Page 119 of Wedded Witch
And then, faintly, I feel it.
Another little flicker of life. A tiny spark.
I open my eyes, my breath catching as I watch their massive form tremble, the bond between us pulsing faintly. It’s weak, but it’s there—fighting, just like we always do.
Sol stirs next, a low groan escaping him as his eyes flutter, but don’t open. And then, Ri’s paw twitches beneath my grip.
“That’s it,” I murmur, tears slipping down my cheeks as I focus harder, pouring more magic into them. “Come back to me.”
I don’t stop. I won’t stop. Not until they wake up. The Aether swirls within me, a torrent of raw, untamed power, and I let it all go, let it flow into them, into the bond we share, binding us closer, for all eternity.
I let out a shaky breath, tears spilling over uncontrollably now, but this time, they’re tears of relief.
They’re alive.They’re alive.
Mavis lets out a small laugh, though I can hear the exhaustion in it.
“Stubborn, stubborn men,” she mutters, wiping at her own eyes.
Oland steps closer, his face a mix of relief and awe. “They’ll be alright. They just need time to heal.”
I laugh, though it comes out as more of a sob, and I press my forehead to Ri’s massive paw, overwhelmed with gratitude. “You idiots,” I whisper, my voice shaking with emotion. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Kel, still in his Cerberus form, lets out a low, rumbling groan, and I can almost imagine the smirk on his face.
They’re still too weak to shift back, but that’s okay. They’re alive. They’re going to be okay.
I stay there for what feels like hours, my hands tangled in their fur, my heart slowly starting to steady as the weight of the battle lifts. The storm may or may not be over, but for the first time, I feel like we’ve made it through the worst of it.
I stare at their chests so long, I go into a trance, only coming round when Oland shakes me gently.
“Swyn! Look!”
Slowly—agonisingly slowly—the Cerberus shifts. A low rumble, almost a growl, rises from Ri’s throat, and my heart leaps in my chest.
“Yes,” I breathe. “Come on.”
Kel’s head moves next, his eyes fluttering open, dazed but alive. And then Sol—his intense, familiar gaze locking with mine, the weight of his stare anchoring me to the earth.
They’re alive.
The Cerberus dissolves into a shimmer of weak light, and before I know it, they’re there — my mates, my loves — back in their human forms, bruised, battered, but breathing.
I collapse into them, my strength giving out as I pull them all into my arms, my tears soaking into their skin.
“We did it,” I whisper, my voice thick with relief. “You’re okay.”
Kel, ever the first to speak, lets out a low chuckle, though it’s laced with pain. “You couldn’t get rid of us that easily, love.”
Sol’s hand finds mine, squeezing it gently as his warm smile reaches his eyes. “Not a chance.”
Ri doesn’t say anything, but his arms tighten around me, his silent strength all the reassurance I need. Then Oland joins us and I feel complete.
For a long moment, we just hold each other, the five of us bound together by something deeper than magic—deeper than the curse that once threatened to tear us apart.
We’ve survived. We’ve won.
But as the dust begins to settle, I can still feel the weight of everything that’s happened—the destruction, the pain, the cost. Morfran is gone, but I get the feeling that the battle isn’t over yet. Not completely.