When I was dropped off back at Neal's house, he was sitting at the table shuffling papers around, lines forming between his brows as he studied them closely. 

"That looks pretty serious," I said as I sat my bag down on the edge of the table. 

Neal looked up, wiping the concentration from his face, replacing it with a smile. "Just trying to make sure everything is set." Neal pressed his palms together, resting his index fingers against his mouth. 

"It seems like there's something else going on. What is it?" I sat down next to him and placed a hand on his knee. 

"The rumors of war are spreading through the pack, and while it's looking like those rumors will stave off a challenger for the Alpha title, it is also starting to cause unrest. Especially with the transfer of power happening tonight."

I glanced at the clock. It was just after one, and the ceremonies would begin at dusk. There were just hours left. 

Neal dropped his hands before reaching out to tuck a couple loose strands of hair behind my ear. He brushed along the intricate braids that looped around my head. "You look absolutely stunning. Did you enjoy the spa?"

I smiled at him. "It was lovely. The spa, and the time with my mom and Abbi. Thank you for that."

Neal leaned in and gave me a light kiss. My heart fluttered in my chest with the brush of his lips. 

"I'm glad." He placed his hand over mine on his knee. "Have you decided who will stand with you tonight?"

"Abbi." 

Neal nodded. "I will have Tommy stand with me. He will assume the role his father has occupied with my father. He will be my second."

"This is all really happening, isn't it?" I stared at the top of the table, unable to blink. 

"Only if it's what you want, Cynthia. I don't want to push you into anything you don't want or you're not ready for."

"There isn't really much of a choice, is there? I mean, what happens if we don't go through with this?" 

Neal reached up and cupped my face, pulling it up to look at him instead of the table. "No matter the decision we make there will be uncertainties. Whether we go through with the ceremonies or we don't we are walking into uncharted territories. All I know is that there is no one I would rather go into the unknown with than you."

"How did we get here from that night at the bonfire," I whispered. 

"Through your grace, a little luck from the goddess, and me finally getting my head out of my ass."

I laughed and a tear slipped down my cheek. Neal wiped it away and smiled. 

"You're sure this is the decision you want to make? Once this is done, there will be no turning back. We will have to live with whatever happens. We have no idea what the Merge will do."

"Is the ceremony itself dangerous?" 

"There are always some risks involved in a Merge since it is the melding of two souls together. Since we are goddess chosen mates and we have an expert in Merge ceremonies, that should help negate some of the risks, but..."

"What?"

"I have spent all morning in and out of meetings, setting up strategies, making sure we have a good perimeter in place, and collecting anything and everything I can on the ceremony..."

"And?" I wanted to scream. What wasn't he saying?

"It is impossible to know what is going to happen when we perform the ceremony tonight as you're not a full wolf. The fact we are goddess chosen theoretically should pull it in our favor, but there is always a chance something bad could happen."

Neal placed his hands on my sides and pulled me closer to him. I moved to straddle his lap. He stared into my eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if something bad happened, especially to you."

My heart hammered in my chest. I could barely breathe. I knew that we weren't certain what would happen with the merge, but I hadn't known that there were risks involved. 

"I have faith that nothing bad is going to happen. We were chosen to be together for a reason, and I don't think that reason was for something bad to happen to either of us during our Merging ceremony." I wasn't sure where the words or the certainty came from, but as soon as I said it, I felt it deep in my core.

I wrapped my arms around Neal's neck and kissed him slow and deep. 

His hands gripped my waist and a low growl crept up his throat. He nipped at my bottom lip, and I nipped back at his. I could feel the hardness of him pressed against me as I sat on his lap, and I felt his guarded walls go sliding down as his emotions slammed into me. 

Hunger, desire, the thought of him taking me right there on the table. I couldn't tell what thought or feeling was my own and what was his. Or maybe it was all ours together. 

Neal slammed the shields back into place and I was left breathing heavily. 

His, definitely his.

That didn't mean they weren't becoming mine as well.

"If you are sure about this decision, then we do have some documents to sign before the ceremonies tonight."

I could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to go back to business. 

I nodded, "I'm sure."

Neal patted my thigh, and I stood up. "Then we are needed in the guest house. Everything is ready to go in there."

We walked to the guest house hand-in-hand. Neal opened the door and a small army waited for us. 

"Cynthia, this is Hal, he has performed all ceremonies and rituals for the pack for the past forty years. He will be performing both ceremonies tonight. He is here to oversee the signatures for all documents we need for tonight."

Hal nodded and I nodded back.

"This is Tommy." 

I could feel the wave of judgement and unease coming off Tommy. 

"He is very opinionated, but is also in full support of me and the decisions I make, isn't that right?" Neal gave Tommy a tight smile and a slap on the shoulder that seemed a little harder than a friendly guy-to-guy slap. 

If I'd had a knife, I probably could have cut the tension that was building between them. 

I glanced around the room and saw both of Neal's parents over in the corner. I didn't need the ability to read them to see they were not happy to be there. 

"We are still waiting for Abigail to arrive," Neal said. "She should be here any moment."

"We will start with the forms for the transfer of power, then," Hal said. 

Neal nodded. His father huffed loudly from the corner. 

I ground my teeth. I couldn't just keep silent with this man any longer.

"Be glad you are receiving this honor," I spat.

"Honor," the man scoffed. 

"Cynthia," Neal said cautiously. 

I waved Neal off. I could feel from those in the room who weren't already experts at locking down their emotions and thoughts that everyone else in the room was already well aware of the situation we all found ourselves in. There was no reason to put up a false face in this room. 

"This is a courtesy to you and this pack. You do not deserve to have a peaceful transfer of power in front of the pack. You deserve to have them all know the monster you are, that your son couldn't even stand the person you are and took that power from you. The only reason we are doing this is because they don't deserve that."

Everyone was silent, even the air felt too unsettled to move. Everything was stagnant. 

"Now sign the damn papers," I said through clenched teeth. 

He glared at me before pushing past, signing his name, and storming out of the room. Neal's mother followed him out. 

Tommy's father signed his name as witness next to the first signature before he left as well. 

With those three gone, the air felt a little lighter. Whatever I was still feeling from Tommy didn't settle too well with me, but at least I knew it wasn't pure hostility. I made a note to talk to Neal about Tommy before tonight. 

Neal signed his name on the same document, and Tommy signed next to his. As he set the pen down, Abbi walked into the room. 

"Sorry I'm late," she said, dipping her head down. 

"You're right on time," Neal smiled at her. 

Abbi smiled back and I couldn't help but smile myself. Neal really seemed like he wanted to connect with Abbi. Make her feel comfortable. 

"Here are the forms for the Merge. Once all signatures have been completed, you will legally be bound together, but it will not be official until the ceremony has come to an end. The transfer of power is a little different as it was initially done through a challenge. You are both legally, and by ceremony the Alpha of the pack. Tonight will be show for the pack." 

Neal nodded and looked at me. 

"There are risks involved with the Merge, up to and including death. Complications are extremely rare, especially when you have someone who has been performing them for decades, but the risk still exists. I do want to stress this point as we are truly in the dark given your lineage."

Neal's eyes never left mine as Hal explained. 

"I understand," I said. 

Neal handed me the pen and I signed my name. I handed the pen to Abbi and she signed hers before Neal and Tommy signed their names as well. Once our names and our witness' names had been signed, Hal signed his own.

"The pack will meet at dusk. You may start preparing now." Hal left the four of us standing in the room to prepare.