<b>Chapter </b><b>178 </b>


    <b>Reba’s </b>POV


    :


    The sand was warm beneath my feet as we walked along the shore. The setting sun painted the sky in <b>brilliant </b><b>shades </b>of orange and pink, reflecting off the water in shimmering patterns. I felt lighter than I had in weeks<b>, </b><b>the </b>weight of grief and worry temporarily lifted from my shoulders.


    “Thank you for bringing me here,” <b>I </b>said softly, squeezing his hand. “I needed this.”


    Dominic’s gaze was warm as he looked down at me, the golden light casting shadows on the nes of his face. “We both did.”


    We walked infortable silence for a while, the only sounds the gentle crash of waves and the call of seagulls overhead. When we reached <b>a </b>small cove framed by weathered rocks, Dominic stopped. The spot was perfectly secluded, with smooth sand and the ocean spread before us like a painting. The sun was just touching the horizon, setting the water aze with golden light.


    “Reba,” he said, his voice suddenly serious. His eyes held an intensity I hadn’t seen before, a mixture of nervousness and determination.


    I turned to face him fully, confused by the sudden change in his demeanor. My heart nearly stopped when he lowered himself to one knee on the sand. His movements were deliberate, almost reverent. My lips parted in surprise as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small ck velvet box emzoned with the Sterling family crest in silver threading.


    “I want to be your husband,” he said, his deep voice steady yet filled with emotion. I could see the slight tremor in his hand as he held the box. ‘I want toplete our mate bond formally, in front of everyone we care about,”


    He opened the box to reveal a stunning tinum ring with arge diamond surrounded by smaller blue stones that matched the color of his eyes. The ring caught the sunset’s light, sending rainbow reflections dancing across his


    face.


    “Reba Brown, will you marry me?”


    My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision of his beloved face. My trembling hand moved instinctively to my stomach<b>, </b>where our child was growing.


    “Yes,” I whispered, my voice breaking as emotion overwhelmed me. I nodded vigorously, unable to contain the joy surging through me. “Yes, more than anything in this world.”


    Dominic’s face broke into a radiant smile that transformed his entire being. The lines of tension that usually marked his forehead disappeared, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. With slightly shaking hands, he slipped the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, catching thest rays <b>of </b>sunlight and sending prisms dancing across the sand.


    He rose to his feet and pulled me into his arms, his embrace fierce yet gentle, mindful of my condition. I could feel


    9:15 <b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>26 B


    his heart beating rapidly against mine, his breath warm against my hair.


    “You’ve made me the happiest Alpha in the world, little doe,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.


    As we stood there embracing, I noticed movement on the water. A small boat had appeared offshore, and suddenly, with a whistling sound, the first fireworkunched into the darkening sky. It exploded in a burst of silver and blue- Sterling colors–followed by another in red and gold.


    I gasped, pulling back to look at Dominic’s face. “You nned this?”


    He nodded, his expression almost boyish in its excitement. “I wanted tonight to be perfect for you–for us.”


    The fireworks continued, illuminating the beach and reflecting on the water’s surface. Blues, silvers, reds, and golds painted the sky in a private show just for us. Each explosion was perfectly timed, building to a crescendo of light and color that took my breath away.


    Other staff must have been waiting nearby, because suddenly the beach was lined with smallnterns<b>, </b>creating a pathway back toward the house. Their warm glowplemented thest of the fireworks as they faded from the sky<b>. </b>


    We continued our walk as twilight deepened around us, discussing our future together–where we would live, when we would hold the wedding, how we would tell our friends and family. My hand kept straying to my belly, imagining our child growing there, and each time Dominic would notice and smile, his eyes filled with wonder and protectiveness.


    As night fell and the moon rose full and bright over the ocean, we made our way back to the house along thentern–lit path. The moonlight silvered the waves and lit our way, casting everything in an ethereal glow. Dominic’s arm stayed firmly around my waist, holding me close to his side as if he couldn’t bear any distance between us.


    In the master bedroom, moonlight spilled through the floor–to–ceiling windows, bathing the king–sized bed in its soft light. Dominic stood before me, his eyes gleaming with an inner fire that sent shivers down my spine. His breathing was slightly elevated, his pupils dted as he gazed at me.


    “Are you sure about this?” he asked softly, his fingertips tracing the curve of my neck where his mark would soon be ced. His touch was feather–light, reverent. “The marking is permanent, little doe.”


    I nodded, my heart pounding with anticipation and certainty. My skin tingled where he touched, responding to him with a will of its own. “I belong to you,” I whispered, holding his gaze. <b>“</b>Just as you belong to me.”


    Dominic’s eyes shed gold in the moonlight, his wolf surging forward in response to my words. He drew me close, one hand cradling the back of my head while the other wrapped around my waist, firm but gentle.


    “My mate,” he growled, his voice deeper than usual, vibrating with primal emotion. “My Luna.”


    His lips found mine in a kiss that started gently but quickly grew passionate. I melted against him, feeling the


    <b>9:15 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>26 </b><b>B </b>


    strength in his body, the heat of his skin through his shirt. His heart thundered against mine, our pulses


    -a connection forming, tendrils of awareness synchronizing. As the kiss deepened, I felt something shift between us extending from my consciousness toward his.


    Slowly, reverently, heid me on the bed. His movements were careful, controlled, though I could sense the barely leashed power in his muscles. In the silver glow of the full moon, hepleted the marking ritual, his teeth grazing my neck before sinking in just enough to leave his permanent mark. Pain shed briefly, sharp and rifying, then transformed into a wave of pleasure so intense I gasped, my back arching involuntarily.


    In that moment, I felt it–the mate bond snapping into ce, a golden thread connecting our souls. Suddenly I could sense his emotions as clearly as my own<b>, </b>could feel his love, his protectiveness, his joy washing through me. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced–as if a part of me that had always been missing had finallye home.


    “I love you, my Luna,” he whispered, his forehead pressed against mine<b>, </b>our breathing synchronized. His eyes<b>, </b>now returned to their human blue, were damp with emotion.


    “I love you too, my Alpha,” I replied, my voice trembling slightly as I raised a hand to stroke his cheek. I marveled at thepleteness I felt. For the first time in my life, I knew exactly where I belonged.


    Chapter Comments


    LIKE


    Write Comments


    SHARE