if he did feel something for me, he would quickly come to his senses in a few days.

Or after bedding another woman.

Eventually he would return to Austin with more experience under his belt, literally. It would never be the same between us, and our reunions would be awkward. Perhaps that was what saddened me the most, knowing that what I felt for him was real and true, and that the mating ceremony would stand as a mockery of my feelings. I was going home alone, and my heart cried out for Lakota to make a declaration of love.

When I emerged from the bathroom, someone had left a pair of moccasins at the door. Blue patterns were stitched into the brown leather, and they fit perfectly.

Lakota lingered at the end of the hall, my multicolored purse in one hand and a large leather bag in the other.

“What’s in there?” I asked.

“They packed you a meal. You can keep the bag.”

I took the items. “That was nice of them.”

He touched a strand of my loose hair and twirled it around his finger before it sprang free. “If you don’t make any stops, you should be home in six hours.”

“I’ll call Hope from the car and let her know I’m on my way. She’ll relay the message to everyone else.”

It was the first time I’d shared an awkward moment with Lakota. I scratched my head, uncertain of what to say or what he might say. Instead, neither of us said anything. Disheartened, I took his arm and let him lead me outside.

Shikoba was waiting in front of the Jeep at the far end of the gravel driveway. The vehicle sparkled in the sunlight, not a speck of mud or dirt on the tires. Members of the tribe were gathered, creating a pathway to their leader. Others watched from the porch and upper balcony. A young woman with feather earrings presented me with a beautiful handmade crown of wildflowers.

Two teenagers giggled madly when I slung my purse strap over my shoulder and hiked down the steps ahead of Lakota like a soldier marching to battle. He quickly jogged to my side and took my arm, coaxing me to match his slower pace.

Shikoba had on traditional clothing but no headdress—just a feather tucked in one braid and a large squash blossom necklace made from silver around his neck.

“We are here to witness the joining of two spirits,” he began. “The fates have chosen you as life mates. We don’t always know the reasons behind their decisions, but we must follow that chosen path and trust our wolf spirits to guide us.”

From that point, he began speaking in his native tongue, and I didn’t understand a word. I wasn’t sure Lakota did either, by the blank look on his face. After Shikoba’s lengthy speech, someone handed him a wooden cup, and he said a blessing over it. Then he placed his hand on Lakota’s head. “You will feel no fear, for you are each other’s protector. You will feel no loneliness, for you are each other’s companion.” Then he placed his hand over my head. “Your wolves will unite this day in spirit and will forever respect and love each other. Once