Chapter 132: Again?

Selene’s POV

Tessa and Kael were on their way out of Winterwood.

Whether they were travelling the same path or not, I didn’t know ... and I didn’t care. As long as Tessa was out of my life. Three years was enough time to get my life in order before she came back, and by the time she returned, she wouldn’t have anywhere near the power and luxury she once enjoyed.

They were saying their goodbyes as the car carried both of them away. What an honour ... being exiled in an official vehicle. In my mind, they should have been dumped somewhere so far away they wouldn’t even remember the road back to Winterwood.

Fuck them.

The moment they crossed the gate, joy flooded my wounded heart. But it wasn’t just their absence that filled me with relief. It was knowing that I was the reason Tessa had to leave. I had fulfilled my word. It had finally become tit for tat.

I was in Lucian’s room, his hands resting on my waist while mine were wrapped around his neck.

"So we won, didn’t we?" Lucian said.

"I’m so glad to be in your arms again, Alpha." We both laughed, and it felt like the first real breath I had taken in a long time.

"So what’s next?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know where his mind was.

He kissed me softly before he answered. "I want to own your lips forever. I want us to do everything we were never allowed to do and become better together." He pulled back just slightly, his eyes holding mine. "I want to make you mine, Selene ... if you’ll let me."

I smiled. "Yes. I’m ready. And I want you to know that I’m already yours. I’ve always been yours, Lucian. I love you more than you can ever imagine."

He pressed a hand to his chest dramatically. "Those sweet words just gladdened my soul." We laughed again, and it felt easy ... like it had always been meant to feel this way between us.

"I just hope this moment of bliss never ends," I murmured as he pulled me into a hug, holding me so tightly it almost ached. I didn’t mind. I was his, and he knew it.

"I’ll make the announcement this evening," he said against my hair.

He was going to formally announce that he intended to marry me. He was without a Luna, and he wasn’t going to waste another second pretending otherwise. We had waited too long for this. We had been denied too many times. That was over now.

I loved it.

"I want to organise a dinner first," he said. "I’ll announce it to the elders and the council before it reaches the public."

I threw myself into preparing for the evening. As was my role, I went to the chefs and gave them their instructions ... the menu needed to be appropriate for older guests, refined but generous. Decorations went up quickly after that, and the hall began to transform into something that felt warm and celebratory. It was shaping up to be a beautiful night.

The excitement sitting in my chest was almost too much to contain.

Before the dinner started, I slipped away to see the breeders.

They were overjoyed the moment they saw me ... practically bouncing. We fell into each other in a group hug, and Valerie said exactly what all of us were thinking.

"The parasite is gone. Now it’s time to blossom."

We all burst out laughing, but the truth behind her words was real and it was sweet.

"We’re having a dinner tonight," I told them. "Lucian wants to announce our engagement."

The excitement that erupted was everything. These women were my family ... my real family ... and their happiness for me felt like being wrapped in something warm.

"I’m telling you all this because I want you to be my maids of honour at the wedding," I said, looking at Valerie. "Will you all do me that honour?"

"Of course we will," she said, without even a moment’s hesitation. "You didn’t even need to ask."

"Thank you." I squeezed her hand. "I’ll come back and tell you everything after dinner." I rushed back to the chambers to get myself ready.

None of the council members or elders knew what this meeting was about. Only Lucian and I did. That was exactly the way we wanted it.

I stood off to the side and watched as the elders filed in and took their seats. I kept my expression composed ... I couldn’t make it obvious what Lucian was about to say.

The moment they saw the spread of food on the table, the mood lifted instantly.

"Hmm, this all looks rather delicious," one of the elders remarked, glancing around. "Is there something special happening today?"

"Please take your seat, sir, and enjoy your meal," Lucian said, smiling.

They settled in, and the sound of cutlery and quiet conversation filled the room. The elders were there. The judges too. I almost wanted to laugh ... the very same people who had once judged me were now sitting down to a dinner that would end with me being announced as the future Luna of Winterwood. The wolf they had once denied me the right to love was about to make me his wife in front of all of them.

"I have something to share with all of you today," Lucian said, his voice carrying over the table. "That’s why I called for this dinner."

"Tell us, son. We’re listening," one of the elders said, dabbing at his mouth with a cloth.

"As you all know, I no longer have a Luna ... my wife betrayed me and has since been exiled. You also know that a pack Alpha cannot remain without a Luna indefinitely."

"Yes, of course," another elder agreed, nodding. "We’ve actually already begun looking into suitable candidates for you."

"That won’t be necessary," Lucian said simply. "I’ve already made my decision. I intend to marry the one person I was denied the right to marry ... both by this council and by the people. She is the best fit for me. Her name is Selene."

"What?"

"Come out, Selene," Lucian said.

I walked in.

My dress was modest but it was beautiful, and I wore it with everything I had. I was smiling ... partly because I was genuinely happy, and partly because the shyness had crept up on me in a way I hadn’t expected. I wished we didn’t have to go through this process at all, honestly. But here we were.

"I’m informing you as my elders," Lucian continued. "I’ll need your full support in making this marriage happen as quickly as possible. My mind is already made up."

One of the elders set down his fork and cleared his throat. "But ... is Selene your mate?"

"I don’t need her to be my mate," Lucian said firmly. "All I know is that I’m marrying her."

Pride surged through me. The way he defended our love ... without apology, without hesitation ... he truly was the only person I could ever imagine building a life with.

I remained standing. I hadn’t sat down since I walked in ... it was a deliberate choice, a gesture of respect and deference, because I wanted the elders to accept this. Even if they didn’t technically have the authority to stop it, their blessing mattered.

"I’m afraid you’ll need to consider the proper procedures," a voice said. "Because this wedding is not happening."

It hadn’t come from any of the elders at the table.

It came from behind me.

I turned.

He was standing just inside the entrance, framed by the doorway like he had been waiting for the most dramatic possible moment to appear. Tall, composed, and looking at me like I was something that belonged to him.

"I am William Steelborn," he said, his voice cutting through the entire room. "And I’ve come back to claim my mate."