Zara’s POV
“Do you, Alpha Nicolas Dalton, take Zara Silverwood as your beloved mate?” the councilor asked.
Nicolas smiled at me and rubbed his fingers over my hands, leaving sparks under his touch.
“I do,” he said, his husky voice sending tingles down my body and ending at my core.
I loved this wolf more than anything in the world.
“And you, Luna Zara Silverwood, do you….”
“I do,” I replied, interrupting the councilor.
“You’re always in such a hurry,” Nicolas teased, holding my gaze.
“I hereby, with the power invested in me, pronounce you…”
Nicolas didn’t give the council a chance to complete his thoughts. He drew me in, crushed his lips against mine, and kissed me deeply and passionately.
The wolves howled and cheered behind us, sending shivers down my spine.
We had officially mated in front of the Goddess, following tradition and the law.
Nicolas pulled away, and I whimpered at the loss of contact. I wanted more. I wanted to taste him again. Pregnancy hormones only intensified my already intense feelings, making me even more hot and bothered.
A small smile followed on Nicolas’s lips. He lowered his head to my ear, his warm breath fanning the side of my neck as his eyes shifted black.
I moaned, closing my eyes. His intoxicating honey and vanilla scent is driving my insides to mush. I wanted him. I needed him. I needed to feel him inside me.
“Oh little mate,” he whispered, his voice low and husky as he trailed his nose down to my nape. I could sense his need. His want and desire were palpable. I shivered, enjoying his electric touch.
“You smell so f*cking delicious,” he continued. “Are you in need again?”
My face flushed, and I bit my lip.
A smile played at the corners of his lips; he was enjoying teasing me.
“I suppose we will be adding a new addition to my private collection…” he whispered and winked.
I caught his gaze and dreamily smiled up at him-if only he knew I wasn’t wearing any panties tonight…
Something like lightning suddenly flashed on the horizon, and I unwillingly shifted my attention to the sky.
Huge white clouds rolled in, blocking the beautiful full moon and the starry sky.
Ceila quickly stepped closer, taking my hand. She seemed excited about something.
“The prophecy is now fulfilled,” she yelled in joy. “The Goddess and Gatekeeper have come to an agreement and want to share it with you…”
I turned my gaze back to the sky, watching as the heavens opened, revealing heavy golden gates.
The golden gates suddenly opened, and the gatekeeper made his presence known.
“You have fulfilled your destiny. Well done, Zara,” his deep voice traveled from above. The gatekeeper moved his hand, the earth underneath our feet moved, and the lake split in two.
“What is he doing?” I gasped, startled. I have never seen anything like this before.
Ceila smiled and said, “He is returning the house of our Goddess back to its rightful place.”
“The temple?” I muttered in shock, and she nodded.
I watched as the temple rose from the depths to the surface, and a sense of pride and admiration moved through me.
Every wolf would now be able to see the huge temple. Everyone could now go and give their offerings and prayers to the goddess.
Maybe Mother Moon would even stop there for a chat.
“You will be able to visit your family there,” Celia said, interrupting my thoughts.
“Is that true?” I asked, my gaze shifting toward the Gatekeeper. He nodded in response.
A moment later, the gatekeeper had vanished and the temple was fully visible. The sky was once more starry and full of light.
“Come on,” Nic said, his excitement bubbling over. He grabbed my hand, and he pulled me toward the temple.
I came to a stop when we reached the temple. It looked even better in the open moonlight.
I moved my hands over the heavy doors, and the whole temple lit up, making people gasp from behind me. The door slowly opened, screaming on the old rusty hinges.
The sight of Beta John standing next to Mother Moon stopped me in my tracks. Their appearances were completely transparent. They didn’t have human bodies anymore.
“Welcome home, Zara,” Beta John said, stepping forward. His blue eyes were cold as always, but he drew me into a warm, magical hug. He pushed me away at arm’s length, looked at me, smiled proudly at me, and said, “I never doubted you.”
He let me go, and Mother Moon stepped forward. Her face was as calm as a summer breeze, full of love and color.
“I-I don’t understand,” I said. “Why are you all here?”
Mother Moon’s eyes brightened, and she said, “We came to introduce you to someone.” She slowly turned, revealing a young man standing behind her.
I gasped. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.
Nicolas hurried to my side, but I stopped him. “I-I am fine,” I said, trying to reassure him.
“I am here for you,” he said with so much love that it hurt my heart.
I shifted my attention back to the young man.
“Halloo, Zara,” he calmly said, his voice deep, warm, and soothing.
“H-How is this possible?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Ever since I learned that I had a twin brother, I have never stopped wondering about him.
I wanted to know what he looked like.
What kind of wolf was he?
Was he like me, or were we total opposites?
My gaze slowly moved over the 6’5 masculine wolf. He had the same silver eyes as I did. He also shared the same hair color and nose. It was like looking in a mirror. We silently stared at each other for a moment. My heart was bleeding. He has sacrificed so much for me.
“How…” I asked, tears burning behind my eyelids, and threatening to spill over. “How did you escape from the spirit world?”
“We did not escape,” he said. “You paid for our freedom.”
“I-” I couldn’t form the words. This was too much.
Tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks, and he gently wiped them away.
“Don’t cry,” he said, lifting my chin. “Everything is back to the way it should be.”
“It’s happy tears!” I whispered, my heart bursting with love.
“When the magic wore off on Alpha Jack, his soul didn’t return to the spirit world without a fight,” I heard Beta John say. “He took Jamie’s with him as an act of revenge….”
“Two for two,” I muttered, shocked.
“Yes, to keep the balance,” Jamie’s voice chimed in my ears, and every hair on my back rose.
I growled as he stepped closer with a beautiful woman by his side. She must be his mate, Allen.
“He thought he could take his last revenge by taking my soul to the wolf spirit world,” he said, looking down on his mate. “But he was wrong; it only healed my heart and revealed the truth…”
Jamie kissed Allen’s temple. He looked beaming and in love.
“Who murdered you?” Nicolas suddenly cut in, looking at Allen. “I want to punish him for Jamie’s sake….”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Alpha,” Allen said, her voice young and sweet. “The gatekeeper is already taking care of that. He will never get a chance to do anyone harm again…”
“I am at peace now,” Jamie said. “I am with my fated mate. Will you please convey a message to my sister?”
I nodded.
“Tell her I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “I hope she will forgive me…”
Jamie and Allen disappeared before my eyes, and my attention turned back to my family.
“We will always be here if you need us,” Mother Moon said. “You just need to enter the temple to see us.”
“But now you need to be the queen you are destined to be. Lead our people,” Beta John said.
“I am proud of you, sis,” my brother added. “Take care. I can’t wait to meet the little one!” With those words, the three of them disappeared before our eyes.
Nicolas pulled me to his chest and kissed the remaining tears from my eyes.
“And?” he asked. “How are you feeling?”
“Overwhelmed,” I replied thoughtfully. “It’s a lot to process and shoes to fill.”
“I have faith in you,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “My rejected second chance mate…”
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