Author's note: Last chapter is finally here! I hope you enjoy it =)
Fighting her instincts to protect her freedom - Chapter 27
When Ariel shifted during the initiation ceremony to the Montreal pack, she got the same reaction of awe from all the attendees as she had, when she had been presented in Lima. There was however one difference: she wasn't the only one receiving a lot of attention. Sebastian's wolf was also greatly admired. She heard people whispering: "hope and wisdom together". She didn't understand what they meant. Sure a white werewolf represented hope (though she didn't know why), but what about wisdom?
When the presentation ended, she asked Marnie, her new Luna about it.
- Don't you know Ariel? A black wolf with green eyes is rare and represents wisdom.
- Oh. I didn't know...
When she thought about it, she came to the conclusion that it was fitting. Sebastian wasn't just book smart, he was also open-minded and was usually able to come up with a solution when nobody else could. But why hadn't she known about the meaning of a black wolf with green eyes?
Ariel felt ashamed of her lack of knowledge. What else didn't she know about werewolves? She felt so ignorant sometimes. Then something else came to mind.
- Wait, is that why you bought my painting? The wolves? Their color of their fur?
- We were intrigued, yes, but that doesn't mean your talent wasn't evident. We really love the painting. If you don't believe me, look inside the Alpha studio. We didn't just buy the paintings of the wolves, we also bought two landscapes. We are very proud to have such lovely pieces of art.
Ariel nodded. She didn't mean to upset the Luna but she had been disappointed to discover that it wasn't her talent alone which captured their attention, instead it had been the wolves. Her disappointment didn't last for too long though, because she knew that whatever had interested them was what ultimately had saved her. Besides, the party was fun and she wasn't about to let anything ruin the night. Being accepted by the Montreal pack was a huge blessing and she wanted to celebrate the occasion.
....
The next evening, when Sebastian came home from his job, Ariel waited for him on their bed, wearing a long silk black dress and looking beautiful and sexy.
His eyes widened with passion and ran to her. Ariel laughed at his reaction, but then asked for his attention.
- Sebastian, I think it's time we... We made official our mating. That is, if you'd take me.
Sebastian had the biggest grin on his face.
- Of course I want that! This is the best day ever!
Ariel smiled, kissed his nose softly and then took the candles to start the ceremony. It was a private ceremony, but there were some requirements. The candles, which symbolized the flame of their love for each other, the full moon outside, which guaranteed they would be at their strongest, and finally, the vows which sealed their commitment. The vows were simple, and could be customized, but they had to include: their promise of love and protection of each other and any children they may have.
So Ariel and Sebastian looked each other in the eyes and said their vows one after the other. Once that was done, a silver sphere appeared on top of each, blessing their union. When they touched forehead to forehead, the spheres joined and made their connection stronger, giving them the ability to communicate with their minds. They smiled filled with love and happiness.
That night, Sebastian finally got his dream of being fully mated. It was truly the best night of his life. Ariel also felt in ecstasy. After repeating for so long that she didn't want to be mated, she had changed her mind and done the ceremony after all. The best part was that she knew it was the right decision. Being with Sebastian hadn't taken anything from her soul, instead it had made her heart bigger and stronger.
....
Sebastian was happy about his new life but he hadn't forgotten his country of birth. He was aware of the situation of the GoldenFire pack and he felt protective of its members, after all, he had always belonged to that pack. He knew he made the right decision, because had he stayed in Lima, Alpha Rafael would have made sure he got caught in a spider web. Sebastian would have been forced to help his uncle gain more power and he knew it wouldn't have been all legal.
At some point, Alpha Rafael had stopped differentiating right from wrong and he was on his way to become one of the most corrupt Alphas in South America. Maybe when Sebastian's cousin took the Alpha title, things would change. Then again, maybe they wouldn't. However, without Sebastian's expertise, Alpha Rafael had lost a key asset and it would be next to impossible for him to challenge the Peruvian Alpha. That was already something. Besides, when word got out that Sebastian's entire family had fled the country, it hadn't taken long for people to understand why. The Peruvian Alpha was now aware he couldn't trust Alpha Rafael and it was only a matter of time until he ordered a full investigation.
Sebastian, however, decided to start his own investigation. It was fortunate that he had great computer skills because his new morning routine changed in order to include some hacking. It became: get up, brush teeth, get a shower, get dressed, spy on uncle, get breakfast and leave for class. He didn't like the idea of hacking someone's computer and e-mail account, but it was the only way he knew how to keep an eye on his old Alpha. Sebastian had to be a step ahead of his uncle or his life, as well as Ariel's would be threatened. Moreover, every member of the GoldenFire pack was at risk because their Alpha could start a war just to gain more power, increase his territory and prove his strength.
....
A month after his arrival to Canada, Francisco married his mate Cynthia. The woman that had jumped into his arms the minute they met, turned out to be the most perfect woman for him. She had all characteristics he valued the most: strength, determination, good sense of humor, intelligence and loyalty.
She was also unpredictable, fun, stubborn and a big fan of tennis. She constantly asked Ariel to learn how to play, so that they could play doubles: Francisco/Cynthia vs Sebastian/Ariel. Finally, Ariel gave in and started taking tennis lessons. After all, she had enjoyed watching the matches of the Australian Open on tv, so it only made sense that she started playing herself. Besides, everybody around her was always talking about that sport, whether it was about the results of the latest Roland Garros or the on-going matches at Wimbledon.
It only took Francisco a couple of weeks to win everybody's hearts. The Alpha couple was proud of their daughter's mate and Cynthia's brother, Charles, became good friends with Francisco almost immediately. The fact that he proposed quickly hadn't surprised anyone. It was clear that Cynthia and Francisco were deeply in love with each other and got along very well. As an engagement present, Charles gave them tickets for the finals of the that year's US Open. Cynthia had jumped with excitement when she saw them. The couple's happiness was only increased when Charles told them that he had bought tickets for Ariel and Sebastian too. When they heard that, Francisco and Sebastian high-fived and behave like children for the rest of the day.
Marnie turned out to be an amazing wedding planner so the wedding ceremony was beautiful and very elegant. Sebastian was best man of course, and both Ariel and Vanessa were bride's maids. Every werewolf in the city had come to see the daughter of their Alpha get married. It was a big party that would remember forever. The bride and groom were among the most beautiful people in the pack, and in their wedding outfits they were shining more than any diamond in the world. Their love and happiness made them shine even more than their beauty, and most people were speechless when they saw the couple dance together for the first time.
Cynthia was a handful for sure, but she completed Francisco and made him happy. Aside from that, Francisco had gained a second set of parents and a brother in law. They would never replace the parents he had loved and lost, but they made him feel part of a family again. He felt safe, loved and cared for. His life had turned out better than he had allow himself to hope for.
While she looked at the newly weds dancing, Ariel began to think that maybe one day, she would be the one wearing the white dress while walking down the aisle of a church, but for now, she was happy with how her life had turned out. Taking Sebastian's hand, she dragged him to the dance floor and they danced a waltz just as they had done only two months before during their last night in Lima.
....
As expected, Vanessa had been the one with the most problems adjusting to the change, at least initially. Fortunately, her Peruvian friends hadn't hated her as she thought they would. Her explanation had been very vague, but they knew she had a big heart and trusted that she hadn't meant to deceive them. It was a big relief to Vanessa to know that they still loved her.
Her new school was part of the network of French schools around the world. Since she had attended a French school in Lima, there hadn't been any problems getting enrolled in the French school in Montreal. However, the difference in the academic years meant that she couldn't start right away because they had arrived almost at the start of the Summer holidays in the Northern Hemisphere. So she spent two months with her family practicing various sports and training in self-defense. She also learned about the most popular sports in Canada: baseball and hockey, for example. She knew she needed to integrate to her new surroundings and that meant learning about their culture.
When September came, she finally started attending school and made new friends. Many boys took an interest on her, and the girls liked her easy-going personality, so she fit in pretty well. As expected, her father Oscar became more protective of her when she asked permission to start dating. It was hard for him to accept that she was growing up to become a beautiful lady. However, Vanessa could count on the support of her mother and Ariel to stand by her. Oscar, on the other hand, got used to doing background checks on any guy interested in his daughter. He never told anyone, of course, but after everything that had happened to them, he had problems trusting people, specially with his daughter.
...
As for Ariel, she was enjoying her life in Montreal. Both Sebastian and her had enrolled in a local university to finish their studies and Sebastian had a part time job that kept him busy and productive. Meanwhile, Ariel was making a name for herself in the art world and had even sold some paintings. Their future was looking bright, and even if she knew problems were bound to appear, she knew that their bond made them stronger.
Of course, she hadn't forgotten her friends still in Peru. She knew that they couldn't just pack their bags and leave the way she had and she worried about their safety.
To say that Alpha Rafael had been angry at their abrupt departure from the country would be an understatement. People had been fired, some punished. Fortunately, as Sebastian had predicted, Patricia was safe due to her parents' power in the community. Patricia had also kept an eye on their non-werewolf friends including Alonso. They seemed fine, but Ariel was still worried about them and asked about their lives, through coded names, quite often.
One of the people she had been most worried about was Tom. As Beta, his life wasn't threatened, but because he was friends with both Ariel and Sebastian, most of the blame for their departure had been put on him. Most unfairly too. After careful consideration, Sebastian and Ariel decided it was best to ask the Peruvian Head Alpha for help. Tom and Adriana were therefore put under his protection and sent to Arequipa, where they both had some family. It wasn't ideal to remove them from Lima, specially considering how much they loved that city, but Arequipa was beautiful too, and what was most important was to keep them safe. In fact, once he left Lima, Tom sent a message to them to thank them and wish them good luck.
Alpha Rafael took actions immediately. He asked the Alphas of Montreal to send Ariel and Sebastian back to him. They, of course, refused and told him that both Ariel and Sebastian had been accepted by the Montreal pack as its new members, and as such, were under its protection. Marnie had even informed Rafael that he had been black listed at the Canadian embassy in Peru and that he wouldn't been able to get a visa. Ariel was proud of her new Luna because she had answered with conviction. She was a true protector and Ariel felt safe with her.
....
As for Ariel's relationship with her mother, it remained pretty much the same. The fact that her daughter was fully mated appeased her at first, but soon she asked for a wedding. Ariel refused quickly and a fight ensued.
Fortunately, Sebastian had been there to calm Ariel before she broke another cell phone.
- I don't understand why she wants to get me married already! You'd think the fact that we completed the mating ceremony would make her happy, but no! Nothing is ever good enough for her! I'm not ready to start a family. I mean, not now. In the future, yes, but not now. Sebastian, you know I love you, right?
- Of course, honey. The mating ceremony sealed our commitment to each other and blessed our love. We can wait until we are older before getting married.
- Exactly! We'll get married when we decide it's time to start a family. I'm glad you understand.
Sebastian kissed her on the forehead before taking her cell phone away from her. He really did agree with her, they were too young yet. He wanted to marry her, he wanted to start a family with her, just not yet. He was still studying and didn't have time for a full time job and she was still working on developing her talent as an artist. They had time, there was no rush. Completing the official mating ceremony had meant the world to him, he felt complete for the first time in his life.
....
Finally, after everything that had happened, Ariel had declared a truce with Fate. She had mated, done the official ceremony and fully accepted the man that Fate had chosen for her. She even had to admit she couldn't have chosen a better man, but she was proud that, in spite of all the pressure on her, she had managed to lead her love life in her own terms. She had reconciled her instincts with her desire for freedom, because as long as she made her own decisions, which she did, she considered herself a free woman, and that had been her wish all along.
THE END
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Author's Note: I just want to thank you for reading this story. If you liked it, please vote and comment. I'd like to know what you thought about how it ended.
xoxo