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Just before sunset, a line of carriages headed to Stonehenge. Their guests had arrived—his family, Countess Stalbridge, Master Bow, Wesley’s old friend Duke of Roth and his brand new duchess, as well Ainslee and the fae.
“How are you feeling?” Phillipa asked.
A rumble stuck in his throat. “Nervous.”
They’d been to Stonehenge several times in the last two weeks, making sure they knew the exact spot that the book referenced, the heel stone, at the entry of the formation. They’d spent many nights outside together, watching the moon rise, memorizing its movements.
They were as prepared as they could be. Once again, Wesley would have to rely on the moon to do the rest.
“You shouldn’t be.” She squeezed his paw. “Don’t think about what might happen when the moon rises past the opening on the heel stone. It doesn’t matter, Wesley. All I care about is we will once again be officially married, and nothing will be able to change that.”
The carriage slowed, and they had arrived. Wesley took a deep breath.
“If it doesn’t work, it isn’t because you did something wrong. It is because you are meant to be wolven.” She squeezed his paw. “I want you to believe that.”
He nodded.
The carriage driver opened the door and Wesley exited, holding out his paw to help Phillipa. It was an unusual circumstance for the bride and groom to arrive together, but everyone who would bear witness to the ceremony knew this was only a formality. They were not only married, but they were also fated mates.
Phillipa gasped. “Is that my mother?”
Wesley squinted, and a growl caught in his throat. “I dare say it is.”
“If she’s come to contest this…” Phillipa broke away from him and approached Mrs. Willoughby.
“Mother,” she said.
“Phillipa, I will understand if you do not wish to have me witness your ceremony. I’ve come to apologize.”
“For humiliating me at the Monsters Ball? For declaring my marriage invalid when you knew Wesley was alive? For defying the Queen?”
Mrs. Willoughby’s mouth dropped.
“He told me everything, Mother. You would have committed me to the Royal Hospital, instead of telling me the truth.”
“His condition was shared with me in confidence. He had hoped he could return to you as human. I had hoped to keep you from committing yourself to a monster when the man you loved was still alive.”
“There were better ways to do it.”
Mrs. Willoughby lowered her gaze. “I must confess that I took some very bad advice from Father Donnelly. He had thought you had been possessed by evil woodland spirits, and he thought you might have been responsible for the fae’s troubles in the forest, as they began at the same time as you entered mourning. According to him, the veil between good and evil is at its most vulnerable when someone is suffering from a broken heart.”
“It will make you do some peculiar things,” Phillipa said.
“It is my hope that you can forgive me,” her mother said. “I would very much like to be a part of your new family, with you and the duke.”
Phillipa hesitated, and Wesley could not blame her. “That would please me, Mother. But now, we must start the ceremony. The timing is very important. We shall talk more about this later.”
Mrs. Willoughby stepped forward and offered her daughter a hug. Phillipa accepted.
She turned to Wesley, and let out a long exhale.
“Wasn’t expecting that,” she said softly. “But I will be glad to have her back. I have missed her so.”
“Family will always surround you. Yours, mine, and ours.” He kissed her forehead.
Master Bow waited for them at the heel stone.
“Duke, Duchess.” He bowed. He was wearing a gold brocade jacket and white breeches. “It is wonderful to see you both again, and I am so honored to be a part of this very special ceremony. On behalf of Countess Stalbridge, it is our greatest delight to see couples come together at our balls. It is our mission to champion those who society might overlook. To give people and monsters second chances. But we’ve never had a story quite like Wesley and Phillipa.”
