(Catherine POV)The woman who'd arrived at this castle months ago felt like stranger whose choices I could barely remember making. She'd been so afraid—of the unknown, of losing whatever identity she'd managed to claim, of being consumed by forces beyond her understanding or control.That Catherine had seen captivity where I now saw sanctuary, had felt trapped by circumstances where I'd learned to find freedom in connection that honored rather than diminished who I chose to become.I thought of Mother's letters, of family obligations that had once seemed like chains binding me to life that had never quite fit properly. The guilt I'd carried about choosing my happiness over their immediate comfort had faded as I'd come to understand that love sometimes meant trusting people you cared about to build their own paths toward whatever fulfillment they could find.Father would recover from the guilt that had been consuming him—Kieran's gold would ensure their material comfort, and time would
(Dual POV)(Kieran's POV)I woke to sunlight streaming through windows that had never held such peaceful quiet, to the weight of Catherine's head on my chest where it belonged as naturally as breathing. Her dark hair spilled across my skin like silk given substance, and for the first time in twenty-seven years, morning brought anticipation rather than the careful assessment of threats that might require immediate attention.The world outside our chambers was whole. No supernatural tensions pulling at pack dynamics, no territorial disputes demanding diplomatic navigation, no curse driving wedges between what I wanted and what duty required. Just... peace. The kind of stillness I'd forgotten was possible when connection became choice rather than desperate claiming.(Catherine's POV)The arm around my waist was warm and solid and utterly real in ways that made the previous night feel like dream I might have imagined if not for the tenderness in muscles that had covered impossible distan
(Catherine POV)The wolves emerged from shadows like materialization of moonlight given form, their massive shapes flanking us with synchronized precision that spoke of choreography practiced over generations. But this wasn't performance—this was family, pack bonds expressing themselves through movement that required no conscious coordination to achieve perfect unity.Lucas ran point, his gray-furred form cutting through underbrush with efficiency that cleared paths for those who followed. Elena and Marcus flanked our group, their attention focused outward toward threats that might challenge pack activities rather than inward toward whatever ceremony we were fulfilling. Thomas and the twins wove through trees with liquid grace, their younger energy finding expression through leaps and bounds that would have looked like showing off if not for the obvious joy that drove their movements.Through the bond, I could feel their emotions as clearly as my own—satisfaction at successful cere
(Catherine POV)Kieran's hand was warm in mine as he led me toward the forest edge, our fingers interlaced with the easy intimacy that had developed since the mating ceremony completed whatever connection had been building between us for months. The pack dispersed around us with liquid grace, some already shifting into forms that belonged more to moonlight than civilization, others maintaining human shape but moving with predatory fluidity that spoke of barely contained wildness."Are you ready for this?" he asked, pausing at the treeline where ancient paths wound deeper into territory that had never known human habitation. His golden eyes held anticipation mixed with something that looked like concern—not for my safety, but for my reaction to whatever I was about to experience.The traditional first run. Lucas had explained it during the ceremony preparations, how newly mated pairs raced through pack territory under the full moon's light, how the experience bound couples together in
(Kieran POV)The ancient words felt strange on my tongue despite decades of witnessing these ceremonies, weighted with significance that personal experience couldn't fully prepare anyone to understand. But I spoke them clearly, letting my voice carry across clearing where my pack waited to witness bond that would reshape our collective future."Catherine Montgomery," I said, using her full name because ceremony demanded formal acknowledgment of who she had been before choosing transformation. "I offer you my protection, my strength, my life itself in service of bond that will tie our souls together beyond death, beyond time, beyond any force that might seek to part what we join here tonight."The words echoed off ancient stones, absorbed by earth that had heard similar vows spoken by generations of alphas who'd understood the weight of what they were undertaking. But none of them had offered bond to human mate, had navigated territories where biology itself became negotiable rather
(Kieran POV)The clearing had been sacred to my family for generations, a natural amphitheater carved from living rock where ancient trees formed cathedral walls beneath stars that had witnessed ceremonies older than human memory. Tonight it hummed with power that went beyond mere moonlight—energy that spoke of bonds being forged, destinies being claimed, futures being written in languages that predated spoken word.My pack moved through final preparations with reverent efficiency, each member understanding their role in rituals that would bind Catherine to our family permanently. Torches burned in iron sconces that had been blessed by alphas whose names were carved in stones that marked territorial boundaries. Flowers gathered from gardens that bloomed out of season perfumed air thick with anticipation that felt like electricity before storms.But more than the physical preparations, I could sense the emotional weight settling over everyone present. This wasn't just ceremonial ackno