Werewolf Bride

Freed

After the Beast's breathing has ceased for five entire minutes, we all finally gain the courage to stop our attack and simply take in what we have achieved.

He's dead.

The Beast is truly dead to us all, unable to hurt us or control us any longer.

I finally back away and take in the fellow wolves surrounding us. The Queen's wolf and the King's wolf were even among them. My heart warms at the thought they were released from his control before his death.

I look to Carlos, relief spreading through me that we have made it through together. Excitement flushes through my stomach as energy bursts from me in the form of words.

"Shall we head back home?"

Carlos lightly yelps and nods his wolfy head in agreement.

Did he hear me?

"It appears we have gained back abilities our prior Alpha blocked from us." The King's wolf approaches both of us, communicating to us telepathically as well.

"Fascinating." I murmur quietly.

"Let's get this cleaned up," Carlos adds, ignoring my initial question.

I have to soberly agree. Our reunion will have to wait.

Multiple wolves work together to remove the body, trailing it into the woods behind the palace, where a grave would be thoroughly dug and the body would be buried without a word to be said.

When the sun begins to set once more, Carlos, the King, the Queen and I are all able to return home, grimly aware of the trials we have before us.

The people have seen the wolves. They know of the Beast.

This will come up later, I'm sure, along with several other obstacles in the new life that we all have ahead of us. An entire era has ended, an era that began before any of us were born or our grandparents were born. It was a terrible era that led to the brainwashing of multiple generations and the death of innocents who did not follow the rules before us. 

It is a somber victory, but a victory nonetheless to finally end that era. 

The King and Queen return to their rooms to rest, their clothes tattered, but their arms around each other as if finally connecting for the first time in all of these years. Carlos and I walk behind them, him watching his parents reconcile with a small tear in his eye. 

"I can't believe that just happened." He mutters, barely audible as we turn into our room. 

The cold bed has never felt so comforting...and truly mine now that I have earned it. "I'm so sorry, Carlos." I only utter, my face concealed by the blankets. "I'm so sorry we couldn't have done a better, more peaceful, job of this rebellion." I scoff at myself. "I'm so sorry about Genevieve and the innocent people of the Kingdom-" 

"Shhh." He sits beside me and rests his hand on my back. "Don't upset yourself with what we could not have predicted, Charlotte. What we did worked. War is a terrible solution but sometimes necessary...especially in the case of a literal monster prowling our streets. He had to be killed. We weren't going to persuade him to let us free by inviting him to a peaceful dinner." He scoffs himself. 

I only stay silent. I can't bring myself to lighten the air or speak any more useless apologies. 

"I don't hold any of the casualties against you, Charlotte. I love you for what you've done for my people." He murmurs softly. 

I move my head slightly up, my soft hopeful voice acknowledging him. "Really?" 

"Are you kidding? In the last little while that the Beast has been dead, it's been the first time any of them have been free." He says soberly. "It's the first time that my mother has been free, that my father has been free. It's the first time that I have ever been free to quite literally do anything." 

I stay silent and watch the thoughts roam his head for a while before asking, "What are you thinking?" 

"Putting all the pieces together that I've witnessed my entire life. That Beast has altered so many thoughts I never even knew of." He says quietly. 

"Do you remember meeting me?" I whisper worriedly. 

"Yes." He says calmly. "I did that of my own accord when I saw you there in the garden. "The Beast hadn't asked me to approach you. He only decided afterwards that you would be a convenient match with your stepmother being his witch, after all, as well as my liking towards you...plus your lack of remaining blood relatives. There were a lot of factors." He chuckles to himself. "What a terrible mess this whole thing turned out to be just because I spoke to you in that garden." 

"Oh, shush." I look up towards him from my laying position on the bed. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me." 

"Oh, really? How?" He throws himself down in a laying position beside me, our hands entwining together as we stare up at the ceiling. 

"Gave me a chance to meet the man of my dreams. Well, werewolf, I guess I should say." I smile and bite my lip. "Not to mention eternal life and eternal youth. Oh, what more could a girl ask for!" I joke as he scoffs. "No, but seriously," I say, turning to face him. "It gave my life meaning, to be with you, to save your people, to face death. Damn, I feel like I was barely even living before!" 

"Well, I guess you don't truly live unless you've faced death at least once in a giant rebellion with your brainwashed, werewolf husband at your side," Carlos says mockingly. 

I giggle. "How did you get at my side anyway? What made you not stay at the meadow?" 

"I suspected something but I trusted your judgement-" 

"Well, you shouldn't have! I was an idiot!" I interrupt him with a light laugh. 

"No matter." He grins, "Harriet and Laurie came and brought me." 

I sit up in shock. "They did? They helped you?" 

"Yes." He says simply. "Why? They didn't tell you?" 

"I haven't even seen them since they abandoned Marie." I narrow my eyes. "Why? Where are they?" 

"Back at home. I gave them permission to stay back at your original home. I hope that's alright...to get rid of the exile." He says quietly. 

"Of course." I sit up from bed and give him a quick but passionate kiss. "We have more reuniting to do, but first, I have some obligations to my dear, whiney, stepsisters." I say hurriedly. 

"I understand perfectly." Carlos shakes his head with a smile. "See you later...I'm going to pass out." 

I smile. "You rest up, and I'll be back in your arms before you know it."