Epilogue - Dorian
One Month Later
I watch the way Amelia interacts with my mother and brother, and a wave of contentment washes over me with calm. It never gets old to see my family together, and returning to Cedar Valley had become less daunting than I thought it would be.
The warm welcome we received when we arrived in Valley Walker territory last night came as a pleasant surprise. My mother had taken it upon herself to organize the fine details of the wedding ceremony when Damian insisted that Amelia and I were to marry officially in my hometown.
It was something I’d been planning to do in Fort Smit in front of the Nightclaw Pack—to affirm the mate bond between Amelia and me in a sacred ceremony. But Damian offered to bring along my pack, and have both Nightclaw and Valley Walker in attendance to watch Amelia and I unite under the Solstice Moon.
Despite my inhibitions, Nightclaw accepted Amelia with open arms. So did my family, and my old friends in Valley Walker. We’d been greeted with a feast last night to celebrate the upcoming nuptials, and our daughter has been garnering the fond attention of Nightclaw and Valley Walker alike.
But being back means that I have to revisit old wounds that I’d buried away deeply when I left almost a decade ago. Amelia glances at me over my mother’s shoulder from where they’re huddled over the kitchen table, and she excuses herself from tasting the meal Mother prepares for tonight.
“Hey…” she greets with a curious frown. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I shrug. “Why?”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or, you’re getting cold feet now that the day’s arrived,” she giggles nervously, prompting me to reach out and clasp her wrist to pull her closer.
With a reassuring kiss on her lips, I chuckle and say, “I’m not getting cold feet, my love.”
“Are you sure?” she asks as she wraps her arms around my neck and stares into my eyes with compassion.
I nod. “I have nothing to do since Damian won’t leave Damita alone.”
Amelia follows my gaze to where Damian keeps Damita amused on a blanket on the living room floor with squeaky plastic toys.
“He really enjoys being an uncle, doesn’t he?” Amelia giggles. “I’m glad you two aired out your differences.”
“I have you to thank for that,” I appreciate as I bury my nose between her neck and shoulder, inhaling the sweet scent of pheromones that radiates like the fragrance of sweet jasmines blooming in the gardens of Fort Smit.
The statement is true. Thanks to Amelia’s mediation on one of Damian’s visits to Fort Smit to see Damita, we’d been able to speak about what happened in the past. He finally understands why I left, and has come to realize that things have worked out for the best in the end. He doesn’t regret becoming the Alpha of Valley Walker. He always thought that I’d have regrets of my own that would lead to me wanting to reclaim my position.
I assured him that I was happy taking over Uncle Elias’s pack. Now with my Luna by my side and the unwavering support of the werewolf packs around Oklahoma, I do not doubt that I’m right where I need to be, as ordained by the Moon Goddess Herself.
There’s just one thing left to do.
“There’s something I wanna show you,” I whisper to Amelia, who nods curiously as I slip my hand into hers and lead her through the back door.
“Where are we going?” she asks when we’re outside, the sun casting a warm glow of orange on her face. I have to take a moment to appreciate how ethereal her beauty is, and I pause as a smile crawls on my face.
“I wanna take you up to the valley. It’s something I need to do for myself, anyway.”
“We have to be back before sunset,” she reminds me, and I nod my acknowledgment before stepping aside to shift into wolf form.
It never gets old to witness Amelia’s awe whenever she sees me shift. I glance at the sun to gauge its position, mentally calculating how much time we have left before we need to be at our own ceremony.
Amelia must have read my mind because she flicks my perked ear playfully and giggles as she climbs onto my wolf.
“We’re leaving the honeymoon for after the ceremony,” she says as she grabs tufts of my fur between her hands.
I bray in response to her reading my mind about wanting to get frisky in the valley and then set off toward the Cedar Valley mountain range on the west side. With my Luna riding my wolf, I feel invincible through the array of emotions that settle in when we reach the valley.
As we approach the location of the accident that occurred almost a decade ago, I slow down my steps, my paws crushing bright green leaves that have fallen from the tall birch trees. We enter the clearing, and I stop to let Amelia get to her feet before shifting into my human form.
Taking a deep breath through human lungs, Amelia slips her hand into mine, already sensing my fraught emotions from my quivering breath. With her by my side, I feel hopeful that I can overcome the grief I refused to acknowledge in the past.
She’d helped me overcome so much already, and I’m grateful for her. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze of gratitude, I look out into the horizon just as the sun begins to set.
“This is where Finch died,” I explain, a tentative shiver coursing down my spine. “We were ambushed by the rogues right there…” I point at the weeping willow up ahead. “I was gonna walk him home, and they came out of nowhere.”
Amelia touches my arm with a gentle caress. “You blame yourself for what happened…” she laments as if reading my mind again. “But it wasn’t your fault, Dorian.”
“I could have done more—”
“No,” Amelia cuts me off firmly, stepping in front of me to cradle my cheeks and stare with stern conviction into my eyes. She means business. “You are done beating yourself up and holding onto the past.”
“You make it look easy, my love,” I sigh.
She clicks her tongue. “This is different, Dorian. There was nothing you could do to save Finch. He wanted you to save yourself because he was a good friend. But that only means that you were a good one to him.”
My eyes lower with heavy sadness. “I tried to be…”
“And you spent a decade punishing yourself because you couldn’t see things clearly, Dorian. You’d been so overcome with grief, you failed to see how great you are.”
“I’m not—”
Amelia presses a finger to my lips to stop me. “It’s no wonder Damian couldn’t see how great he is as the Alpha of Valley Walker. His older brother failed to see how extraordinary he is as the Alpha of Nightclaw.”
“Goddess… You sound just like a werewolf!” I exclaim bemusedly.
Amelia giggles as she rises on her tiptoes, her lips hovering dangerously close to mine. “I guess you’re rubbing off on me,” she muses.
Gliding my hands along the supple mounds of her rear, I settle a firm clutch at the small of her back, drawing her into me just as something baser awakens. She gasps, mockingly scowling when my erection presses into her belly.
“You’re impossible, Mr. Walker!” she playfully admonishes with a twinkle in her eyes that betrays her firm tone.
“Not when it comes to you, Mrs. Walker…” I drawl, closing in on her lips when she pulls away with a mischievous grin. She glances at the low position of the setting sun and wriggles free from my embrace.
“We need to go, honey. Your mom will be furious if we’re late for our own ceremony.”
With one last glance at the valley that holds a mountain of memories, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. The final weight that sets me free is being able to forgive myself for what happened and let go of the past. All thanks to my mate, who climbs onto my wolf's back as we make our way to the town where we’ll be united in front of two wolf packs.
***
Pride swells my chest as I wait at the altar for Amelia to arrive, surrounded by not just Nightclaw and Valley Walker, but the Alpha Council members and their respective Lunas.
A few months ago, I felt like the outcast—like the black sheep amongst Alpha wolves. When I’d been kidnapped, I didn’t care much about my own life and only wanted to get out to protect my people. Ever since Amelia walked into my life, I found a reason to live that had nothing to do with being a werewolf.
It had everything to do with being a better man—a man worthy of a woman’s love while serving to protect her.
Damian blows the horn to signal Amelia’s arrival. I nod thankfully at my mother who’s seated in the front row with Damita in her arms, then turn to the entrance of Cedar Valley’s grand hall.
An ordinary mating ceremony would have required an animal sacrifice to be feasted upon by the werewolves after I claimed my mate. Since Amelia is human, and since I’ve marked her not once, but twice, I decided to leave that part out and have an ordinary wedding ceremony instead. With Damian officiating, it’s only a matter of officially marrying Amelia for the sake of our packs. She’s already mine,
The moment she steps through the door, my jaw drops and I can barely believe that she is mine. Her overflowing beauty billows out like the tresses of her flowing white gown, her hair cascading off her shoulders in natural waves of silken onyx.
She seems to float across the burgundy aisle, sauntering forward as if angels carry her toward me. I’m hypnotized by her hazel eyes as she approaches, hypnotized by their sparkly glint as she reaches the stage and I offer my hand out to her.
When her delicate hand slips into mine, my heart ignites with the fiery will to protect her for the rest of eternity, spanning lifetimes that I mentally pray the Moon Goddess blesses us with. I’m unable to remove my gaze from her face while Damian proceeds with the ceremony.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Alpha Dorian Walker, and his Luna, Amelia Ramirez in holy matrimony. This sacred ceremony is a celebration of love, commitment, and the joining of two hearts and souls…” Damian states for the gathering before nodding at me to take over.
I take a deep breath, puffing out my chest before reciting the oath I’ve been rehearsing for months. Long before we found our way out of that warehouse, I’d been toying with the idea that I’d say these words to her.
“I, Alpha Dorian Walker, take you, Amelia Ramirez…” I lift her hand to my lips and press a chaste, lingering kiss on the top. “... As my mate and Luna of the Nightclaw Pack.”
Amelia blushes deeply, clearing her throat before reciting her acceptance. “I, Amelia Ramirez, accept you, Alpha Dorian Walker, as my mate.”
Her acceptance fills me up with honor, and I’m able to breathe as if I’d been holding my breath. I had no reason to doubt that she’d agree to be mine, but now that we’ve finally declared our union under the Solstice Moon, we’ve sealed the deal for good this time.
The crowd cheers and applauds our union, while all I can focus on is my beautiful mate as we exchange rings handed down by my mother. Amelia doesn’t stop blushing, and the overload of beauty and magnificence that radiates from her being compels me to pull her close and kiss her passionately for all of Nightclaw, Valley Walker, and the Alpha Council to see.
“I love you, Amelia Ramirez…” I profess when I draw back to stare into her eyes.
She gasps, surprised by the declaration that serves as a first since we’ve been together.
I’d been holding off from confessing my love for her, only because of how sacred it is. I notice the appreciative glint in her eyes as they soften, and she says, “I love you too, Dorian Walker.”
We kiss again, more fervently this time, my lips hungry for her essence. In that moment, everything around us fades, and all that’s left is Amelia and me. When our lips part, we stare into each other’s eyes with love penetrating the air around us. My mother comes up to the stage then, with Damita cooing and blowing playful breaths through her tiny puckered lips.
I take our daughter into my arms, and Amelia strokes her cheek with a finger.
“ Soon, you won’t be all alone, my angel…” I read Amelia’s thoughts, and turn wide eyes of wonder at her when realization hits.
“Are you serious?!” I exclaim, to which she nods sheepishly.
“You heard my thoughts, didn’t you?” she giggles. “I was hoping you would.”
Her sneaky little announcement has me mentally doing cartwheels in celebration. I didn’t think it was possible to be as overjoyed as I am right now, and this time, I get to be by Amelia’s side, to dote on her and care for her while she carries our child.
I might not have been there the first time around, but the Moon Goddess sure knows how to give me second chances to make things right. We’re starting over, rewriting the crimes committed against us, and doing things the way we want—together.
Sliding an arm across Amelia’s shoulders, I draw her into my side with Damita secured in the other arm, and beam from ear to ear for everyone to see. With my family united, I really do feel invincible, and it’s only the beginning of the rest of our lives.
With airways full of Amelia’s sweet, intoxicating scent as a promise of what tonight holds, I remind her how much I love her.
When she says it back, I know I’ll never get tired of hearing it. I’ll do everything I can to ensure that I always bring a smile to her face and fill her life with love and happiness.
Just as she renewed my life with profound love.
*****
THE END