We both laughed, her chest shaking as I pulled back and looked from her to Artemis. “I’m glad you’re both here.”
Artemis rubbed a red spot on his jaw and narrowed his eyes at my mother. “She throws a nice left hook.”
My eyebrows raised and my mother glared at him. “You impregnated me with a half magical child and then ditched us!”
Artemis looked offended at the very idea. “I told you, I was intoxicated and didn’t know!”
She waved him off, annoyed, but I couldn’t help smirking a little. These two might be fighting, but I also noticed some sexual tension there as well.
Mom looked beautiful in a deep green silk, floor length gown with white crystals at the neckline. Artemis seemed to notice too, looking her over slowly with his eyes.
He held out a hand to her. “Truce? For our daughter’s sake?”
She considered his hand and looked at me.
I nodded encouragingly.
Slipping her fingers into his, they shook but their hands lingered and it only caused my grin to widen.
Go, Mom.
‘You’re not leaving me at the altar, are you?’Brayden’s voice suddenly asked in my head.‘That would be a first.’
“Mom, now that you’re here, do you mind walking me down the aisle with Artemis? I want you both to give me away,” I said.
She smiled, wiping away a stray tear. “I would love that.”
Holding out an arm to each of them, we hooked elbows and I headed off to marry my soulmate.
* * *
Walking towards Brayden,as the music played and the massive crowd faded away, I found myself pondering the magic that brought us together each and every lifetime. I knew that under Brayden’s suit was a list of names tattooed on his arm. Each and every one of them was a version of me. A version he loved no matter which body I was in. Dark skin, light skin, short, tall, it didn’t matter to Brayden. We found each other time and time again and I couldn’t help but feel so blessed to be finally settling into this final stage with him. No more reincarnating, no more searching for each other. This was it, the best years of our lives.
“Who gives away this bride?” Castiel asked.
Brayden had asked his little brother to marry us, and I couldn’t be more happy with the decision. So many times I’d tried to envision a life with Castiel only to gravitate back to Brayden. Now I knew why. He wasn’t mine, he was Wren’s—Leah’s.
“Her mother and I do,” Artemis said beside me and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
My mom turned to face me, full-on tears falling down her face. There were hundreds of wolves present. Not just Moon Valley wolves, but wolves from Sandpoint. Brayden’s mom and stepdad sat with his little sister, Nora. The Amarok, Brayden’s entire pack, magical friends like Morgana and her coven. Even Ronan was here with Clara.
“You are so loved,” my mother whispered and kissed my cheek, causing my vison to blur with unshed tears.
When I turned away from her, Brayden was there, reaching up to swipe a stray tear from my eye.
“Eight times I’ve married you and you still take my breath away,” Brayden whispered.
I smiled, stepping up to the white flower-decorated altar and took his hands in mine.
Here’s to lucky number nine.
With Leah, Natalie, Blake and Maddy by my side, I married the love of my life… for the ninth time. I was officially crowned queen and then the room erupted into a party of epic proportions.
We danced, we ate, we drank, and I got to watch in joy as the hundreds of gathered peoples smiled and looked peaceful for the first time since the Fae Lords took over our realm.
My mom and Artemis danced as Brayden danced with his mom and I watched them with a permanent smile. When I’d been bitten by Silas over a year ago, I thought it was the end of my life. Then I learned I was a werewolf and I never in a million years thought it would end up with me here. Queen of the wolves, marrying my best friend and soulmate.
As if he knew I was thinking about him, Brayden broke away from his mother and came to sit with me. Reaching up, he pulled me onto his lap and pressed his lips to mine. A delicious heat traveled from my lips, slowly down my body, and I growled. I was ready to give him his present and then go back to oursharedroom.
