Page 37 of Amaris Rejected (Stone Mountain Shifters #2)

Amaris

Devon has been steadily improving over the last five months, and although the doctors have given him a clean bill of health, his memory remains the only area where he hasn't fully healed.

While he’s made great strides, we moved him in with me so I can monitor his health. And, we began dating. It’s been nice, and I can feel my heart filling and mending with each passing day because he’s just like he was on the day we met. So full of passion and love, it almost physically hurts when I think of the time we've been robbed of together as a family.

Although I still feel bitter about the past, one thing is clear: Devon’s love for me and Zoe remains unwavering. It’s a beacon in the dark, an eternal flame that pulls me to him, burning steadily despite the storms we’ve endured.

Tonight, Devon asked me out on a date, but not just any date—this one is special. He wants both his girls there, he says. So, Zoe and I are dressed in matching ballgowns: mine is creamy white, while Zoe’s is soft pink. Floral crowns adorn our heads, featuring tiny rosebuds, baby’s breath, and violets in shades of white and pink, making us look like we stepped out of a fairytale.

“Okay, Amaris,” Mom says, “time to put on your blindfold.”

“It’ll ruin my makeup!” I complain. “I promise to keep my eyes closed.”

“Your makeup will be fine,” she replies. “You have waterproof mascara on.” She smiles as Zoe giggles while they tie the blindfold on me.

“Don’t mess up my hair,” I caution, laughing along with them. Three generations of strong females standing right here, and I’m proud of my lineage. We’ve weathered a lot.

“Oh, don’t be such a princess, Amaris,” Mom chuckles.

“What else can we be?” I ask. “Zoe and I are dressed as royalty, so we must play the part. Right, Zoe?”

“Yes!” Zoe shouts excitedly.

“Let’s get you to the festivities,” Mom says. “Take my hand and Zoe’s, and we’ll lead you there.”

I take their hands, and we all walk what feels like the path to the lake. We’re surrounded by silence, only broken by our giggles and quiet chatter. It almost feels sacred. We stop about halfway down the trail. Mom turns me back to face the house and removes my blindfold.

Lining the trail behind us are dozens of candles on either side, casting a soft glow across the moonlit night, which is beautiful.

I gasp, covering my mouth with my hands. “Oh!”

“Turn around,” Mom murmurs.

I obey.

“Now walk to your mate.”

I turn around and see more candles bordering the path that leads to a magical scene. At the end of the illuminated way stands Devon with Zoe by his side. He’s dressed in a tuxedo, down on one knee. In his hand, he holds up a ring box. I literally race down the aisle, nearly knocking him over as I leap into his embrace.

“Whoa!” he laughs, pulling me into a tight hug as he stumbles back slightly. He’s built like a tank, and I'm still barely taller than him even while he's kneeling.

Zoe jumps up and down, shouting, “Marry us, Mama! Marry us!”

Everything fades into the background as Devon brings his hand back up with the ring.

“Amaris, I don’t remember every moment from our past, but I do remember you. I recall how my heart skipped a beat when I first saw you, and I know what it feels like to love you deeply. I’ve hurt you, and though I can’t erase the pain, I can be the man you’ve always deserved. I don’t need to remember the hard times to know that my heart has always been yours. There are no shadows of love for anyone else but you and our children. You gave me a second chance when I didn’t deserve it. You are the one I’ve always wanted, and I refuse to be just your husband on a piece of paper. I want to connect with you in every way.

“So, I ask you now—will you marry me, not just in this life, but also for the next? I promise to cherish every moment, to be the man you deserve, and never to take you or this love for granted again."

“Devon,” she laughs, “we’re already married!”

“Yes, my love, we are,” I remind her. “But we never had a bonding ceremony. “Do you know what today is?”

“No?”

“It’s the anniversary of the day we met, the day we signed those bonding papers, became husband and wife, mates, and created our pups.”

Tears well in my eyes and trail down my cheeks. “Ugh!” I growl. “My makeup.”

“You’re still beautiful,” he says, capturing my mouth with his and pulling me against him as he stands. “So, what do you say? Want to do this tonight?”

“Tonight?” I repeat breathless.

“It’s all set up.” He gestures behind him, and that’s when I see the altar, draped in roses with fairy lights weaving a canopy overhead. The moonlit lake glimmers in the background.

“It’s beautiful,” I sob. “You did all this for me?”

“Yes, love. Now say you’ll marry me,” he pleads.

“Yes,” I whisper, pressing my lips tenderly to his. Shocked, he hesitates only for a moment before eagerly responding.

“Yes,” I sigh, pulling him closer and deepening our connection to get a better taste of him.

“Yes!” I moan, my lips meeting his again, lost in the sensation, making promises I want to keep.

“She said yes!” Devon shouts joyfully.

Laughter and applause, along with a few wolf whistles, erupt around us, and I take in the sight of our friends, family, and packmates gathered in the clearing.

Devon takes the ring from the box and slips it onto my finger; it fits perfectly. “Amaris,” he begins, his voice quiet and almost reverent, “this ring is more than just a symbol of my love for you. It’s an heirloom, passed down through my family from mother to daughter, from one strong woman to the next. It was my mother’s, and before her, it belonged to her mother, and so on for many generations. I was hoping you would wear it, and one day pass it down to our Zoe."

“It’s lovely, Devon,” she sighs. “I’m speechless.” “So, let’s get married, my love.”

“Um, Devon, there’s something I need to share with you,” she says, her gaze filled with apprehension as she looks at me.

“What is it, baby?”

“You know I’d been on an extended course of Amra, the drug that helps with Rejected Mate Syndrome, right?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I’ve discovered another negative side effect,” she says, looking up at me guiltily.

“What’s that?” he asks, worriedly.

“Recent trials show that in some females, it stays in the system long after discontinued use.”

“And why is that a problem for you?”

“It negates birth control,” I admit.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“You know, we became intimate again about a month after getting back together.”

“Yeah,” he’s breathless now.

“I stopped using the Amra when we got back together, because I no longer need it for pain. A month later, when we were intimate, it was still in my system. Heck, it’s still in my system now,” she says hurriedly, then adds quietly, “I tested positive for it.”

“Amra negates birth control?” he whispers. “Does that mean…”

“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out. “I'm nearly four months along, but I’m not sure why I haven’t shown any signs yet. There is some spotting, but that’s not unusual for someone taking Amra. I’ve gained weight and felt bloated, but apparently, I’m carrying your pup high and toward the back, so he was hidden.”

“He?” A smile spreads across Devon’s face as he realizes what I’m saying despite my word vomit.

“He,” I repeat softly, smiling. “I had some tests today, and that’s when I discovered our little guy. Since there were no typical symptoms, there was concern about an ectopic pregnancy, so I had an ultrasound right away. His gender was obvious, and he was quite proud of himself.”

“Like father, like son,” he laughs, swinging me around.

“Whoa!” I protest, feeling nausea rise. “Pregnant female here!”

“I’m sorry,” he says quickly.

Around us, a celebration is taking place as Devon and I absorb the fact that the goddess has blessed us with another pup.

He bends down, taking my face between his massive hands, and gently kisses the breath out of me.

“Everyone!” he shouts, then whistles. Amaris and I have an announcement.”

Everyone falls still, and you can hear a leaf drop.

“My lady,” he says, sweeping his hand out and bowing to me.

“We’re pregnant!” I scream.

Everyone breaks into shouts of joy. Zoe, who is in the middle of twirling and dancing, immediately stops and falls onto her behind.

“Am I going to be a big sister?” she asks.

Devon lifts her into his arms and tosses her into the air. “You are going to be the best big sister to your little brother.”

We eventually come together to perform the bonding ceremony. Standing beneath the light of the full moon, which will strengthen our bond, we recite our vows and promises to one another.

As usual, when we make these promises, our wolves also come to the forefront and make them too. One of the most beautiful aspects of a true shifter mate is the devotion we have for our partners. We are perfect for each other, made for one another.

Since we hadn’t bitten each other initially, we had performed this rite during intimacy months ago, as is tradition.

Devon and I stand, hand in hand, before his father, Alpha Wright, who is officiating the ceremony. As the rites progress and the night deepens, a supermoon rises in the sky, hanging so large and low that it feels like you could almost touch it.

At this moment, I feel myself slipping into a vision. Devon and I stand there with Zoe and Zeke, along with other children I know are waiting to join our family. Our extended family and loved ones surround us, and before us stands the goddess.

“Are you seeing this?” I ask Devon.

“Uh-huh,” he murmurs, nodding.

“Okay.”

“Amaris and Devon, I want you to know that you were always meant to be. You chose each other in the time before and were destined to be together, along with these pups. If you hadn't found your way back to each other, these pups would have gone to another family,” she waved her hand across the heads of our children, indicating them.”

My heart aches at the thought, knowing that we had lost Zeke.

“Jeni Quinn interfered in your mate bond when she had no reason to do so. Yet, despite your struggles, your bond is solidified this night, and you will bring forth many descendants who will do much good in this world.”

“Devon, your family is yours to protect. Keep doing so. Let no one come before your mate ever again. You carry shame for having allowed it to happen. I know you were enchanted and manipulated, but you also had free will, which you used to make terrible choices with irreparable consequences. Learn from the past; don’t let it happen again.”

“I will never make those mistakes again,” he promises. “My family is my priority. I lost them once, never again.”

“Amaris, forgive your father,” she urges. “Family is vital. Even though he let you and your mother down, he was enchanted and manipulated just as Devon was, and he deserves a second chance, too.”

“I’ll try my best to forgive him.”

“Go in peace, my wolves, and be happy.”

The moon retreats into the sky, and the vision recedes. I achingly watch my Zeke slip back into the ether.