Epilogue

I stood in the front of the ballroom as Connor grinned at me. Soft music was playing and the ballroom was packed to capacity. The doors opened and everyone turned simultaneously to catch a glimpse of her.

Finley walked towards me as Archer held her hand and Griffin held her other hand. He had just started walking and his happiness was bubbling over. I couldn’t breathe properly as I looked at them, the two people that I loved the most in this world.

“Members of the Woods Clowder, friends and guests, welcome to this auspicious occasion as our Alpha takes and acknowledges his true fated half for all to see. We gather here tonight to join these two in our sacred union by accepting each other as bonded halves for the rest of their lives,” Elder Matthews said as he welcomed our guests and started the ceremony.

Elder Matthews had been appointed as one of our Elders just a month ago and I was surprised that I really liked him as he proved his loyalty and his worth to all of us.

“By joining your blood and accepting the sacred vows you will unite this clowder as two leaders equal to each other, to rule side by side to the best of your abilities, to give each what the other needs, to be the lesser one in times of war, to protect and to love, to nourish and cherish for all your days,” he said.

“I do,” Finley answered.

“I do,” I said.

“With this cut I will now mix your blood so that you may strengthen each other and for Finley Blake to be recognized as the Lady of this clowder,” he said.

We raised our palms upwards and he made a swift cut across our hands and we turned them simultaneously for our blood to drop into the goblet below. When it was half filled he looked up at us and smiled broadly before handing the goblet to Finley.

“By drinking this blood I acknowledge and accept Damon Woods as my eternal mate, the responsibilities that are his shall now also be mine,” Finley said and drank half of the contents.

“By drinking this blood I acknowledge and accept Finley Blake as my eternal mate, the responsibilities that are hers shall now also be mine,” I said and emptied the goblet.

“Your bond will now be strengthened since you’ve already marked her,” Elder Matthews said and I could feel it flow between us.

Finley gripped my hand as the bond of the clowder snapped in place for her and I recognized the shared bond as the clowder members all took a knee as they accepted Finley as their Lady.

“It is done, I give you Lady Finley and Alpha Damon Woods,” Elder Matthews said as loud applause broke out and we turned around to look at our clowder. The mark on her shoulder glowed lightly and I gently squeezed her hand as she smiled at me.

We were bombarded by family and clowder members as Archer pushed forward and enveloped her in a tight hug. Kat was in my arms as well and she was crying as she looked up at me.

“Mom and Dad would be very proud of you,” she said.

“They’d be proud of you too. Archer’s a good man,” I said to her.

“I know,” she said and smiled at me.

“Am I allowed to congratulate the Lady of this clowder?” Connor asked me and I laughed but nodded my head.

“Lady Finley, it is my honor to welcome you into our clowder and my duty from here on out to ensure your safety. Congratulations,” Connor said as he kissed her cheek while watching me.

“Thank you, Connor,” she said and hugged him tightly as I pulled Axel back before he growled at them.

“Now I’d like to dance with my wife,” I said as I pushed Connor away from her as he laughed softly.

I led Finley to the dance floor and pulled her towards me as she rested her head against my chest. It felt like home, Finley was home and I was at peace, finally. Everything felt right and I wasn’t planning on ever letting go of it.

“I love you, Damon,” she whispered and I smiled once again.

“I love you, always,” I said as I tilted her face upwards and kissed her as the clowder around us cheered and clapped.

“Alpha Woods,” I heard the familiar voice and I looked up.

“Oracle Bloom,” I said and bowed my head.

“Congratulations on choosing the path that Fate had decided for you. Finley was always the right choice,” she said to me.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Traditionally I should wait until his tenth birthday, but his fate has been shown to me already,” she said as she looked at Griffin.

“What is his fate?” I asked her.

“Perditor…. Custos…” she said as my eyes widened.

“Both?” I asked her.

“It seems so, his choices will lead him to his fate,” she said as I looked at her.

“What choices?” I asked her as I stepped forward.

“It cannot be revealed just like your fate wasn’t revealed otherwise the choices will be altered and you cannot mold him to either side, it will be his fate, his decisions, his actions,” she said and disappeared.

My heart was beating loudly in my chest and it took a minute for myself to calm down at hearing Griffin’s fate. A fate I didn’t want for him, one that I had never heard of and it scared me. Looking down at him as he played my heart ached for my son.

“What does that mean?” Finley asked me.

“Perditor is a destroyer and Custos is a guardian,” I said as I looked at her.

“I don’t understand,” she said as she frowned.

“He can become either. His choices in life will lead him to either be a destroyer or a guardian,” I said to her.

To be continued…