Page 60 of Once You Go Pack
The ancestral vision shifted, showing them the alliance Celeste and his ancestor had forged—humans and shifters working together, trading knowledge and protection, creating a harmony that had been lost when the worlds separated during the great migration.
As the vision faded, Cade understood with total clarity why the universe had brought them together. His lineage and Mila’s weren’t just compatible—they were destined to restore what had been broken centuries ago.
“You were always meant to stand beside me,” Cade said, his voice filled with wonder. The golden light still swirled around them, making her hair shimmer like spun sunlight. “Not just as my mate, but as my equal. So we could lead this world together and restore the human-shifter alliance.”
Mila’s eyes filled with tears, but her smile was radiant. “I can feel it so strongly now—the connection to this place, to you, to our shared purpose. My soul finally remembers.”
The Moonfire energy pulsed one final time, leaving faint luminescent marks where their hands were joined—proof of a bond sanctioned by forces older than time itself. Cade feltanother mark settle warm against his chest, right over his heart, while Mila’s mate mark glowed softly at her throat.
My wolf has finally settled,he realized with profound relief. The restless energy that had driven him for thirty years was finally at peace, recognizing that he’d found not just his mate, but his purpose.
When the golden light faded, they stood together in the quiet dim cave, forever changed.
“Ready to face the world?” Cade asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave this sacred space just yet.
“With you? I’m ready for anything.”
The boulder at the cave entrance rolled away with a grinding rumble, revealing anxious faces illuminated by the twin suns’ afternoon light. Lyra rushed forward first, followed by Martin and the council elders, all of them searching for signs of success or failure.
Elder Grimm’s eyes widened as he took in the luminescent marks on their skin. “The ancient magic has blessed your union,” he said with reverence. “The trial has confirmed what we hoped—your bond is true and sanctioned by powers beyond our understanding.”
“Does this mean—“ Mila began.
“It means,” Elder Grimm interrupted with a rare smile, “that the council gives its blessing for King Cade to propose marriage and for you to become his queen. The Moonfire Trial has spoken.”
Cade felt a rush of relief so intensely it nearly brought him to his knees. They’d survived. More than that—they’d been transformed by the experience, their connection deepened beyond what he’d thought possible.
Cade turned to Martin and Lyra, who stood watching them with knowing smiles. “Take a ride back with Elder Grimm. I’m taking Mila to the family cabin.”
Martin’s eyebrows rose slightly, but his grin was unmistakable. “Celebrating your trial success, I assume?”
“Something like that.” Cade’s voice carried an edge of possessive satisfaction that made his wolf rumble with approval. The ancient magic had changed something between him and Mila, and he needed to explore that away from prying eyes and pack politics.
Lyra practically bounced on her toes. “The cabin’s perfect for?—“
“Lyra,” Cade warned, though warmth colored his tone.
“—relaxing after such an intense trial,” she finished innocently. “Have fun, brother. You’ve earned it.”
Elder Grimm nodded approvingly. “The ancient magic needs time to settle. Solitude will serve you both well.”
Cade guided Mila toward the royal car, his hand possessive at the small of her back. The luminescent marks from the trial still glowed faintly on their skin, a visible reminder of what they’d just experienced together.
As he started the engine and pulled away from the sacred cave, the silence between them felt electric. Mila’s scent had changed somehow—still uniquely hers but now carrying an undertone that called more intensely to his wolf.
Everything’s different now,he realized. The weight that had pressed down on him so heavily for months—his father’s expectations and failing health, the council’s doubt, his own fear of failing as a leader—had lifted completely. What remained was a pure and focused sense of purpose.
“You’re thinking very loudly over there,” Mila said softly, her eyes fixed on the passing purple forest.
“The trial changed everything for me,” he admitted with complete honesty. “I can feel you differently now. It’s like every barrier between us dissolved completely.”
She turned to study his profile. “Yes, I feel that too. It’s pretty overwhelming.”
The admission made his hands tighten on the steering wheel. When they’d entered that cave, he’d needed a mate to secure his position and wanted her to be his queen. Now, he understood their union was something far more profound and eternal—a restoration of an ancient alliance.
Gerri knew,he thought with grudging admiration.That meddling woman orchestrated everything perfectly.She’d recognized what he’d been too blind to see. Mila wasn’t just his fated mate, she was the key to healing a rift that had existed for centuries.
The cabin appeared through the trees—a rustic structure built by his grandfather decades ago, designed for royal family retreats far from castle formalities. Cade parked and immediately circled to Mila’s door.
