Destiny's Tethers

Chapter 31 - Union

Alpha Landon kept an eye on the responses slowly coming in from the other leaders - so far all of them were in favour of the challenge, emailing back the contract he had sent out with their signatures. In the meantime, he and Luna Olwen agreed to travel back to the human town to attend an official wedding for Beta Elijah and Stela.

Given the recent and upcoming events, and their own tastes, Elijah and Stela had chosen for their human wedding to be a small event. The only attendees were Olwen, Landon, Cael, Sylvie and of course Elijah's parents Jasper and Nicole. Delta Cassidy and Gamma Josh once again were willingly taking over pack duties while they were out.

Two weeks had passed since the conclusion of the first Evergreen Function that the Moon River Pack had hosted in decades, and certainly the most eventful. They hadn't heard a thing from the Silver Arrow Pack, but rumours had begun to surface of groups of pack members turning up at other pack territories and seeking shelter. Most assumed it was because Luna Kylie hadn't recovered from her wolfsbane punishment, and that the leaders of the so-called strongest pack in the Wilds did not wish for their already tarnished image to further disintegrate.

Since the function though, Delta Cassidy had begun upping the training of the warriors of the Moon River Pack - with the upcoming challenge and increased sightings of rogues, the Pack needed security to be at its best. Gamma Josh had also looked over and gone through many of the new programmes that Cael had helped set up, and as a result knew how to maintain them now without his mate having to show him. In Joshua's eyes learning and making an effort to understand Cael's favourite interests was something a mate would always do, but for Cael it was like the Gamma had given him the world.

Also on the subject of mates, Elise was awake now - had been shortly before Aaron and Kylie had left, but had not yet been discharged from the hospital. Fortunately, it was not because of her health; her condition was stable, and her connection to her wolf Ember was still weak but there. After she'd awoken, Elise finally had a proper conversation with her fated mate.

While she wasn't exactly a hundred percent lovey dovey with Doctor Enzo yet, the two were trying their best to make things work between them. Luna Olwen had heard a few days ago that having caught wind of the fact that their daughter was mated to the lower but still decently reputable pack Doctor, Mr and Mrs Ainsworth had finally made an effort to go see Elise. However, they were in the clinic for about only five minutes before Doctor Enzo was seen having them escorted from the premises with a solemn look on his face. Their matebond had a ways to grow and develop, but it was a good start.

But back to the wedding - it was meant to be a quiet affair, so they had rented out a restaurant, Elijah's suit and Stela's gown slightly more casual than a grandiose wedding but suited to them both. The thing on their bodies that had taken the most money was the pair of rings, both with dark blue gemstones.

Landon drove them all to the human town in the early hours of the morning, checking everyone in to the motel before they commenced the procession.

Though the only other people present were a minister and a photographer, the wide smiles on Elijah and Stela's faces told anyone that this was what they preferred. They didn't need many people witnessing their union, just those they cared about the most.

As the best man and woman, Landon and Olwen watched their friends recite their wedding vows to one another. Their marks were hidden by their clothes, and though in the eyes of any wolf the couple were already tied together, witnessing them going ahead with this ceremony brought a beautiful sense of finality. And as the 'I do's' were finished and Elijah leaned in to kiss his bride, Olwen felt tears of happiness prick her eyes. She wasn't the only one - Elijah's parents were barely holding on, while Sylvie was watching the scene with a rather bittersweet smile - a part of her probably wished that Beta Kayden was here to see this, but it was his loss. Cael was grinning at his older sister, while his hand rubbed Sylvie's back supportively.