Filed to story: The Alpha’s Pen Pal Book
“I doubt it comes as a surprise to anyone here today that I, too, wrote my vows as a letter,” Haven says, taking a small purple envelope out of a pocket of her dress. Again, the guests chuckle, and she opens it and pulls out her letter to Wesley, written with glittery purple ink on a white piece of paper. Her voice trembles as she speaks, her eyes brimming with tears as she stares into Wesley’s eyes, reciting her vows from memory. “Dear Pen Pal…”
As they continue their ceremony, I let my mind wander again, imagining my ceremony I hope to have someday, an event I’ve dreamed about for longer than I can remember. A small, intimate, traditional werewolf mating ceremony, with only those most important to the couple in attendance. I picture myself in the dress I’ve saved on Pinterest more times than I can count, a small bouquet of pink flowers in my hand as I walk hand in hand with my faceless mate.
Except, he’s no longer faceless. No, in this version of my dream ceremony, the male I’m with is Reid. My breath catches in my throat, and I cover my mouth with my hand to silence the gasp, but luck is on my side because the clapping and cheering from the guests as Wesley kisses Haven drowns out any noise from me.
“I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Kenway-Stone!” Former Alpha Harrison says to the crowd.
They lift their joined hands in the air, and this time I join in with the applause, cheering for the happy couple with the gathered guests on the shore of the snowy lake.
Dinner was a
delicious meal of prime rib, salad, brussels sprouts with bacon, and whole roasted baby pumpkins with Jarlsberg cheese and chicken—a dish I never would have tried on my own but now love. I sit between Dominic and Blake at our table in the dinner tent as the meal winds down and the toasts end, sipping on my water and waiting to free myself from the confines of the seating chart.
My foot bounces under the table, and I spin my water goblet from side to side as Wesley finishes his thank you speech to the guests. “Thank you again to all of you for attending our wedding today. We will cut the cake in just a moment, and then we’ll have our first dance soon after that, and then the party will really begin!”
Everyone cheers and claps, and Wesley smiles, lifting his hand. “Also, you’ll notice a letter on your table, framed among the centerpieces. Each table has a different letter written by either Haven or myself. And yes—all of them are out there, somewhere, even the embarrassing ones. So feel free to walk around to each table and read them—and try to remember, I was only twelve!”
Haven covers her mouth and laughs, and his dad shakes his head while Wesley’s mom rubs his shoulder, a small smile tugging at her lips.
I lean forward and lift the framed letter out of the centerpiece of jasmine, eucalyptus, and anemones at our table and read over it as the volume in the dinner tent returns to a normal level and Haven and Wesley walk to their cake to cut into it.
“Dear Wesley,
Thank you for being honest with me. It’s not a surprise that you don’t want me as a friend. I’m used to people not wanting me.
You see, I’m an orphan. My parents left me when I was a baby. I was only a few days old. I have lived in pretty much one home a year since I was a baby. So I guess that would make it nine homes now, since I am nine years old. And since I move so much, it makes it harder to make friends.
I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad. I just wanted to tell you I know why you did it, and even though you didn’t ask for it, I forgive you.
I hope you get your A.
Haven Kenway”
“Oh my Goddess,” I say, covering my mouth, my eyes widening. “Did you read this?”
I turn to Blake and show her the letter. Her eyes grow larger as she reads it, and her brows raise as she reaches the end. “Well, now I need to know what he wrote to her!” she says.
I nod. “Same.”
I glance around the crowded tent, peeking through the bodies seated in gold Chiavari chairs and looking over the lush green and white centerpieces, glancing at the framed letters held within each. My eyes skate over each table until they reach the table where Reid sits, now alone, his attention turned towards where his alpha and luna pose for photos as they prepare to cut their cake.
My lips twitch and a lightbulb goes off. “Let’s split up,” I say, whipping my head to Blake. “You take that half”—I nod towards the tables on our right—“and I’ll take the other half, and whoever finds the first letter mindlinks so we can read it together.”
“Solid plan,” Blake agrees. “Ready? Break!”
I chuckle and stand, leaving my blanket behind and making my way to the first table on my left. Her silver minidress catches the light of the candles and fairy lights inside the tent, and I laugh louder as I notice her shadow—Dawson—following her through the tables, speed-walking to catch up with her.
I turn from them, shaking my head, and lean over the now empty table and lift the letter from the centerpiece.
“Dear Pen Pal,
Hello.
My name is Wesley. I am twelve years old, and I am in sixth grade at Crescent Lake Elementary in Northern California.
I’ll be honest, I am only writing this letter because my teacher said we have to. She said if we don’t, we’ll get an F, and I am not about to fail an assignment and ruin my track record of perfect grades. Plus, my dad would probably ground me or something.
Anyway, I don’t really want a pen pal. I have friends here at school already, so why would I need to become friends with somebody who doesn’t even live here, someone I’ll never actually meet?…”
I groan and bite my lip as I read the rest. I’m glad I found it, but I don’t want Dominic to know. That would ruin my plan.
“I found it,”
I mindlink Blake.
“But pretend I haven’t yet. I’m trying to do something.”
She lifts her eyes from the letter she reads and scans the crowd, pausing for a second before putting her eyes back on the letter in her hands.
“Of course.”
She smirks.
“Go get your Cookie Monster.”
I roll my eyes but set the letter back on the table, and continue on my way, meandering through the reception tent, pausing at each table to read the letter on it as I make my way to Reid. His eyes are on me as I walk, burning into my skin, waking up the butterflies in my stomach, and capturing the attention of my wolf. I try not to glance at him, though, try to keep my perusal of the letters as casual as I can in case anyone else is watching me.
In case Dominic is watching me.
I pause at the table right next to his, taking a longer moment to read the letter there, even though it’s the shortest one of the lot. My journey through the tent has taken less time than I thought since most of the guests have moved to the cake table to witness the happy couple slice into it and share a bite of cake together, and because my wolf is just as eager to reach Reid as I am, giving me extra spurts of energy and speed.
“Dear Pen Pal,
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?