In an elvish wedding, there’s a lot of discussion about our bonds, sharing our light, living together for centuries, and much more before the actual ceremony. I'm trying hard to focus, it’s my wedding day after all, but I just can’t seem to. We’re about to start saying our vows when we hear shouting in the hallway. I turn and look at Lord Elas. “Do we need to be concerned?” I ask him. My sword is in my room. I didn’t think I’d have a need for it here. “I’ll go see what this is about. Please continue.” He says. Just as he stands, the doors burst open. “Aolis, WAIT!” It takes me a moment. I’ve never seen Lily look like this. Her hair is a knotted mess, she’s wearing, no, not wearing, covered with what looks like one of the decorations from the hallway and she looks terrified. I pull my hands from Lorelai’s, noticing the tug as she tries to hold on to me. “Lily, what’s happened? Are you okay?” Has she been injured? I don’t smell blood, but what would have put her in this sort of co

When I walked back into the wedding room, Lorelai’s mother is on the alter sitting with her daughter, her arms wrapped around her. “Leave us.” I announce to the room quietly. Lorelai’s eyes raise to mine, and I know that she knows. Lord Elas comes to me as the others begin working their way out of the room. “Prince Aolis, please, we can figure something out.” I glance at him briefly. “I will speak with you after I have spoken to your daughter.” I stand, watching Lorelai until the room empties. When it does, she looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “She’s decided she wants you, hasn’t she?” She asks. “Yes.” She nods. “And you, being you, are willing to accept her, just like that.” “She’s my fated mate, Lorelai.” She stands, clasping her hands in front of her. “Why now? Why, when you had finally let her go, does she get to have this sway in your life?” It’s a good question for anyone that hasn’t found their fated mate. But I found mine. You can’t explain how much you feel fo

That night, I dreamt of Lily again. This time, my mind took me back to when she was still a baby. I was in Safe Haven. The Guardians were working with my father to practice their Guardian gifts and see how they could work together to get stronger. I had told Cara and Rik what Lily was to me and they felt comfortable leaving her in my care. I had never cared for a baby before, but this was my mate. I would not only make sure she was safe, warm and had a full belly, but I would protect her, no matter what. I may have only been ten years old at the time, but even then I was stronger than a normal elf or wolf my age. I remember walking her around the pack house. She had gotten fussy and I took her outside, showing her the garden that had been brought to life by the sprites. I had been so engrossed in my mate’s sweet little sounds and how her eyes were tracking the plants, even at her young age, that I had failed to notice what was going on around me. When I walked to the back of the pac

As soon as I walk into the breakfast room, I’m assaulted. “How could you! How could you make a mockery of me by making the fields, the forest and the mountains bloom?” Lorelai yells. “I cannot control my emotions in my sleep, Lorelai.” I say to her. “Have you no respect for me?” She asks, slapping her hand against my chest. “Of course, I do. This was not intentional.” “But thoughts of me never did that.” She scoffs, pointing outside. “And she’s not even here. I know, I asked my guards. She left yesterday and still, I wake to this insult.” “Lorelai, I did not intend to insult you.” “How? How Aolis. Explain it to me. How can she have this kind of impact on you when she’s not even here?” By the end, she’s screaming at me. “Lorelai.” Her mother says, trying to calm her. “No, mother. I want to know. I want to know how a child has so much power over our Prince.” “Watch yourself, Lorelai.” I say and my voice has gone hard. “Or what, Aolis? You’ll leave me at the alter? You’ll embar

The day after Lorelai screamed at me, I didn’t see her. Rather than stay inside the castle, I went out into the town. The people didn’t outright shun me, but they weren’t receptive to me either. They were as polite as they had to be. My favorite part of the day was when I could speak to Lily at night. I would listen to her day, the stories of the happenings in her life and it was like nothing had changed between us. I was her confidant, her home. And now, she was mine. While I didn’t want to worry her, I needed to be honest that things here were not good. She has asked me every day if she needs to come, to protect me and I decline. While I would love nothing more than to have my mate here, I know that will only make things worse. Plus, Guardian or no, I won’t put my mate’s life in danger. After saying goodnight to Lily, I lay in bed, thinking of what our life will be like when I return to Araphyra. I’ve just about fallen asleep when I hear the doorknob on my door turn and the door c