It was the afternoon of the Summer Solstice, and Prim, now five months pregnant, helped Visena, Eve, and Nairi get ready for their mating ceremony. Their mates stayed at Praelia with the other unmated wolves of age, preparing for the occasion.

"Just put it on and stop complaining. It won't be for long anyway!"

"It just feels impractical wearing a flowy gown when we're running for our lives."

"Fucking hell, Eve, stop being so dramatic. You've wanted Thyra to mark you for months!"

"Yes," Nairi remarked, adjusting her neckline to show her ample cleavage and toned upper abs. "I cannot wait a moment longer. If Liam doesn't mark me tonight, I will have to kill him."

Visena rolled her eyes at both women. "Why are you both being so... so horny?"

Prim chuckled. "For most wolves, the mating pull is insanely strong, and they mark each other quickly, which you couldn't do because of your pack positions. Of course, maybe it's because you're only half-wolf, so it isn't so bad."

"Whatever you say..."

"Excuse me, Alpha Queen?" A small voice asked from the doorway.

The familiar face smiled demurely, and Visena grinned at the welcome intrusion."Zahrah! It's so good to see you! Cassia's just playing in her room next door."

Zahrah looked much healthier and stronger after months of training with the Praelia wolves. She looked more confident, too, making eye contact with Visena with less discomfort.

Visena approached her and clasped her borderline clammy hands. "She will need a bottle, brushed teeth, a book, then bed. Liam has her bedtime ritual sorted, so they're trying to keep it the same each night..."

"Sounds wonderful. I'm happy to watch over her." 

Nairi narrowed her eyes at Zahrah. "You don't want to join in on the hunt?"

The woman blushed. "I wouldn't know what to do if I caught any of you... No thanks, I'd much rather spend the night watching over Cassia."

"Yes, well, please take care of her. And give her a kiss from me."

Visena almost melted watching Nairi and Cassia's relationship grow. The little girl trusted the new Beta immediately, and one night during bathtime, Visena overheard her calling Nairi: mama. It was no surprise when the couple asked permission to adopt the cherub. With tears in her eyes, Visena responded with a resounding yes! She took great joy in becoming Cassia's godmother.

The sun dipped snugly in the treeline while the moon rose above them. Full and partially eclipsed. The astrological events had the forest coming alive. Visena could feel the magic in the air as thundering paws sounded in the distance.

"They must be ready for you now. Quickly, get to the forest's edge. Everyone knows the rules, right? You must stay inside the Invictus boundaries for safety. And don't make it easy on your mates either. Hina is said to bless the mates that show the most perseverance and courage."

"I think I've been blessed more than enough," Visena said under her breath. She still wouldn't go easy on Gideon. She loved hide and seek.

The women jogged over to the tree line as the scratching of paws, and lusty growls grew louder.

"Go now," Prim whispered. "Good luck, and don't come back here until dawn. Go!"

With one last smile at her most trusted friends, Visena bunched her chiffon gown in her fists and sprinted barefoot into the darkening woods. Eve and Nairi went in opposite directions with excited laughs while Visena suppressed her giddiness, heading to her favourite spot. She had almost made it to the pond when dozens of howls ripped through the trees. 

They were coming.

With one last look at her flowing sapphire dress, Visena waded into the pond, pebbles, mud and guppies disturbed by her sudden entrance. The water was deeper than she expected, and by the time she reached the middle, it covered her breasts. Nevertheless, the water Fae felt at home in the small pond and lowered herself until only her head remained above the water. 

Growls and snarls suddenly echoed around her. 

Dammit, so soon? 

With a lungful of air, Visena lowered herself entirely beneath the surface and floated down to the pond bed, lying on her back. She steadily released a stream of air to stop herself from bobbing back up. It was serene beneath the surface. Her eyes quickly adjusted and she watched the tadpoles curiously observing her from their safe havens of pond plants and slimy boulders.

Her vision darkened as the remaining oxygen left her lungs, and water replaced it. Esmerelda could breathe underwater, but Queen Cecelia told Visena to never attempt it because of her 'muddied heritage'. 

It was painful at first; her lungs burned and ached from the pond water, but soon, it felt as easy as sleeping. She lost all concept of time, and no sound reached her ears but the slowing beat of her heart. I could sleep here. She could close her eyes and let the pond hold her in its embrace. Forever and a day. Just when her eyes were about to close for the last time in maybe a century, clawed hands latched onto her forearms and dragged her to the surface. 

The transition from cool water to humid air sickened Visena; liquid flowed from her mouth in a steady stream as she tried to breathe oxygen again.

"What were you thinking? Are you okay? You look different..." Gideon searched his mate's face as she finally stopped coughing. 

The skin of the Fae's legs had a strange sheen and scale-like texture, which she hid beneath her dress. "I'm fine. You found me!" Pushing down an uncharacteristic fury churning in her chest, Visena leaned into her mate's hands, which caressed her cheek.

"Your hair is black," Gideon whispered, brows furrowed. "It's turning silver again."

Visena hopped from foot to foot awkwardly. "It's my true Fae form... It's kind of ugly. Let's talk about it later. Where are all the other wolves?" 

I didn't know I could still do that.

The shift into a scaly water demon hadn't happened since childhood in Celeritas. If she spent long enough in the water, indigo, azure scales, white eyes and raven hair embellished her body. After terrorising half of the creatures in Celeritas, she vowed to avoid that form at all costs. The effects on her emotions were less than desirable too.

"It's been three hours. Everyone's gone home except for us." The blood and dirt striping Gideon's front seemed to tell a story of a battle.

"Did anyone challenge you?"

"Some wanted to, but they just couldn't seem to disrespect you that way." He looked down at his muddied torso. "This was from Jed. Idiot jumped me before I entered the forest to give everyone else a head start." Despite his insult, Gideon's smile for his brother illuminated the darkness around them.

The silence grew slightly awkward as the seconds ticked on.

Visena worried she had killed the mood, but when she met her mate's eyes again, they were glowing.

She turned to run away when he gripped her waist and spun her against him. "No more hiding or running. You're mine, now and forever. Fae Princess or Wolf Queen, I don't care."

Her heart pounded, and without a second thought, she slammed her lips against his, kissing him like he was the only thing keeping her alive. His warm hands slid against the wet chiffon fabric, outlining every dip and curve of her body. When his fingers brushed against her nipples, she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth and swirled her tongue across it. His tongue danced out to meet hers, and they felt the electricity rising between them. 

As the lunar eclipse shone at its peak, Visena felt spurred to complete the bond. Or maybe it's Hina. The warm air spun around the pair, soothing Visena's skin as her dress fell to the floor, revealing her naked body. "Are you ready?" she asked breathlessly.

"I've been wanting this from the moment I met you," Gideon replied, taking off his briefs and lifting his mate into his arms. They walked to a dry spot and lay down, Gideon hovering above his mate. The sounds of the other couples marking each other in the distance had Visena blushing all over. Erotic and rather confronting. 

"Will it hurt like when Zeir bit me?"

Gideon's head drooped with guilt, "It shouldn't hurt, no."

Visena placed her fingers over his lips to stop any apologies from pouring forth and reached her other hand to brush against his inner thigh. He hardened immediately and placed himself at her dampening entrance. Then, after lowering his head to her shoulder, she raised her mouth to his, growing the canines in her jaw. 

With a steady thrust, the pair joined together. Visena's teeth latched to Gideon's muscular lat, and the sweet taste of his blood coated her lips. The growing pleasure between her legs dulled the sharp slice in her shoulder. She had never felt like she would climax so quickly before as she retracted her fangs and dug her nails into a mattress of leaves. "Fuck!" 

The tether between them lit on fire as their mind link formed. Every emotion and stray thought shot straight through the link and had both mates flushing as they reached their peak. The brief sounds of helicopter blades and dull popping only briefly infiltrated their clouded minds before a scream tore through Visena and her body shuddered beneath her perfect mate. Everybody probably heard that... Oh well.

I love you, Visena Sage. His voice rang like a bell in her head, bolstered by feelings of pure adoration. His frame appeared larger, too, aura radiating a regal strength as he gazed down upon her. The prophecy? Visena had long forgotten the Witch Councils declaration, but under Gideon's eye, she felt complete. 

I love you too, Gideon Steel. 

~~~

A/N

Hope you liked this one - another kinda sexy chapter without a warning - forgive me *crying face* 

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K