Epilogue
Deo
“It’s nice to be home.” Cassandra gave a satisfied sigh. Wearing her favorite sweatshirt from her law school days, she relaxed against our midnight blue velvet sofa, obviously happy to be back in our home.
Gazing over at my contented wife, regret tugged at me. I had hoped to have more time before I had to tell her—a few hours, maybe an evening? It was naive of me, knowing how quickly my mate’s mind worked, never resting. It was time to reveal more sordid details of our strange family.
I looked around at the empty Chinese takeout containers and half full bottle of Dom Perignon that sat on the glass top of our coffee table. “It is,” I agreed, but knew my next words would interrupt our restful evening. “We must enjoy it while we can. Until we discover if there is a way to break the curse, I’m afraid our battles have just begun.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” she said with a sigh, moving to sit up, giving me her full attention. “I know you said your family has been trying for years to find the answer. What makes you even think we have a chance?”
“All we can do is continue to research, to try to find the answer. My family has kept records over time. Baal and I have been reviewing them. Though the curse never ends, the attacks seem to diminish over time. The longest period after a vow was broken that we were vulnerable was a decade. And through our research, we are certain we have some time now. They take time to regroup, reform, gathering as they go. There may be weeks, months even, before they return.”
“What triggers the next arrival?”
“We have yet to find the answer. There is no rhyme or reason to the timing of the attacks and every era is different. We have made just a small dent in our research but enough to reassure us we could leave the castle for at least a month. But there are still eons of accounts to review.”
“All over words I didn’t even mean.” Her forlorn voice was tiny.
“I don’t think the significance of the breach was the catalyst,” I said softly, reaching out to stroke her hair. “I think it was more to do with the magnitude of the vow.”
Her worried eyes turned to meet mine. Guilt furrowed her brow.
“Still, this is all because of me,” she said, throwing her lovely face into her hands in despair.
My hand continued to caress her in an attempt to comfort. “No, baby, it’s not. If you had married into a normal family… Hell, if you’d married a human…” The word choked me as my own sense of responsibility lay on my shoulders.
Cassandra sat up quickly, her eyes whipping up to meet my gaze.
“Don’t you ever let me hear you say that, Deo Ambrosia. You are more human and a better man than most of the male population, powers or not. Wolf or not. I would choose you again and again.” She spoke with passion, her words adamant.
“But would you choose this life for yourself?” I asked quietly, tucking an auburn tendril behind her ear.
Momentarily lost in thought, Cassandra’s gaze traveled to the fire burning in our hearth. “It’s strange,” she mused. “Most say I was born for the courtroom. But the past few weeks, I’ve never felt more like myself.” A light came into her eyes as she turned to me and said, “During the battle, when my blade hit the demon, I could feel that feeling you talked about—you know when my mind synched with my body?”
“When your body and mind become one,” I answered.
It was how my wife felt when she quieted her mind, allowing her instincts to control her moves. I felt the same when I transformed into my spirit animal. Later, Draco had given me a full account of Cassandra’s every move during the battle. Draco told me the purple haze had surrounded her for almost the entire duration of our fight. I had no doubt my wife had experienced a prolonged stay in this state.
“It was euphoric. You know me, my mind never stops whirring.” Cassandra fell silent for a moment. Slowly she looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine. “I think I was made for this life,” she whispered. “I was made for you, for Draco… for our family, our pack. It’s the most important vow you can make, isn’t it?” she mused. “Promising your life to another?”
“Yes,” I said, bending to place a kiss upon her lips, my heart so full of love. “Of course, that means that you, young lady, will have to obey both your mates or else face having a hot ass.”
A beautiful flush painted her face and she smiled. “But I’m a much more obedient woman now. I doubt that will be a problem.”
My bark of laughter had her mouth dropping open and me shaking my head. “You are just too cute,” I said, easily capturing the hand she lifted to swat at me and bringing it to my lips. Tsking, I grinned. “I have no doubt you’ll be over my knees as well as Draco’s far more often than you think.” Bending my head, I gave her a soft kiss. “Cassandra, you are a special woman and we are both honored to be able to call you ours. I love you. Draco loves you. Can you love us both? Can you trust us to keep you safe, to make sure you know that you are everything to us? Can you accept that once you make this choice, you will have two men to discipline you, to accept your penance, to forgive you—to make love to you? You would need to obey, to submit to us both equally. If you can, then take this step with us. But know, that once we make the vow, the three of us will become one—for the rest of our lives.”
When she spoke, there was a shy smile on her red lips. “Yes, I am honored to make this vow with you and Draco. I am willing to embrace this new lifestyle, because, yes, I love you both.”
“Then it shall be done. We will make our vows together, it will mark a new beginning.”
“A new beginning.” Her eyes turned to mine, her gaze hungry for my affections.
I brought my lips to hers. Kissing my wife, I murmured over her contented sighs, “On that night, you shall be tied to the bed and spanked by both your mates, claimed by us both as well. We want to start out on the right foot.” She swooned as I trailed a line of biting kisses down the curve of her neck. “After all,” I murmured, “none of us ever make the same mistake twice.”
Later, as I held my sleeping wife in my arms, I stared up at the blue moon hanging bright and low in the inky sky. White stars dotted the vastness surrounding it. The second full moon of the month, it was fitting it was the Blue Moon welcoming us on our return home from a seemingly impossible adventure.
The same moon my ancestors had slept beneath, plotting, planning their survival, holding their dear ones to their heart, as I did now.
There was still so much to teach my Cassandra. So much more for my pack and me to learn of the ancient ways of the Ambrosias. I loathed the idea of my wife being in danger, but I was no longer alone. I’d share that worry with Draco—a man I trusted with my very soul. And having Cassandra by my side, her mind, her spirit, I knew now I could be the leader I was born to be.
Together, we would be victorious. My mind was not focused on defeating the dark as they come to attack. My mind was focused on the breaking of the curse. I swore, with my lifeblood, I would be amongst the final generation of Ambrosias to face this darkness.
The End