Mindy and Gideon reached the podium that was built for this occasion.
In the middle was an altar with a fire on top that was crackling since that afternoon.
Gideon immediately got busy arranging some items on the altar, and Mindy wanted to take a good look at the people gathered. With just a single glance she was confident that there were more than three thousand people. If this was the Blue River pack, this would probably be the whole pack, yet here people were still coming. It was massive.
Mindy's mood was dampened by the fact that she didn't know anyone. She grew up as the princess of the Blue River pack and faces there were at least familiar while everyone knew her name, yet now every gaze she met was questioning as people obviously wondered what she was doing up there.
It was strange to be surrounded by the crowd, yet feel alone.
Mindy wanted to ask Gideon for a hug or maybe to introduce her as his mate, but he was busy, and this was not the right time to be clingy, so she swallowed her grievances and went behind the podium where she previously kept dried herbs that Gideon will throw into the flames during the ceremony. At least she could do something to occupy herself and be useful.
Mindy knew that staying in the Dark Howlers pack as Gideon's mate will be an adjustment, but she didn't think it will hit her that hard.
"Do you need help, Gidi?", a female voice got Mindy's attention and she frowned. 'Who the hell is Gidi?'
"Thank you, Nina, but I got it covered.", Gideon responded, and Mindy could hear that he was smiling.
Mindy's instincts told her something was off. Why was he so friendly with a random female?
Mindy whipped her head in that direction to see a female on the podium who was approaching Gideon with more sway in her hips than Mindy approved. Nina had ample bosom to fill the top part of her leather outfit, and the woman looked to be in her mid-thirties, but Mindy knew that she was way older than that.
"I saw you have a young assistant. Are you sure you want to let her do this? This ceremony is a big deal. What if she messes up? You know I can be helpful.", Nina ended in a singing voice.
Gideon scratched the back of his head and Mindy wondered what his expression was. Was he smiling? Even if he wasn't, Nina was smiling coquettishly for both of them.
Jealousy, dejection, and disappointment swelled in Mindy's chest, making it difficult to breathe and she clutched dried herbs in her hands.
Why didn't Gideon tell this Nina person to scram? Why was she still standing there?
Gideon could sense unknown negative emotions and he turned to see Mindy. His brows came together when he saw her knowing look and eyes full of tears.
"Mindy… no…", he said, but it was too late. Mindy already threw the herbs from her hands and was moving swiftly into the forest. She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She wanted to go home.
"Mindy, wait!", Gideon shouted and a second later, he grabbed her hand. "Where are you going?"
She looked away. Now on top of all negativities, she was embarrassed as well that he got to see her like that. Mindy was always strong-willed and independent, and it was not like her to snap because of a random woman. Was she really this insecure? It was a foreign feeling and Mindy didn't know what to do with it. But this was more than just Nina, it was about Mindy giving up everything to be with Gideon, yet he took it for granted. Damned be the mate bond if it only caused one of them to compromise and make sacrifices!
"Mindy, what's going on? Princess…"
"Don't call me that!", she snapped. "And leave me alone."
"No. I want to hear what's going on."
Mindy sneered. "Like you don't know."
Gideon gritted his teeth. "Is this about Nina?"
"Why are you asking if you know? No one will notice that I'm missing, and your whole pack is waiting for you to conduct the ceremony so they can go and frolic in the forest. Why are you here? You have Niiiina to help you with the ceremony, Gidi. And she can warm your bed also. It's obvious that you don't need me."
"Are you jealous?"
She struggled out of his hold. "Fuck you and fuck your ego!"
"Damn, Mindy! She is no one!"
"I don't believe you. If she is no one, why didn't you tell her to scram? Why didn't you tell her that the young ignorant assistant is your mate? She looked down at me. She insulted me. And you let it happen. My brother was right. This won't work."
Gideon gaped at her in disbelief. "What are you saying?"
"I am saying, fuck you, Gideon!", Mindy shouted.
"Stop cursing! Can you calm down and listen!?", he shouted back at her. "I didn't respond to Nina because I was busy thinking about the ceremony. I didn't tell her we are mates because she doesn't deserve to know before others. You are telling me to fuck myself, but that won't happen without your involvement. There is no woman for me, other than you."
Mindy snorted. "Those are some big words, Shaman Gideon. But your actions are not backing them up."
Gideon exhaled helplessly. "What do you want me to do? To tell every woman to scram?"
"Of course, not.", Mindy responded right away. "Feel free to socialize with every woman who gets close to you. I can see that they are willing to help with anything you might need. But I will be damned if you expect me to sit back and let it happen. You want to be served by other women? I will be glad to sever this bond and give you the freedom you so wish for."
"Do you know what you are saying!?"
"Do you know what you are doing?", she snapped back at him. "How would you feel if guys come at me and talk trash about you and I let it happen? Oh, but you can't expect me to tell them to scram just because they want to get frisky with me. Surely, as my mate, you will trust me that we won't go beyond talking smack about you.", Mindy said sarcastically.
Gideon cursed under his breath. All this drama was just because of a few seconds in his delay to respond to Nina?
In the last few days, there were so many stressful things happening, that Gideon was confident he will get a stomach ulcer. But maybe that was the problem. He was focused on things he needed to do, and he forgot to think about Mindy. She left her pack, her family, and her life underwent a drastic change, yet he didn't do much to assure her that she was not downgrading. Or maybe all this was a big downgrade, and he couldn't match what Mindy was used to having.
