Page 91 of Curses and Casualties
He shakes Ryan’s hand, much more comfortable now than this morning. “Take care of her.”
“Always,” Ryan promises.
As Jason’s taillights disappear down the mountain road, I lean into Ryan’s solid warmth. “That went well.”
“Very well. Your brother’s good people.”
“He is.” I turn in his arms, hands resting on his chest. “Thank you. For making him feel welcome, for being willing to meet my parents, for just... everything.”
“That’s what mates do,” he says simply, kissing my forehead.
We head back toward our cabin, stopping on the porch to watch the valley shift through twilight’s moods—golden to blue to that electric gray before true dark. Nothing waits but a rising moon and the kind of peace that makes my heart ache with gratitude.
Ryan’s arms circle me from behind, warm hands settling on my stomach. “What are you thinking?”
I lean back against his shoulder. “Hard to believe this started with a rock and a very bad hiking decision. Sometimes I wait for the world to realize we’re the ones holding it together now.”
He rumbles with laughter. “Let it try. We’ll run faster.”
“I want that. All of it.” My old life feels like someone else’s memory. The future? Ours to write.
His fingers find mine, looping us together. “You know,” he says casually, “I never asked if you wanted a ring, too.”
I snort, tipping my face up to his. “You want to get married, Mr. Alpha?”
“Do you?” He says it lightly, but his breath has stilled.
My mouth curves into a giant grin. “Yeah. I think I do.”
He smiles—all smug wolf and tender man. “I happen to know there’s an old pack tradition. If you propose during the full moon and get rejected, you have to streak naked through the entire valley.”
“Risky proposition. This is a very large valley.”
His laugh is so full and unguarded I memorize it for whatever challenges tomorrow might bring. “Lucky for me, I know you can’t resist a good story.”
“I’m more interested in doing something that’s just ours,” I say, turning fully in his arms. “No ancient curses, no supernatural drama. Just us.”
“So you’re saying yes.”
“I’m saying yes times infinity.” I stretch up and kiss him until the world falls away again.
When we break apart, the full moon is rising over the mountains, painting everything silver. Tomorrow there will be pack meetings and territorial disputes and probably another complaint from Mrs. Strickland. There will be challenges to navigate and a supernatural world still adjusting to the changes we’ve made.
But tonight? Tonight, there’s just us. Two souls who found each other against impossible odds, who shattered curses and moved mountains and built something worth fighting for in the aftermath.
I press my hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat steady and sure beneath my palm. This—all of this—was worth every terrifying, glorious moment that led us here.
“Come on, future husband,” I say, tugging him toward our door. “Let’s go practice for our honeymoon.”
His laughter follows me into our home, into our life, into our perfectly imperfect ever after.
Epilogue One - Ryan
Six Months Later
I stand at the edge of the tree line, watching my brother adjust his tie for the tenth time in as many minutes. The wedding setup is perfect—wooden chairs draped in white fabric, flowers lining an aisle leading to a simple wooden arch adorned with greenery, all set in the clearing between Valentine’s property and Owen’s clinic. The lake shimmers like glass in the background, reflecting the azure sky. Everything Owen and Honey deserve.
“You know they wouldn’t mind if you were there,” Georgia says softly, appearing at my side with that silent grace she’s mastered since our bonding. “Honey knows about us. And some of those guests helped treat our injured after the supermoon battle.”
