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“You know you are far too mature for a kid your age; anyone ever tell you that?” I ask with a smile.
“Dad and Ya-Ya do.”
“Well, they’re right.” I take a risk, placing my hands on his upper arms. “You don’t have to thank me. Your dad is my mate, that makes you my family. In this family, we protect one another.”
“So, you don’t want Dad to send us away?” he asks, his voice small.
“Now why would I do a thing like that?”
“In the coven, if someone met their mate and they already had children with someone else, they would send them away,”
My heart breaks for this little boy standing in front of me. He’s probably been worried sick about what is going to happen to him.
“I willneversend either of you away.”
“What if you and my dad have other kids, won’t you love them more?”
“Never,” I declare. “If your dad and I are blessed with more children, my heart will just have to grow to fit you all inside. You and your sister may not be mine by blood, but I’ve claimed you as my own with every fiber of my being.”
“You have?” he asks.
“Of course, I have,” I tell him, and he wastes no time launching himself into my arms. I feel small wet droplets on my shoulder, hoping and praying that they are happy tears as I hug him back.
I wait for his tears to dry up before pulling back and wiping the evidence of them off his face, walking with him into the kitchen where I kiss my mate and hug our children to me.
One week later…
The moon hangs low in the ink-black sky, casting a soft, silvery glow over the secluded beach behind my house—sorry—ourhouse.
The gentle rhythm of the waves plays a soothing nocturne, a prelude to the mystical union that is about to unfold. My heartflutters with a mix of anticipation and nervous excitement as I swim just off the shore, the cool night breeze carrying the scent of salt and the faint fragrance of exotic flowers adorning the makeshift altar. Tonight is the night I will unite my life with the extraordinary being who has captured my heart—Loukas. The owl shifter who the goddess deemed my perfect match.
Emerging from the inky depths, my scales shimmer in the moonlight, and the sea nymphs who accompany me hum a melodic tune, creating an enchanting atmosphere around the ceremony.
My long, flowing hair, the color of the aquamarine seas, cascades down my shoulders as I glide toward the shore.
Loukas’ eyes, reflecting the shimmering moon, meet mine, and in that silent exchange, I feel a profound connection—tonight is the night we will bridge the gap between our worlds. This will be the first mating ceremony anyone other than sea nymphs has been to, and I’m both nervous and excited about it.
Loukas stands there, waiting, wearing white linen pants and a shirt with the top buttons undone, his expression a mix of awe and love. Both Narissa and Alaric stand on a raised platform on the beach, ready to officiate the ceremony. Together, they represent our two worlds. My fins turn to legs and Breanne raises up the simple white flowing dress, slipping it over my head as I walk barefoot along the beach toward my mate.
"Under the watchful gaze of the moon and the whispers of the ocean, we gather to witness the union of two souls, bound by the threads of love and destiny," Narissa proclaims, her words resonating with a deep, mystical energy. "The sea nymph and the shifter, two worlds entwined in a dance of eternal connection."
As she speaks, the elements respond in harmony. The night breeze carries the scent of salt, and the waves rise and fall in sync with the beating of our hearts, as if nature itself acknowledges and celebrates our union under the moonlit sky.
“As is our custom in pods, the mates will now pledge themselves to one another,” Narissa says and I turn back toward Loukas, gesturing for him to go first.
“Agapi mou, I pledge to be your anchor in the stormy seas. To love and cherish the gift that you are for the rest of my days.”
“I vow to be your guiding light in the darkest nights. I promise to love you fiercely. To protect you and….” I reach down, tugging both Amelia and Zach over to stand with us looking down at them. “And I also vow to you both to love and cherish you as if you were my own children. To be an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a friend in your times of need.”
Even Zach has a small tear trailing down his cheek, and I pull them both in for a hug, Loukas wrapping his arms around the three of us. Loukas and I didn’t talk about including the kids in the ceremony, but it just felt right.
“This is a little different from most mating ceremonies I’ve officiated, particularly because we are not only here witnessing the joining of true mates, but also welcoming two new groups to our little slice of heaven,” Alaric calls out as we step back. “Do you Loukas take Pearl as your bonded mate, taking your rightful place amongst her pod and she with your parliament?”
“I do.”
“Do you promise to guide and protect all members of the pod and parliament from this day forward until your dying breath?”
“I do.”
