Page 31 of Furever Bound (Hollow Oak Mates #7)
SERA
H alloween evening settled over Hollow Oak with the kind of crisp clarity that made every carved pumpkin glow like a beacon and transformed the layer of fresh snow into something magical rather than merely seasonal.
From her window at Maddox's house, Sera could see residents moving through the streets with purpose preparing for supernatural activity that traditionally peaked when the barriers between worlds grew thin.
"Second thoughts?" Maddox asked from behind her, his voice carrying concern that resonated through their developing mate bond.
"Hundreds of them," she admitted honestly, watching federal agents position surveillance equipment around the town square where jack-o'-lanterns cast dancing shadows on the snow-covered ground.
"But not about the communication attempt.
About Elena's agenda, about what happens if we succeed, about what happens if we fail. "
"And about completing the mate bond?" he asked, settling beside her on the window seat where they could observe Halloween preparations while discussing decisions that would reshape their entire existence.
"No second thoughts about that," she said.
"Seeing your wolf form, understanding what you really are beneath the academic exterior and after everything I’ve learned and experienced in this short amount of time, it only made me more sure.
This, here, now, seems more real than anything I experienced in my previous life. "
The relief that crossed his features proved he'd been worrying about her reaction to his supernatural nature, despite her earlier acceptance of shapeshifter reality.
She turned to face him fully while outside their window Halloween preparations continued with the organized efficiency of a community that had learned to blend celebration with supernatural defense.
"I've spent years in relationships that felt disposable, connections that could be severed the moment they became inconvenient or professionally disadvantageous.
Permanent sounds like exactly what I've been missing. "
"Even permanent with someone whose protective instincts can be overwhelming?" he asked, his scholarly honesty requiring he acknowledge aspects of supernatural bonding that might prove challenging.
"Especially permanent with someone whose protective instincts mean I'll never doubt whether I matter," she corrected, reaching for his hand. "Maddox, I want this. All of it. The bond, the mark, the unbreakable connection that makes us something neither of us could be alone."
His blue eyes radiated possession and tenderness and desperate hope in equal measure, showing her that what he, what she wanted, involved the kind of complete commitment she'd never believed was possible.
"After the communication attempt," he said, his voice a low rumble of desire that sent warmth racing through her system. "After we've dealt with Grimjaw and Elena's federal interference. I want our claiming to happen in peace, not during crisis."
"After," she agreed, though the delay felt like torture when every instinct demanded immediate and complete connection.
Through their window, they could see Elena directing federal agents in setting up what appeared to be sophisticated monitoring equipment, her professional efficiency suggesting she'd been planning this documentation opportunity since her initial extraction from Hollow Oak.
"She's expecting a show," Sera observed, studying the arrays of cameras and sensors being positioned around the town square. "Full manifestation, direct psychic engagement, everything needed to justify federal oversight."
"She's going to get a show," Maddox replied. "But not the one she's expecting."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning we're going to prove that our abilities can be used for good, not just corruption," he said, his academic mind clearly working through strategies that would demonstrate beneficial rather than threatening applications of psychic gifts.
"Your communication with Grimjaw, witnessed by federal agents, could establish precedent for supernatural cooperation rather than government control. "
"Or it could provide Elena with documented evidence that justifies everything she's been claiming about psychic weapon potential," Sera pointed out with practical realism.
"True," he admitted grimly. "But it's the only approach that doesn't require choosing between your safety and community security."
The weight of responsibility settled around them like the falling snow, and Sera realized that their Halloween night communication attempt carried implications that extended far beyond resolving a single manifestation crisis.
"What if I can't control the connection?" she asked quietly, voicing fears she'd been trying not to examine too closely. "What if direct psychic contact with Grimjaw proves too overwhelming for my developing abilities?"
"Then you have me," Maddox said simply, his certainty cutting through her anxiety like sunrise through fog.
"The mate bond provides anchoring that can stabilize psychic work even when individual abilities become strained.
Maybe not as profound as officially claimed mates, but enough for this. You won't be facing Grimjaw alone."
"Partnership," she said with understanding that felt like revelation. "Not just romantic connection, but actual supernatural teamwork."
"Supernatural teamwork that makes both of us stronger than either could be individually," he confirmed, bringing her hand to his lips to press a kiss against her knuckles that sent electricity racing up her arm.
"Whatever Elena's federal colleagues document tonight, they'll see evidence of cooperation rather than weaponization. "
They watched Hollow Oak's residents complete their Halloween preparations with the kind of quiet determination that proved sanctuary was worth defending regardless of the personal cost. Children moved in groups accompanied by supernatural guardians whose protective vigilance ensured traditional celebrations could continue despite federal surveillance, their laughter carrying through the crisp evening air like music.
"It's beautiful," Sera said with wonder, studying a town that had learned to blend mundane holiday joy with supernatural community defense. "Even with everything that's happening, people are maintaining traditions that matter."
"Because traditions are what hold communities together during crisis," Maddox replied with academic appreciation for cultural preservation in action.
"Halloween isn't just about costumes and candy—it's about acknowledging forces beyond ordinary perception while celebrating the bonds that keep us safe. "
As full darkness settled over Hollow Oak and the first trick-or-treaters began their rounds under careful supernatural supervision, Sera realized that tonight would determine not just the fate of their manifestation crisis but the future of supernatural community autonomy in an increasingly surveillance-oriented world.
"Time to go," Maddox said, noting how the moon had risen full and bright above the snow-covered mountains. "Grimjaw will be manifesting soon, and we want to establish communication before Elena's equipment detects peak supernatural activity."
As they prepared to leave the warmth and safety of his home for whatever waited in the Halloween night, Sera found herself thinking not about potential failure or federal consequences, but about the possibility that love really could triumph over forces that seemed impossible to overcome.
The snow crunched beneath their boots as they walked toward whatever destiny awaited, and something about the peaceful beauty of Halloween in Hollow Oak felt like blessing rather than omen.