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I created Hell of adventure and lust.
Only to drown it in tears of longing.
I created the world from what was left of my body so I could offer it to you,
Because I looked upon you, and I knew it was love.”
“That was amazing,” Max mouthed. “You’re so wonderful. Thank you.”
Applause started to rise here and there, only to be shushed by Christine before they became too loud. The ri
tual wasn’t over yet. They could all worship Avelyn’s poetic talents later. The old she-wolf stepped closer and stopped by their side. She extended her arms as to embrace them both.
“Crescents and Moon Children… and Dark Wolves who never leave that London of yours…” Someone chuckled then coughed to cover their amusement. In fact, Christine’s voice had a tinge of sadness when she named the missing pack. “We have gathered here to witness the union of two souls who have found each other. Maxwell and Avelyn have spoken their vows and promised to love, honor, and worship each other for the rest of their long, long lives.”
She made a dramatic pause, closed her eyes for a moment, tilted her head towards the sky. The wind played in her long, white hair, her palms turned to face the stars, and silence fell over the entire castle. Not even the leaves dared whisper a sound. It was like the trees stood still and the forest froze in its own darkness, waiting for the elder’s words to bring it back to life. Avelyn felt tiny thrills crawling under her skin, tickling her very core with the fear of the unexpected, the excitement of the unknown. Something had changed in the air. She could feel it, smell it, taste it… And she knew what it was. She could almost name it. Almost. It was there, on the tip of her tongue, hanging off the edge of a thought. Magic. It was the pure, crisp, frightening spark of magic. The elder opened her eyes and, for a fraction of a second, the full moon shined brighter.
“May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall soft upon your fields.
May you see your children’s children,
May you be poor in misfortune, and rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.”
The elder’s eyes fell on Max and Avelyn’s joined hands, and the old, bony palms came down to touch the tops of their heads. She whispered a few more words that no one understood, her hands tenderly caressed Avelyn’s red locks and Max’s dark hair, only to fall on their shoulders and gently push the two newly wed towards each other.
“You may seal your union with a kiss.”
Someone cheered, then another werewolf yelled “Kiss!”, and everyone started clapping their hands and singing in unison “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Max laughed and took Avelyn into his arms to press a passionate kiss on her lips. The courtyard exploded in a wild round of applause and cheers. Avelyn tangled her fingers in Max’s hair and responded eagerly to the assault of his mouth. When they parted, she could barely breathe. She smiled brightly at him then looked around her, taking in the general joy and enthusiasm. They were surrounded by friendly faces, genuine smiles, and sparkling green eyes. One by one, the werewolves came to congratulate them, kissing Avelyn on the cheeks and squeezing Max in a tight hug. The first one was, of course, Jocelyn.
“Congratulations, sister. I wish you all the happiness in the world. And take care of my big brother.”
“Sister?” Avelyn embraced her awkwardly, realizing it was the very first time she was so close to the she-wolf. Jocelyn’s hard, athletic body felt weird against her own.
“Well, yes. Doesn’t this marriage make you my sister?”
Jocelyn winked at her, but didn’t give her any time to reply. She moved on to Max, and let Ryan take her place. The huge, muscular werewolf kissed both her cheeks, all the while trying to keep his strong body at a respectable distance. The big smile on his face told Avelyn he was very happy for her and Max. He just didn’t know how to show it. Next was Kevin, who took her in a bear hug, spun her once, then kissed her cheeks.
“Oh my!” yelped Avelyn. She certainly didn’t expect that kind of physical contact.
“My Alpha’s wife is, well, also my Alpha,” he said. “Congrats! Can’t wait for you to order me around!”
Avelyn laughed. The whole situation was awkward, and she had no idea how to respond to anyone who was congratulating her. She figured that if she kept smiling, laughing, and nodding her head, it would be enough to get her through the strangeness of it all. They almost managed to help her take her mind off what came next, when the clock would strike midnight. She tried to focus on her own body from time to time, hoping she’d catch a feeling or sensation that told her something, anything about the cure and the werewolf venom that were supposedly battling for dominance inside her veins. Caleb and Daniel congratulated her respectfully, and Rosanna gave her a tight hug. Val kissed her cheeks and squeezed her shoulders in a friendly manner. After the wave of Crescents and Moon Children passed, Christine was the last one to wish them well and tell them how perfect they were together. Max encircled Avelyn’s waist with both his arms, and drew her body close to his. Her round, generous butt fit perfectly against his crotch. He turned her around to face the fire, but Avelyn couldn’t see the flames anymore, nor the werewolves around it, drinking and laughing, still in their human forms.
“You are amazing, did you know that?” he whispered in her ear. “I loved that poem. It was the best thing anyone has ever said to me, or written for me, for that matter.”
Avelyn smiled, but her eyes were fixed on the moon. “What time is it?”
He squeezed her tighter. “Ten minutes to midnight.” He had checked his watch earlier, before taking her into his arms.
“I’m scared.”
