“Rhys, have you heard from Aura? She’s not at the greenhouse or the hospital.” Ivy asked, walking into the kitchen of Rhys’ kitchen. “Do you think- Ah, my eyes!” She yelped, covering her eyes.

  “Is that really necessary?” Jalen asked his sister. He stood there shirtless with arms wrapped Rhys who wore what Ivy could assume was Jalen’s shirt. They were making breakfast and giggling like children.

  “Totally necessary! I don’t want to see my brother like this. Wait. Does this mean you are mates?” Ivy wondered.

  “Mates?” Rhys asked. “Like soul mates? I thought those were just in fairytales.”

  “Not for beast shifters, especially wolves,” Jalen answered, placing a kiss on Rhys’ forehead. He looked into her stunned eyes with such longing. It wasn’t until the meat the frying began popping all over the stove that Rhys looked away with a heavy blush on her face.

  Rhys calmed the burning food and turned around to beat Jalen with her spatula. “Jerk! Brute! Dumb elf!”

  Ivy laughed, watching Jalen run from the little dwarf woman. Even if they weren’t mates, they were truly adorable together. Jalen could use someone like her in his life to keep him out of mischief. Ivy wouldn’t be able to do it forever, especially after the talk she had with Stell and Queen Galadriel. Ivy was needed to help these beast shifters and others in the future until protection laws could be passed to protect them. Alpha Enoch had already agreed to her proposal before he left to take Karis’ body back to Jenro. He had seemed excited to return home to Raika despite Aura not going back to the valley. Ivy wanted to speak to Aura before she left the village tomorrow to scout out a new place for the beast shifters to live and recover. Where was Aura? The last anyone had seen her was the day before at the hospital.

  “Are you two fighting again? I thought you sorted out your romantic shit.” Dax announced his presence with Aura hanging onto his back for a piggyback ride. Their sudden appearance made everyone else freeze.

  Ivy and Jalen could smell the change in their scents before they could even speak. “You mated?!” Jalen and Ivy yelled together at the pair.

  “How did they figure it out so fast?” Dax asked.

  “We smell different. I told you that.” Aura said, getting off his back. Her smile was huge just looking back at Dax.

  “You told me a lot of things this morning. It’s a lot to sort through.” Dax replied with a stupid grin on his face.

  Jalen cut into their mushy moment. “You went for it, huh? Are you happy or do I get to kick his ass?”

  “Hold back the fangs, Jalen. I am happy. He’s my mate. I told him everything last night, which is why we are here. I will be moving to Dryadalis in a few months to officially become the Royal Herbalist. Oh, and I am getting married next week.” Aura answered.

  “Married?” Rhys chimed in. “Are you sure you know what you are doing girl? Couples like you will not be easily accepted.” She waved around her spatula as talked.

  “You forgot, Rhys. To the world, I am a human cursed by a beast shifter, the legendary werewolf. Therefore, I am a human. We just won’t be allowed to have kids…” Aura replied with a bit of sadness.

  “Still a twenty-year-long adventure with my wild woman is worth it.” Dax comforted her by wrapping his arms around her.

  “Twenty years?” Rhys echoed. “Is that because of the polymorph magic?”

  Dax nodded. “Powerful magic comes with a price. She has to be a human now because she is the werewolf.”

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  A glum feeling sunk into the room as they discussed Aura’s mortality. It was powerful magic gifted to her people by a great wizard centuries ago, but the price to use it was hefty. Aura was in the public eye now because of the battle in the meadow. She was a public figure that scared and awed all of Lunaris, and she was mated to a Captain of the Knights of Land. Her life was anything but simple. At least, no one could use her as a tool for their gain again. She left her clan and became an exiled Huntress because of it.

  “Stell left last night with Shadow’s body for the Melodian Kingdom. Her job in Lunaris is over for now,” Ivy explained.

  “Yeah, the queen and Alpha left too. Even the human squadron left. It’s just us now, but the Knights of the Land will be moving on in a month.” Aura said.

  “Nearly three months we have spent here to help the villages, destroy the Grim Guild, and protect Queen Galadriel. Now, Ivy is going to rehabilitate or relocate the shifters. King Hexion is facing trial for his crimes, the dead have been cataloged and buried. Queen Galadriel will notify their loved ones. Aura even got a real job,” Jalen rattled on about the last three months. “I even secured relations with the new guild with the help of Guild Master Rhys. What’s next?”

  “We plan a wedding,” Rhys answered, sitting on Jalen’s lap. Everyone had moved to the living room at this point. “This may be the last event we get to do together. Jalen has to come back to Lily Cove to join the guild and make a place for himself there.”

  “Ok, let’s plan a wedding,” Ivy said.

  Aura whispered into Dax’s ear, “Was this what you planned for our morning after our mating?”

  Dax chuckled, “Hardly. I wanted to stay in bed and eat honeysuckle pancakes, but my future wife insisted we go see our friends first.” His stomach growled. “I am still hungry.”

  “Let’s go steal Rhys’ food,” Aura offered.

  “And face the fury of her ax? No thanks.” Dax said, loudly.

  Rhys raised her brow. “Why would you need to face my ax?” Dax’s stomach answered for him by growling loudly, so the whole room laughed.

  “This is just a guess, but I think the captain is contemplating stealing your food.” Ivy jokes.

  “Good luck, Captain,” Jalen scoffs.

  “It’s okay. Dax will just make all of us breakfast,” Rhys smiled slyly.

  Dax put his hands in surrender, taking the spatula from Rhys, and headed to the kitchen. Aura followed behind him and hugged him from behind. “This is the perfect way to spend the morning after.” She said happily to her mate. “I love you, Dax.”

  One week later…

  Aura entered the little garden in her dark blue gown that fell down her body like a waterfall. Her sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves framed her perfectly. She had sweet baby’s breath flowers tucked into her long braid and light makeup to make her gold eyes shine. Walking barefoot down the aisle behind Rhys, Ivy, and Stell, she headed toward Dax who beamed a goofy smile at her. He wore black pants, a dark blue button-up shirt, and a black vest with baby’s breath tucked into it. Roland, Jalen, and Juniper stood next to Dax. Queen Galadriel sat in the crowd of villagers to see their great herbalist’s wedding. Drums pounded and a guitar strummed a lovely beat as the ladies danced down the aisle. Finally, Aura took Dax’s hand and stood in front of the village officiant.

  “You know, when I said yes to getting married, I didn’t think we would have such an audience.” Aura whispered into Dax’s ear as the village officiant began the ceremony.

  “Well, I didn’t think Mr. Rooter would sing through the ceremony,” He chuckled at her, eyeing the singing village officiant. “Besides, they see you as a hero. The Great Queen Galadriel Haleth even came to our ceremony.”

  “You may now make your vows,” The village officiant said, handing Dax a silver banded ring.

  Dax took Aura’s right hand and placed the ring upon her finger. “Aura Argenti, you are the craziest, infuriating, wild woman I have ever met. No matter what title you hold as a Royal Herbalist, legendary werewolf, or village savior, I will be at your side whether the world is with you or against you. I want to spend whatever time we have left in this world together whether we are fighting off an enemy, picnicking in a meadow, or sick or injured in bed. I pledge to be with you always, to care for you forever, hold you as my one and only, and to be your husband and whatever else you need me to be. I love you.``

  Aura accepted his pledge and took the silver banded ring from the village officiant with joyful tears brimming in her eyes. “Dax, you blurt every thought in your mind no matter how stupid it is, you trust easily, and your temper can be short. However, you are also stupidly charming and wonderfully optimistic about the world. I love seeing the world through your eyes after the terrors I have seen, and that’s how I want to spend every day, looking at the good of the world with you. Every day we have, I want us to help others, have adventures, and enjoy lazy days in bed. I pledge to not just be your wife but your best friend, partner, and moral compass when needed through every good day and bad. I love you too.” Dax happily accepted Aura’s pledge, and the village officiant bonded them as husband and wife.

  Raika and Enoch watched Aura’s wedding from the cliffside above in their wolf forms. Raika was glad her sister was happy, but she was still mourning the loss of her sister as a part of the clan. Their parents knew Aura was finally doing what’s best for her, and they accepted her absence.

  “Looks like it’s over. Are you ready to go?” Enoch asked through the mindlink.

  Raika sighed. There was so much she wanted to talk to her sister about, but she had responsibilities as a Huntress now. She gave a silent prayer for her sister to God that she would be safe and happy. “Yeah, let’s go. We need to go prepare for Karis’ funeral tomorrow. I am sure Jenro could use some Alpha wolf Hunter encouragement.” She said with a bittersweet tone.

  “I am here for you, Raika,” Enoch nudged her black snout.

  “I know,” Raika rubbed her head against his and took off toward the valley. “Better hurry, Alpha.” Enoch snickered and chased after her. He could see he was going to fall faster than he was ready to. But how could he not? Raika was amazing.

  The End.