Song of the chapter:- Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez, Em Beihold.
*FEW WEEKS LATER*
EMMA'S POV
I looked at my reflection on the mirror, and the person staring back at me looked different, very different than what I'd imagine I'd look like when I grew up but she looked oddly familiar, I felt home in my own skin, skin which was now sporting a scar just above my heart, which was visible thanks to the neckline of my dress. It was a really pretty dress, something my old wouldn't be confident enough about but after almost dying I've decided not to think too much about things.
Just when I'm ready to leave the door bursts open revealing my mate looking edible in an all black suit, for the first time his hair is styled back and then he closes the door and leans against it, arms crossed, checking me out and that gesture makes me want to jump at him but we can't, not yet atleast.
He must be thinking the same thing because he releases a deep breath before moving towards me, and stops when our feet are touching, his hands brushing mine, our breaths mingling, our scent invading the others breath, and then he said, "I think we should skip today and have some fun". His fingers brushing my scar, I don't know why but he had an weird obsession with my scar and was always touching it, kissing it, running his fingers over it when he could.
And that took me back to my first day of highschool when he wasn't mine, when he felt apart, and that brought a smile to my face when I realised how far we've come.
"We can't skip, everyone will be there", I said tugging him along.
It was the annual Christmas Ball which was held every year by one of the packs to celebrate unity among the packs, and years of history and stuff like that. All the Alphas or Luna would attend along with their partners. And this year shockingly it was Warren who volunteered to arrange the whole ball even after what we just went through. It was arranged in their common hall which looked like something out of a fairy tale.
Ethan must've noticed my looking around with my jaw wide open because he laughed and then reminded me Warren's pack belongs to one of the oldest ones having old money so this was nothing out of common for them. He kept pointing, discretely, at various leaders from various packs some of them I know some I didn't and I kept nodding along until I accidentally stumbled into someone.
Then I heard a familiar voice curse and I looked up to find Alpha Vera, but then I was shocked when my eyes met hers because somehow one of heart was pale blue while the other one dark brown as I remembered.
"I'm so sorry, did I spill my drink on you? Oh my god", I tried to apologise but she cut me off with, "It wasn't you who ruined my dress, it was some Ancient Asshole Alpha", she shrugged. And even with a small stain on her dress, and mismatched eyes she managed to look breathtaking.
"Well, what happened to your eye?", The question left my mouth before I could stop myself and I instantly regretted it. But Ethan let out a laugh, and then covered it up with coughing when Vera shot him a look.
"It was during the war, one of Donovan's puppy managed to damage my eye but thankfully I got a transplant as a donor was almost immediately available because of war you know, and people dying", she explained to me as if I was a child asking stupid question. We talked for a while but then she left to talk to someone else so did we.
The night was amazing everyone was enjoying themselves when I spotted blond mass of hair cutting through the crowd and heading towards the balcony and I followed him instantly. When I went out he immediately said, "get out Ethan I'm not in mood for company".
"I'm not sure if Ethan would appreciate you talking to him like that", I said in a questioning tone and he immediately turned around and embraced me into his arms.
"Didn't know it was you, plus you smell like him", he said scrunching up his nose.
"Anyways, how are you doing, Emms?", We were overlooking a beautiful garden with a huge fountain on the entrance there were vines crawling up the walls and it gave a different feel to the whole place. Ivan and me had warmed up to eachother after the war because we were both healing, me mentally and him physically.
When he tried to defend me during the war Donovan had hit him pretty hard and he wasn't able to turn into his wolf, everyone thought he'd be back to normal after some rest but that wasn't the case it's been weeks and he still wasn't able to turn.
According to him it was his punishment for all the wrongs he ever did, even though he was the one who took in all the innocent rouge that were on Donovan's side during the war, most of them were promised a place in the pack or were forced to join anyway so when the war was over they were given an offer to surrender and join Ivan's pack if they wished, and many of them did.
"How are you doing Ivan?", I asked looking at him and he shrugged. He didn't like to show how weak he felt because he couldn't turn, he was far from weak, but he couldn't see it and it was hard to judge him when none of us were in his shoes.
"Come on, don't tell me you're still mad at me about the game", Jake's voice boomed from behind us making us turn.
"What game?", I asked and my face probably looked like a mask of confusion.
"Oh he didn't tell you? Let me then, we went to this bar to watch some football game he wanted to see" Jake explained, as he came to stand beside me, nodding his head towards Ivan who looked like this was a much more serious conversation.
"Okay, then?"
"And I invited Allister."
"Exactly! He invited Allister", Ivan repeated the same thing with a more accusing tone. "And he ruined my night."
"What happened?"
"Well, golden boy over here was focusing on girls instead of the game he wanted us to see so excitedly in that bar", Jake said the word as if speaking it caused him physical pain, "so when Allister not so subtlety suggested a threesome to the poor girl and she ran away our golden boy wasn't so pleased", Jack ended the story with sarcasm but I could tell from the evil glint in his eyes he was more than enjoying torturing Ivan.
"It was all your fault, you invited him in the first place it was supposed to be just us", Ivan said pointing a finger at Jake.
"Aww, don't worry darling I'll make sure next time it's just us", Jake said suggestively.
Jake too hadn't found his mate which made it a little easier for Ivan to share his pain with him. Hell one time I even heard them having a whole heart to heart about mates, and what'd life look like if they never found their's and then they both comforted the other that they'll soon find their mate. If this wasn't the best bromance I've seen in a while then I don't what it was.
Suddenly we heard footsteps in the hall, then we turned around to find Smith, "let's go kids the ball will be starting soon", and before he could leave Ivan said, "well why are you so excited it's not like you can join them."
Which caused me to take a look at one of Smith's leg which was now a peg leg, making Smith look more like a pirate.
I turned around my hair whipping both Jake and Ivan on faces as I glared at them enough to make them shut up.
But shockingly Smith's booming laughter made us break our staring competition.
When we got inside everyone was getting ready for the dance, the single one's asking eachother to danve, I spotted a lady alone near the bar, she looked a little familiar but I didn't know where I had seen her from before, she looked nervous even more than me so I decided to go to her.
"Intimidating isn't it?", I asked sliding into the seat next to her.
"It is, very", she said nodding and looking around she was clearly more than nervous and really jumpy. Everytime I'd make a comment about anything she'll just make a small comment or nod along not at all trying to continue the conversation but atleast she'd stopped jumping at everything I said and that's a plus right?
That's when Alpha Nick came towards us and said, "I see you've met my date?"
"Your date?", and I realised I did see this woman before, with Nick.
"Yup, mine", he said looking at her and I could see her trying to shake off shivers.
Suddenly the music started playing, and I saw Nick move towards us. And he offered his hand saying, "can I have this dance?", I clearly thought he was talking to the beautiful lady beside me. But when she took his hand he shook his head saying, "I was talking to Emma", turning his gaze towards me.
I was shocked, but when I looked at the woman beside me she had masked her face rid of any emotions but I can see her fist clenching, I stood up, unable to process what even happened because I knew Nick would rather cut off his own hand than offer to dance with me, I mean we weren't at eachother's throat anymore but that's it, we weren't best of friends or anything.
"What was that back there?", I asked just as we reached the dancefloor and started moving to the beats.
"What was what?", He asked his hand on my back but no too low there was distance between us as well.
"Why didn't you ask her?", I asked but instead of answering my question he twirled me around and someone else cut in between us.
I was shocked when my hands landed on a familiar muscular shoulder, my green eyes meeting those warm brown ones I've come to read like an open book, and right now someone was pissed that they didn't get to ask me to dance.
"Calm down", I whispered softly in his ear. One of my hand softy brushed the back of his neck and the soft strands of his hair he closed his eyes at the feeling. When he opened them his eyes were darker, pupil dilated, and I realised unlike with Alpha Nick, I was pressed up tightly against Ethan and his hand was so low on my back it was almost inappropriate, almost.
"I will, once we get home and I mark you all over again", he whispered softly kissing my ear, and I couldn't stop the shiver that escaped.
"I'm already yours you know", I said.
"I do, just because I'm yours aswell", he said and before I could reply he dipped his head and kissed me, and even though I was aware of all the eyes on us, when his lips met mine it was just me and him, and that was enough for me.
***********************
Published on:- 20 April, 2023
Finally snowflakes, this story of ours comes to an end here and I'm wayyy to emotional to even process this whole thing. All I remember is being 14 and thinking about this small idea about a werewolf book who knew I'd be able to make it real and complete it, all thanks to you guys who made it possible. In this epilogue I've tried my best to give everyone a justifiable ending... Or shall I say starting?
Anyways, to those who've been here since day one, I swear after each and every update all I'm looking for is your vote cause lol you're loyal than some of the people in my life. So thank you.
And those who joined us later on this journey and those who'll be joining us later, getting a vote from you guys makes my day literally.
So thank you so much for all the support I'll forever be grateful.
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Love,
Icequeen.