36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Celeste

" I don't remember the last time I've seen you this nervous," Roman smiled as he crossed his arms and leaned on the tree behind him. The last rays of the sun were still visible in the sky, so he was likely quite uncomfortable even under the cover of the forest, but Isaac had explained it was customary to start the ceremony right before dusk and continue until the moon was out.

I didn't like the idea of doing this in a time and place where Roman couldn't be present, even though it had been his idea, but he had insisted it was fine. The section of the trees where we stood overlooked the newly regrown garden so he could at least watch. And once the sun was down… he could join us as we went to take down the goddamn ward.

"I'm not nervous. I just never thought I'd be doing something like this," I murmured, glancing at him from under my lashes. Truly, I never thought I'd get married or mated or anything of the sort—it wasn't something I wanted or needed after Noah's betrayal. Roman had shown no interest in it, and I figured it was because of my past, but now that I was doing it with Isaac, I couldn't help but wonder if he…

"Roman," I started, licking my lips as I took a step toward him.

He pushed himself off the tree, catching my shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze .

"Celeste," he said with a voice that spoke of promises and emotions that words could never hope to convey. "You are the most fearless person I know. You have made more sacrifices and compromises than any living or dead person in this world. Now it's time for you to take." His hands slid to my cheeks, and he tipped my face up, brushing his lips over mine. "Take me, take him, take anyone you want. I will stand by your side, no matter what."

I held his gaze, falling deeper and deeper into those dark eyes. He made loving him so easy, it baffled me how I could have resisted him for so long. He always knew what to say to reassure me or make me feel better, he knew when I needed space and when I needed him. Sometimes, he even knew what I wanted before I did.

Roman opened his mouth as if to say something more, but then his eyes darted behind me and he closed it. His thumb brushed my cheek, and he released me, assuming his previous position. I took a deep breath.

"Yes," I whispered, and he nodded once, as if that was all he needed.

"Good. Now go make the poor puppy happy so these damn shifters can figure their shit out and get off my property."

I huffed a laugh, turning to leave.

"I like the change," he said, and his words stopped me in my tracks. "I don't know what Malakai did with you, but I'm happy he healed what I could not. You look happier now."

I rolled my eyes, looking away quickly before he noticed the tears blurring my vision.

"So I'm alright if Malakai decides to make you a Princess of the Fae, too." Amusement slipped into his voice, and he smirked. "I'm putting my foot down at Princess of Hell, though. I'm sure the others would agree."

"As if." I snorted, taking a step backward. "I like who I am now. I don't need anything more." I whispered, and the way his eyes half closed in agreement made mine burn again. Luckily, the sound of steps interrupted the moment, and I turned just as Allison stopped at the edge of the trees, her long white dress sweeping around her feet. They were all wearing white, another tradition of theirs, and for once, even she was smiling.

"We are ready when you are," she said, glancing toward the garden where the voices had grown louder, their impatience rising as the sun dipped lower and lower. "Do you remember what you have to do? "

"I have performed magical spells more complicated than this," I deadpanned. "I think I can handle it."

Allison shrugged. "Let's get started then."

Roman gave me an encouraging nod before I followed the other woman, who had already crossed half of the garden that separated us from our guests. The ceremony wasn't as big as usual, Isaac had informed me with deep regret, but all the warriors that had stayed behind were attending, which was the whole point of this display. There were even a few of Kai's men and a unit from the Blacktooth Pack, who had arrived earlier today, so most of the faces I saw were of complete strangers.

"Bite him back!" Roman shouted. My smile grew genuine, and I chuckled, as it was no doubt his intention. When I met the eyes of the last row of people waiting on their feet, I found no uneasiness or hostility stirring inside.

Their gazes were wary, expressions closed, but I had the distinct feeling that with every step I took toward them, those worries faded down, replaced by an emotion each and every one of them shared and cherished.

Happiness.

The trait I admired in the shifters the most was how they could be happy for others and cheer them without jealousy and greed, especially when it came to their loved ones. They might squabble and fight, they might plot and lie like any other person, but where the mate bond was concerned, everyone backed off and let the pair be.

Once I reached the path leading to the makeshift altar, I tore my eyes away from the guests and locked them on the man waiting for me on the other end. Isaac stood unnaturally still, hands clasped tightly in front of him, and I thought I saw tears in his eyes, but then the last rays of the sun blinded me and I was forced to look away. He was wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of matching pants like everyone else, his skin a lustrous shade of brown that the sun warmed with its last rays. A wreath of white flowers rested on his head, a poor match for mine, and as I watched the wind play with the half-crumpled petals, I felt a pang of guilt. It had been so long since I'd woven one of those that his looked like a clumsy child had made it in a rush. But Allison had insisted their traditions demanded that we had to craft each other's wreaths, so I did. Isaac had mumbled that I didn't have to, but seeing how he beamed even with that ugly thing on his head, I was glad I didn't listen .

My eyes started burning again for some reason, so I averted my gaze. I spotted Julia, Kevin, and Jake first, with Buddy sitting by the boy's feet. The dog barked when I neared, wagging its tail and pulling on its leash in an attempt to run to my side. Roman's compulsion still held them in a firm grip because they seemed perfectly content with their daughters missing. Julia was crying, a handkerchief in her hand, but when our eyes met, she gave me her usual motherly smile.

Guilt gnawed at me, so I switched my attention to Malakai standing beside them in a three-piece suit that made him look disturbingly human. His dashing smile and long blond hair, however, slightly ruined the image of a normal man who was definitely not a powerful immortal.

He beamed at me, his purple eyes twinkling with something warm and loving, and I couldn't help but do the same. When my gaze drifted to the person next to him, though, my foot caught on the hem of my dress. I managed to avoid a humiliating fall, but I had to stop and fix my skirts, all while unable to look away from Beleth's dark eyes.

I had expected he'd disappear the moment he could stand on his feet—the curses had been removed and he was going to heal faster in Hell anyway—but here he was, at my mating ceremony. His face was as expressive as a statue's, but there was something new in his eyes that made me hold his gaze just a moment longer. At least he wasn't scowling.

‘Having second thoughts?' Isaac asked in my mind, and I almost tripped again. Turning away from Beleth, I picked up my skirts and hurried down the path.

‘No,' I replied confidently, and I saw him visibly relax. ‘You?'

‘I've never been more sure about anything in my life.'

Smiling, I took his hand and allowed him to help me up on the altar, sharing a long look before we both faced Allison. Usually, any claiming ceremony was led by one of the pack elders or its Alpha, but considering the circumstances, she was the highest-ranking shifter present. She looked even more nervous than us, but with a single intake of breath, her entire presence changed.

"We have gathered here today to witness the union of two souls who have chosen to bind their lives and their deaths in the ultimate declaration of love," she spoke in a soft voice I hadn't heard her use before. The others had grown so quiet, it was just Buddy's loud panting and Julia's quiet sniffs that broke the heavy silence .

"Your hands," Allison said quietly, and Isaac brought our intertwined fingers up, releasing me so we could offer her our palms. The man behind her handed her a long blade with a crescent moon engraved on the hilt, and she pressed it against Isaac's skin.

Bright blood seeped from the cut where she dragged the tip across, barely slowing down as it slipped over my hand. I tried not to wince at the pain that spread from the incision, focusing instead on her grip on my wrist while she guided me to intertwine my fingers with Isaac's again. The wetness spread between them, mixing together before dripping on the ground between us.

"You made your choice and today, you will seal your commitment with blood," she said, meeting each of our eyes as she let go of our joined hands. I could barely feel the sting of the cut anymore, the wounds already closing with the aid of my mate's healing ability. "Before our eyes, before the Goddess and each other, you pledge to love, protect, and honor one another in this life and every next."

I raised an eyebrow at the last part, and when I met Isaac's eyes, his lips quirked up. Mates were for life, but not necessary for multiple lifetimes. Werewolves didn't even believe in rebirth, they just thought they joined their goddess and stayed with her forever. So was he promising to love me even if I died and came back?

My smile started to fade, but I caught myself. He didn't know that this was my last life. None of them did except for Beleth and Nym, and I had to make sure it stayed that way. I didn't want to see worry and heartbreak in their eyes, not now when everything was going so well. Not now when we were finally winning…

"Today you become one, for you now share blood, love, and a future," Allison finished, letting go of our hands. "You may kiss your mate."

Isaac turned toward me and smiled, the face I had seen make such hateful and angry expressions, now shining with warmth and love that filled my heart with joy.

"Shouldn't you say ‘bite'," I joked and Allison scoffed before schooling her face in a serious expression.

"Shut up and come here," Isaac whispered, snaking a hand around my waist and pulling me against him. I didn't resist when his lips found mine, nor when he bit on my lower one to make me open my mouth. A few people whistled and laughed as he kissed me like there was no one else around, and I was pretty sure I heard Kevin muttering, ‘That's not appropriate for children!' before Buddy started barking again.

When Isaac finally broke the kiss, my head was spinning in the most pleasant of ways. He turned me around to face the others, and all I could do was cling to his arm and breathe. His fingers brushed a few strands of my hair away from my nape while unfamiliar faces watched us with open mouths and eyes full of anticipation. Some of them looked like they were holding their breath; others, like Julia and Kevin, already had happy tears rolling down their cheeks.

‘This will only hurt a moment,' Isaac spoke in my mind, pressing his lips against my skin where he had already marked me as his.

‘Pity. I like it when it hurts,' I shot back and I could almost feel him rolling his eyes.

‘You're impossible,' he replied with a hint of a smile in his voice, and just as I was about to tease him some more, his teeth sank into my neck. A gasp of surprise escaped my lips, and the world seemed to stop momentarily while the last rays of sunshine disappeared behind the trees.

It didn't feel any different from a normal bite, even Roman's teeth brought more sensation than this, but as Isaac licked the wound he had reopened, I felt the bond between us grow taut. His emotions flooded my mind and body, love, lust, joy, and contentment mixing with anger, jealousy, and hurt, all tightly wound until they were both mine and his. He held me tighter against him like he needed me to ground himself, and I realized I was doing the same.

The crowd exploded into cheers, bringing me down to earth right before Julia and Kevin moved to congratulate us. After an awkward hug from Kevin, an enthusiastic one from Jake, and a suffocating one from Julia, they moved aside. I smiled and nodded as people I barely knew gave us their well wishes, trying to remember names and whose pack or shifter group each belonged to.

Once Malakai and Beleth stopped before us, I was ready to laugh at the latter's expression.

"I told you that you'd look beautiful in white, my lovely rose," Malakai whispered in my ear before kissing my cheeks. "Roman has a point, too. You'll make an outstanding princess." He winked at me as he stepped back and I turned my eyes to Beleth. He still wore that unreadable face of his, and it annoyed me more than usual.

"You should bow, Isaac. You're in the presence of royalty," I said, holding the demon's gaze and smirking in triumph when he glared at me. That was much better.

"I bow to no one," Isaac said in a low, cold tone and I sighed in defeat. How did I end up not with one, but two people in my life who had the worst sense of humor ?

"You're lucky you have several men trying to get under your skirt, Red, because this one alone won't be much of a use when it comes to protecting you," Beleth said with an exasperated tone, looking Isaac over as if he didn't notice the way he bristled.

"You're lucky we are too busy trying to get under her skirt," a low, smooth voice spoke, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Roman approaching with hands in his pockets, "or we might all remember how you dragged her to Hell, Beleth. Royalty or not, you stand no chance against us, especially up here. As for Isaac…" He looked at the werewolf and to my surprise, Isaac met his gaze without making any face. "It's irrelevant if he can protect her alone or not because he won't have to. He's not alone."

I wanted to throw my hands around Roman's neck and kiss him, but I had a feeling my hold on Isaac's hand might be the only thing stopping him from putting it through Beleth's face. While Roman could hide his hostility with his carefully crafted mask of politeness, Isaac was… a ticking time bomb at best. Maybe having the demon that kidnapped me at my mating ceremony wasn't the brightest idea, but I couldn't help but think about how much Cyrus would enjoy all of this and how much Beleth would hate it. It was a win-win situation.

"This is a joyous occasion, let's not sour it with talk of fighting, please," Malakai said softly, catching Beleth's shoulder and squeezing hard enough to make the demon tense. I gave him a thankful look, and he beamed at me. "We have better things to do than quarrel about the past, don't we?" He leaned closer to Beleth and to my surprise, the latter didn't pull back like he did when I invaded his space. "And you, try to smile a little! Today is all about love and acceptance!"

"I'll pass," Beleth spat. Malakai let out an exasperated sigh, looking back just before someone cleared their throat, making us all turn. Allison stood a few feet away, glancing between us while the rest of the shifters had cleared the garden, no doubt boarding their vehicles so they could get to the barrier. Judging by the clothes hanging from several chairs, some of them were already on their way.

"We are ready to go," she said, looking at each of us before her eyes settled on me. "You're still doing this, right?"

I felt everyone's attention switch to me, so I took a deep breath and smiled.

"Let's go take down that fucking ward."