The Outcasts

Epilogue

  Epilogue

Claire

The box waited for me on the table. On the table where Jericho had made dinner and he had placed candles. I frowned. “What are we celebrating?” I asked cheerfully as I placed the bag on the couch and went to the kitchen.

Jericho was cutting the last pieces of the cheese when I hugged him from behind. He turned around and kissed my nose. “Go and sit down.” He said with a cryptic smile.

I rolled my eyes and went to the table, settling myself comfortably. He really made it this time; crisp roasted chicken with smashed potatoes, two salads and a cool bottle of wine had filled the table. “And you still are trying to fatten me.”

“The better to eat you my dear!” he said and settled the plate on the table. Jericho took the box and looked at it intensely and then at me.

“I am a little nervous. Would you like to eat, then…” he trailed off.

“Show me Jericho.” I turned the chair, facing him.

He knelt. Oh God

Jericho placed the box on my lap and his palms rested on my knees. My eyes were locked on the box as if I was Pandora. I unlocked the latch and opened it. Resting on soft red velvet was a wolf mask.

It was made of dark metal, polished and shining like obsidian. The eye slits were painted bright blue on the edges and around while there were two decorations on the sides. The left side bore a silver crescent moon while the right side had pink cherry petals which were truly parts of the pink pearls Fred had given us. The ears were pointy and the tips had diamond dust on them.

I looked at Jericho who anxiously looked at me, his blue eyes worried. Slowly, I took the mask in my hands and wore it, hiding the wetness of my eyes. “Yes.” I whispered and a relieved, joyous, boyish grin appeared on his face.

He lifted me up and we laughed as he spun me around howling, both man and wolf happily.

“You were worried I would say no?” I said as he finally settled me down, my legs shaking from dizziness and happiness.

“I almost pissed myself from fear!”

I pulled off the mask and kissed him. “Why? I would always say ‘yes’.”

Jericho cupped my cheeks and looked at my, his eyes roaming my face. “Because I thought you weren’t ready.”

I shook my head. “I always were.”

“This is the happiest day of my life, Claire.” He kissed me fiercely and whispered on my lips “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Three days later we packed and headed to George Washington Forest, where the mating mask was. It greeted us with a knowing chuckle, when he saw me in a white dress and the mask on and Jericho on his wolf form. We had the clearing all to ourselves and the ritual was completed under the light of the blazing fire and the soft music of the mask’s magic.

When we returned home and Jericho carried me to the bed, I thought my heart would burst. He kissed me as we tangled our bodies together, his breath becoming mine and my soul his. He cried out his love for me and kissed my eye lids tenderly as we tried to find our breathing, moments, days, eons later. Time had disappeared for us. He laid his head on my chest, his arms hot around my body.

“Eternity will never be enough. Am I too selfish?” he whispered, almost afraid saying these words.

“Never. Eternity…is only our beginning.”  

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Our Epilogue song: "Love runs out" by One Republic!