Epilogue

Saffron was nervous, and she had no idea why.

There was absolutely no reason whatsoever for her to feel this way. It was just an official mating ceremony to mark her as a member of Blood Moon Pack, and heir to Silver Moon Pack.

Today, she was being crowned as the Pack’s new Luna, and though it had never been something she had wanted or even thought was possible, Saffron had accepted it just as easily as she had accepted Ryder as her mate.

She had known this part was coming, and she no longer feared the change that came with it.

It was real, and it was forever. And with Ryder by her side, she knew that everything was going to be okay.

She walked out of Ryder’s cabin and took the path that led to the main cabin, not bothering to even pay attention to where she was going.

She had walked down the same path hundreds of times, so it felt instinctual, like second nature, except now, she no longer feared attacks that could come to her from unexpected places.

And when she finally made it to the door that led inside the cabin, she paused on the threshold and smoothed her hands over the sheer fabric of her dress.

The first time she had seen the main cabin, she had been forced into it, bound and helpless against those that held her captive.

But today, she walked into it as a free woman, a werewolf about to partake in a mating ceremony that tripled as a wedding and also a crowning.

Butterflies exploded in her belly, filling her up with melancholic yet sweet energy as she took the final step toward the large oak doors.

Shivani was waiting for her at the entrance, and when her gaze met Saffron’s, she tilted her wine glass at her, saluting Saffron with a smile. “Long live the Luna.”

‘Long live the Luna,' Saffron’s wolf echoed, eliciting a smile on Saffron’s face.

In the week after their return to Blood Moon Pack, Saffron had worked hard to ensure that her relationship with her wolf was fixed. Though she was still figuring out the ins and outs of being a werewolf, she had found the balance she needed to ensure that both her human and animal needs were met.

She took a deep breath and entered the cabin, surprised to see every member of Blood Moon Pack was present–what has left of it anyway after Ryder had cleaned house. Those loyal to his father had been taken out, and now all that was left were the freed slaves, the werewolves that were loyal to him–and some members of Silver Moon Pack.

Lydia and Kiera cheered for her the hardest, tears streaming down Lydia’s face as she looked up at Saffron with motherly affection, which had Saffron wishing that her mother was there with them too.

But as she looked at the gathering, the people that had come to bear witness to the reunification of two packs that were formerly waging war against each other, she knew that she couldn’t have asked for more, even if she tried.

Zayden de la Vega, the asshole vampire who had tried to use compulsion on her, was also present, along with several members of his clan.

This, she thought, wasn’t just a celebration of her union with her mate and love but also a celebration of the coming together of different factions of supernatural beings.

Where he sat on the throne-like chair, Ryder looked sexy and about ready to tear off the fabric that covered her body to pieces, if the heat in his eyes was any indication.

‘Stop looking at me like that,' she teased through their mind link, a smile playing on her lips as she took her time to get to him.

‘I would if you didn’t look good enough to eat,' he responded inside her head, quirking an eyebrow at her in a dare.

Warmth bloomed against her cheeks as desire struck her hard and fast, his emotions leaking into her as he sent mental images of what he was going to do to her when they were alone.

‘Stop it,' she admonished through the link, unable to stop the images from playing in her mind like they were on a loop, hoping that her arousal hadn’t been scented by the wolves in the room.

She suppressed a groan when Shivani whispered about how everyone could feel the lust coming off of her.

She stepped up to the dais, pinching him on the arm, as she took her seat next to him.

‘You will pay for that later.’

A threat and a promise, but Saffron was ready for it, ready for whatever he was willing to give to her.

‘I look forward to doing that.’ She replied without looking at him.

“My Luna,” he whispered, taking her hand in his and pressing a soft kiss against her fingers.

“My Alpha,” she responded, finally glancing up at him, her eyes a mirror image of his–love, desire, adoration, and intense devotion.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the union between our Alpha Supreme Ryder Oscura and his mate, our Luna Saffron Kessler,” Shivani announced. “This is not just a joining of two mates, but a joining of two great Packs before the eyes of the moon.”

Cheers followed her statement, and tears brimmed in Saffron’s eyes at the love and acceptance both packs showed her now that Ryder’s father was out of the picture.

“Your vows, if you may.”

Ryder and Saffron stood as one and faced each other at Shivani’s words.

“I’m yours forever, Ryder,” she said softly. “Bound to each other by love, fate, and the blessing of the moon.”

“As I am yours,” Ryder responded in kind. “Today, tomorrow, and forever.”

“Saffron Kessler, it is an honor to have you as our Alpha Supreme’s mate and our Luna. I promise to serve and protect you to the best of my capabilities, now and always, until the day I die,” Shivani vowed before she dropped to one knee and bowed her head down in respect.

One by one, every person there, barring the vampires, dropped to their knees and swore fealty to their Luna.

Intense emotions flooded her at the sheer reverence the pack members had shown her. She struggled to keep the tears at bay, but a few stubborn drops rolled down her cheeks, soaking the fabric of her dress.

She looked back at her mate, and she knew that come what may, she now had a family and an army to fight it with her.

She was no longer alone, and that was all that mattered now.

Ryder’s father was still out there, but this time around, when he came back, they would be waiting, and she would rain hell upon him for all the pain and heartache he had caused her and her newfound family.