by E Hall
“He’s old fashioned.” Greyson clears his throat. “He assured me that he’s been a gentleman.”
My cheeks heat. “Oh, now you too. Mom wanted to talk about the birds and the bees and you’re—”
He pumps his hands as though agreeing we ought to cease this discussion. “I guess I get little say in who you marry, but if I did, I’m pleased you chose Corbin. As long as you’re not with Melchior, I’m happy.”
“That sets the bar low,” I mutter.
“I was wondering—” My dad starts to say but the music changes again, indicating it’s time for us to walk down the aisle.
The last bits of my worries fall away when I see Corbin standing at the altar dressed in a sharply tailored tuxedo, his hair freshly trimmed, and with a giant grin on his face.
A sense of certainty floods me like sunshine burning away the past and preparing me for the future.
We wrote a portion of our vows, promising to shine light on each other during difficult times, triumphant times, and to illuminate the truth no matter what. After we exchange rings, we kiss.
As always, everyone and everything except my beloved melt away. It’s just Corbin and me. We’re the center of the universe while our lips press together. Fireworks and sparklers blaze inside. He’s the one. The only one and I’m his.
“You are my light, always, Kenna,” he whispers before we part.
I give him one more quick kiss to let him know I feel the same way.
The crowd cheers, howls, and claps.
The love in the church is huge, almost too big to be contained.
As we exit and walk through our friends and pack mates lining the path, instead of tossing rice or blowing bubbles, everyone holds lit sparklers. They sizzle and shine in the early arrival of dusk at this time of year.
We proceed to Lonsdale for the reception. My mother and the pack’s efforts were not wasted. The interior of the Victorian manor no longer looks haunted. Rather, it’s enchanted. I only saw the finished project in part because she wanted a grand reveal for a night we’d never forget.
Corbin hasn’t let go of my hand as we enter together—we’re a little later to the reception than the rest of the guests because we were making out in the limo on the ride over here.
Candles flicker and the ceiling glows with clusters of twinkle lights. The grand dining room is set for as many guests as it can hold with a tent in the backyard for the overflow. Tables dot the space with snacks and beverages. I have a feeling I’ll be busy chatting and meeting people but do not plan on missing the decorate-your-own cupcake bar, the ice cream sundae station, or the make-your-own S’mores bar. My mother outdid herself. There’s even a chocolate fountain.
I’m mistaken, it’s hot chocolate with all the toppings like fudge, caramel, butterscotch, melted marshmallow, and whipped cream. Corbin must’ve mentioned our outing to Intherness.
I take a deep breath as Corbin moves me past the sweets.
“I promise we’ll come back to them later.”
My parents stand together in conversation. “Mom, thank you for doing all of this. I have to admit I was slightly worried, but spending all this time fixing, setting up, and all of it has made it real to me.” I squeeze Corbin’s hand.
“It’s a one-time deal, though I do see a future in party planning.” She winks.
My bridesmaids rush over with hugs, chattering with excitement. They ask if I need a makeup refresh, water, or anything else. I recall our time getting ready earlier. Inga had turned on music and we sang and bopped around. Live music plays from somewhere in the house and I feel slightly overwhelmed. It’s then I realize the sound conflicts with the dreaded song in my head.
“Dessert,” I blurt.
Camilla winks. “The cake will be worth the wait.”
Pepper and Clove come over next to congratulate us.
The song must’ve gotten louder in my brother’s presence. Plus, there are other fae here. That’s what I tell myself. I don’t let Corbin get more than a few feet away from me the entire night except during the father-daughter dance.
When the song ends, Greyson passes me off to my husband and sweeps my mom into his arms. My mind stacks with questions—my parents’ wedding must have been nothing like this. I feel so lucky.
“Well, Mrs. Stone. How’s it feel to be married?” Corbin asks as he holds me in his arms, sweeping me across the parquet floor.
“Ask me again when it’s just the two of us.”
He tips his head back with laughter.
That’s the sound I let fill my head for the rest of the night.
Chapter 18
Corbin
After an exhaustingly wonderful wedding ceremony and reception, I’m all too happy to thank everyone and say goodbye to our guests.
As we make our way outside, everyone follows.
Under my breath, I count down, five, four, three, two, one. On cue, the fireworks blast off, sparkling in the sky.
Everyone looks around for a stunned moment and then realizes this is our grand sendoff...and a way to ring in the new year.
Warm sentiments go around as everyone kisses and hugs and wishes each other many happy returns.
The fireworks display continues. The light splashes across Kenna’s face. I’m in awe. The wolf sealing ceremony was tremendous, but mostly it was just the two of us. This has been a community event. Neither is better than the other. Just different. Like us. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Just before we get into the limo to go to the private airport outside Intherness, Pepper grips the top of Kenna’s skirt. Then she spins away from her maid of honor as the fabric peels away, revealing the gown I gave her in Las Vegas.
“Just a little surprise,” she says, pecking me on the cheek.
It flatters her curves in every way. I have to work hard to keep my jaw from dropping. “Stunning.”
“You’ve mentioned.”
She smirks as we get into the vehicle.
Clove and Pepper are following us in another limo. At first, I wasn’t too keen on them joining us for our honeymoon. I don’t know a ton about the human world, but I’m sure most couples go solo. However, the song Kenna says she hears concerns me. She’s been distant, not acting herself. After she said she saw Melchior in the road on Christmas Eve, I want eyes on her at all times.
I feel confident he won’t mess with us, and especially not Pepper, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
After waving goodbye and pulling away, Kenna and I remain quiet in the limo for the first few minutes. It’s like we both need a moment to catch our breath. Regain our bearings.
After a while, she says, “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
Both our voices are barely over a whisper.
“Tired?” she asks.
“Very. You?”
“Mmm,” she purrs. “But not too tired for this.”
She leans over and cups my jaw with her hand, drawing my face to hers.
“You’re bold on our wedding night. I like it.” My voice rasps.
Our kiss is not the chaste version from the ceremony or the one we exchanged after we fed each other cake—a massive confection courtesy of Pepper’s grandmother. It was about as tall as Kenna and went with the starry night theme. The fondant was the color of the night sky and studded with silver rock candy so it sparkled. Kenna had two slices.
Her fingers drift along the nape of my neck as if she’s finding a handhold. Then she draws my mouth closer to hers.
My fingers tangle in her loose waves as I kiss the ridge of her collarbone, her chin, and then move back to her lips.
We both alternately breathe each other deeply and forget we need oxygen. I see stars but those could be left over from the wedding theme or the twinkle in Kenna’s smoky gray eyes. When she closes her lids, the kiss deepens.
The drive to the airfield is lost in her lips as the kiss stretches to the night sky and beyond. However, when the limo stops, we’re at the HQ lodge in Polaris.
> “I forgot a few things,” she says by way of explanation before hurrying into the house.
Clove and Pepper get out of the limo, looking just as confused as to why we’re back here instead of at the airport.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t and couldn’t kill you with my voice,” Clove says to her, presumably picking up on their previous conversation while in the limo.
“Right. I’m a dragon. Not many have figured out how to kill my kind,” she replies.
“Except Melchior,” I mutter and instantly regret it.
Pepper clucks her tongue. “Actually, I’ve been doing some research since we talked earlier.”
“When? We were just at the wedding.”
“Bilocation,” she whispers with a wink.
I nod. “You’re fast at learning how to use your magic.”
“My grandmother says when there’s a will there’s a way. Back to my point. There’s a chance that Melchior only put the dragons into a dormant state, like how bears hibernate or hummingbirds go into stasis.”
Clove says, “Anyway, as I was saying, it’s kind of complicated, but because you’re not human you’re relatively safe—unless the curse targeted dragons.”
“You might be onto something,” Pepper says quickly. “Perhaps he used a similar method to put the dragons to rest.”
Clove tilts his head from side to side like it’s possible. “But as for the rest of humanity? The cry of the fae is deadly.”
I click my tongue. “But the curse is lifted so we have nothing to worry about.”
“Right,” Clove says. “But there are other songs.”
I scrub my hand down my face. “Do we have to think about this right now?”
“No, because if we miss this flight, I’ll be the one who does the killing,” Pepper says.
“Don’t say that. Dragons are lethal,” Clove says. “Each form of magical has a method to defend themselves against dragons in case they ever tried to take over.”
Pepper gasps. “Did that ever happen?”
“No,” I say. “Instead, Melchior figured out a way to use the unique power of the fae, including Greyson against others—among other things.” He’s the last person I want to be thinking or talking about right now.
“Where is Kenna and what is she doing? I’ve never left Concordia and on a private plane no less.” Pepper taps her foot impatiently against the ground.
I can’t tell if she’s joking or not.
A faint stream of smoke comes from her nostrils.
I tell myself it’s just because of the cold, but note it’s best never to make a dragon wait.
We all go into the lodge to see what the holdup is and to warm up.
“Kenna, you know I hate this,” Pepper says, barging into the room.
“Yet you can wait for the yeast to work its magic.” My wife shoves something into a shoulder bag.
“That’s science not magic, and we already packed. Three times.” Pepper peers into Kenna’s bag.
I pull her close and she lets out a sigh. “We have everything we need. We’ll be busy swimming and exploring when we get there. First, we have to leave. I thought we already had your luggage.” I thread my hands around her waist and look her over. “All you need is a bikini.” My voice is a whisper, a suggestion that I’ll appreciate seeing my wife in a bathing suit.
She bites her lip, staring at everything scattered around the room. “I can’t help that I love clothes and makeup and these cute little sandals with pineapples on them and books and lip gloss and sunglasses. It’s not my fault we went on a shopping spree during my bachelorette party.”
“Then bring that stuff and let’s go,” Pepper says, gripping Kenna’s arm.
I want to warn her not to touch an Alpha like that, then remember Pepper is a dragon. Kenna would be smart to listen to her best friend.
Kenna’s attention catches on the window. She goes still. For a moment, I fear she sees something in the forest beyond. A prism of light glances off her eyes. I glimpse a deep longing there as she hums. Fear unlike anything I’ve known pierces my wolf’s heart. I can’t lose her. She’s as close to my being as breathing.
I glance at Pepper and Clove.
“We should go,” her brother says.
“Come on, Kenna,” Pepper says in a low voice.
My mate goes silent and shakes her head as if coming out of a trance. “I know the clock is ticking, and we do have a flight to catch. I know I packed too much stuff. I know Hawaii will be amazing. But...”
“But what?” I ask.
“What if when I get there I don’t want to leave? Don’t get me wrong, Polaris is nice, and I love my new family and friends, but it gets cold here in the winter. It might be better to just stay there a while. Quieter maybe.”
Concern replaces fear. What isn’t she saying? My Alpha rumbles.
She draws a deep breath. “The truth is, being here reminds me of what we all came so close to losing. Sometimes I want to forget how dangerous it is, and how dangerous I am... If I go, I’m afraid I won’t want to come back.”
I tug her into a hug. “Kenna. You aren’t a victim to the whims of anyone or anything. Least of all the past. We’re together now to make a future for ourselves, each other, and the rest of magical-kind.”
She swallows thickly as though unsure.
Pepper digs through the bag Kenna had been packing and sighs, fluttering strands of hair out of her face. “A back scratcher? Seven books, including a guide to beekeeping? The complete Twilight collection? Nine pairs of sandals. A spatula...”
“Keep the Frisbee. That might come in handy,” I say.
“A Rubik’s Cube, a yoga mat, three diaries. Kenna!” Pepper scolds.
She’s about to protest, but the dragon shifter silences her with a slight shake of her head.
Without preamble, I pick Kenna up and sling her over my shoulder like a sack of flour and start toward the door.
Avril appears. “Hey. I uh, have something.” She gazes shiftily around then passes me a small parcel. “I figured you guys will need some snacks.”
“I smell blueberries,” Kenna says, kicking in protest.
Good, she’s back to her regular self, hungry for anything sweet.
“You’d better get going,” my beta says.
“And I had better get eating. Those blueberry muffins smell delicious. Thank you, Avril.”
“Don’t miss us too much. We’ll be back in a week,” I say.
We finally make it back out the limo. Kenna spares one more glance toward the forest. She shivers before I nudge her to get into the car. Using my keen wolf vision, I watch, catching a glint among the trees. I tell myself it’s just a trick of the light. This is what I’ve been telling myself for days now. It’s nothing. The fae probably aren’t out there waiting. The curse was lifted. We have nothing to worry about.
Chapter 19
Kenna
Pepper is appropriately impressed by the private plane with its buttery and cushy leather seats, the lavender-infused hand towels, and the attentiveness of service. She and Clove sit in two adjacent seats in front of Corbin and me.
When the lights on the ground beneath us turn into pinpricks and fade altogether, I finally let out my breath. “It’s like we’re closer to the stars,” I say.
Corbin rests his cheek on my shoulder. “You okay?” he asks.
I nod. “It was probably just coming down from the nerves of the day, but I felt off earlier.”
His face rumples. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“I’m sorry if I was acting weird. I don’t know what came over me. I was panicked. Afraid to leave. Afraid to stay.”
“You don’t have to be afraid when you’re with me. You know that I’ll always protect you.” He tucks a loose piece of my hair behind my ear. “And it just so happens you’re a kick-butt shifter. I’d argue you can probably take care of yourself.”
Nervously, I suck the side of my cheek. “I don’t know. When I hear the song I feel helpless.�
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“Do you hear it now?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“Good. Then let’s enjoy this moment. Let me know if you hear it again. Maybe keep track of it. If you still hear when we get home, we’ll talk to your parents or the Alliance. Someone will be able to help us. You’re not alone.”
He squeezes my hand. I let out my breath and roll my shoulders. “You’re right.”
“Ooh. I like the sound of that.”
I smirk and nestle into the crook of Corbin’s shoulder.
When we reach cruising altitude, I sense Pepper and Clove asleep in their seats. It has been a wonderful but long day.
I kiss Corbin on the cheek.
“Earlier, you asked what it’s like being Mrs. Stone. If that’s any indication, I’d say it’s perfect.” My voice is especially husky.
His wolf makes a low growl of pleasure.
“I can’t say I ever thought I’d be a shifter and a married woman.”
“I guess that will take some getting used to.”
“What it’s like being fae? That’s an entirely different question,” I mumble. “I’m just glad I don’t have to rob men of their lives on the full moon.”
Corbin grunts in response. Likely because he doesn’t want to talk about my fae aspect. My wolf heart doesn’t either. But it’s like I can’t get any space away from thinking about it.
“I love you. I’m learning to like fae,” he says as if realizing his grunt was kind of harsh. “I’ve taken to your brother, and he’s fae. I hated him in the beginning. Then again that wasn’t hard to do because he was a sneak and a liar. But he was as wary of us as we were of him. He thought he was doing the right thing. We thought we were doing the right thing. In the end, we all did the right thing.”
“It meant a lot to me that you had him be your best man.”
“He’s family. That’s what families do.” His smile is weak, like hearing me talk about fae makes him fear breaking the curse wasn’t the end.
I’d argue that he’s right.
At least for me, that part still exists within.
I sense Corbin’s hackles lift as if he’s sensing my thoughts and emotions. I try to push them away.