“All magic is property of the fae. I shall only enjoy it from a distance, and take none of it for my own.”
The fae turned to his kin one more time, and was met with nods of agreement. He held out his tiny hand to Wesley, and grasped his claw. “Wolven, we look forward to this new chapter.”
Just before sunset, a line of carriages headed to Stonehenge. Their guests had arrived—his family, Countess Stalbridge, Master Bow, Wesley’s old friend Duke of Roth and his brand new duchess, as well Ainslee and the fae.
“How are you feeling?” Phillipa asked.
A rumble stuck in his throat. “Nervous.”
They’d been to Stonehenge several times in the last two weeks, making sure they knew the exact spot that the book referenced, the heel stone, at the entry of the formation. They’d spent many nights outside together, watching the moon rise, memorizing its movements.
They were as prepared as they could be. Once again, Wesley would have to rely on the moon to do the rest.
“You shouldn’t be.” She squeezed his paw. “Don’t think about what might happen when the moon rises past the opening on the heel stone. It doesn’t matter, Wesley. All I care about is we will once again be officially married, and nothing will be able to change that.”
The carriage slowed, and they had arrived. Wesley took a deep breath.
“If it doesn’t work, it isn’t because you did something wrong. It is because you are meant to be wolven.” She squeezed his paw. “I want you to believe that.”
He nodded.
The carriage driver opened the door and Wesley exited, holding out his paw to help Phillipa. It was an unusual circumstance for the bride and groom to arrive together, but everyone who would bear witness to the ceremony knew this was only a formality. They were not only married, but they were also fated mates.
Phillipa gasped. “Is that my mother?”
Wesley squinted, and a growl caught in his throat. “I dare say it is.”
“If she’s come to contest this…” Phillipa broke away from him and approached Mrs. Willoughby.
“Mother,” she said.
“Phillipa, I will understand if you do not wish to have me witness your ceremony. I’ve come to apologize.”
“For humiliating me at the Monsters Ball? For declaring my marriage invalid when you knew Wesley was alive? For defying the Queen?”
Mrs. Willoughby’s mouth dropped.
“He told me everything, Mother. You would have committed me to the Royal Hospital, instead of telling me the truth.”
“His condition was shared with me in confidence. He had hoped he could return to you as human. I had hoped to keep you from committing yourself to a monster when the man you loved was still alive.”
“There were better ways to do it.”
Mrs. Willoughby lowered her gaze. “I must confess that I took some very bad advice from Father Donnelly. He had thought you had been possessed by evil woodland spirits, and he thought you might have been responsible for the fae’s troubles in the forest, as they began at the same time as you entered mourning. According to him, the veil between good and evil is at its most vulnerable when someone is suffering from a broken heart.”
“It will make you do some peculiar things,” Phillipa said.
“It is my hope that you can forgive me,” her mother said. “I would very much like to be a part of your new family, with you and the duke.”
Phillipa hesitated, and Wesley could not blame her. “That would please me, Mother. But now, we must start the ceremony. The timing is very important. We shall talk more about this later.”
Mrs. Willoughby stepped forward and offered her daughter a hug. Phillipa accepted.
She turned to Wesley, and let out a long exhale.
“Wasn’t expecting that,” she said softly. “But I will be glad to have her back. I have missed her so.”
“Family will always surround you. Yours, mine, and ours.” He kissed her forehead.
Master Bow waited for them at the heel stone.
“Duke, Duchess.” He bowed. He was wearing a gold brocade jacket and white breeches. “It is wonderful to see you both again, and I am so honored to be a part of this very special ceremony. On behalf of Countess Stalbridge, it is our greatest delight to see couples come together at our balls. It is our mission to champion those who society might overlook. To give people and monsters second chances. But we’ve never had a story quite like Wesley and Phillipa.”
“We are so glad to have you share this moment with us,” Phillipa said.
Wesley grunted.
“Ah, the wolven is nervous,” Master Bow chuckled. “One of the reasons it was such a great pleasure to get to know Wesley is because he is pure wolven. He is completely genuine with his emotions. I know he thinks of that as a shortcoming, but a lot of humans could take cues from you.”
“Human,” Wesley said.
“May I say something?” Phillipa asked.
“Anything, my love.”
She took his paws in her hands. “Wesley, if you change back to human, you shall be one of the wisest men alive, for you will have experienced life as a man and a beast, and I believe it will show you great compassion for your fellow beings. It will make you a wonderful duke and the best husband.”
“My dearest Phillipa.” Something unfamiliar was stirring inside him. It did not feel like when the virus surged in his body, changing him to wolven. Still, he took it as a hopeful sign. “Even though we were apart, I have always watched over you. I wasn’t sure I would ever be brave enough to reveal myself to you in this form. For I would have not been able to bear it if you rejected me. But when I heard the rumors that you planned to kill the Wolven King, I had to take action. I made mistakes. I acted hastily. But the truth of the matter is that everything I did was to come home to you. And every day I will in awe of the fact that your love knows no bounds, and it will make me a better man, husband, and I hope eventually, father.”
Phillipa’s cheeks pinked, and her lips curved into a smile. “That might happen sooner than you think.”
His eyes widened. “You are?”
“I have no confirmation, but Ainslee’s mother insists a baby is on the way.”
“Oh, my love.” He took her into his arms holding her tight. They were a family.
Master Bow gasped. “The light. It’s on them.” He gestured toward the ground.
Phillipa drew away from him, but Wesley refused to let go of her hand. They’d both had to suffer through his last metamorphosis alone. But this time, it would be a celebration.
The moonlight inched up his body. He warmed, and his limbs tingled. Something was happening. He hardly wanted to breathe, in case it knocked him out of alignment with the moon’s powers.
Soon the moon was visible above the rock, moving faster, higher in the sky, further away from him.
Wesley was still wolven. Damnably wolven.
The anticipation of his fur retreating, bones cracking, and fingers reemerging subsided from his body and was replaced with something that surprised him more than anything.
Acceptance.
Phillipa stepped forward, still holding his hands. She was close enough to kiss him. “I think the time has passed.”
“Yes,” he said. “I do believe so.”