I bend down to kiss her gently, feeling that finally my heart is complete and my soul is at peace.
Chapter 26 - Hyacinth
A cool breeze gently ruffles my hair, making goosebumps shiver down my spine. My senses are hyper-aware, my entire body ringing with emotion and feeling.
Trina’s hand tightens on mine, and I remember to maintain my thread with the world. Shane’s hands tighten on my shoulders, and a smile spreads across my face as my heart glows with pure love. Sadie squeezes my hand from the other side.
I open my eyes, looking up into the slowly darkening sky before turning my gaze down to the rough patch of earth at our feet.
“Here lies Lynette and Darian,” Sadie says. “Once torn apart, but now together for eternity.”
“May they rest in peace,” Trina says. “By their love, all in this valley are healed.”
“Their souls entwined, now live as one,” I whisper, adding my own blessing to the spell.
I can feel magic flowing between us and through our mates standing behind us—but the wave of energy spreads even further now, through witches and wolves that have joined their hands all around the gravesite.
Sadie was right. Not long after the curse was broken, witches began to wake and arrive in town. They came here desperately seeking meaning to their lives, and all of them had been just like us—living with a maddening sense of incompleteness deep in their hearts.
They were welcomed by the wolves, and to our surprise, some matched up almost immediately. Bonds of true love had always existed between our species; they had just beencorrupted by the curse. Now that it was broken, they were free to follow their hearts.
The wave of energy ripples away from the grave, and for just a moment, I can hear Lynette’s happy laughter. An image flickers briefly before me of Darian and Lynette holding hands as they walk away from us, going into the light.
Around us, a cheer erupts, and people all start talking at once. Sadie gives my hand another squeeze.
“Ready to go and eat?”
“Sure,” I reply. “Since I made all the desserts for this party, it’s only fair I finally get to eat some.”
“Come on,” Trina says. “I helped.”
“Setting fire to simple syrup does not count as helping,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
“I thought I could make it cook faster by turning up the heat,” she says, defensively.
“You’re never allowed in my kitchen ever again,” I tease.
“Good. I much prefer eating cake to making it.”
I give her a little nudge, sliding my arm around her shoulders to give her a quick hug. “I haven’t forgiven you. But I still love you.”
“You’re within your rights to withhold forgiveness,” Sadie says, her voice an overdone solemn tone. “That anger constantly reminds you who you can allow into your kitchen.”
“I think I saw that on a meme,” Trina says.
“Guys,” I say. “None of this is bringing us closer to the food.”
Sadie laughs, walking ahead of us with Rhys towards the tables laid out behind the manor. Trina snuggles close to Owen, and I feel Shane’s arm wrap around my waist as we follow behind.
It’s been three weeks since the big day, and the group assembled here now is massive, a gathering of all three packs and every witch in the area. It started as a small celebration, but quickly became a major event.
“It’s the first time the packs have ever gathered like this,” Shane says, reading my thoughts. “We had events before, but never every single member of all three packs.”
“Plus a few dozen witches,” I put in.
Shane nods. “That’s just wild. I grew up thinking there weren’t any witches left, or they were very rare.”
“The curse was hard on all of us,” I reply. “But now we know it was all worth it.”
