"What do you mean the mate bond is broken?" Alex asked, once Edmond and Alastair released him. "And what did you make me drink?"

"You no longer hold control over Harmony or the pups. You can go on your miserable way and be a jerk elsewhere, Alex," Ashley said.

"Harmony. This has gone on long enough. You're coming back to my father's until we are allowed back in our house."

"No, Alex. I'm not. You are not my mate anymore."

His face began to turn red as he let out a howl. He shifted to his wolf form and ran off into the woods.

"Should we go after him?" dad asked.

"No. He'll come back eventually," Alpha Anwar said. "Harmony, I am so sorry about everything he's put you through. Princess Elanor, I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am for every suggesting any of this was your fault. I just..."

I put my hand on his arm. "Alpha, it's okay. Alex is your son. It's hard seeing flaws in our children. You have nothing to be sorry for."

He nodded his head and left my father's estate.

"Now what?" Alastair asked.

"I guess whatever we want? Whatever Harmony wants?"

She stood and started sniffing the air. "Does anyone smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"I don't know. It's different."

"I just smell that stuff Ellie made. It's so sweet."

"Yeah, it does just invade the senses doesn't it?" I mumbled.

"I'm so confused," mom said, sitting at the table. 

"Why?" Edmond asked her.

"So, the mate bond was broken? We were always told that we would die if we broke it."

"We do, that's why there's special circumstances that have to happen leading up to it and a specific way it has to be done. It's really a pain to go through, but worth it if it's needed."

"What happens to Harmony now?" She looked up at my twin sister.

"She gets to live her life now without being in fear. She can finally be happy."

"That's good. That's a good thing!" Mom stood and hugged Harmony. "You and the pups stay here as long as you need."

"Yes, you stay here," dad agreed.

"Thanks," Harmony said. 

As the night wore on, Harmony, Ashley, Alastair, Edmond, and I gathered around the fireplace, discussing the events that had unfolded. The air was tense with uncertainty, but also relief. She finally had the freedom she deserved, away from the toxic bond that had held her captive for so long.

She kept sniffing the air, looking around us.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. I just smell something weird. I dunno."

"Oh." I furrowed my brow.

Could she be smelling another mate? That wasn't in the journal. None of the other wolves found another mate.

"Excuse me for a minute," I said, standing.

Edmond followed as I went to my old bedroom. "What's up?"

"I think she's smelling another mate."

"What? Already? How?"

"I don't know. I'm calling Artemis to ask."

I stood in the middle of the room and shut my eyes. I focused deep within myself, searching for the Goddess.

Opening my eyes, there she stood, smiling.

"Daughter."

"Mother."

"How are you?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Um, question?"

"Harmony?"

I nodded my head. "I don't understand."

"That is my doing."

"So she does have another mate?"

"Indeed. Your sister fought valiantly at your side with no questions asked. She put herself in harms way protecting the wolf realm. This is the least I can do for her."

"Who is it?"

"Ah, my daughter, that is for Harmony to discover on her own."

"Can I help her?"

Artemis shook her head. "This is her journey. She will have her happy ending in life though. She has been through enough and deserves it."

"Okay. What will happen to Alex?"

"That is for him to decide. He has free will and his actions will pave his future."

"Right. Free will."

She kissed my forehead and vanished before I could ask anything else.

"That wasn't helpful."

"No. It wasn't. I guess at least we know for sure that Harmony does have another mate out there."

"But we can't tell her."

"Nope."

The following days were filled with a mix of emotions for all of us. The weight of her broken mate bond was lifted, and she felt a newfound sense of freedom and relief. Yet, there was also confusion and curiosity about the mysterious scent she kept picking up. She didn't understand what it meant, and it killed me inside that I couldn't explain to her.

She spent time with her pups, doting on them and cherishing the moments she could now share with them without the oppressive presence of Alex. 

Father decided to host a pack wide gathering at the estate as a way to celebrate life and friendships. He, of course, invited everyone over. 

Mother loved hosting large gatherings and went over the top with everything. She was a magnificent hostess who always made sure everyone had everything they could possibly need and had a wonderful time.

She also liked things fancy.

"Hey, I had a crazy idea," Harmony said, barging into my room like she did when we were kids. "Why don't we match dresses?"

"Match?" 

"Yeah, you know, like we used to."

"Do we have anything that matches?"

"Well, yes." She held up two dresses that matched in opposite colors. 

"Our 18th birthday gowns?"

She nodded her head with a big smile.

"The blue on is yours, right?" Edmond asked.

"Yeah."

"That will match the new tiara I gave you."

"It would. And I didn't bring anything really fancy with me."

"Yay!" she squealed, throwing my dress at me and running back to her room. 

I laughed and hung the dress up on the back of the door while helping Edmond with his tie. "At least she's back to her old self."

"I hate to say it, but it's good to see her smile again."

"Momma! Poppa!" Freddy and Vicky yelled as they ran into our room. "Look what grammy had for us!"

"Look at you two! So handsome and beautiful."

"I've had those outfits, we just never had anywhere to get them dressed for," mom said, standing in our doorway.

"You look beautiful in green, mom,"

"And you look beautiful in blue." She smiled. "Pups! Let's go make sure those caterers are making the food right!"

Freddy, Vicky and Harmony's pups all shouted in glee while running down the steps. I put on the blue gown and finished up my hair and makeup just in time for the guests to start arriving.

"Oh! Tiara," Edmond said, placing the beautiful piece of jewelry in my hair. 

Harmony entered the ballroom before we did. We always entered last unless King Orsand and Queen Amelia were present, then they went last.

They announced us, and the room clapped. It was a familiar thing by this point. 

Harmony bounced around, her social butterfly self was in full force as she talked with everyone she could. 

She stopped though, sniffing the air.

I tugged on Edmond's coat sleeve and pointed to her. "I think she found his scent!"

I looked around the room at all of the men and stopped when I saw a very familiar face sniffing as well.

"Oh, shut up!" I said a little too loud.

"What?" Edmond asked.

I pointed to the man who followed his nose right to Harmony. Everyone stopped and stared. Murmuring. 

"Harmony," Rich spoke her name with a voice of a man who'd finally found what he lost.

"Rich?" Harmony asked, confused for a moment before realization hit her hard. "What? No."

"Mine?" he said softly.

She nodded her head. Tears in her eyes. "Mine."

Everyone whispered except Ashley who jumped up and down. 

Harmony just looked at me. "You knew?"

"Yeah. I kind of had a feeling when you said you could smell something when the rest of us couldn't. The same thing happened to me with Edmond."

"I don't understand," she said. "We've both had our mates."

"Maybe a higher power realized that you two were meant to be together after all."

"Wait, what's going on?" Gamma Arthur asked.

"It's a long story."

"But Harmony's bonded to future Alpha Alex?" another voice asked.

"Former future Alpha," Tristan said. "I don't know how this happened, but congratulations."

"How did this happen?" Someone else asked.

"Our Goddess," I said. "She works wonders sometimes."

Everyone murmured for a few minutes before congratulating Rich and Harmony. Finally, she had her happy ending and we were rid of Alex.

At least, for now. I was sure he'd eventually pop back up somewhere. Hopefully he'd have some clarifying moment while he was gone.

In the end, Harmony found her freedom and a new mate in Rich, the man who had been her first love. They embraced their second chance at love and mom could finally plan one of her daughters marking ceremonies from start to finish the proper way.

"Okay, I am handling everything!" she said, running to her caterers. 

As the night continued, the celebration in the ballroom grew even livelier. The weight of the broken mate bond and the past troubles were replaced by hope and happiness. The pups played joyfully, and laughter echoed throughout the estate. The shadows of the past had faded, and a new chapter filled with promise had begun.

As I watched Harmony dance with Rich, her face glowing with happiness, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the second chance she finally got.