Chapter 150

The day of the gala, my stomach was a mess of excitement and nerves. Neil, Dominic, and I had spent days alone in my condo. And while we still hadn't gotten past. Feeling each other up over clothing, I was pretty satisfied. They seemed happy as well. Arielle, grandpa, and I arrived together in one of Mountainhowl’s sleek black cars, the city lights glittering in the windows.

Inside, the ballroom glowed with warm gold light, crystal chandeliers casting rainbows over polished marble. The low hum of conversation mingled with the clink of glasses, the scent of perfume, and the faint undertone of magic from the wards humming in the walls.

Arielle made the introductions, weaving me through clusters of donors, pack leaders, witches in shimmering robes, and prominent business owners. It was overwhelming, but not unwelcome. I felt like I belonged here.

Then I noticed the Frostborn delegation. Several of them I recognized, and they were looking at me differently now. They respected me, likely because Arielle had made it clear that their fate rested in my hand. It was amusing given the way they used to regard me.

A few even looked like they were debating coming over.

Before they could, the ripple of attention in the room shifted. Dominic had arrived.

He looked devastating in black, the cut of his suit emphasizing the breadth of his shoulders and his height. He looked refreshed. Younger. Revitilized. People were already commenting on it, whether or not getting rid of his rowdy daughter was the fountain of youth. The truth was that being cuddled up in the same room with Neil was the real reason. I tracked him across the floor, but before I could go to him, another presence claimed the room.

Neil.

He strode onto the stage seemingly more his true self. His eyes were still under an illusion, but they weren't the standard color. They were grey. I knew now from having talked to him about quite a few things, that Gray was actually his natural eye color. And because it was such an unnatural color among werewolves, he had a glamor for it. He was polished for the eyes of every witch and werewolf, making his mixed heritage known plainly. His suit was deep midnight, dotted with rubies in the style of witches, his tie silver, and the combination made him look every bit the keynote speaker for the event..

When his gaze found mine in the crowd, it was like the air between us condensed. I didn’t dare look at Dominic, but I could feel the echo of it in him, too.

Neil’s voice carried easily over the ballroom. He spoke about the purpose of the evening to integrate witches and werewolves more deeply, to revive the shared traditions that had once bound us. He spoke of the Moon Goddess not as a relic of the past, but as a living presence in our lives and futures.

The room listened. I was still caught up in the cadence of his words when I noticed the movement at the front of the crowd. The reporters had converged on Dominic, their recorders and cameras poised. And they weren’t asking about the gala. They wanted to know about the park. About what happened to me. About Vivian.

Dominic’s eyes found mine. He held my gaze for a heartbeat before striding over. My heart leaped into my throat.

Now? He was doing this now? Was he sure?

He didn't hesitate, taking my hand in his warm, sure grip, and leading me up the steps to the stage. Neil stepped aside smoothly, letting us stand together in front of the microphones.

Dominic’s voice was calm, measured, as he gave them what they wanted. It was so odd to hear him gloss over the entire incident with such ease, preserving the reputation of the Brightclaw line. When he apologized again to everyone who had been affected by Vivian’s actions, I could tell that the whole room was falling into his charm.

Tyler's father was arrested and had been sent off to Mountainhowl as well. Just when I thought we were wrapping up, he squeezed me hand.

“As part of this revival initiative,” Dominic said, his voice steady, “I've decided that Brightclaw will revive a practice that has not been honored in far too long: the triad marriage bond. Following the wiser footsteps of Blackfang and Mountainhowl as we should have long ago.”

A startled murmur swept the room. Arielle's eyes widened.

He turned his hand palm-up and slid the illusion ring from his finger, revealing the mark of the Goddess' Wrath on his hand. I felt Neil stiffen. The cameras went off in a frenzy.

I stepped forward, taking the ring off and holding it up for photographs. The mark of the Goddess' Benevolence on my hand. And I looked at Neil, who looked hesitant. His eyes seemed so young and gentle then. He took off his own illusion and revealed the mark on his hand. The gasp that filled the hall wasn't surprising. We stood there letting the cameras take as many photos as possible before Arielle called out.

"When's the wedding?"

Six months later…

The capital had never looked so alive.

The temple on the Brightclaw Estate glowed against the night sky, every column draped in pale silver silks that shimmered under the hundreds of floating lanterns. From the moment we stepped onto the white marble steps, I could feel the weight of eyes, not just of the people gathered here, but it felt like the universe had turned its sights on us. The media was out in full force, their cameras flashing in rapid bursts as we crossed the threshold.

The whispers followed us. Speculation about what this meant for the packs, for the witches, for the Goddess’ Will itself. Every headline in the past few months had been about us:the first triad marriage in generations.

And tonight, it became official.

The interior of the temple was aglow with candlelight, the air warm and fragrant with jasmine and moonflower. The altar stood beneath a massive mural of the Moon Goddess, her painted eyes serene and all-seeing.

The priest’s voice was deep and resonant as he spoke of the Goddess’ blessings, of the way our marks had been foretold in prophecy, of the strength a triad bond would bring to both our lives and the country itself. They'd been careful to cut out any mention of kingship per Dominic's request, but I had a feeling that no one would have even bat an eyelash at the idea.

I held Dominic’s hand in my right, Neil’s in my left. Their happiness hummed thorugh me. When the priest called for the exchange of rings, Dominic went first. His hand trembled only slightly as he slid the band onto my finger, his eyes never leaving mine. Neil followed, his touch deliberate, lingering just a second longer than necessary. My heart thundered as I placed their rings in turn.

The priest’s blessing echoed through the vaulted chamber, and the moment his words of confirmation fell, the temple bells rang out in perfect harmony.

Outside, the capital erupted.

Across the distance, I saw the city skyline erupt into bursts of light: fireworks and magical flares painting the night in silvers and blues, echoing the glow of the temple. The whole estate glowed with moonlight.

For a moment, the whole capital seemed to pulse with the same rhythm as my heart.

When the bells faded, the temple doors opened to reveal the reception area on the lawn of the Estate already alive with music. The dance floor gleamed like a mirror beneath the glow of chandeliers.

When the musicians struck the opening notes of the Triad Waltz, Dominic stepped forward, offering his hand to me and a subtle nod to Neil.

We took our places, the three of us moving as though we’d rehearsed for years. Mid-spin, my breath caught. Just beyond the dance floor, past the shimmer of the crowd and the candlelight, I saw her.

My mother’s spirit, radiant and whole, her hair catching the silver glow of the lanterns. Beside her stood another woman. It was me, or rather the woman I knew I’d been in another life. She was dressed in flowing white, her presence warm and familiar in a way I couldn’t explain.

They were both smiling at me. At us.

Pride and peace shone in their eyes. And though I couldn’t hear their voices, I felt their well-wishes, the weight of their blessing for the future ahead of me. Of us, and whatever the Goddess had planned for us.

A blink later, they were gone, fading into the light as though they’d stepped into another room.

I felt Neil’s hand press lightly at my back, Dominic’s steadying mine as we turned into the final sweep of the waltz. I let the moment settle into me, a quiet thread of joy weaving through the thundering beat of my heart.

I was completely at peace.

The End