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“Marry me.”

Her smile didn’t waver, but her eyes went liquid. “Is that a question or an order, Alpha Montgomery?”

“A plea.” He pressed his forehead to hers, voice rougher than he intended. “From a man who’s terrible at asking for things.”

Her kiss tasted like promises and stolen cider. “Of course.”

43

LYRA

It started with a cake tasting.

Which, really, was a lie, because Lyra didn’t taste so much as inhale the entire first tray Calla had brought over.

“I’m just saying,” Lyra mumbled, mouth full of enchanted vanilla-lavender frosting, “if the wedding is just this cake and a nap, I’d still call it a success.”

“You are impossible,” Calla laughed, swatting her arm. “You’re supposed to nibble,notdevour like a pastry-gremlin.”

Lyra shrugged unapologetically, crumbs on her lip. “I’m celebrating. I just got claimed under a full moon by the hottest Alpha in the mountains. I deserve cake.”

Calla smirked. “You deserve a crown.”

“That too.”

Milo, perched on a velvet pillow atop the center table—lifted his head. “Ideserve a crown. And a royal decree naming me Head of Magical Coordination for this ceremony.”

“You’re already wearing three necklaces and a pinecone tiara,” Lyra said.

“Accessories. Not authority.”

Calla rolled her eyes. “I swear if he starts demanding a staff of interns again, I’m putting a silence hex on him.”

Milo blinked. “Rude. Effective. But rude.”

Lyra chuckled, letting the joy soak in. For once, life wasn’t on fire. There were no missing Alphas. No rogue wolves. Just a flurry of white linens, potion-laced champagne plans, and a binder labeledOperation: Moon Mate Matrimony.

It was her binder.

She may have gotten a little carried away.

Okay,a lot.

But Jace hadn’t even blinked when she showed him. Just leaned in, tapped the checklist with his index finger, and murmured, “Whatever makes you happy, Lyra.”

Her heart had done a stupid little flip-flop at that word.

Lyra.

His mate.

Not just some chaos witch from out of town with flair for trouble and a tendency to hex coffee machines.

She washisnow. He was hers.

For eternity.

That afternoon, Lyra stood outside Moonfang Keep’s front garden, watching as several of Jace’s wolves dragged folding chairs through the clearing while Logan argued with a fairy baker about the difference between shimmer sugar and fairy dust.