Finding Home

Epilogue-Home

Nathan looked back up at Paige, she had tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She cleared her throat, "Yep, it was smart to go first." He took out the rest of the unused tissues Sophie had handed him and gently dabbed at her tears.

"We've come to the part of the ceremony where traditionally Nathan and Paige would now mark each other," Patrick started. "However, because that's already happened and rings can cause hazards when shifting, the couple have decided to use this time for a hand fasting instead."

Dorothea took over, "Paige and Nathan, please join hands and look into each other's eyes."

They did as they were asked. Paige, whose heart rate had been rising instantly calmed when their skin touched. Sparks erupted from their connection and when their eyes met she swore she saw fireworks.

"Will you honor and respect one another and the mate bond the goddess has created between you two?"

"We will." They said in unison. Sophie stepped forward and draped a gold rope around their hands.

"And so the binding is made." Dorothea finished.

Patrick took up the mic now, "Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?"

"We will." Nathan's heart swelled thinking of all the pain they had both been through. Allen stepped forward and draped dark blue cord around their hands.

"And so the binding is made."

"Will you share the burdens of not only each other, but if this pack you now lead, so that your souls may grow in unity?" Dorothea asked.

Paige's heart jumped at the reminder that she was Luna and in charge of a pack. It had been a few months now but sometimes the fact still surprised her. Nathan gently squeezed her fingers and the said, "We will," again in unison.

Micah stepped forward and draped a purple and black cord around their wrists as Dorothea proclaimed, "And so the binding is made."

"Will you share in each other's laughter, and look for the joy in life and each other?" Patrick asked.

"We will."

James draped and yellow and green cord around their hands.

"And so the binding is made."

Sandra now stepped forward and tied all the cords together around their hands as Dorothea recited the blessing.

"These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours at your binding, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future.

"These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; both tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

"These are the hands that will tenderly hold your pups. These are the hands that will help you to hold your family and pack as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.

"And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

"May these hands continue in love and strength to build a loving relationship that will last a lifetime."

"Now," Patrick concluded. "We came here today to affirm your love for one another and to formally acknowledge that which the Goddess has already made known to you; that your lives are meant to be shared as one. That you are stronger together than you are apart, and that, for all your days yet to come, you wish to share together all life's joys and challenges, committed to one another forevermore."

Dorothea and Patrick spoke in turn back and forth.

"It is our privilege, as your Betas, to pronounce you Paige,"

"And you Nathan,"

"Bound mates."

"As the goddess wills."

"And for many moons to come." They finished in unison. Paige and Nathan kissed as the attendees repeated back, "For many moons to come." Nathan wanted to reach up and pull her deeper into the kiss, maybe even dip her, but as they're hands we're still tied up in the cords, he settled for stepping as close as he could and kissing her deeply.

She broke the kiss and smiled at him. She had the face of one who could launch a thousand ships. Her smile was like the joy that comes at the first rays of sun after a long night. Nathan would do anything to keep her smiling at him like that.

Paige sighed contentedly at the look awe on Nathan's face. At first it had made her uncomfortable, she didn't find herself to be particularly 'awe' worthy. She figured it would eventually fade but it never did. She hoped it never would.

Patrick clapped them on the shoulders and the bubble that had been surrounding them, leaving them in their own little world burst and they were surrounded but the cheers of their family, friends, and pack.

The party moved into the reception tent. They ate and danced and talked to what Paige thought had to be every werewolf in the state. Nathan introduced her to quite a few Alphas and Lunas who couldn't make it to her Luna ceremony and Paige introduced him to a number of unpacked wolves. Nathan had become much more comfortable around the unpacked as he met and talked with them, for which Paige was grateful.

They danced to Nathan's entire Moon Song playlist and during Sinatras It Had to Be You Paige pointed out Patrick getting very close with Annie, an unpacked wolf and very close friend of Paige's. Nathan watched them in shock. "You think they're mates?" Paige asked him.

"They must be," Nathan responded. "There's no other way Patrick gets that close to an unpacked wolf. I don't care how beautiful she is."

"That's going to be interesting." Paige laughed. "Annie is going to give him a run for his money."

They were dancing to Earth, Wind and Fire's September when Lennette and Thomas joined them. "You two just had to be cliche and play this song."

"It's a great song!" Paige exclaimed in its defense.

"Lennette it is literally the 21st night of September." Nathan told her. "Of course we're gonna dance to it!" Lennette laughed at the pair of them and danced along.

Later that night Paige and Nathan cuddled in the small cottage that was secluded away in a remote part of the pack lands. It was too cold for it to be open like the one they shared in that beach in Bali, but he had done his best to make it resemble it.

"What's all this?" Paige asked when he carried her inside.

"Do you recognize it?"

"I looks like... Nathan did you reconstruct our bungalow from Bali?"

"I wanted us to replace those awful memories with new ones. Odette said we can't travel anytime soon so this was the next best option. Do you like it?"

Paige looked around at all he had done for her. She hadn't asked for this. She didn't even know she needed it, but he had done it, for her. He had given it to her. "I love it." Nathan couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at her words. "I don't know that I love it so much that it excuses you being thirty minutes late to our ceremony," she teased and he had the good sense to look even a little guilty.  "But yes, I love it. I love you." She kissed him deeply. Nathan kissed her back before lifting her up again and carrying her to the bedroom.

As Paige's head lay on Nathan's chest and their legs were entwined together, bodies exhausted from their passion, they both reveled in the feeling of absolute peace and contentment they found with each other. Neither felt the need to fill the silence and simply existed in that moment together. The quiet assurance that the other was there was all they needed. After years of searching they had finally found it. They had found, home.