Page 114 of Fated to the Lone Shifter
I stand next to her—my fated mate, my fiercest ally, the fire witch who set my world ablaze and then pulled me from the ashes.
Her fingers brush mine, and even that tiny contact sends a ripple of warmth through me. It’s not just the magic. It’s her. All of her. Finally mine.
We built this fire together—not to destroy, but to honor what we’ve survived and light the way forward.
Around us, the others gather. Tori, quiet but radiant in the moonlight. Marcus, hands shoved in his pockets, looking at peace for the first time since I turned him. And the pup—curled at Sera’s feet, his tiny ears twitching at every pop of the fire.
This is my pack now. Mismatched. Messy. Miraculous.
I take a deep breath and turn to Marcus. He meets my eyes. No hesitation. No fear. Just the kind of unspoken understanding that comes from shared blood… and redemption.
I offer him my hand.
He shakes it.
A beat of tension hums between us. Then, a nod. A clasp. A silent pact of forgiveness. Whatever we were before, whatever lines were crossed—this is where we begin again.
SERA
I watch them shake hands, and something unknots in my chest.
This is what I fought for. Not just to close a case or finish a mission—but to stand here, with my people, my magic unburdened, my heart unhidden. No secrets from those I love.
I used to believe I had to choose between my fire and my fate. But I don’t. Not anymore.
Tori walks up beside me, her violet eyes catching the flames. She presses something warm into my hand—a soft velvet pouch.I open it and find a bracelet woven with silver threads and a charm shaped like a tiny flame wrapped in ivy.
“From Ember,” she says. “She wanted you to have something to remind you… you’re never alone. Not even now.”
“She?” I query, my eyebrows raised in feigned surprise. Tori flashes a mischievous Fae grin.
The bracelet tingles—warm with protection, threaded with connection, pulsing with the unmistakable sense of home.
My throat tightens.
I slip it on.
Behind us, the wind moves through the trees like a lullaby. The fire burns brighter.
I lean into Noah, and he catches me easily, as if we’ve always moved this way—two wild things tamed by love, still burning, but never alone.
Not anymore.
NOAH
Marcus crouches by the pup, scratching gently behind its ears. It lets out a soft yip and topples into his lap, tail thumping against the dirt. The sight tugs something deep in my chest—a tenderness I forgot I had.
He looks up at me, smirking, but there’s a flicker of something else in his eyes—relief, maybe. “Looks like I’ve been adopted.”
“About time,” I say, only half-joking.
Tori joins him, arms crossed, wary but curious. Her gaze flicks to Marcus, then to the pup, then back to Marcus. “Just remember, wolves may imprint fast, but trust takes longer.”
Marcus raises his hands in surrender. “Noted. I come in peace.”
Her brow arches. “You come in charm. That’s not the same thing.”
The tension breaks with a ripple of laughter, even from Sera. The pup barks once, then curls up between us all, as if it knows it belongs here too.
