This is it. Don’t panic. You know what to do.

Mia smiled and started to walk as the music began to play. It was surreal. Everyone in the church was all dressed up and staring at her as she made her way down the aisle. She’d never been the focal point of anything like this, but now she was. All eyes were on her. Even though this was her special day and everyone was here to celebrate her union with Jack, it was still nerve-wracking, but in a beautiful way.

She had to keep it together and remember that everything was going to be perfect. It was perfect because that beautiful, caring, wonderful man who had chosen to spend his life with her was right at the end of the aisle, waiting for her to come to him. He was the only thing that mattered—not the flowers, not the beautifully decorated cake, and not the thousands of dollars that had gone into the wedding.

Jack looked striking in his black tuxedo, standing in front of the minister. He had the sweetest look on his face, with soft eyes and a half-smile spread across his lips. His eyes were filled with love and happiness.

Mia reached the end of the aisle and took her place next to Jack. Her heart skipped a beat—she had never been so happy.

Mia had dreamt of her wedding day since she was a child, and everything had gone just the way she’d imagined. Jack had told her that money was no object, and every time she’d try to cut corners, Jack would smile and talk her into getting exactly what she wanted. The man was going to spoil her rotten, and Mia was not one to complain.

* * *

The next morning, Mia and Jack boarded their international flight to France for their honeymoon. Jack had let Mia pick the destination, and she couldn’t imagine a more romantic place than Paris, the city of love.

That night was going to be extra special, and Mia was both nervous and excited.

After a wonderful dinner, the newlyweds headed back to their hotel room. Neither one of them spoke as they contemplated what was about to take place.

Jack closed the hotel room door behind them and locked it before slowly sliding the straps of Mia’s dress down her shoulders. Her dress fell and pooled at her feet, allowing her to step out of it.

As she stood in only a pair of red stilettos and red lace panties, Jack’s eyes traveled from her face to her chest, down to her abdomen, and finally to her legs, taking in every inch of her.

Mia stepped towards Jack and unbuttoned his shirt. Then she helped him to remove his pants and boxers in one quick motion. His hard body was warm and inviting, and she couldn’t wait to feel his hot skin pressed up against hers.

But first, they had something else they needed to do.

“Are you sure?” Jack asked as he gently stroked the side of her face with his hand.

Mia swallowed. “Yes. I’m definitely sure.”

“You can’t take it back once it’s done,” he reminded her.

“I know. I want it,” Mia replied.

Jack leaned forward to kiss her, and he laid her down on the bed while he climbed partially on top of her, his lips still pressing against hers. He worked his kisses from her mouth over to her neck and then onto her shoulder, where his mouth lingered for a moment.

He kissed her shoulder sweetly, lovingly. Then he took a breath, opened his mouth, and bit deeply into her flesh.

Mia gasped with the pain, though it only hurt for a second. After that, she didn’t feel anything except his fangs moving inside the wound, but the pain she expected was just not there. Instead, an overwhelming peace came over her, and she was able to breathe and relax into it.

Jack had just given her a gift. He had always referred to it as a curse, but in that moment, for Mia, it was a gift. She would be like him—she could better understand his wants and needs, and live a longer life in her youthful body alongside her husband.

When the next full moon after Aaron had bitten her came and went without the change coming over her, Mia and Jack had both breathed a sigh of relief. Jack had explained that her dream regarding her relationship with Aaron might have come from him biting her, but the wound had not been deep enough to make her a werewolf.

As time went on, Mia found herself regretting that the bite hadn’t been enough, that she would not be a wolf like Jack. It meant that she would die one day, and yet Jack would continue living. He would watch her grow old while he slowly aged.

After Jack had proposed to her, Mia had made up her mind, realizing that she wanted to be with him forever. It took some convincing. At first, Jack refused. He did not want anyone burdened by the secret he’d had to struggle with his whole life.

But she had finally made him realize that it was her decision to accept the change, and she never wanted to leave his side.

As Jack pulled away from her, she saw a smile on his face. Mia looked at the wound he’d just made on her shoulder. She expected to see blood pouring out of it, but to her amazement, her skin healed within seconds.

Mia kissed Jack softly on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you,” he replied.

“You’d better, because you can’t get rid of me now,” Mia joked.

Jack kissed her once again. “You’re the only thing I want in this life.”

She pressed her lips to his, grinning into the kiss. At last, Mia was exactly where she was meant to be.

* * *