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"Like a king who's found his queen," Bertram replied. "And like a man who might tear the island apart if he has to wait one minute longer."

Seraphina laughed, picturing Orion pacing impatiently on the beach, his powerful body restless, and those intense gray eyes scanning the path from the castle. Their mate bond allowed her to sense his anticipation, his desire, and his absolute certainty that she was his destiny.

"Well," she said, gathering her bouquet, "we shouldn't keep him waiting."

Seraphina's heart pounded wildly as she stood at the end of the path leading from the castle. Before her, two hundred guests sat in white chairs adorned with silver ribbons and stargazer lilies that lined a pathway of scattered rose petals leading to a flower-draped archway. Beyond that, the ocean stretched endlessly, its azure surface catching the golden light of the setting sun on this final day of the year—December 31st. The perfect ending, and the perfect beginning.

Her fingers tightened around her bouquet, a collection of white lilies and stargazer orchids interspersed with sprigs of lavender and baby's breath. The sapphire necklace Orion had gifted her three weeks ago rested against her collarbone, its cool weight a reminder of his first attempt to win her heart and how far they'd come since that awkward offering.

She took in a deep breath, inhaling the salt air mingled with the fragrance of flowers, and then her gaze found him.

Orion stood tall and regal at the end of the aisle, his broad shoulders encased in a tailored black suit that emphasized his powerful physique. His dark hair was styled neatly, his sharp jawline was accentuated by his neatly trimmed beard, and those intense gray eyes—those eyes that had seen centuries pass—were fixed solely on her.

The moment their eyes locked, the bond between them flared, a vibrant pulse of emotion that nearly stole her breath. Need. Devotion. Possessiveness. Love. All these and more flowed from him to her, almost overwhelming in their intensity.

"Oh," she whispered, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

"You look magnificent, my dear," Bertram said, stepping to her side and offering his arm. The elder's eyes crinkled with genuine affection, his weathered face a picture of paternal pride. "Are you ready to make an old king very happy?"

She nodded, blinking rapidly to clear the emotional haze. "I'm ready."

Music swelled—a quartet playing a melody that Orion had insisted was part of ancient pack tradition—and the guests rose to their feet. At the front, Orion stood straighter, his shoulders squaring as if preparing for battle. But as Bertram led her forward, Seraphina noticed something she'd never expected to see: moisture gathering in those steely eyes.

Her own eyes welled up in response. The big, fierce alpha, her warrior, her protector, was fighting tears.

"He's been waiting a long time for you," Bertram whispered as they approached the halfway point. "I've never seen him like this."

The walk seemed both eternal and far too brief. With each step, memories flashed through her mind—their first meeting on the Miami beach, their first kiss on his private beach in the bright sunlight, and their first run together as wolves on that same beach beneath a big and bright moon. Three weeks that had changed everything.

When they reached the arch, Bertram placed her hand in Orion's much larger one. His fingers closed around hers with gentle possessiveness, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a subtle caress that sent a delicious shiver through her.

"Finally," Orion murmured, his deep voice rough with barely contained emotion.

The officiant—Chance, sporting a grin that threatened to split his face—began the ceremony, but Seraphina barely heard the words. All she could focus on was Orion, his presence, his scent, the heat radiating from his body, and the electricity that sparked where their skin touched.

When the time came for vows, Orion spoke without notes. "Seraphina. My Luna." His fingers tightened on hers. "For four hundred years, I've ruled alone, convinced that power and duty were enough. I was a fool." He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You've shown me that strength comes not just from control, but from connection. From vulnerability. From love."

His eyes brimmed with emotion. "I vow to protect you with every breath in my body. I vow to cherish you with every beat of my heart. I vow to be not just your king, but your partner, your lover, and your friend. For as long as the stars shine above us, you will never walk alone."

Tears spilled freely down Seraphina's cheeks. She had prepared vows, had written and rewritten them a dozen times,but in this moment, looking up at this powerful man who had claimed her so completely, the carefully crafted words fled her mind.

"Orion," she began, her voice trembling. "Three weeks ago, I was lost—a woman with powers I didn't understand in a world that suddenly made no sense. You found me. You showed me who I truly am." She reached up to touch the sapphire at her throat. "I was afraid of belonging to anyone, of being possessed. But now I know that belonging to you means finding my true self."

Her voice strengthened. "I vow to stand beside you, to support you, and to challenge you when you need it. I vow to be your Luna, your wife, and your partner in all things. I may have only known you three weeks, but my soul recognizes yours across lifetimes."

A rumble of approval rose from Orion's chest, and for a moment, the wolf showed in his eyes—possessive, primal, and proud.

Chance cleared his throat. "The rings?"

They exchanged bands—a band of hammered platinum with a subtle engraving of wolf paws running its circumference for him and a delicate band of platinum set with tiny sapphires and diamonds that complemented her sapphire necklace for her.

"By the power vested in me by, well, this guy right here," Chance grinned, nodding at Orion, "I pronounce you husband and wife, Alpha and Luna, King and Queen of the Starlight pack. You may kiss your bride—although I'm sure nobody here could stop you if they tried."

Orion's hands framed her face, his touch surprisingly gentle for a man of such strength. "Mine," he whispered, the single word carrying the weight of centuries of waiting.

"Yours," she agreed, rising onto her toes to meet him halfway.

His lips claimed hers in a kiss that quickly ignited into something more—a promise, a claim, and a declaration to everyone present that she was his and he was hers, now and forever. His arms wrapped around her, lifting her slightly off the ground as the cheers of the pack surrounded them.