After some time—I couldn’t tell how long—we pulled apart. Liv was still grinning.
“I love you, too,” she said.
I never would have thought that words could sound so sweet. I tugged her toward me again, pressing my lips to hers, wanting to taste her again, not caring how many people saw. Liv was my mate, and I wasn’t going to let her slip through my fingers again.
Epilogue - Liv
My dress was stunning, white with gold accents, adorned with lace and gold embroidery. The train trailed behind me, glittering in the light. Everyone stood as the music began to play. I saw Jessie, standing next to Rachel, who had Isaac slung around her chest. And at the end of my short journey, standing at the altar, was Drake, looking at me as though he had never seen anything so radiant.
I walked down the aisle, fully aware of Drake’s hungry expression as his eyes swept up and down me, taking in my dress before his attention went fully to my face. I might once have called his expression inscrutable. Now, I felt as though I could read every little microscopic expression that flickered across his features: happiness, nervousness, and lust that made my body heat.
The music dimmed as I came to stand in front of him. His tuxedo was perfectly cut, suiting his hulking muscles. A kernel of heat flickered through me as I took him in.
“You look amazing,” he murmured.
I smirked back at him. “I know,” I muttered back.
His eyes flashed with something that looked like hunger, and my insides heated again. A wild part of me, driven by my wolf, wanted to grab him and press my lips to him, to let him take me here and now, audience be damned. It was only the gentle, reminding cough of the elder at the podium that I reluctantly pulled myself away from him, even if all I could think about now was how his hands felt on my elbow as he guided me up to the elders, and how, despite the fact that we had planned the ceremony for ages, I had a sudden, desperate need for it and the reception to be over so that Drake and I could get home.
***
In the end, though, the reception was almost as perfect as the rest of the evening. I made the rounds, sometimes with Drake, sometimes without, enjoying the congratulations as I all but bounced on the balls of my feet.
“You look fantastic!” Jessie said, pulling me into a bear hug as she and Amelia broke off from the crowd. “Seriously, that dress looks incredible.”
“Thanks!”
“It really does,” Amelia added.
“Sorry, I know I’ve called out a lot at work lately,” I told Amelia. “Things have been a bit crazy, but it should all be over with now.”
“You earned the right to those days off,” Amelia said with a dismissive flick of her hand. She gave a coy smile. “Though I wouldn’t be doing my duty as your boss if I didn’t say the kids were absolutely miserable and pining after you every day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten asked when you’re coming back.”
“Well, I can’t disappoint the kids,” I said with a laugh. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Day after,” Amelia corrected, her eyes sparkling knowingly. “Because, based on the way Drake is looking at you right now, I doubt you’re getting much sleep tonight.” She winked, looped her arm around Jessie’s, and walked away.
I turned to look in the direction she was nodding. My stomach somersaulted as I caught sight of Drake, his eyes burning with hunger as he glanced in my direction from across the room while he spoke with Sam and Elias.
The image of him disappeared as Emma and Rachel materialized in front of me.
“How are you feeling?” Emma asked, her gaze flicking down to my side. I knew she was thinking about Azaret’s claws raking against my flesh.
“It still stings a bit sometimes,” I admitted. “But for the most part, I’m fine.”
After the events in the summer, I had taken some time off to just recover and get my feet back underneath me.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Emma said. “Our witchy meetings have been boring without you.”
“I’m still sorry about taking a break—” I began, but Rachel waved me off.
“It’s fine, really,” Rachel said. “It was a scary time. I probably would have done the same. You’re not going to help anyone if you’re recovering.”
“I’m hoping that you’ll be able to come back and keep helping us,” Emma said with a grin.
I nearly started laughing. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you go after that monster without me,” I said.
Azaret was still out there, as were his imps. There had been a few reports of sightings, and one or two patrols had been ambushed. So far, we still didn’t know where he was lurking, or what his plan was to take control of the power in the desert, but Rachel, Emma, and I had at least managed to find some wards specifically designed to stop demons. For the moment, the town itself was safe, as was the underground spring, now protected by the same wards.
