Epilogue

October 11th, the following year

I stand in the gazebo with Jonas at my back. Delphine stands between us as the crowd waits in foldable wooden chairs, staring at me. I could have never imagined this would be the crowd at my wedding. Not only do witches and shifters sit next to each other, but add in a vampire and other interesting supernaturals, I never could have imagined. But this is how it was supposed to be.

“It was meant to be,” Delphine whispers. She still scares the shit out of me sometimes. I never know exactly what’s a vision and what’s reality, but one thing is for certain, I will never get on her bad side.

“Gotta say, I never thought I’d see you in a suit man,” Jonas says, as Paige walks their son down the aisle. He’s the flower boy, but his walking is a little messy. “God, he looks fucking cute,” Jonas says and I smile, watching my nephew.

“You did good.”

“Paige and I want to try again soon,” he says.

Everyone coos at the little boy as he waddles his way up to the gazebo, grinning with only a few baby teeth as I hold out my arms. He eagerly lets me pick him up.

“Uncle Si is your favorite, isn’t he?” I ask him as Jonas tsks behind me.

“Give me my son,” he says.

“Oh, but you don’t want that. You want me to hold you throughout my wedding ceremony, don’t you?”

Jonas rolls his eyes, and I hand him his son as the music plays.

Candles float above the crowd, and purple petals are randomly tossed about the aisle.

Next, Walter and Marie prance down the aisle, both of their noses high and proud. The ring box jingles against his collar as he walks it down the aisle. When he reaches the gazebo I bend down and unlatch it, scratching his chin and then Marie’s. He gives me an eyeroll, and Marie bites his ear, but there’s no heat to it. I’ve been feeding the little bastard small scraps here and there until he eventually gave up on hating me. At least Marie has made him somewhat less of an asshole. I guess love will do that to a man.

Ember walks down first wearing a cinched deep purple dress. She smiles widely, blowing a kiss at her plus one as he sits there covered head to toe in black, sunglasses covering his eyes and an umbrella clutched in his gloved fist.

She takes her place across from us and I smile at her as Iris walks down the aisle next, her smile not as wide, but still genuine as she walks toward the gazebo. A very cautious glance at her plus one who was purposely sat in the back row.

Iris takes her place next to Ember as the music softens and Violet walks down the aisle, her mother and father on each side of her.

Her dress is a cream silk that wraps around every delicious curve of her body. It’s nearly reminiscent of that ridiculous nightgown she wore when we got married at the courthouse.

“Beautiful,” Thorin says, and I smile down the aisle as my wife approaches.

Her hair is in loose curls, clearly protected by magic as a crown of dark purple and forest green leaves rest on top of her head.

Violet’s smile is radiant and her mother and father look proud as they bring her to the gazebo.

Oberyn and Lavender kiss her cheeks. Watching their relationship grow over the last year has been a blessing. They’ve built a home in between the pack lands and the center of town, but they come over often.

Lavender has been mentoring her to be High Priestess in the right way, and I know when Violet’s time comes she’ll be ready, but for now we get to live. Oberyn and I have gotten extremely close. Jonas is still my second in command, but Oberyn is a close second. He spearheaded the council and we’ve brought Pack Moon Walker into a new era.

Oberyn takes Violet’s hand and places it in mine, before slapping my shoulder and they take their seats.

The witches place their wands in the air and we watch in complete magnificence as the area surrounding us darkens, only the tremendous amount of candle and fairy lights shining in the space.

Violet smiles, squeezing my hands as Delphine starts the ceremony.

There are no hard as hell circuit court benches, or unenthused witnesses. No, this is the wedding Violet deserves. The people who love us the most surrounding us as we take new vows to one another.

Delphine directs Violet to go first, and I do my best to keep my shit together.

“Silas,” Violet starts, her eyes watering, but she holds back tears. “You were the first person I ever loved. My first kiss, and really my first friend. I don’t remember what was said that night all those years ago when we were both hoping for a better life, but I don’t think either of us could have ever dreamed of this. You make me a better person, and I’ve never been happier than I am when I’m in your arms.”

“You make me the best version of myself. I vow to love you, to honor you, and to be there for you always. I promise that our life will be filled with adventure and trust, and that there’s nothing that could ever break this bond between us. We’re eternal and I love you so much,” she says, sniffling and smiling at me.

“I’m going to fucking cry,” Thorin says, which has me laughing and trying to hold back my emotion.

“Silas,” Delphine says.

“I don’t know how to follow that,” I say, and the crowd laughs as Violet wipes her face and takes my hands back in her own. “It’s always been you, Vi. It’s always going to be you. Fate brought us together, and I couldn’t be more thankful. You’re the best part of my day, and I’ve never smiled more in my life. I promise to keep you safe and protect you always. I promise to spend all my years loving you and making sure you never have a single doubt. But most of all,” I say with a grin.

“I promise to be the best husband, and you know it. We’ll be one of those couples who spend all of our time together. You won’t be able to resist me.”

Violet’s jaw drops, and the crowd seems confused. But not Iris. She helped me dig up that memory so I could recite it tonight.

Her smile is radiant.

“You may kiss your bride,” Delphine says, since this is really a vow renewal.

I place a hand at the small of Violet’s back and cup her face as I dip her low and kiss her. We both can’t help it as we smile when we kiss. My stomach dips, as it always does when I’m with my wife.

The crowd cheers, the nighttime sky drifting back to evening as purple petals fall from the sky and we hold hands to our reception area.

The party is filled with drinks, music, and dancing.

I dance with Lavender while Violet dances with her father for the father-daughter dance.

“Thank you for this,” she whispers. “I’ve missed so much. I needed this, especially here,” she says, the same gazebo where she and Oberyn got married.

I hug Lavender, the most motherly figure I’ve ever had in my life as she pats my cheek.

“Thanks, Mom,” I tell her and she smiles. She grabs her husband’s arm. “Stop hogging the bride,” she tells him, and Violet smiles as she watches her parents go dance together.

Other couples, unlikely or not, join the dance floor.

Violet smiles up at me as I hold her waist.

“Happy Birthday, little witch,” I say, and she beams.

“Did you see there’s a wedding cake and cupcakes for my birthday? It was Ember's idea,” she says, glancing over at her sunshine friend who’s shrouded by an umbrella.

“I did, it’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

“Finally, you’ve got it right,” Thorin says.

“Thorin agrees,” I tell her out loud, and she smiles.

“Tell Thorin, Azure and I think you are both pretty perfect, too.”

“She’s not wrong,” Thorin purrs.

“I have a surprise for you,” I tell her, pulling the envelope out of my suit pocket and she takes it, opening it carefully with her purple manicured nails.

A smile takes over her face as she reads the note.

“Banff?” she says.

“Thorin thought you might want to run in the mountains instead of the swamp.”

“How sweet of him,” she says, grabbing my lapels and bringing me in for another kiss.

“Thank you for marrying me, for real this time,” I tell her.

“You know, I need to make a birthday wish,” she says with a dark, arched brow. “Should I tell you what it is?” I tilt my head at her, and she leans in to whisper in my ear. “I wish you could keep up,” she says, shoving my chest.

My eyes widen as I reel back, as I watch as my wife playfully runs away in her wedding dress.

All I can do is chase.

I’d chase my wife to the end of the world, and I’d never have it any other way.

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