Kieran
Her hands were small in mine—soft, beautiful, and trembling slightly.
And yet, they held more strength than any warrior I'd ever led.
The crowd had faded. The forest held its breath.
The moment was ours.
The officiant nodded to me. "Your vows, Alpha."
I looked into her eyes and spoke—not with the weight of tradition, but with the weight of truth.
"I spent most of my life not knowing what peace felt like. Not trusting the silence. Not believing there could be something gentler than war, than duty. Then I met you. You didn't break down my walls—you simply stood at the edge and waited… until I let you in."
Her breath hitched.
"I vow to stand with you—not above you, not behind you. With you. Through whatever storms we face. I vow to protect you, even when you don't need it. To fight for you, even when you fight me. And to learn to love you… even when you forget to love yourself."
Silence swept through the clearing.
I heard her exhale. And then—
Her turn.
