The Alpha's Bride Chapter 1072: The Journey Ahead

"What is it you expect me to do?" Yasmin countered with a look of disbelief. She wondered if he actually thought she could interfere with the manifestation of the mate bond. "Nature cannot be defied. Whatever this is, we must accept it, or the backlash will be devastating."

Upon the terrace...

Valeria halted her advance when a single step remained between her and her target. Though bandages obscured much of his features, in her eyes, he was the personification of handsomeness.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," he answered, feeling a surge of irritation at the nasal quality of his voice. It lacked the manliness he desired.

Since Ethan and Valeria had been acquainted since childhood, there was no requirement for formal introductions.

As Valeria reached out to graze his cheek, a jolt of electricity surged through them both, the sparks of their bond flickering to life.

"My mate," Valeria breathed, the words more a private confirmation of reality than a statement to him.

Ethan could only stare, dazed. While he had always preferred blondes and knew Valeria was attractive, he had never truly grasped the extent of her beauty. How long had it been since their last encounter? A year? She was absolutely stunning.

As Valeria closed the distance, Ethan leaned in to meet her. The moment their lips touched, they both flinched, instinctively pulling each other into a tight embrace so the kiss wouldn't be interrupted. They were oblivious to the thunderous applause and cheering erupting around them. For them, the rest of the world had vanished.

The intensity with which Valeria clung to him caught Ethan off guard. She had the flavor of hazelnuts enveloped in rich milk chocolate, and he felt a desperate urge to taste every inch of her. And he certainly intended to do far more than just taste!

A soft gasp escaped Valeria as Ethan’s tongue breached her lips. This was a delicious invasion unlike any she had ever felt; this Alpha tasted like the sweetest, ripest apricots.

Violet rubbed her eyes as she watched Ethan and Valeria locked in a passionate embrace, completely indifferent to their spectators. "Ash? Am I actually seeing this?"

"I’m looking at you. What are you seeing?"

Violet shifted her gaze toward Ashton. "I'm serious. Look over there." Avoiding the use of names in public, she gestured toward them with her eyes.

"I don't see anything worth noting."

Violet was ready to snap at his dismissive tone, but when she looked back at the terrace, the pair had vanished. Where could they have gone? It was obvious—they had gone to find privacy! Given the forest was crawling with people, they likely retreated to a guest room.

While Violet wasn't entirely sure of Ethan's romantic history, she knew this would be Valeria's first time. Ethan needed to be gentle and make it special, or he risked ruining everything. Then again, Ethan was notoriously tactless with women, making the likelihood of a blunder quite high.

Violet recalled a time she had complained about Ethan’s rudeness. Talia had mentioned that Uncle Max was such a blunderer that he almost drove Aunt Tanya to reject him; it seemed Ethan might be following in his father's clumsy footsteps. To her frustration, Violet had never learned the specifics of that story, leaving her to wonder what Talia had truly meant.

"Love?" Ashton’s voice murmured against Violet’s ear. "Would you like more to eat, or shall we have a dance?"

Dancing with Ashton was the perfect distraction, as she had no desire to dwell on the physical intimacy Ethan and Valeria were likely sharing.

Talia stole a look at Michelle and Cristian, noting their intense focus on their food. A strange tension hung between them, and Talia wondered if it was related to Ashton and Violet or something else entirely. Regardless, she wasn't one to interfere. Should they seek her counsel, she would help gladly, but she refused to impose herself.

Scanning the assembly, Talia saw many familiar, happy faces enjoying the festivities.

Maya was with Caden, Keith with Arya, and Dawn alongside George. There were Gideon and Mindy, Kai and Meg, Sandy and Tyler, and Travis with Olivia... The Wilkow sisters—Tatiana, Kalina, Daria, Lidia, and Varya—were all present with their respective mates: Maddox, Tony, Pierce, Jordan, and Grady. Axel and Yasmin, Zina and Owen, Caleb and Trisha, Liam and Amelia, Cornelia and James, Petra and Zack—everywhere Talia looked, there was joy.

Damon draped an arm over Talia’s shoulders, pulling her close against him.

'When should we announce that we are leaving?' Damon’s voice echoed through their mind link.

'Not tonight,' Talia answered, her gaze drifting dreamily toward Violet and Ashton as they danced slowly by the bonfire, surrounded by their pack. With so many promising young wolves present, Talia understood that the union of Ethan and Valeria was a significant turning point.

It would take time, but Valeria would eventually find her footing and become a vital supporter for Violet. Given the challenges ahead, Violet would require every ally she could find.

'I don't want Vi and Ash to take on their responsibilities under the pressure of a deadline,' Talia added. 'Once they have officially ascended as Alphas, we can reveal our departure. Until then, we will provide them with all the knowledge they need.'

'And if Vi begs us to stay?'

'She is mature now,' Talia replied. 'She understands the importance of our quest to find my grandparents. It is the key to understanding the link between the realms and the hybrids. We cannot truly win until we discover their origin and how they are crossing over.'

They also harbored the hope of finding a way for Sapa and Liseli to exist together independently of Damon and Talia. An ancient text from the Silver Flame Coven archives mentioned beings skilled in magic and spirit communication; Talia believed these entities might hold the secret to manifesting physical forms for the two ancient wolves.

'Vi will grasp the necessity. I am the only one capable of traveling without the use of portals.'

'That we are aware of,' Damon reminded her. If their theories were correct and hybrids were moving between realms at will, it meant others could bypass the barriers without portals—a terrifying prospect.

Even after all these years, Talia felt a lingering bond with her grandparents, who had vanished long ago in search of Valerian. The connection was faint, but Talia sensed they were in another realm, and that it was all somehow tied to the hybrids.

It was a path fraught with danger and unknowns, and Talia knew that only she and Damon were equipped for the task. Failure would mean certain doom for their loved ones.

But that is a tale for a different day…

-- THE END --

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Wow! We have reached the conclusion.

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