EPISODE 24%
The days after the incident passed without trouble, as if fate itself had decided we had endured enough. The Moon Shard Pack welcomed us back with open arms, their relief palpable as they saw Syrus and I return unharmed.
The tension that had once hung over our home like a thick fog had finally lifted, replaced by a sense of peace and normalcy I hadn’t realized I had craved so deeply.
s was met
Syrus wasted no time announcing to the pack that he would have a bond mating ceremony with me. The news with excitement, but no one was more ecstatic than his two older brothers, who almost cried before me.
Then, there was Caleb.
Well, he had been fighting against Syrus for my attention, but it seemed that since having a younger brother, his attention had been divided. He still clung to me, and even Lucas, surprisingly so, but it wasn’t as clingy as before. He also seemed to accept Syrus.
“I can call him Dad,” Caleb said, not really thinking much about it. “He looks more like
my
my dad than the real one.”
Even though I hadn’t really told Caleb about Seram, he seemed to have gotten some information about him.
“And Lucas can call him Dad too, right?“%
Lucas nodded, following whatever Caleb said.
At five years old, they were bundles of endless energy, their bright eyes filled with joy at the thought of our family becoming even more whole. They raced through the pack lands, playing and laughing, their giggles a constant reminder of how precious our peace was
Life settled into a pleasant rhythm. The women of the pack aided me with preparations for the bond ceremony. They showed me the intricacies of sewing ceremonial garments, their hands deft and their laughter filling the air as they recounted their own stories of love and devotion.
Caleb and Lucas often sat with us, pretending to help but mostly getting tangled in the fabrics, their presence a source of amusement and warmth.
And then there was Syrus.!!
Every morning, he would leave at dawn to hunt, ensuring that there would be enough food for our ceremony. He had insisted on doing it himself, his determination unwavering:
“I want to provide for you,” he had told me, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “For us.”
I had simply nodded, unable to put into words how much that meant to me.
Everything happened smoothly, as if the universe itself had conspired to make this ceremony perfect. The night arrived, a cool breeze sweeping through the trees, carrying the scent of earth and moonlight.
The pack had gathered in the ceremonial clearing, a sacred place where countless bonds had been formed over generations. A fire burned at the center, its flames crackling as the wood splintered, sending embers dancing into the night skys
Syrus stood before me, his green eyes reflecting the firelight. His gaze was unwavering, full of the love and devotion that had grown between us since the day we met. In this moment, there was no doubt, no hesitation, only certainty.
He reached out, taking my hands in his, his grip firm yet gentle
“Marian,” he began, his voice deep and sure. “From the moment I met you, you changed my world. You are my mate, my equal, and my heart. I promise to stand beside you, to cherish you, to honor you with all that I am. I will never leave your side, and I will love you with every breath I take.”
Tears welled in my eyes, but they did not fall. Instead, I smiled, my heart swelling as I found my voice. “Syrus, you have given me a home, a family, and a love I never thought possible. I vow to always be honest with you, to stand beside you no matter the trials we face. You are my mate, my love, and my future. I will love you in this life and in the future ”
The moment our vows left our lips, the moon above us seemed to glow even brighter, bathing the clearing in its silver light. The pack howled, a harmonious chorus that filled the night, sealing our bond before the ancestors, before the heavens themselves.
Caleb and Lucas, caught up in excitement, let out their own little howls, mimicking the adults with uncontainable joy. Syrus pulled me into his arms, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that spoke of every promise we had made
The feast began soon after, laughter and music filling the air. The women who had helped me sew the ceremonial garments clapped, beaming with approval. Caleb and Lucas ate their weight in roasted meat, their faces smeared with food as they sat in the laps of the pack members who adored them.
Syrus never left my side, his hand always resting against mine, as if reassuring himself that I was real, that this moment was ours to keep.
As the night waned, and the fire burned lower, I found myself standing at the edge of the clearing, looking up at the
minn. Sunce raman hahind me wanning his amend mit hic chin rcting on mu
o muchnulder M.
moon. Syrus came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.
“It took me about four years,” he said, almost jokingly. “I almost thought I wouldn’t make it.”
I laughed. “Why?”
“Just thinking that Caleb would try his best to block me and would really fight me when he became older was constantly my nightmare,” he admitted.
I laughed, knowing that Caleb would indeed do that.
A small rustle made us turn, and there stood Caleb and Lucas, their sleepy eyes barely open. They stumbled toward us, and I scooped Lucas into my arms while Syrus lifted Caleb. Our sons curled against us, their tiny hands gripping our clothes, their breaths deep and steady.
My past is behind us now. I had been given a new life, a second chance to live a better life with my children. I looked up at the moon that had witnessed all my suffering and happiness and solemnly gave my thanks.
As I stood there, held in the arms of the man I loved, with our sons nestled close, beneath the watchful gaze of the moon, the life that I had lost was finally complete.”
THE ENDS
