Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two
Avery turned to face them. Her mates moved closer to the center, forming a protective arc around her. She looked at them - Riven, Lucien, Molly, Kael - and smiled. They saw everything in her eyes. The prophecy, the power, the future, the peace. They smiled back. Avery lifted her chin. Her aura brightened. Her voice filled the hall, “Now we can sign the treaty.” Silence fell. Avery stepped forward, sure and steady, “From this day forward… there will be peace.” The hall erupted - not in chaos, but in relief. In hope. In unity. The Treaty of Peace was signed. And Avery - heir of the realm, sovereign of magic, protector of all species - stood at the center of it all, her mates beside her, the future finally open and bright.
The treaty was signed. The hall erupted in relief - cheers, tears, embraces, the sound of centuries of tension finally breaking. But Avery didn’t stay to witness it. She and her mates vanished. A ripple of ancient magic folded around them, and in the blink of an eye, they materialized somewhere entirely new. A space Avery created just for them. Warm, quiet, safe. A sanctuary woven from her magic and her heart. Soft lights glowed around them. A gentle breeze drifted by them. The air smelled faintly of jasmine and cedar - the scents her mates loved most.
They stood together in the center of the space, still holding onto the last threads of the summit’s intensity. Avery turns to them, voice soft, “Talk to me. How are you feeling? With the power shift… with everything?” Riven exhales slowly, rolling his shoulder, “ Stronger, sharper. Like my magic finally fits.” Lucien nods, “And connect. To you. To the realm. To each other.” Molly presses a hand to her chest, “It’s like the world is humming. And we can hear it.” Kael grins faintly, “I feel like I could punch a mountain.”
Avery laughs - the first real laugh she’d had in days. They talked for a long time. About the prophecy. About the treaty. About the extremists. About the future. About what they wanted to build now that peace was possible. They talked until the magic in the space softened, until their breathing synced, until the weight of the summit finally lifted from their shoulders.
Back in the hall, those who had been separated began to squabble. Some shouted about injustice. Some demanded their magic back. Some insisted they were loyal. Some tried to blame others.
Auron - Avery’s bio dad - stepped forward, voice booming through the hall, “ENOUGH!” His brother, the King of Werewolves, joins him, “Order will be maintained. The sovereign has spoken.”
The hall quieted. Council members who had been unbound began sorting files, opening investigations, reviewing magical signatures and emotional readings. Riven’s parents coordinated transportation for the accused - secure, warded, efficient. Lucien’s parents organized the holding facilities. None of them would allow extremists to regain power. None of them would allow corruption to take root again. None of them would fail their children.
Those who needed judgement would face it. Those who needed daily clarity would receive it. Those who deserved pardons would be given them - with restrictions, at first. The Trials of the Millenia were about to begin. And the realms were ready.
Avery and her mates returned to their cottage - not the dorm apartment - the home they helped build together. Warm lights glowed through the windows. The scent of fresh bread drifted from the kitchen. The sound of voices filled the air. All of her parents were there, Remy and Auron, Mark and Elena, Riven’s parents, Luciens’s parents, Molly’s family, Kael’s clan. And outside - the sound of cars arriving, dragon wings beating the air, teleportation sigils flaring to life.
Everyone was coming. To see them, to support them, to make sure they were steady, whole, and safe. Avery stepped through the door and was immediately enveloped in hugs - warm tight, relieved. Her parents touched her face, her hair, her hands, checking her like she was something precious returned from war. Her mates were pulled into embraces as well - proud parents, tearful sib;ings, relieved guardians. The cottage filled with laughter, with tears, with the sound of family. And beneath it all…
A quiet hope. A soft whisper. A shared glance between parents. A wondering smile. A thought none of them dared say aloud - Maybe something bundle-like is on the horizon….
Avery felt her mates’ warmth and her back. She felt her parents’ love in front of her. She felt the realm humming softly beneath her feet. Peace had come. And the future - bright, open, full of possibility - waited just beyond the door..
The End