Heidi and the Wolf

40.

And here it is. The epilogue and final chapter of The Wolf of Penshaw Lake. A book, I think, has been slowly written for about five years perhaps? In that time, I graduated from University with a teaching degree; I met my wonderful partner and we had our beautiful daughter together; We moved house twice and now live in our little house that we somehow managed to buy during Covid and we just celebrated five years together. Now he just needs to put a ring on it ;) 

I can't thank everyone who has even just read one chapter of this book enough. All the reads, votes and comments are what made me continue to write this story and see it to the end. No, it's not perfect and there are probably enough mistakes to write another book, but it's the first I've ever completed (since my TVD fanfiction when I was barely out of school) and I'm proud of it. 

I hope you will all stick around to read my next story, The Hunt for Josephina, which I will start writing as soon as this is finished! Please follow me to stay updated, I am on Wattpad regularly! 

-H x

"Will you just take a god damn breath," Josie sighed as she fanned my face with her hands. 

"I honestly don't think I can," I squeaked. "I'm so nervous," I added, running my sweaty palms down the length of my dress. 

I had wanted some semblance of a wedding dress, even though the commitment ceremony I was about to attend was not a legal wedding but rather a binding of two souls. Once committed, lycan mates almost never split, even when one side was human. The certainty of lifelong partnership, love and togetherness was something rather beautiful to me, and yet it still seemed awfully strange to know that I would never be with anybody else for the rest of my life. That was completely certain, engrained in complete truth and sealed with the mate bond. 

The dress I had chosen was perfect for our outdoor, back garden ceremony. It was a long, A-line gown with tulle fabric and flowered lace patterning running across the bodice and down the skirt. An off the shoulder cut, it was loose, flowing and almost seemed to dance around my legs when I moved. It was so beautiful I felt like it needed to be placed on a mannequin and simply stared at for the rest of its life. I certainly didn't feel like I was doing it any justice. 

"Just stop fidgeting with the dress before I tie your hands up," Josie growled in my ear as she placed the hundredth pin into my hair. I still winced occasionally when I thought about what Dan did to my hair, but it was growing again and the jagged strips of hair were almost unnoticeable. Still, I implored the girls to find me some light extensions; just for the day. I wanted to feel like myself again, and I knew I wouldn't until I could feel hair once again cascading down my back. 

"Sorry, I'm nervous," I admitted. 

"I've got just the thing," came a voice from the door.

Turning around carefully, as to not stand on the end of my dress before I donned my heels, I was shocked to see Kate standing in a floor length teal dress, holding two glasses of champagne. 

"You're here?" I squealed. 

"Did you really thing I was going to miss the commitment ceremony of a century? Honey, you must be mad!" 

I quickly jogged towards her and threw my arms around her, so grateful that she was able to make it. After mating with Will, Kate had moved up to Scotland to his pack where she was happily settled. Still, she missed us as much as we missed her, it was the never the same without the four of us. 

"I'm so happy we're all back together," Dee smiled, holding up a glass of champagne, "You girls are my whole life and I couldn't imagine ever being apart from any of you. Heidi, you've been through so much and I'm so proud of you," She paused to wipe away a tear that had formed in the corner of her eye, "-and I'm so stupidly happy that I get to spend this day with you, oh god my makeup," She spluttered, "Quick, cheers!"