One Year Later

Charity brushed a long curl behind her ear. The small booth she stood in was four curtains that created a space for her to be in while she got ready. Waves rolled in on the rocky beach mixed with the low chatter from the guests waiting on the beach. The dress she wore, made of several layers of chiffon that went to just above her knee, was perfect. She wasn’t the type of girl who needed to look like a princess on the day of her wedding. This . . . this was what she wanted. A rose in her hair, three yellow roses in her hand, and golden trim at the waist of her dress.

The baby in the car seat gurgled and drooled. Charity picked up her little golden-skinned son and nuzzled his cheek. He had his father’s eyes and a head of dark hair. Charity and Devin had spent many an hour deciding the perfect name for their son and had settled on Storm. And not because there had been a storm on the day he had been born, forcing Charity to give birth in their living room. Storms were frightening at times. But they were strong and unbreakable, and when they were done doing their work, everything unstable was swept away. Just like he had done with them: the old was gone, and it was a fresh start for their little family.

 “It’s a good thing we gave you a bib,” Charity mentioned to her little boy, seeing the amount of drool on his face. “You’d have ruined this tux of yours.”

Storm was going to be the only member of her family who was going to attend her wedding. Honor was in jail, she didn’t invite her parents, and Hope told her that her husband had forbidden her from attending. Out of all of them, only Hope’s absence was missed.

“I thought she was going to be able to break free. But I guess she’s just not ready for it.”

She pulled back the curtain, bouncing Storm to keep him happy. Her eyes widened when she saw her twin on the beach several yards away. Hope stopped when she saw her. She swallowed hard. Her clothing was crumpled and her eyes were ringed with red. Music started to play, indicating that Charity was supposed to head to where Devin was waiting for it.

She hurriedly peaked through the curtains on the other side. People were standing and watching in anticipation. Charity made herself not look at Devin as she called out.

“I need a few more minutes.”

Titters answered her. Charity closed the curtain again and hurried up the beach to where Hope stood still, looking awkward. Her lip trembled as Charity got closer.

“You look beautiful.” Hope held up a small box. “I brought . . . It’s kind of silly . . . ”

Charity adjusted Storm on her hip and took the box. Nestled inside was a small brooch. Charity recognized it as one of the pieces of jewelry that had been left to Hope by their grandmother. It was silver-blue in color with a large sapphire the shape of a delicately constructed flower in the center.

“I replaced the pin on the back because it was broken, so it’s all four.” Hope’s gaze remained on the ground. “Something borrowed, blue, old and new. I’m so sorry that I ever said I wasn’t going to come.”

“What happened to your husband?”

Tears streamed down her face. “I love him, Charity. I love him. But it’s not enough. I can’t live like this. I don’t believe him when he says that she was the only one and that he’ll never do it again. I’m going to get a divorce. I’m so sorry—”

Charity embraced her twin. Storm immediately grabbed a handful of her aunt’s hair and yanked hard. With twin cries, they broke apart. Charity scolded the baby while detangling Hope’s hair from his fingers. Storm gurgled and laughed. Hope rubbed her head and shrugged.

“I think I deserved that.”

“No.”

Hope nodded. “Yes. I let things get so far out of hand and I . . . I never said anything. Whenever they talked about shifters, I always wanted to say something but I never did. I sat there like a coward. It’s my fault that Honor went so far.”

Charity took her sister’s hand. “Hope. Stop. You’re taking the first step and I’m proud of you. Anything you need, I’ll help you with.”

Hope wiped her eyes. She gave Charity a watery smile and took a step back. “Thank you. I just came to give you the brooch. I don’t want to ruin your wedding.”

Charity’s heart gave a little jump. She knew exactly what Hope was going to do now, and it was unacceptable. She quickly moved forward and caught Hope’s hand again. Storm reached for her hair once more, and Charity moved him to her other hip. Hope gave the baby a small smile before she glanced up at Charity’s face. Her eyes shone, but what she was looking for, Charity wasn’t sure.

“If you don’t want to ruin my wedding, you better stay here.”

“I’m not dressed for it.”

Charity shook her head. “Don’t care. You’re my twin sister and I want you to be here. Walk me down the aisle?”

Hope hesitated for a moment before she threw her arms around Charity. “Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

They returned to the booth, and Charity peeked through the back and waved for the music to start again. The violins started to play. Charity handed her roses to Hope. Then, with the baby in her arms and Hope walking beside her, she exited the booth.

There were only a couple dozen people in attendance. Most of them shifters, but some of Charity’s close friends and a few of her geologist coworkers as well. Charity beamed at them as she walked down the cleared path. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the end of the aisle where her groom was waiting.

Devin had never looked so handsome. His long hair was tied back, and rather than a tuxedo, he wore a white shirt matched with white pants. The shirt was loose-fitting, with a V-neck and golden embroidery forming two panels on either side. He stood with his hands behind his back. The smile on his face was like the sun. His gaze moved to Hope and he inclined his head toward her when the two of them came to a stop at the end of the aisle.

A wooden arch had been erected there, and a priest stood beneath it. Beyond him was the sea. A boat waited in the water, and Charity’s heart beat faster as she considered what would happen after the wedding ceremony.

She turned to Hope and handed Storm to her with a whispered word to give the baby to Devin’s mother. Hope did so as Charity took the last few steps up to where Devin waited for her. He held his hands out to her and she took them. Behind him, his four brothers stood, all dressed in white like Devin, but with silver rather than gold embroidery.

Hope took a spot just behind Charity. Tears still streamed down her face, but she still smiled brightly. Charity smiled back at her. It had been a hard road to get here, and there was going to be more hardship for her sister in the days to come. But right now, everything was good. The sun shone, the sea glistened, and Devin squeezed her hand.

The priest began to speak. Charity wanted to hold onto every word, but her mind kept drifting to the future. She and Devin were going to have more children. They wanted at least four. She was going to continue her research here on the island, and he had put in an official bid for the alpha of the pack to be voted on and reviewed every five years. They needed leadership, but he didn’t think that the old way of doing things was going to work for them. Not now.

Before she knew it, it was time for them to exchange vows. Devin slid the ring, a plain gold band, onto her finger and raised it to his lips. “Charity, before you came into my life, I thought that all kindness came with a price. I didn’t believe in anything but myself. I thought that I had to face the world alone, and that if I screwed up, then everybody would hurt for it.”

Behind him, his brothers chuckled. Leo nodded. “He did,” he muttered, just loud enough for everybody to hear.

Devin turned to give him a half-glare. When he turned back to Charity, though, his grin was even bigger. “Since you came into my life, I realized that it’s not a matter of me being responsible for everything. I have to pull together with the people who matter most. I have to hold their hands and work with them to see the change we want. And I am so grateful that you will be holding my hand for the rest of my life.”

It was her turn. Nerves churned in her stomach as Leo reached around Devin to give her the ring. She slid it onto his hand, and like he had, raised it to her lips. She had spent a long time memorizing her vows, but suddenly it all seemed too canned. Even though she had poured her heart into them, they didn’t really express how she felt.

“Devin, I grew up in a household full of hate. I was taught that love was something that you talked about but didn’t actually feel. To me, love was always being disappointed, never feeling like you were good enough. It was something that only hurt.” She bent her head for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “Until I met you, I didn’t know that love could be something truly beautiful.”

Tears spilled over her cheeks and she dabbed them away quickly. Devin’s thumb moved to rub out one that escaped her, and she gave him a smile. Tenderness radiated from him, and she found herself wanting to just forget about everything else and just kiss him.

That would wait, though. “You taught me that love can be truly unselfish. That love is more than words. I love you. I love with all my heart, and I will do everything I can to show you that love every single day. Our children are going to grow up knowing what love really is. And you are the best man I could choose to help me teach them that.”

The priest beamed at the two of them. “Do you take one another as husband and wife?”

“Yes,” Charity and Devin replied as one.

“Then you may kiss one another.”

They leaned forward, meeting one another in the middle. Their guests sent up a cheer. When they parted, Leo and the other brothers crowded around them, pounding Devin on the back and kissing Charity on the cheek. Charity turned to hug Hope tightly.

“I’m glad you found him,” Hope whispered in her ear. “Your soulmate.” She kissed Charity on the cheek. “I’m going to the mainland. I have to go or I’ll miss the ferry. I love you.”

Charity hugged her tighter. “I love you, too. Call me. I’ll be there whenever you need me.”

Hope slipped away while everybody else crowded in to congratulate the couple. The music started up again and everybody started to dance. At one point, Charity had to retreat to the booth to feed Storm. After she was finished and the baby was asleep, Devin took her hand and pulled her to the water’s edge. He lifted her into the boat waiting for them and shoved them off. The well-wishers shouted and waved from the beach until they were out of sight.

Charity turned forward. She soon saw the island come into view. Her heart pattered in her chest and she actually held her breath as they landed. A tent had been set up on the beach. Later, Leo would bring Storm out with a few provisions, but right now it was just the two of them and the sea and the sky.

“It seems like forever since we were first here, doesn’t it?” Devin picked her up out of the boat and carried her across the beach towards the tent.

Charity nodded. “Forever . . . but in a good way. Oh, Devin. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“That was my line.” He set her down and kissed her firmly. He rested his forehead against hers. “Forever and a day. Because eternity will never be long enough for you and me.”

 

*****

 

 

THE END