Hoseok slid his eyes over to the young bride whose left arm was hooked through his. He smiled to himself and tilted his head towards hers.
"Are you nervous?"
Jaci's eyes closed as she sighed. "Is it that obvious?"
Hoseok chuckled. "I'd be more worried if you weren't nervous. It's normal."
Jaci smiled as they walked a bit further in silence. The warm evening sun was coming through the trees casting everything it touched in a warm orange glow. Off in the distance Jaci could see the rest of the pack, waiting for their new Luna to make her grand appearance. She pulled in a deep breath and paused, causing Hoseok to look over at her.
He halted his steps and craned his head to look into her face. "What's the matter?"
Jaci looked into the smiling, warm eyes of the former Alpha. She breathed in and shook her head. "It's nothing I should be worried about. Just... I'm nervous. I'm afraid of disappointing all of those people."
Hoseok chuckled and stood straight. "You will not be disappointing anyone. Especially Jungkook. Right now, the pack loves you because he loves you. In time, if you relax your guard and just be yourself, the pack will come to love you simply because you're you. The hierarchy thing ultimately matters, but not as much as you're afraid it does. Now, show me a smile?"
Jaci blinked away some tears and let a wide smile sweep across her face.
"That's better," said Hoseok. "Now, you have a mate waiting. And trust me, he's not the most patient werewolf I've ever met."
The two shared in their laughter as they took a step forward, and then another, and another. Until soon, they were standing just around a large oak tree from the main pathway that would lead Jaci to her waiting future.
"Deep breath," muttered Hoseok.
Jaci did as he said, and with a heart nearly bursting from excitement, she rounded the oak and stepped her bare foot onto the dirt path.
* * *
Jungkook found himself fidgeting with anything that came in contact with his antsy fingers. At the moment, it was a twig that he had snapped from a low hanging limb as he, Taehyung, and Jimin had walked to the ceremony area. The poor green twig was reduced to frayed fibers as Jungkook chucked it off into the woods.
Taehyung watched with calm amusement as Jungkook then quickly found a leaf and began shredding it into tiny pieces.
"If this wedding doesn't happen soon I fear this entire forest may be doomed to destruction," Taehyung said quietly.
Jimin snickered and then quickly cleared his throat as Jungkook shot a tense glare at him.
"You two are the worst friends," Jungkook muttered, not meaning a word he had just said.
Taehyung clapped his hand on Jungkook's shoulder. "No, we are the best of friends. Terrible friends would have left you to die in the snow all those years ago."
Jungkook knew Taehyung was playing on his feelings and he couldn't help but laugh a little at the brotherly dig. "Fine. But I think you're the only one deserving of that title. He didn't come find me until later," he said, poking a finger into Jimin's chest.
Jimin pretended to be offended, but he couldn't help but shrug and agree anyway.
No matter the joke or comment, nothing kept the tension away for long. It was only a matter of seconds before Jungkook was flexing empty hands that were itching to hold the hands of his mate and nothing else would satisfy them.
Soon, they reached the ceremony area and Jungkook tried to swallow his nervousness. Taehyung and Jimin flanked him on either side and the trio approached their appointed spot with their heads high and their expressions determined.
Jungkook adjusted the back of his shirt collar that was already too loose by Taehyung's standards, and then clasped his hands in front of him. He stared down the path covered in soft, dark brown earth and felt his toes dig into the patch he was standing on. The feel of the cool dirt energized him and made him excited to get all four paws into it later.
The path had been lined with torches that were now being lit by two men, who then quickly found their seats next to their mates on the wooden benches made from split logs and sanded to perfection.
The torches lit the pathway his bride would take, and Jungkook strained his eyes through the dusky light to see if she and Hoseok were coming. His attention was only momentarily distracted when Sunny came up to stand opposite her husband.
She smiled warmly at Jungkook who met her glossy eyes with his own. Their relationship was special and familial. Sunny felt like a proud sister watching her favorite brother get married.
She grinned and mouthed the words, "Get ready," before turning her head to watch for Jaci.
Jungkook felt his heart race when he saw movement around the oak situated at the very start of the path. Without realizing he was doing so, his breath became locked in his chest as his eyes finally fell onto the one who was fated to be his from the very beginning.
Unhindered tears rolled down his cheeks as Jaci and Hoseok began walking towards him, bright smiles on each of their faces. Later, he wouldn't even be able to recall the dress Jaci wore because he had eyes only for her beautiful face.
Hoseok's hand gripped Jungkook's shoulder and it snagged his attention from Jaci for a moment.
"She's all yours. You better treat her well," said the former Alpha as he leaned close to his friend.
Jungkook smiled and gently held the feminine hand that was extended out to him. He looked into Jaci's eyes and saw his tears mirrored in them. He sniffed with embarrassment as he and Jaci turned towards the minister who would perform the ceremony.
Jaci felt the warmth from Jungkook's hands bring heat into her own that had chilled from being so nervous. She laced her fingers with his and turned to hand Sunny the bouquet which the vampire took gladly. Turning back to her mate, Jaci let out a deep, quiet sigh and focused only on the face of the one she would soon call her very own.
The minister spoke for a few minutes before beginning the vows that would bind the two souls together for eternity. As they repeated the vows to each other, their smiles grew wider and more relaxed. Rings were exchanged and Jungkook breathed deeply as he slid the thin, gold band around Jaci's left ring finger.
"Now, Jaci," said the minister with a surreptitious smile, "Jungkook has prepared a few things he wanted to say to you."
Jaci's eyes widened as she looked between Jungkook and the minister, who then stepped off to the side.
Jungkook chuckled and took both of Jaci's hands. "I hope you don't mind the surprise."
Jaci shook her head and she watched him with rapt attention, curious what he would say.
Jungkok cleared his throat and looked down at the hands holding his. "When we first met, it was my wolf that alerted me to you. He knew before I did that you had been brought across our path for a very special reason. Jaci, I have waited for you for my entire life. And just in case you didn't know, I'm pretty terrible at waiting."
Everyone laughed and Jaci snuck a glance over to Hoseok who gently shrugged and raised his eyebrows as if to say, "I told you!"
"But I realize now, after meeting you, getting to know you, falling in love with you, fighting alongside of you, embracing you... I realize now how important that wait was. I waited over a century for you, Jaci. And the Moon rewarded that wait with someone so incredibly beautiful and special and so perfect for me. Even your name is perfect. I'm not sure if you know what your name means, but I took the liberty of looking up the meaning. There's a few, but the one that stuck out to me for Jaci was the one that meant moon. As for your last name, that one means light. Jaci, your name is literally moonlight. I can't even imagine something more fitting for a werewolf, not to mention a Luna."
Jaci wanted to swipe away the tears on her cheeks but she also didn't want to let go of Jungkook's hands. As if reading her mind, he released one of her hands and reached up to wipe away the tears.
"I hope those are tears of happiness," he whispered.
Jaci smiled and waited for him to continue.
"Before you came, I lived in the shadows. I did what was asked and expected, but I always felt like I was just standing in the darkened wings, waiting for my turn to have the spotlight. Then you came along, and your very presence shone a light into the deepest recesses of my heart and mind. You brought me out of the shadows and into your light, Jaci. You gave me purpose. I wasn't just wandering through life aimlessly anymore. You helped me gain focus and to know what love truly is. I am excited to spend the rest of our lives together, and to raise a family, and to lead our pack."
The entire audience erupted in cheers and applause as Jungkook took Jaci's face in his hands as he finished speaking, and then pressed an ardent kiss on her lips. Then releasing her, he grinned widely and turned them both towards the pack, then raised their joined hands towards the evening sky.
And then it was over. The minister, with a beaming smile on his face, pronounced the two husband and wife, fated mates, and Alpha and Luna. Every spoken title brought cheers and applause from the pack.
The smiles on the new couple's faces were nearly impossible to wipe away as Jungkook placed his hands on Jaci's face once again and lowered his lips to hers.
Jaci's eyes closed and her ears tuned out all the sounds from the people around them. All she could hear was her heart pounding and a barking howl from somewhere inside her head. Her arms wound their way around her husband's slender waist and with a tight squeeze she pulled him against her.
Jungkook grinned and tipped his head back, feasting his gaze on the face of the one who had found her way into his heart. Her cheeks were rosy as her eyelids fluttered open.
Jungkook leaned close to her ear and murmured, "Time to face your pack, Luna."
Jaci felt goosebumps rush up and down her skin and she couldn't help the smile that seemed permanently plastered to her face. She smiled proudly at her husband as they turned and once again raised their joined hands to the darkening sky.
The pack erupted into a cacophony of sounds, and as the newlyweds began walking back down the dirt path, the celebration party officially started.
* * *
The reception was over and the full moon was shining brightly in the velvety black sky. Stars, scattered like sand in the sky, twinkled and gleamed. The woods were thrumming with the howls and noise of an excited Blood Mountain pack. They were ready to run the mountain with their newly crowned Alpha and Luna.
If only the happy couple were anywhere near there.
Somewhere behind the pack cabins, the newly wedded Alpha and Luna were giggling and enjoying the clandestine nature of their location. They heard the pack howls and the shouts questioning where they were. But they were determined to stay hidden.
"Don't worry. I put Jimin and Hoseok in charge of keeping everyone distracted. It's just you and me, babe." Jungkook grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, making Jaci giggle.
"I feel bad, though, because they were all looking forward to this," Jaci said, pouting a bit to try and convince Jungkook that she truly felt guilt over their actions.
Jungkook stretched his neck forward and pressed her puckered lips with his own. "There will be plenty of time for running with the pack. Right now, I want to run with only you. I'm a bit selfish like that."
"How do we do that though if the pack is all over the woods?" Jaci frowned as she pondered the dilemma.
Jungkook laughed. "We run where they cannot go. We can cross the river and the other side of the mountain will be ours for the evening."
"But what about Taehyung and Sunny?"
"Ah, yes, well, we don't have to worry about bothering them. Hyung told me that he was taking Sunny on a belated honeymoon of their own."
"Awww! That's so sweet! I'm happy for them!"
"Yep. So, again, it's just you and me, babe."
Jaci watched with pure happiness as Jungkook winked and then took her in his arms. She breathed in his scent and let it imprint on her brain. She never wanted to forget it.
"Let's go before someone gets their noses to the ground," he chuckled as he released her. He then began unbuttoning his shirt and Jaci gasped.
"No! Not out here in the open!"
Jungkook's head dropped back and he laughed the hardest he had laughed in a long while. Then looking back at her, he grinned and nodded towards a large nearby tree.
"If you insist on privacy, go over there. But babe, I really am not a patient guy, so you better hurry," he teased, swatting at her backend as she hurried off to shift.
* * *
Jungkook and Jaci came to a halt as the vapor clouds of their breath hovered over their heads before dissipating into the cold air. After shifting, they had made a mad dash to the river and quickly crossed over onto the vampires' side of the mountain.
Jaci breathed in the clean, cold air and her nostrils flared as they pulled in scents familiar to her. The full moon bounced its lights off of the snow and the stars overhead cast their own twinkling light as well. Jaci was oblivious to how wet and cold she was. She was basking in the afterglow of a wedding and the new invisible thread binding her and Jungkook together.
"So, where do we—"
Jaci found herself on her back in the snow. Looking up, she saw the playful gaze of her new husband. His golden eyes danced with mischief and instead of getting irritated with him, she decided to fight back.
Tilting her head to the side, she stared back at him with alluring blue eyes. The golden eyes disappeared behind rapidly blinking eyelids. The air grew tense between the two wolves.
Until Jaci broke the tension.
Popping her legs straight up, she threw Jungkook off his balance. She then dashed away, laughing to herself as her husband was hot on her heels.
This flirtatious aura surrounded them for a while, each teasing the other with playful nips and nudges. Jungkook was more prone to tackle, while Jaci favored the hide and seek approach, jumping out to scare her lover once she was found.
Before long, both wolves were soaking wet from the river and the snow. Jungkook led the way through the trees to the house he had shared with Taehyung for many years. Warm light softly emanated from the windows, and smoke curled up from the chimney.
Jaci walked up beside him and nudged him with her shoulder. "I thought you said they were gone."
"They are," he replied, walking towards the front steps.
Once atop the porch, both wolves shook out their fur while trying not to laugh at how utterly pathetic they both looked. When they were finished, Jungkook nosed the door open and stood back for his mate to enter first.
Jaci looked inside and then looked at Jungkook. "We can go in?"
Jungkook nodded his shaggy, wet head. "It's ours to use for the next few days," he said gently.
Jaci looked back at the inside of the cabin, feeling the warmth of the fireplace in the bedroom. "But I didn't bring anything with me," she said thoughtfully.
Jungkook nosed her face and pressed his head to hers. "I think we'll be fine."
Jaci looked at her mate and she thought if wolves could blush, she'd be flaming red at the moment. However, the chill from her wet fur cooled off any embarrassment, and she padded into the house.
Jungkook followed and with a swift back kick, closed the door. He followed Jaci as she gravitated towards the fireplace. Sitting back on her haunches, she closed her eyes as the warmth seeped into her fur.
A hand stroked her damp head and her eyes opened to see her husband sitting beside her, the fire casting a warm orange tone on his bare skin.
"You will warm up faster as a human," he said softly, staring into her eyes as both of his hands massaged her ears.
Jaci turned to find a private place to shift but Jungkook pressed her shoulder.
"Don't go anywhere. Stay. I won't look while you shift, just stay here with me." His large, now brown eyes peered into Jaci's soul.
He was right. They were married now and it was their wedding night. Her growing excitement outpaced her nervousness and as soon as his back was turned and he faced the fireplace, Jaci quickly shifted and snatched a throw blanket off the foot of the bed. She wrapped it loosely around her shoulders and sat down next to her husband.
Jungkook turned to look at her, her damp brown hair hanging in waves around her face. Her cheeks were pink, either from the fire or their closeness, he didn't care. And as she looked over at him and smiled nervously, he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up into his arms.
And so he did.
Jaci found herself firmly planted on Jungkook's lap. Her heart raced as she looked into his face. She pushed some of his wet hair away from his forehead and just stared at the handsome man holding her.
"I didn't get to answer your speech you gave during our ceremony," she said softly.
Jungkook's eyes roamed her face, pausing between her lips and her eyes in tandem. "Did you want to say something?"
"Not at the moment but I would like to say it now."
"Go ahead," he whispered.
"It's true that I was far too oblivious to your love for me. I didn't possess the same intuition you did until I was bitten. And honestly, I'm so grateful that she wolf attacked me. Otherwise, this relationship would be horribly one-sided. I love feeling this connection we have. I love that I can be a fated mate for you. You were so patient with me. You loved me when I wasn't sure I could ever love you. I don't know how it all happened, but somewhere along the line I fell head over heels for you. You are my Alpha. And I am your Luna. I am committed to being with you for the rest of my life. I want to serve our pack together. I want to learn more about you every day. And I want to have a family with you," she said as her voice trailed off in a whisper.
Jaci pressed her forehead to Jungkook's and relished in the feel of his arms around her.
"I'm so glad you said all that," he breathed.
"Really? Why?"
"Because it makes this next part much easier for us both." The firelight danced in Jungkook's dark eyes.
Jaci stared into his eyes for a few moments. "What part?"
Jungkook raised a hand and brushed his fingers along the scar left by Yun Hee. His nose twitched as a fresh bout of anger washed over him. No, that scar could not stay.
"I want to - no, I need to replace this," he said softly, leaning his face over to nuzzle Jaci's neck.
Shivers raced up and down Jaci's spine as the tip of his nose brushed her neck. She understood what he was saying and it filled her with an equal amount of pride and fear. "Will it hurt?"
"Maybe, but I promise it won't hurt for long. And it won't be like that bite. This one will be given out of love and devotion. No hatred or spite to infect it."
Jaci half-closed eyes stared down at her mate and without saying a word she leaned down and pressed her lips to his. Her heart was racing, but she felt peace. This wasn't something she didn't want. She wanted it, and she wanted him.
"Then I willingly submit to you, my Alpha," were the last words she said that night as both of them let go of the reins of their passion and became true fated mates.
AN: I'm sorry for making you wait. Please forgive me. Also, I apologize for the little burst of steam here at the end. Okay, I don't apologize for that. >:) Anyway, this book ends soon so brave yourselves - the end is coming.