Chapter 207
FLENA
The morning of the wedding dawned soft and golden, sunlight pooling over the Moonstone gardens like a blessing
I stood behind Erin, steadying her veil as she fidgeted nervously with the delicate lace. “Hold still,” I murmured, smoothing the fabric one last time. My fingers were steadier than I expected.
Maybe because I needed to be. Erin kept glancing at me in the mirror, her eyes shining too brightly for it to just be the makeup.
“You’re my good luck charm today,” she whispered. “The real Luna.”
I froze for a beat, my hands still caught in the folds of her veil.
The real Luna.
I tucked a loose piece of hair behind Erin’s ear and smiled, even though my chest pinched a little. “You’re going to be beautiful out there. You already are.”
She beamed, and for a moment, I let myself soak it in–the warmth of it, the belonging.
A flicker of memory rose unbidden. My own wedding planning, years ago. Standing in the Silverclaw packhouse’s cold little meeting room, surrounded by checklists and endless details.
How even Derek’s mother, when she had visited, only helped in short, distracted bursts before finding reasons to leave. How I had sat alone one night, floor littered with flower samples and binding spells, feeling invisible. Replaceable.
“This would be easier with a Beta,” I had whispered back then, the words heavy on my tongue.
Now, watching Erin–surrounded, supported–I felt both pride and an old, gnawing ache.
But I wasn’t alone anymore. I had people now. Friends. Family.
I kissed Erin’s cheek and handed her the bouquet. “You’re ready.”
The ceremony began just as the sun tipped into late afternoon. The gardens filled quickly with the pack: elders with their silver–streaked hair braided neatly, young warriors in pressed shirts, children tumbling under the lantern–strung trees.
I moved among them, ushering people into their seats, smoothing wrinkles from nervous bridesmaids‘ dresses, giving Mason a nudge when he looked like he might bolt for the hills.
He was pacing just behind the tree line, fidgeting with the cuffs of his jacket.
I caught his hand and squeezed. “You’ve got this.”
He blinked down at me, and for a second, all the bravado slipped away. Just Mason. Just my brother. Terrified and hopeful and about to leap into something huge.
“I know,” he breathed. “It’s just–she’s everything.”
I smiled and let him go.
I spotted Derek standing a few rows back, half–shadowed by the sway of the trees. Our eyes met—and for once, there was no smirk, no shield between us. Just a simple, open smile. A flash of something that felt warmer than the sun itself.
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Chapter 207
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My heart gave a stupid, traitorous thud.
The music began to swell, a low, thrumming melody that tugged at something deep in my chest. I turned, watching Erin appear at the end of the aisle, her veil catching the dying light. She wasn’t nervous anymore. She was radiant.
When she and Mason met in the center, everything else faded away. Their vows were simple but fierce, spoken with trembling voices and wide, stubborn smiles. When Mason said “I choose you, Erin. Every day. Every storm. Every fall,” my throat closed up tight.
I didn’t even try to fight the tears.
The bond sealed with a burst of warm, golden magic that rippled through the gathered wolves, a pulse that vibrated in my bones. The pack howled in unison, a wild, joyous sound that lifted into the trees and seemed to set the very leaves trembling.
I wiped my eyes quickly, laughing under my breath.
It felt right. It felt earned. And gods, it felt good to stand there and celebrate love instead of mourning what was
lost.
The party erupted almost immediately after the vows. Lanterns swayed, music soared, and tables groaned under the weight of food and drink.
I wandered among the crowd, catching glimpses of Derek here and there.
Helping Aiden wipe frosting off his cheeks after a cupcake explosion. Throwing his head back to laugh at some terrible joke from one of the pack elders. Reaching out, without even looking, to catch a tipping tray of drinks as a waitress stumbled past me.
Chapter 208
