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We both perked up at our names, and Willow appeared before us with a divine smile on her face, lips painted a soft pink. Her white dress billowed around her, and she looked just as ethereal as she normally did during the summer solstice festival.
“Are you two ready for the ceremony?” she asked, glancing between us with that knowing smile.
I could only imagine how much she was celebrating on the inside since her struggle to get me and Griffin to see eye-to-eye finally paid off. She only ever wanted me to get along with him, but it seemed to run much deeper than any of us could’ve known.
While I didn’t feel nervous before, confronting it made my stomach flip with anticipation as I glanced at Griffin.
His reassuring smile was all I needed to gather my courage.
I nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Excellent,” Willow said, giving us a full smile as she waved us on. “Follow me!”
Not willing to wait any longer, the two of us went in tow through the festival. When we emerged to the meadow, we followed the path of beautiful ornaments and flowers, hand in hand.
Even if I had seen the festival many times myself, I was in complete awe. I was finally able to see it from a different perspective. One I always wanted to see, even if I didn’t know it at the time.
Before long, we came upon my coven sisters as they stood in a half circle, waiting for us with their white dresses that matched Willow’s. They all smiled at me, seemingly just as excited as I was. It was always a joyous time for one of our own to be switched into matches of their own.
As we approached the inside of the circle, nestled within the old trees, the girls closed in around us with their white candles.
“Alright, you know how this works,” Willow said, raising her arms at her sides as she took a deep breath in. She flashed me another grin. “Please take hands, and we will begin.”
As Willow began chanting and collecting her magic within herself, our coven sisters joined in with their humming to create a beautiful melody.
Griffin gave me a hesitant look, but I reassured him with another gentle squeeze. He let go of a deep breath and followed my lead by closing his eyes.
I wanted him to know that no matter what happened, we would always have each other. We had no reason to believe we weren’t mates.
“As suspected,” Willow murmured, to which we both looked back at her. That magic returned inside her chest, and the elder witch’s smile grew. “You two are divinely fated mates chosen by the Goddess. Congratulations.”
My heart swelled with overwhelming happiness at the news. Griffin’s smile mirrored my own, and that tether between us flooded with tender warmth.
“Congrats!” the girls shouted, all grinning ear-to-ear for us.
Cora could hardly contain herself from her place in the circle as she put a hand over her mouth and squirmed at how wonderful it all was.
I felt so unbelievably full of love and gratitude for everyone in my life—especially those so openly excited for me. I was lucky to have them, and the wonderful man next to me. There was no part of it I would ever change.
There wasn’t anything else I could ask for.
“Enjoy the festival as our newest match,” Willow said, looking like the supportive big sister most of our coven sisters saw her as. “You two deserve it.”
“Thank you!” I called back to them as we moved out of the circle and headed toward the meadow.
There was a round of cheering from behind us as we began walking together, and both completely overjoyed.
While my heart was wild with excitement and anticipation, Griffin’s presence helped level me out and to feel more connected to the present.
When we reached the rolling hills that overlooked the woods surrounding town, Griffin stopped and pulled me closer by the hand. With a gentle smile, he looked down at me with his imposing height. Although, he didn’t seem as intimidating as he once did.
His hands fell to my waist as he brought me into him, feeling like the biggest comfort in the world.
“I never thought I’d find myself in a town like Rose Valley, undergoing sacred ceremonies by witches, and bound to one at that,” he began, sweeping a lock of my hair out of my face.
“And I never thought I’d agree to fake date my next-door neighbor, only to fall in love with him, and find out we’re fated mates,” I said, smirking at how insane it all sounded. Even so, it was our reality.
Griffin glanced between my eyes and my lips, and something moved through his gaze. “Say it again.”
