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I looked at myself in the mirror and I really didn’t mind what I saw. At first I’d hated my reflection. I hated looking at myself so much I tried to avoid any and all mirrors. I hated every scar he’d left on my body and there were a lot of them. There were scars from burns, from where he’d cut me, those from the wip, and of course the horrid brand that I will always hate. But over time I stopped hating the rest of them. They were a part of me now and they always would be. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life hating myself, no I’d rather spend it loving Alec.

“You ready?” my mom asked as she entered the room. 

“Mostly, but … I was hoping maybe you could do my hair? I’ve always sucked at doing my hair,” I said smiling at her.

“Oh honey I’m sure I can find someone to do your hair,” she said, turning around to leave.

“Mom.” she still froze every time I called her that. “I’m sure you could, but I would rather you do it,” I said, sitting down at my makeup table.

“Oh… okay. I’d be delighted,” she said, her voice cracking a little as she walked over and picked up a hairbrush. “So are you nervous?”

“About the ceremony? No not really, even if we weren’t soulmates I know I’ve made the right choice. Well, actually, I guess I am a little. But only about falling down or something while everyones looking at me. Mostly I’m just excited to start the next chapter of my life knowing that Alec will be there for every step of it. I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world to have him.”

Marina smiled at me in the mirror as she brushed my hair. ” I felt much the same way on my big day,” she said. “So do you want your hair up or down?”

Frederick

I looked around the garden and took in how beautiful they’d made it. She’d told her mother not to go overboard when she asked her to plan it, but of course with Elena being her only daughter she couldn’t help herself. There were glass mirrors pieced together and laid upon the ground as the aisle leading her through the hedge maze to Alec. Her mother had also made white rose bushes sprout from the ground to about knee high and they ran along both sides of the mirror to border it. The way the moonlight bounced off the white petals made them appear to be glowing. Hanging here and there from the rose bushes were small glass balls with little tea light candles in them to light her path. It looked like something from a fairytale. 

I looked down at my watch to check the time and realised it was almost midnight. I rushed back to the house, if Elena didn’t come out soon she was going to be late. I’d been standing just outside the entrance to the garden for about ten minutes when I saw Marina stick her head outside the door and look around for me. Finally it was time, I thought to myself as I walked over to her.

“Is she ready?” I asked anxiously.

“Yes, is Alec ready?”

“Yes, let me send him a quick text to let him know she’s walking,” he said, reaching into his pocket for his phone.

Marina stepped out of the way and opened the door for Elena to squeeze out now that she knew Alec wasn’t around. My mouth fell open and tears filled my eyes, she was so beautiful. She was wearing a white ball gown style dress. The bodice and wrist length sleeves were made of lace with nude silk underneath and sprinkled with tiny rhinestones that gave off the allusion that it was made from stardust. The skirt was floor length with a long train; it also had a lace top skirt sprinkled with rhinestones only it had a white skirt underneath. It also had silver vines sewn into starting at the bodice and going all the way to the floor. The vines branched out in every direction and had white flowers made from silk that resembled cherry blossoms spread across them. Her red curly hair had been done up in a very loose fishtail braid. Where the braid started there were three white roses tucked into, running down the braid was a silver and rhinestone vine with small cherry blossoms that perfectly matched her dress. 

I blinked my water eyes a couple of times then held out my arm for her to take. I took a deep steadying breath, Marina picked up the end of her train, and we started towards the garden. Her jewel encrusted heel came in contact with the glass and she sucked in a breath as red and white rose petals started to fall from the sky to land on the glass aisle before her. She looked back at Marina and smiled, then we proceeded down the aisle. 

We slowly walked through the garden, passing the fountain in the center where he’d marked her, and continuing on until we came out at the end of the maze. Near the edge of the forest under a large weeping willow with more of the small glass globes lighting it’s branches stood Alec. On his right side stood the preacher and on his left stood little Liam grinning so hard it looked as if he was barely able to contain himself. They were both dressed in black suits with shiny black dress shoes, white dress shirts, and  silver ties. The obvious emotions on Alec’s face made it clear he was just as excited as Liam. His face was so full of love. And if I didn’t know better, I’d say it looked like he was having a hard time not running forward and wrapping Elena in his arms. Earlier when he was getting dressed he’d asked me how did he ever get so lucky. I didn’t really know how to answer him because I still wondered that everyday when I looked at Marina.

He stepped forward as we approached him and took Elena’s hand from mine. Marina joined Alec’s sister and mother standing off to the right of Elena. I joined Declan, Liam and Alec’s brother and father off to his left. The preacher read them their vows and Declan stepped forward with the rings.

“With this ring I take you as my wife, mother to my children, and luna to my pack,” Alec said, voice cracking as he tried to contain his emotions.

“With this ring I take you as my husband, father to my children, and Alpha to my pack,” Elena repeated, blinking her eyes repeatedly to hold back her tears of joy.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the preacher said, grinning at them both.

Alec wrapped her in his arms, dipped her towards the ground, and kissed her passionately. A little too passionately for my liking. I cleared my throat to get their attention but they ignored me.

“Okay, that’s good enough,” I said, tapping Alec on the shoulder.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” Alec said, looking like he’d just won the lottery.

Elena’s cheek turned red from embarrassment. She buried her face in Alec’s chest. A few seconds later I saw her reach up and wipe tears away when she thought no one was paying attention. Liam came over and hugged them both around the knees.

“I’m so happy to have a daddy,” Liam said, looking up at them with a big smile that seemed to be permanently plastered across his face.

Alec

I stood on the balcony outside my bedroom waiting for Elena to return from putting Liam to bed. Her mom and mine had both offered to watch him but Elena wasn’t ready to be away from him after her close brush with death, which I completely understood. She’d been gone for a little while already, she must’ve been having a hard time getting him to wind down after all the festivities. So I decided to use the time to make a phone call. 

He picked up on the fourth ring. “Uh?” Luke answered with a pained grunt.

“We did it man, we just tied the knot! I wish you had been there, she was so beautiful! When do you think you’ll get to come home?” I asked, leaning on the wooden railing of the balcony.

“Just a minute,” Luke mumbled.

I waited until Luke responded again. “Sorry I have to rub medicated lotion into the scar tissue to soften it up so it’s easier to talk sometimes.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. I’ve never seen you do that when we visit. I bet that’s annoying,” I said sadly.

“It’s not too bad I just have to do it when I haven’t talked in a while and since it’s two a.m. it’s been a couple hours,” he chuckled. “I bet yall are ecstatic to finally be married,” he chuckled again. 

“Man I feel like the luckiest man in the world! I finally feel complete in a way I never have before!” I exclaimed

“Good for you, I’m so happy for both of you,” he responded.

“Now we just need our beta back! Oh my god, I gotta go! Elena just came back and she’s- … never mind you don’t need to know. Later man.” 

I heard Luke laugh before I hung up the phone.

A Few Months Later

Gianna

I could not believe I was here tied to this pole with some other bitch I barely even knew. This was all my dad and Elena’s fault. I just wanted a family of my own. One that loved me but that child was such a spoilt brat growing up, she always needed more. More time, waking me up all hours of the night to eat, more baths because she was always getting so dirty, more everything. Giving her up for adoption was the best thing I ever did. I should’ve just killed her when I had the chance but then I’d have never had Liam, he’d been the only good thing in my life. If only I’d been able to have him all to myself like I’d planned.

My father was another matter though. I’d always wanted his attention but no matter what I did it was never enough. His precious business was always more important to him. There was always some scary creature of the night to defend the world from. Even in my last moments he wasn’t here. Why wasn’t he here? Why wasn’t he trying to save me? No one was going to save me, no one cared enough. 

The worst part about my execution was the way they were carrying it out. They used a wooden post and rope, so we could just fade away into dust with no evidence left behind. Nothing to prove we ever existed. For some people that might not be that big of a deal, other people's memories would help them live on, but no one would ever remember me.

Marina 

It was the day of Gianna and Emily’s execution. They were both tied with their backs pressed to the same wooden post. I smiled at them, but it wasn’t exactly a happy smile. It was the type of smile that makes your skin crawl.

"Once you’ve endured enough pain from being burned alive that you start to pass away, I'll be personally taking your souls from your bodies. I’m going to make your soul wander the earth for eternity," I said in a cold menacing voice.

Fredrick nodded his head to the Protectors and they stepped forward and lowered their torches to start the fire. This was no regular fire, it was a fire that could not be stopped by humans or witches. No one knew where it had originated from, but once it started it could not be stopped until it had consumed it’s human sacrifice. 

We finally got our revenge on the person who hurt our family and it couldn’t have been sweeter. Now we can finally rest in peace.

The End.

For now....