Ada pulls me into a fierce hug, her arms wrapping around me in a way I've never felt before—warm and enveloping, as if she could shield me from everything. I've never known what it's like to feel motherly love, and I drink in every second of it, clinging to her like a child given their first taste of affection. When she finally lets go, it feels like a piece of me is still held in her embrace.
Then Evan steps forward, his hug steady and strong. He holds me a moment longer than he normally might, as if he's silently offering me all the support he can. When he pulls back, his gaze is firm, almost commanding.
"Remember, you're in charge," he says, and winks. I don't hold back my smile at that.
I glance over to see Kellan speaking with my father, and the sight catches me off-guard. They look like they've come to a shared understanding, an unspoken bond, and as my father turns to face me, he steps closer and, without a word, wraps me in a quick but heartfelt embrace. My chest tightens—this sudden flood of warmth and support from all sides feels overwhelming, grounding me just before the ceremony.
Then, with a blink, it's all gone. I'm kneeling again before the altar, feeling as though I've been suspended between worlds, though no time seems to have passed here.
Kaia's voice floats to me, halfway through a question. "—and finally, Kellan Grimlock, is she the one?"
Kellan's gaze meets mine, his eyes filled with so much intensity, and in them, I see everything—every promise, every unspoken vow, and a commitment that runs bone-deep.
"Yes," he says, with a conviction that makes my heart skip.
Kaia turns to me, her voice softer but no less solemn. "Ember Darkthorne, is he the one?"
I swallow the lump in my throat. "Yes."
She nods. "May the close relatives step forward, please."
Nate and Tristan approach, faces solemn and respectful, the weight of their role in this ceremony clear on their faces. Kaia's gaze sweeps over them, and she raises her voice.
"You witness the joining of these souls. Any objections?"
There's a heartbeat of silence before Nate finally speaks up. "None." I catch the spark of amusement in his blue eyes as he watches me, a mischievous glint that promises he could have objected just to tease me. I shoot him a glare, my version of a silent warning.
Tristan, however, doesn't hesitate. "None."
Kaia addresses them both again, her voice softer. "Do you accept that through this union, you are now one family?"
They exchange a glance, a moment of quiet understanding between them before they both respond in unison. "We do."
"Then it's time for the blood bond." She hands Tristan a dagger and a pristine white cloth.
Tristan steps forward, gently taking Kellan's hand. There's a faint flash of steel, and then Kellan's blood darkens the cloth as Tristan presses it to his wound. I watch as Kellan's palm heals almost instantly, his blood now woven into the fabric of this ceremony.
Then Nate takes the dagger, his hand steady as he repeats the process on my palm. I barely feel the sting before my blood, too, seeps into the cloth. For a moment, the mingling of our blood is a tangible, electric connection—our lives, our souls, tied together by more than just ritual.
The cloth is handed back to Kaia, who casts it into the fire. The flames leap, crackling with an almost unnatural energy, and the air itself seems to hum with the ancient magic surrounding us.
Kellan's voice fills the silence, steady and resolute.
"With the moon as my witness, I give you my heart, my flesh, my very breath. In the heat of the hunt and the calm of dawn, I vow to be your protector and partner, fierce and loyal. I will stand beside you, whether in strength or weakness, through bloodshed and peace. As we walk this world, let my soul be the echo of yours, bound in an eternal run beneath the stars."
I echo his words, each phrase carrying a weight that feels like it's sinking into my very soul. "With the moon as my witness, I give you my heart, my flesh, my very breath. In the heat of the hunt and the calm of dawn, I vow to be your protector and partner, fierce and loyal. I will stand beside you, whether in strength or weakness, through bloodshed and peace. As we walk this world, let my soul be the echo of yours, bound in an eternal run beneath the stars."
The words seal themselves into the air, as if they've etched a mark into the fabric of existence, solidifying this moment in something eternal.
Then we speak together, our voices weaving together in a vow that resonates deep within me, binding us tighter than any mere promise.
"Blood of my blood, spirit of my spirit—I bind my heart to yours, under the gaze of our ancestors. I promise you my strength, my fire, my undying loyalty. I claim you as mine, as you claim me as yours. In every cycle of the moon, in every breath, I am yours. In the fiercest storms, the darkest nights, my soul will find yours, running beside you, always and forever."
Each word solidifies something invisible between us, a bond I can feel tightening with each syllable, as if the universe itself acknowledges what we're declaring.
Kaia raises her arms, her voice shifting into an ancient dialect as she calls upon the spirits. "I, Kaia, daughter of ##+;'(! , pronounce these two souls as bound and mated." Her last name is incomprehensible to mortal ears, spoken in the sacred language of the spirits, and as she finishes, the flames shift, blazing a deep, vivid red. A line of red smoke spirals from the fire, curling toward us and wrapping around us, binding us in a physical manifestation of our union.
I close my eyes, feeling a sense of overwhelming closeness and a strange claustrophobia. In the darkness behind my eyes, I sense the presence of a massive wolf, its gaze all-knowing as it watches over us. Its powerful form seems to acknowledge and accept this union, a silent blessing that I feel down to my core.
The applause of our friends and witnesses jolts me back to the present. I open my eyes, feeling the exhilaration flood through me as my body reacts instinctively to the newfound energy coursing through our bond. Without thinking, I dash into the forest, letting my feet carry me barefoot across the earth. The bond is still fragile, and tradition dictates I must protect it with my own strength until it solidifies.
The thrill of the chase, of the primal instinct, takes over as I shift mid-leap, my dress tearing as my body flows seamlessly into my wolf form. The thrill of the run, the pounding of my paws against the earth.
Right now, there's nothing in the world but me, my mate, and the call of the wild.