“They’re perfect,” Ardsley retorts, rubbing his boyfriend—no, fiancé’s—shoulder. “The ring isn’t important.”
“I was informed that engagement rings are crucial to the courtship process,” RJ says.
“They’re not crucial, RJ,” Ardsley says. He takes out Tyson’s hand and gazes into the man’s eyes. “Well, not the most crucial. The man they’re attached to is the greatest treasure of all.”
“Aw,” Skyler and I coo in unison. While Ardsley tells us about the engagement, I glance around. I’m sitting with my new friends, both shifter and human. Monsters and humans are getting lunch, and we’re surrounded by pictures of ocean creatures. Aisen showed off all his forms, so why can’t I?
I shift into kraken form and cuddle closer to Skyler as Ardsley talks. No one bats an eye, and it feels liberating to let my kraken out. I drape one tentacle over Skyler’s shoulder, and he leans on it with a smile.
In this moment, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Falling for Skyler, having him move in with me, going on vacation, and little moments like these all continue to make me more fulfilled in ways I never thought possible.
I smile and Skyler, and he eyes me. “What?” he asks with a grin.
I kiss his cheek. “Nothing. You just make me the happiest.”
He pets my tentacle and leans closer to me. “You make me the happiest, too.”
And I intend to do just that for the rest of our days.
SERIES EPILOGUE- SKYLER
(ONE YEAR LATER)
The twinkling lights on the beach make for a beautiful backdrop on this, a most momentous evening. Leaning my head on Reed’s shoulder, I smile at the happy couple dancing slowly on the dock. Ardsley’s dad rented out this beachside restaurant, complete with a small wooden boardwalk jutting out from the sand into the ocean. It’s been a small event with a quick exchange of vows during the sunset. We’ve been dining and dancing all night, and many of the guests have already left. Still, with all the love on the beach, and the way Ardsley and Tyson have been smiling nonstop, I know it was the perfect wedding for my eel shifter buddy and his now-husband.
It was even more amazing with the monster of my dreams by my side. Reed hasn’t gotten sick of me in the past year-and-a-half, and I thank monster god every day I get to wake up with him. Sure, many days he has to leave extra early and comes home dead on his feet from hospital work. But being an adult is about balancing work life and family life. Aisen has grown to accept me as his step-parent. I never thought I’d be the guardian of a teenager in my thirties, but here we are, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m a part of the Sung family, through and through.
And Aisen hasn’t walked in on us having sex yet, so I consider that a win.
As the music winds down, the newlyweds plop on the chair next to mine. We’re one of the last occupied tables; Ardsley and Tyson are on my right, with Karlo and Razorjaw on their right.
“Whew! Who knew slow dancing would work up a sweat!” Ardsley says, and we all laugh. He looks dapper in his black suit, and Tyson looks like a supermodel in his all-white outfit. I don’t think he’s stopped smiling all evening, which means Karlo and I did our duties as co-best-men to make this the wedding of his dreams.
“That’s because you’ve been dancing all night,” I remark.
“Hey, you only get one wedding!” Karlo adds.
“And you two continue to look amazing,” Reed says.
Tyson shrugs and Ardsley cuddles into him.
“We will need to look amazing at our wedding,” Razorjaw says lifting up one finger. “Where did you get your suits?”
“We’ll take care of that later, babe. Their wedding isn’t even over yet,” Karlo says, patting RJ’s hand.
We all laugh at the adorable fish-out-of-water. He’s in his human form, just like the other monsters at the table. He and Karlo are engaged, Tyson and Ardsley are hitched, and I have no intention of leaving Reed.
I take a sip of wine and lean forward. “Can you believe this?” I ask.
“That the wedding is almost over? It has been a few hours,” RJ says.
I snicker. “No. Look at us.” Everyone pauses and I point at each of us. “Humans. Shifters. Love in the room.” Reed pulls me closer. “It’s just…amazing. Unbelievable.”
“I can believe it.” Tyson pulls Ardsley. “I had to shoot my shot when I met a certain eel shifter at my gym locker room.”
Tyson kisses him on the cheek and Ardsley giggles. “All because you’re bad at reading numbers.”
We all laugh, recalling their Valentine’s Day meet-cute. “But did you think we’d all end up with monsters?” I ask.
