Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Two Months Later…

The snow was heavy on the ground, but the inside of Castle Cameron was warm. Aedan Cameron stood in his quarters, looking into the glass of his mirror as he adjusted his tartan once more.

“Ye’re fine.” Mac laughed and stopped his hand. “Stop fussing.”

“I want tae be perfect.”

“Now, there’s a goal ye will never achieve. And Thora wouldnae want ye if ye were.” Mac laughed. “Besides, nay one else is.”

That much was true, Aedan had to admit. He wasn’t perfect, Mac wasn’t perfect, and the members of Clan MacLeod, though unique individuals, were certainly far from angelic. Their Gifts were amazing, but after learning more about them, Aedan was just as glad he’d never had to bear the blessing… or the curse of them. He certainly didn’t envy Domhnall, who had to watch his strength with every movement, or Magnus, who had to guard his mind from stray thoughts. Or Kai who felt guilty every time he influenced someone’s emotions. Of all of them, the only gift that seemed more blessing than curse was Thora’s twin sister Enya’s, who had the gift of healing, and even that came with a price.

No, he was happy as he was, as Aedan Cameron. And now, with his clan on the mend from Lachlan Ross’s trickery and his new allies, he was beginning to feel at peace with himself.

Domhnall and Magnus had taken the time, more than once over the past two months, to talk to him regarding his uncertainties. He understood now, better than he ever had, that his father’s death had not been his fault, and that being a laird wasn’t about being able to control everything, but about doing your best to keep everything as balanced as it could be and to work for the good of the clan. Mistakes were human, Domhnall had told him, and a laird was entitled to make them just like anyone else. He was simply responsible for fixing them afterward.

“Come on. Stop brooding. Ye’ve a wedding tae get tae.” Mac tugged at his arm.

“I wasnae brooding. I was merely thinkin’ o’ our new allies.”

“They’re an interesting group, aye. But right now, ye’re meant tae be making them yer kinfolk.” Mac took his arm and all but marched him toward the door.

In light of the weather, they were using the indoor chapel for the ceremony, decorated with ivy and holly and the first winter snowdrops. The guests had already arrived, as had the priest, and Aedan swallowed nervously as he took his place across from Magnus, with Mac at his side. Magnus, Kai and Mac would be standing as witnesses for them, while Domhnall served as the father of the bride, and the rest of Thora’s clan mingled with Aedan’s council as guests. Magnus, who had married Ciara MacDougal last winter, and became their laird, so clan MacDougal was present too. There were also people from clan MacDonald, Enya’s husband Cillian’s clan. They were all Cameron’s allies now, and Aedan couldn’t be more grateful for the way they had all accepted his without hesitation.

The bagpipes began to play, and Aedan turned to the door, his heart pounding in anticipation. Moments later, Thora appeared, and he almost forgot to breathe.

She was radiant, her dark hair falling in a gentle wave down her back, her pale skin seeming to glow against the satiny fabric of her dress - white as snow, decorated with ivy embroidery and holly berries. Her eyes shone like stars, and it took a moment of dizziness for Aedan to recall how to breathe.

Domhnall led her up the aisle, and Aedan forced himself to turn and face the priest as the man began the ceremony. “Who comes tae be wed, and who brings this couple tae the altar?”

“I, Domhnall MacLeod, dae bring me sister Thora MacLeod here taeday tae be wed tae this man.”

“I, Mac Sinclair, dae bring me braither in arms, me laird, me dear friend, Laird Aedan Cameron, here taeday tae be wed tae this lass.”

Domhnall placed Thora’s hand in his, and Aedan swallowed hard. She looked so beautiful, and he wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and carry her somewhere private to show her how she entranced him.

But they had a ceremony to finish. Even so, Aedan smiled and offered her a wink and was rewarded with a slight blush.

The priest continued speaking, but Aedan was too busy drinking in Thora’s beauty to pay as much attention as she should have. He barely registered the moment it was time to say his vows, and he actually fumbled when he slid the ring onto her finger.

Then, the final blessing was spoken, and the priest intoned the words Aedan had been waiting to hear. “Ye may now kiss the bride.”

Aedan needed no encouragement as his lips claimed Thora’s in a sweet and fiery kiss. He could happily have kissed her for the rest of the day, had it not been for a well-placed elbow to his ribs. “Ye should breathe and greet yer guests , Aedan.”

Aedan broke the kiss to glare at Mac, then offered Thora his arm. She took it with a smile that made his blood heat.

Behind them, the priest intoned “I give ye the Laird and Lady Cameron.”

In the cheering that followed, Aedan led his bride down the aisle to the door, then bent to whisper in her ear. “There’s a feast tae attend, but I’m thinking a short delay willnae go amiss.”

Thora blushed. “Aedan… me siblings…”

“… are wed and will understand.” He grinned, then swept her off her feet. “Shall we?”

The swiftness of their departure from the wedding chapel left Thora breathless, and she was still trying to find words when Aedan carried her into his rooms and shut the door, before carrying her into the bedroom. “Aedan! What are ye thinking?”

“The same thing I’ve been thinking since I first saw ye in this dress.” He smirked, his fingers already tangled in the satin ribbons that served as laces. “That I really, truly, wanted tae see ye out o’ it.”

Her face felt afire, but Thora was past being embarrassed by her husband’s lusty nature. She’d grown far too used to it over the past two months. Instead, she smiled back and put a hand on his belt. “As long as I can dae the same.”

The words seemed to release something in both of them. Within moments, laces were undone and ribbons pulled free. Shoes were discarded in a haphazard fashion, along with sword belt and the clan sashes.

Moments after that, the dress was on the floor, along with Aedan’s shirt and kilt, and Thora laughed breathlessly as he lifted her up and tumbled them both into the bed. “Ye’re a strange and wonderful man, Aedan Cameron. And dae love every inch o’ ye fer it.”

She reached up to touch his face. “Ye ken, we cannae tak’ tae much time, or me braithers will come looking fer us. And they’ll nae be at all shy about embarrassing the pair o’ us.”

“I ken.” Aedan bent to kiss her lightly, then trail kisses down her throat. “But we can be quick now, so long as we tak’ our time taenight…” he smirked at her, then bent to scrape his teeth over her breast, in a gesture that always elicited a gasp from her.

“I… o’ course..” Thora shivered at the pleasure his actions sent dancing up and down her spine. “But now… I want ye, husband.”

“And yer wish is me command, wife.” Aedan reached down to stroke her sex, and Thora parted her legs for him, welcoming his touch. Aedan groaned. “Ye’re always so ready fer me… ‘tis enough tae drive a man mad.” He slid his hands through her damp folds, then aligned his erect shaft with her entrance and slid himself smoothly into her, penetrating deep into her core.

Thora shivered in pleasure, her world narrowing to Aedan, and the feel of him sliding in and out of her as he set up a steady rhythm. Every thrust slid home to the hilt, and every retraction left her wanting more.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “More…”

“As me lady commands.”

The speed of his thrusts increased, and Aedan bent his head to suckle on her breast again, teasing with teeth and tongue until she was gasping, writhing around his shaft and arching into him with every thrust.

The pleasure built higher and higher with every thrust, until it felt like the ocean waves, trying to drown her, and at the same time like fire, burning hot and bright from the friction in her core outward, until it seemed to set her skin aglow.

The waves built higher, stronger, and carried her further, until she felt she might go mad with pleasure.

Aedan shifted forward to kiss her once more, his hips canting at an angle that pressed his shaft against her pleasure center. Thora cried out as her release swept over her and she came undone, her inner walls gripping Aedan tight as she climaxed around him.

Aedan grunted and stiffened, and she felt his seed spurt deep within her as he followed her over the edge. The two of them rocked together in shared ecstasy, and in that moment of wonder, Thora caught sight of a vision.

Happiness. Peace. A family made whole, widespread and strong, and filled with love.

Then a second wave of pleasure gripped her, and carried even her visions away, leaving only the sense of them, wrapped around the glow of her happiness.

She and Aedan had walked a long and thorny road to find each other. But now at last, they were both home and had found passion and peace in each other.

“I love ye more than ye could ever ken, me dearest husband,” she whispered contentedly into his neck.

“As dae I, me beloved wife,” he answered and kissed her deeply.

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