Page 5 of The Wolf

“It sure as hell did!” Edwin exclaims, unable to hold his booming laughter anymore, which echoes off the stone walls.

Alex doesn’t find it nearly as funny. “Perhaps you’d like to share how you snatched the pastor’s daughter away on her wedding day, brother?”

“Wait, what?” My mouth drops open as I stare at the couple in front of me.

“I couldn’t let her marry that hunter.” Edwin shrugs it off.

I’m even more dumbfounded. “The pastor’s daughter marrying a hunter being kidnapped by a werewolf?”

“Correct! Also, Daddy was a hunter himself.” Clara giggles.

“Huh. And here I am thinking we had it complicated!” I join in her laughter, and the others follow.

Somehow, the room doesn’t feel cold or frozen still any longer but is filled with joy, and love, and so much life.

It feels likehome.

3.

Queen

After I finish breakfast—or rather, an early lunch—Alex gives me a tour of the castle. The soft flicker from the orbs grows on me, no longer eerie, but instead exuding a cozy ambiance and charm. We wander through the common rooms, each adorned with intricate tapestries, marble and gold pagan statues, and carved wooden furniture. There’s an enormous library, filled with titles I’ve never seen before, a wealth of witchcraft and occult textbooks, and file cabinets full of ancient tablets and papyrus. A few operating computers with Internet access serve as additional research tools, providing information on modern humans and news from the outside world. The clash between new technology and historical artifacts is fascinating—where the past and present meet.

As we step into the courtyard, a cool breeze brushes against my skin, carrying the fresh scent of various blooming flowers—I’m not even going to question why the flowers are blooming mid-October in a place without the sun because…magic, I guess. The courtyard is spacious and serene, surrounded by tallarches with ivy-covered columns lining the outer walls of the corridors. At its center lies a mosaic of colorful tiles that form intricate patterns underfoot, and a massive marble fountain with a statue in the middle bubbles peacefully. The crystal-clear water reflects the mesmerizing spectacle of the Northern Lights dancing overhead across the sky dome, casting an ethereal glow upon us.

“This is insane.” My chest rises and falls rapidly as I admire the view.

Alex cracks up. “Wait until you see the gardens.”

He leads me closer to the fountain and we get seated on the curved stone bench beside it. The sound of the water trickling down is soothing, but my mind is still racing. He squeezes my thigh, running his large hand up and down against my jeans in a gentle, comforting rhythm.

“How are you holding up?" he asks, his voice low, filled with concern.

“I’m… better,” I reply honestly, but I can hear the hesitation in my own voice. “I just… don’t know if I’ll ever fit in.”

“Julia, they accepted you before they even knew you. You have nothing to prove here. Please, stop worrying.”

“It’s—” I exhale, not knowing where to begin to explain how overwhelmed I feel. Frankly, I don’t know who I am anymore… or how to even begin figuring that out. I’m lost, and clueless about where to start.

“Baby, you can talk to me.”

“Uh, because it feels likea lot. Too much, too fast. And this whole opening up to others thing… is something I’ve never been good at."

“I know,” his voice is soft and understanding, his golden eyes steady, filled with that familiar warmth.

Even he and I are not past the getting-to-know-each-other phase yet, despite the bond that ties us. Which is utterlyridiculous since we’re mated for life, yet still navigating the awkwardness of figuring each other out. But it is what it is, I suppose. I havezeroregrets. However, it will take me a while to adjust and get used to the new normal.

“Don’t you think it might help if we talked about what happened? It could make things a whole lot easier for you, Julia.”

I stare at his concerned face, feeling the burn in my eyes and my throat rapidly closing. “Ugh, I trusted him!” The words spill out, raw and agitated, as I break down, unable to keep holding it together even a second longer.

Without a word, he pulls me into his big, strong arms, cradling me against his firm torso. I realize it can’t be comfortable for him to talk about Dean, and yet he’s still here, so fucking lovely, even though I know it must hurt him, too.

“There was a moment when I saw our future together, and…” I stammer between my hysterical sobs, wetting the soft fuzz of his chest. “And he was only using me!”

His arms tighten around me, protective and possessive. “Do you want Farah to bring him back so I can kill him… again?”

“Really, the third time?” I smile weakly through my tears but consider it for a moment as the idea lingers. “Could she?” I crane my neck to meet his gaze.

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