Under a Dark Moon [Oneus AU]

Epilogue

Dongju calmed the horses in the barn by gently stroking the side of their necks. All of the banging and loud noises from the repairs were startling them before, but with Dongju's gentle touched, they calmed down almost entirely.

Once the last nail was hammered into place, Gunhak stood upright and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He let out a long, slow breath, then tossed the hammer onto the pile of hay beside him.

"That should do it," he sighed in relief. "The roof is fixed, and the support beams are sturdy again. It'll hold against storms from now on, I hope."

"I'm sure the horses are happy to have a safe home again," Dongju smiled over at him, giving his favorite spotted horse one last pat on the head before walking out into the sunlight.

He looked up at Shaw Manor, and he was proud to see it in such excellent shape. So much work had gone into restoring it to its rightful glory, but it was finally a picture perfect image of the day they arrived. It was stunning.

"Hard to believe this is where we ended up," Gunhak commented, noticing how Dongju was admiring the house. "After centuries of running, here we are again. For good this time."

"This place feels like home," Dongju shrugged his shoulders. "I'm happy to spend eternity here."

In the house, Hwanwoong danced excitedly as Keonhee played a happy song on the piano. He tried to convince Seoho to join, but the Prince of the Wood was too busy napping in the parlor room to dance. If was a perfect day for a nap after all.

They were all making the most of their new permanent home, relieved to finally be able to truly rest for the first time since becoming immortal. There was no more running. That place was now their home, and no one could take it away from them. No one dared to try.

Outside, Youngjo sat on the bench under the gazebo, his eyes closed as he soaked in the warmth of the day. It had been a long, hard battle, and so much had been take from them over the years. Some of their very own tribesmen died fighting them for Anisa's fragile pride. It was tragic.

But not all was lost.

Luella laid across the bench, her head resting on his thigh as she lost herself in the newest book Youngjo brought back from the village. He was content to sit there as her pillow and just listen to her heart beat. However, it was too tempting to tease her.

"Is your novel every bit as erotic as the seller promised me?"

"Not at all!" She pouted up at him, laying the book down on her chest for a moment. "It's romantic. It's a fantasy story, not an erotic one."

"I specifically requested something akin to Chambers of Passion."

"I don't need to read things like that anymore," she huffed indignantly.

"Oh?" He opened his eyes to look down at her and raise a brow. A smirk blossomed on his lips. "Have you had your fill of erotica in your real life then?"

Her cheeks flushed instantly, realizing what he was not so subtly reminding her of. Luella brought the book up to cover her face.

"I don't want to talk about it. I still feel so awful."

"You needn't feel bad about it," Youngjo chuckled, remembering the night before with corrupted fondness. "We heal quickly from superficial wounds."

"I didn't mean to!" She insisted, shrinking up as much as she could. "I'm still not used to these things. I can't control them very well. I've already torn two of my dresses just trying to take them off."

"It's part of having a wolf spirit possessing you. Nothing to be ashamed of. You'll learn to control your claws one day," he reassured her. That smirk only grew as he decided to add, "Unfortunately. I quite enjoy your lack of control."

"You menace!" She scoffed, using the book to lightly smack it against his arm in feigned offense. "Who needs erotic novels when I can just listen to you tease me?"

"Fair enough," he smiled, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. "Return to your fantasy world. I won't interrupt you again."

Luella beamed up at him for a moment, a gleam of genuine love and adoration in her eyes. Eventually, he closed his eyes again, and she went back to her book.

He hoped that the rest of eternity would be that peaceful, that full of light and love. As long as he had her in his arms, in his bed at night, he would never want for anything else.

He finally found his happy ending.

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A/N: Well that's all folks! I hope you liked the story :) I really liked writing it. I'm exciting to explore the next story, too. Look for it in the upcoming day! Thanks again so much, and I hope to see you all again in the next one!