Chapter 106


    Chapter Une Hundred & Six


    Chapter One Hundred & Six


    Cai finally let me go at the revtion unfolding before us and took a step towards her. A turn of events


    that none of us had expected.


    As the initial mate bond moment then finally ran its course, so many emotions shed across his face. A


    s if you could physically see the different thoughts running through his mind, put on disy for everyone i


    in the room.


    Confusion, recognition, happiness... and then quickly followed by guilt, shame, and regret.


    And, as he finally tore his eyes away to look at me, I immediately knew what he was thinking.


    Because I was partly thinking it too.


    Of all the people for Cai to be mated to, only Myra could have made us feel so genuinely terrible about


    what we did. Or, in Cai‘s case, significantly worse.


    Because I‘d slept with my best friend‘s mate… and Cai had also slept with the woman who killed her.


    This was... messy.


    “Myra... I‘m so happy to see you,” he said, unable to even meet her eyes.


    But the look of hurt on Myra‘s face said it all. She didn‘t understand what was happening and Cai‘s


    reaction to their mate bond was probably only making it worse.


    “Cai...? You‘re my... mate?” she asked quietly. “How... how can that be possible? I‘m not ranked.”


    However, there wasn‘t any further discussion made on the topic. No, instead Cai quickly turned around,


    confliction still evident across his features.


    “...I‘m so sorry,” was all he said.


    And before Myra could say anything else, he instantly started to leave the room.


    Or, at least, tried to.


    I quickly ran after him, reaching out my hand just as he made it to the door, and caught him before he


    could get too far.


    “Cai,” I hissed quietly to him. “Wait a second.”


    “Aria… I can’t... I’m not...,” he started, fumbling for the right words. But I knew what he was trying to say.


    I‘m not good enough.’


    And Ipletely understood where he wasing from.


    Truthfully, I felt sick at myself too. Somehow, I‘d let Myra convince me that she wasn‘t interested in Cai all


    those years ago. I should have known better and trusted my instincts. It was so obvious that she had


    feelings for him. Thinking back now, I wondered if she was just projecting that through me instead, living


    vicariously from a false belief that she would never have a chance herself. If only she‘d known.


    Heven made perfect sense for them to be together. They had the opportunity to meet in high school and


    would have bnced each other out perfectly; Cai and his old yboy antics would have been


    straightened out immediately from Myra‘s sweet nature, and Cal would have done wonders for Myra‘s


    confidence issues. Before her death, she had already been blossoming into a much stronger, more


    vocal person. Robbed too early of her full potential, she was someone I always said would fit a Luna


    position perfectly


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    Chapter One Hundred & Six


    But, more disturbingly, it also held a puzzle piece missing from the timelines.


    ...Because they were both originally destined to die.


    Now things wereplicated, a lot of history and errors being made in her absence... but it wasn‘t


    necessarily impossible to fix.


    Especially since now, more than ever, they would need each other,


    Cai‘s trust issues ran deep from where Thea had hurt him. I was sure that if it were anyone else standing


    before him, iming to be his mate again, that he would be sceptical. Possibly evenpletely unwilling


    t o ept it.


    But this was Myra.


    Someone we both knew extremely well. I knew he had his own form of close friendship with her, the two


    o f them exchanging letters even after he returned home. For a period of time, Myra was probably closer


    to Cai than I was


    So, if anyone was able to help him let go, move on, and be happy... it was Myra.


    Myra, who had never held a grudge or ill wish against anyone, and the kindest person I had ever met.


    Myra, who would be understanding and forgiving of the struggles he endured.


    ...Myra, who also just so happened to need someone supporting her through the beginning of her new


    life. A probably traumatic experience after more than two years absent. She would benefit greatly from


    Cai helping her adjust and warm up to all the changes.


    No, they were still perfectly bnced.


    In fact, I couldn‘t think of a better fit.


    “I get it,” I said to him, moving to grab his hands gently. “But I think if you walk out that door right now,


    you‘ll regret it for the rest of your life. The worst possible thing you could do is ruin this moment before


    you‘ve even given her a chance to decide.”


    “Aria...,” he said, teeth gritted.


    “She needs you, Cai,” I pressed. “Be the man she thinks you are and show her you‘re not defined by


    your past mistakes. I think you‘ll find she‘s more forgiving than you realise. This is Myra, after all, a girl


    who has been in love with you since we were fourteen.”


    He closed his eyes and frowned, still unsure, but after another few moments had passed, he finally


    nodded. Taking what I said to heart, he straightened back up, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face to


    refocus.


    “Okay... okay,” he said. “I‘ll just... I‘ll just go back there then... ahhh, how do I look?”


    Iughed and took a step away to observe his appearance.


    “You look like your only friend died three days ago and you haven‘t slept since,” I joked, remarking on his


    more rugged condition. “Aww, how sweet of you. I‘m ttered.”


    He just nodded his head, clearly too nervous to actually listen to what I was saying. A first for Cai, I was


    sure. I doubted any woman had ever made him so self–conscious before but I knew the pressure would


    b e immense.


    “Alright, stop stalling,” I smiled. “You‘ve already kept her waiting.”


    With a final thankful look towards myself, he slowly walked back over to her bed and sat in the chair,


    closing the curtain before he did so. A chance for them to talk in private and salvage what he had almost


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    Lapier Vile Hundred & Six


    royally messed up.


    “Hey... Myra...,” I could hear him say before he lowered his voice.


    And I couldn‘t help but feel a little overwhelmed by how perfect things had worked out.


    “I hope those tears aren‘t from being sad,” Aleric suddenly whispered by my ear, wrapping his arms


    around my waist from behind.


    “I‘m not crying...,” I started to say, but as I reached a hand up to my face, I realised he was right. “Oh.


    No... I think these are happy tears.”


    I‘d been so caught up by it all, I hadn‘t even realised.


    “Come on,” he said, gently tugging my arm to the door. “Give them some space.”


    And I knew he was right.


    I followed him out, feeling as though I‘d aged another ten years with how intense everything became


    upon waking up. But it had been worth it. Every second of it.


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    Now just the two of us, in the silence of the hallway outside, the fatigue was finally catching up with me


    and I felt my eyes sting from exhaustion.


    “Time for snacks and bed?” he asked, watching me fail to stifle a yawn.


    I merely nodded, too sleepy to reply, and leaned into him for support.


    “Alright, I got you,” he said.


    And he picked me up in his arms, walking us back to the car.


    I immediately nestled my head into his neck, greedily taking every chance I could get to be close to him. I


    didn‘t want to waste any time, not even a second. Not after everything we‘d endured to get here.


    “So... What are we going to do tomorrow?” he asked quietly as we walked. I could feel the vibrations


    from his chest as he spoke, making me melt against him more.


    But, despite my otherwise preupied thoughts, I did take a moment to consider his question. Just a


    small moment was all I needed before a smile spread across my face.


    Because, now living a life of endless possibilities, without Thea or Selene breathing down my neck at


    every turn, there was only one answer to that.


    One very simple answer.


    “Tomorrow...?” I repeated. “Tomorrow... we do whatever the hell we want.”


    ** SIX MONTHS LATER ***


    “Aleric,” | moaned as his hands began roaming my body.


    We‘d been in bed all morning, procrastinating all of our duties on possibly the most important day of our


    hives. But somehow that knowledge had only made it feel all the more exciting.


    “Seriously,” I said, though nothing about my tone implied anything remotely serious. “We need to get


    ready. We‘re going to bete.”


    I felt as he then started making his way over my body, nting little kisses everywhere, until he


    eventuallynded by the mark on my neck


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    Chapter One Hundred & Six


    Or rather, his mark.


    A shiver ran through me as he touched the sensitive flesh there, a gasp escaping my lips. A pleasure


    stemming from where he‘d permanently imed my body several months earlier. And whilst the contacth


    e made now was small, it was enough to cause my wolf to stir inside, adding yet another force to argue


    with as we wasted precious time.


    “Aleric, please,” I whined.


    But my efforts of refusal were now beginning to sound like pleas for more.


    “It‘s fine, we can just be a littlete,” he said, starting to gently nip my ear. Something that was making it


    increasingly more difficult to think properly.


    However, before he could get much further, suddenly a loud knocking sounded from the bedroom door,


    preventing any further activities.


    “...Alpha, apologies...,” a voice said from the other side. “You asked me to remind you when it was time


    to get ready....”


    Aleric let out a quiet growl next to me in irritation. “I hate your new attendant.”


    “No, you don‘t,” I said, untangling myself from his arms to get out of bed. “Myst two got me killed. You


    just hate that this one will interrupt us when we have more importantmitments.”


    And he looked as though he was debating internally which was worse.


    | shouted to the attendant that I appreciated them letting me know and that I would get ready, before


    turning back to Alericying in bed. He was watching me hungrily as I stood before him stillpletely


    naked.


    “I‘m having a shower,” I said, dismissing his gaze. “You should get ready too.”


    But grabbing my clothes from the wardrobe, I could still feel his eyes on me the entire time, prompting


    me to finally turn around and see him smiling at me. A cause for suspicion.


    “... What is it?”


    “No, no, that sounds great,” he said, getting out of bed. “I‘ll join you.”


    There it was.


    “No,” I said so quickly that he‘d barely finished his sentence. “Somehow, I have a feeling that you‘ll


    manage to make us even morete if I let you, so go get ready in your old room. I‘m already questioning


    whether or not I‘m going to have time to do my make up thanks to you.”


    I looked at my reflection and sighed. Of all the days, today needed to be perfect. I really should have


    tried to be more organised and now only had myself to me.


    Aleric then came up behind me and kissed my temple, his hands gently touching my shoulders as he did


    s


    1. 0.


    “You‘re so beautiful,” he said, meeting my gaze in the mirror.


    And it was almost enough to make me give in to his incessant badgering.


    Almost.


    “Nice try.” I said. “Now go get ready.”


    He gave me a final smirk before leaving to do as I‘d asked, and before the hour was done, the two


    of us were finally on our way to the meeting hall.


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    “Nervous?” he asked as we entered inside, walking to the main room.


    “Of course,” I replied. “How could I not be? Aren‘t you? Today, we‘ll be making history.”


    He gave a small shrug and smiled. “You organised it all so I luckily don‘t have anything to worry about.”


    I shook my head but had tough. Of course, he would think that.


    But it was as we were about to enter through the double doors that someone then approached us,


    dying us further.


    “Alpha,” they called out. “Apologies, I just need a moment of your time.”


    And both Aleric and I turned around, automatically responding to the title.


    We looked at each other for a second, staring with nk expressions. But as realisation set in, we both


    found the situation amusing. This was probably going to be an ongoing issue, soon to be made even


    moreplicated after today.


    Finally, after another moment had passed, Aleric was the one to step forward. Much to my relief.


    “I‘ve got it,” he said. “You go get everyone settled.”


    | quickly nodded and gave him my thanks. Judging by how the person was dressed, they were most


    likely a border warrior. Something better suited for Aleric‘s expertise, having spent significant time


    amongst them during his training growing up.


    Tentatively, I then pushed open the double doors of the meeting hall to see everyone else had already


    arrived, all chatting quietly to each other. A confirmation that, yes, we were thest people to get here,


    much to my embarrassment.


    Everyone met my eyes as I walked past them, a small nod in greeting as I did. Just enough to


    acknowledge respect but not needing to take away from the conversations they were already engaged


    in. I was thete one, after all.


    However, it was the two people in the corner that drew my attention the most. The only two to not


    immediately look in my direction when I entered.


    Myra and Cai.


    They were talking animatedly to each other,pletely engrossed in their own little world. A sight that


    always made me happy to see.


    Well, up until Cai wanted to push buttons. Something Myra was exceedingly great at keeping in check.


    I watched as Cai leaned forward, tilting his head ever so slightly towards the crowd, and whisper


    something in a low voice. It was then promptly followed by him erupting intoughter.


    Whatever he said immediately caused Myra‘s face to turn red in embarrassment, outraged by his


    remark. Something she quickly reacted to by dealing a light smack to his arm, looking up at him with a


    grumpy expression.


    “You can‘t say that, Cai!” she scolded, making himugh harder.


    Their little banter went on for another minute before finally, all was forgiven with a smile from Cai and a


    quick kiss to her forehead. A show of just how close they‘d be in such a short amount of time.


    In fact, the two spent most of their time together. It made me happy to see their level of intimacy in light o


    f all the issues that had threatened to keep them apart. A love that transcended even fate trying to kill


    them both off. Twice.


    Suddenly, I felt as an electricity then washed over me, sending little shivers through my body, and I knew


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    Chapter One Hundred & Su


    that meant Aleric had finally returned. Ever since he‘d marked me, I‘d get tingles whenever he was close


    b y. A great added bonus, though unexpected.


    Sure enough, when I turned to look behind me, he instantly met my gaze with a small nod and smile. It


    was reassurance that everything was fine and that we were good to go ahead.


    It was time.


    “Everyone!” I announced loudly to the room, causing them to slowly hush. “Please take a seat and we


    can get started now. Apologies for keeping you all waiting… but we all know how terrible Aleric is with


    morning deadlines.”


    This earned me a fewughs from the crowd before they went to take their seats at the table, looking up


    a t me expectantly once they did so. A myriad of familiar faces, full of those I considered both friends and


    family.


    My parents, Iris, Elder Luke, Brayden, and Alexander, to name just a few. And, of course, Cai and Myra.


    All of whom I knew this would have been impossible without.


    Without these people, we couldn‘t have even dreamed to aplish what we had nned. A ce of


    equality and mutual respect, utilising our individual strengths to our collective benefit. A ce of


    greater than just their one leader or status, but rather required multiple facets to make them as strong as


    possible.


    “Wee, everyone,” I started, unable to stop myself from smiling. “It‘s been a crazyst few months


    finalising the merge and I really want to extend my thanks to everyone who made it as seamless as


    possible. But today, finally, we‘re able to have our very first meeting. A meeting that will mark us forever


    in the history books, forever changing traditions. A meeting ofying the foundation for our legacy.”


    I took a small moment to pause, trailing my eyes around the table until they finallynded on Aleric, Cai,


    and Myra. Their expressions only mimicking my own as they shared in this monumental event.


    “So, without further ado, I‘d like to officially announce what we‘ve all been waiting for,” I said, holding out


    my hands. “From today onwards, we are no longer just a pack, neither the Winter Mist nor the Silver


    Lake. But rather today marks the day that we will forever be known as one thing....”


    “So, wee, everyone,” I continued. “Wee to the Council of the Silver Mist. Let the meeting


    begin.”


    The End. (Epilogue in next chapter)