Chapter 30

“You’re a vision, my lady. I knew this color would be perfect for you,” Vishu said, her remaining hands clasped together in delight.

I was standing in the newly built dressing room, staring at my reflection in the large mirror. A month had passed since the horrifying incident of the lycans kidnapping me and the boys, and the subsequent attack on the palace during our rescue.

So much had happened in such a short time.

Our new home was finally ready, and there had been countless meetings with other rulers and the Higher Ones about everything that had transpired.

But as I looked at myself now, all the trouble and heartache seemed almost worth it.

I’d healed well from my injuries, thanks to the medicine Merrick had brought me. And the northern lands had a reason to celebrate again.

We’d risen from the ashes of devastation, stronger than before.

That’s why I was dressing up that evening. Jekia had decided to hold a festival in the glen to celebrate the completion of our rebuilding.

I was surprised when he told me, but I didn’t object. If he wanted to do this for us and our people, I was with him.

It would definitely help rebuild his rapport with them.

“This is beautiful. You’ve learned so much from Edifel,” I said, admiring my dress.

It was truly elegant. The fabric was soft and breathable, the color reminiscent of the deep green of the forest.

The dress was strapless and low-cut, but I was used to such styles by now. I loved the full skirt with its ruffled back.

It reminded me of a dress Edifel had made for me years ago, which I’d sadly lost when the palace was destroyed.

Vishu moved behind me, making sure the skirt was properly fluffed. “I’m so glad it turned out well.

“I loved seeing the dresses Mama made for you, and I wanted to do the same. It was sad that most of them were lost,” she said.

“Yes, but we managed to save a few, and the ones you make are wonderful,” I reassured her.

A knock on the door made us both turn. Vishu helped me step down as she called out to the visitor.

“Yes?”

The door opened, and Shinna stepped in. She looked elegant in her sparkling silver robes, a warm smile on her face.

“I thought I’d visit a bit in private. You don’t mind, do you?” she asked.

“Not at all,” I replied, smiling back.

Shinna had been a frequent visitor since I had Rin and Rayne, both to see how the boys were growing and to spend time with me.

She’d become a good friend, although I had several female creatures like that, even now.

That’s why Lucia’s betrayal had hurt so much, although I understood why she’d done it. Could I really blame her for doing whatever she could to save her family?

“My, you look lovely,” Shinna said, inspecting my dress. “You’ve done a beautiful job, Vishu. I’m glad we found this fabric for you. The color suits our lady perfectly.”

“I think so too. But then, any color looks lovely on Lady Lana,” Vishu said, beaming.

“Very true,” Shinna agreed.

“I take it the festivities have started,” I said, wanting to change the subject.

All this fussing over me always made me a bit uncomfortable. Even after nearly five years, I wasn’t used to such attention.

“They have, and I believe Lord Jekia is waiting for you. But I wanted to see you first, because I have something for you,” Shinna said.

She gently lifted my left hand and slipped a silver bracelet around my wrist. It was beautiful, the chain made of small links with a pretty charm hanging from it.

Looking closer, I saw that it was shaped like the moon, even the pale color of it, though it sparkled in the light as I moved it.

“Oh, how beautiful,” I said, my voice filled with awe.

“It suits you perfectly, just as I’d hoped. We butterflies thought it was only appropriate to give you a gift that reflects your status as Lord Jekia’s wife.

“The silver represents the color of the Luna Dogs, and the moon is their element.

“It’s only fitting that you should have a piece representing the heritage you’ve married into,” Shinna explained.

“I love it. Thank you so much,” I said, genuinely happy.

“It’s a lovely gift, and this is the perfect occasion for Lady Lana to wear it,” Vishu agreed. She took my hand. “Let’s go now. We shouldn’t keep Lord Jekia waiting.”

I agreed, leaving the fitting room with them. I couldn’t deny the sense of anticipation growing within me.

This was the first time Jekia had ever allowed such a festival near our home. I’d always assumed he was worried about the threat of the lycans.

As I entered the hallway leading to the courtyard, I could hear the sounds of music and chatter. I took a deep breath to calm my anxious heart.

This was just a celebration. It was no different than mingling at one on the outside as I’d done before.

As they’d said, Jekia was waiting for me by the main doors. Rin and Rayne were with him, and he was straightening the collars of their shirts.

“Remember to be mindful of what you’re doing. You don’t want to mess up your clothes too much,” he was telling them.

“We will,” Rin nodded.

“We’ll just play with friends, and we won’t climb the trees this time,” Rayne agreed.

Jekia smiled at them. “Alright. I’ll take that,” he said, standing up as he saw me. “Here comes your mother. I told you she wouldn’t be much longer.”

As I'd anticipated, both boys were on me in an instant. They never did like it when I was away for too long.

“Mommy! You look so pretty!” Rayne exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.

Rin was already circling my dress, his small hands playing with the hem of my skirt. “Is this heavy? It looks like a lot,” he observed.

“No, it's not heavy, but remember, it's not polite to play with a lady’s skirt,” I gently reminded him.

He flashed me a sheepish grin. “Yes. Sorry,” he giggled.

Jekia gave a nod to Vishu and Shinna, who immediately understood his silent command.

“Why don't you go out and have some fun? Your mom and dad will join you soon,” Vishu suggested.

“The other kids have been waiting for you,” Shinna added, her voice full of encouragement.

That was all it took to convince the boys. They happily scampered out the door with Vishu and Shinna.

I couldn't help but giggle at their excitement. It was a joy to see, especially considering the recent events.

Jekia watched them leave with an amused smile. He then turned his attention to me. He looked rather handsome in his white shirt and vest, which perfectly matched his dark pants.

I'd seen him dressed like this before, on occasions when he wanted to be more formal. But it wasn't often. He always told me he preferred to be comfortable.

“You look breathtaking in that dress. It suits you perfectly,” he complimented.

“Thank you.

“I do like it. It's quite comfortable to move in, although I must admit I was surprised that Vishu went to such lengths to make this for the occasion,” I replied.

“Well, it is a celebration, isn't it?” Jekia reminded me. He stepped closer, and I stood still as he slipped something around my neck.

I gasped in surprise when I realized it was the pendant he'd given me shortly after we'd met.

“You still had this?” I asked, unable to hide my astonishment.

“I found it in the rubble of the old palace. I couldn't just leave it there.

“After all, I had it made especially for you, and convincing Emelio to seal some of his stars within it was no easy task,” Jekia explained.

I held the pendant, marveling at how it resembled the night sky. “There are really stars in here?”

“They're replicas of the real ones, but stars nonetheless.” Jekia brushed my hair back over my shoulders. “Come on. Let's join everyone.”

Jekia opened the door, and I took his hand as he led me outside.

The air was warm and pleasant, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the towering trees surrounding the glen.

The area was filled with the sounds of cheerful chatter and music.

A wave of warmth spread through my heart as I took in the festive scene before me.

Creatures from all over the northern lands had gathered there. There was dancing and laughter, and stalls selling food and other goods.

The scene reminded me of the festivities I'd witnessed before, and it felt like I was experiencing them for the first time all over again.

I easily mingled with the crowd as we joined them. Even though I was human at heart, this place was now my home.

They all accepted me as the ruler’s bride and as the omega I was, and I loved them like family in return.

After a while, Jekia led me to an area he'd set up at the far end of the glen.

It was a beautiful sight. The grass was a vibrant green, and two plush thrones, decorated in hues of silver, had been placed there.

Jekia guided me to the throne on the left, and I took a seat. As I did, I noticed that the creatures had gathered around us, sitting quietly on the ground about ten feet away.

Jekia flashed me a gentle smile before turning to face them.

A hush fell over the crowd as he began to speak.

“I thank you all for coming today. While I know there has been much unrest and tragedy in our lands, we've also seen how resilient we are.

“When the northern lands were formed, we all had one goal in mind: to achieve peace and freedom from oppression.

“I know you're all aware of how easily such things can be threatened. We saw it firsthand with what happened in the eastern lands and with those we took in.

“Some of you who chose to stay are still here with us. And though I've said it before, I'll say it again in front of everyone: we welcome you to our homelands.”

I saw the creatures stir, nodding thoughtfully and murmuring welcomes and greetings to certain individuals.

Ah, so those must be the ones who stayed with us from the eastern lands. I made a mental note to greet them personally later.

“That said,” Jekia continued once the crowd had quieted, “there are other things I wanted to say that I should have said a long time ago, the most important being about my beautiful bride here.

“While I know you all respect my decisions, I realize there were probably many questions about me choosing a human woman.

“But I must confess, you all humbled me with your acceptance of her, even if there were a few concerns at first.

“You've welcomed Lana as one of our own, and many of you have offered her unwavering support as she's grown into the omega she's become.”

“I'm grateful for that as well,” I added.

“I'm glad you all accepted me. And even after everything that's happened recently, I promise to help in any way I can, even if I can't do much because of what I am.”

My words stirred more emotion in the crowd than I'd expected.

“Oh no, my lady! You’ve done so much for us just by lending an ear!” a woman’s voice rang out.

“You’ve given us advice that’s made a world of difference!”

“If you hadn’t stepped in when I wanted to revamp my shop, it would’ve never happened. I would’ve gone under!” a man chimed in.

“You helped me grow my business, and I’ve made some amazing new connections! We’re all forever grateful to have met you!” another man added.

Jekia chuckled, shooting me a glance. “Seems like you don’t realize how much you’ve done for them,” he said.

“I...I didn’t think I’d done that much. I just listened and gave the best advice I could, advice I thought you’d approve of,” I admitted.

“You could do that because you’re an omega,” Jekia said. A smile spread across his face as the crowd quieted down. “But also, you’ve been exactly what they and I needed.”

He turned to face the crowd. “I won’t stand here and pretend I’ve been a perfect leader for you.

“The truth is, I let myself become distant over the centuries I’ve been your ruler, after my own personal losses.

“I thought that by doing so, I’d never have to go through what I did before I was chosen. But I’ve realized that it also distanced me from all of you.

“Many of you have told me that you find me more approachable since Lana arrived, and I now see that you’re right.

“For that, I want to apologize to all of you for how I’ve been. Even if you don’t hold it against me, I want to be better for you and teach my sons to do the same.”

I expected the crowd to either applaud or argue, but they did neither. Instead, they all nodded in unison, then bowed as if showing the highest respect.

The feeling was incredible. While these creatures had respected Jekia before, now they were captivated by him. This was more than just respect for a ruler.

This was acceptance of him as both a ruler and one of them.

Jekia bowed his head for a moment, a gentle smile still on his face, before he turned and walked back to me, offering his hand to help me up.

I wasn’t sure what he was planning, but I decided to go with it. If anything, this felt like forging lasting connections with those we both ruled and served.

“Also,” Jekia continued as I stood with him, “I’ve realized that I’ve been a bit unreasonable in my demands of you as well.

“I didn’t show much respect for who you are or where you came from when we first met, and I’m afraid I’ve continued to do so.

“Those mistakes almost cost me you, and while that would’ve destroyed me, I know it would’ve devastated those here too. You’re not just a human, or even just an omega.

“You were meant to come here and be with me, and I’m now certain you were meant to oversee these lands with me.”

A warmth spread through my heart as I listened. After all this time, I felt like I was finally seeing his heart.

This was the Jekia I’d been hoping to see since the day he declared his intention to make me his bride, the one who’d been hiding from the pain of the past.

“I understand now, and I’ll never leave your side,” I promised.

I looked at the creatures around us. “And I’ll never abandon any of you.

“I may not be able to do everything you need, but I promise I’ll always be here and do my best to help and guide you in any way I can.

“That’s my duty to you, not just as Jekia’s omega, but as who I am.”

A young woman stood up then. She was beautiful, with long golden hair and big brown eyes. Her ears were pointed, and parts of her body looked like they were covered in tree bark.

She must’ve been a type of tree nymph.

“If I may, my lady, I think I speak for all of us when I say that you’ve been the best thing to happen to us and our lands since Lord Jekia took power.

“You’ve not only stood up for us and helped us, but you’ve also helped our lord so much.

“Many of us can’t even remember seeing Lord Jekia so happy before you came here, and we share in his happiness, especially seeing the children you two now have.

“Please, never feel that you’re out of place or just his omega. To us, you’re truly our beloved queen,” she said.

I was humbled to hear her say that, and to see them bow to me when she finished. I couldn’t find the words to express how much this all meant to me.

Jekia turned to me again. “There’s something else, Lana. You mentioned to me, when we first met, that human marriage customs are very different from ours.

“While I can’t say I know much about them, I did have Emelio help me research, and while we’ve planned this as a celebration of victory for our lands, I also wanted to make it a celebration of our true marriage.”

I watched as he reached into his vest pocket and pulled out two golden rings. Now I understood why Vishu was so excited to make me this dress for this occasion.

This wasn’t just a beautiful dress for me, it was my wedding dress.

It took me a moment to find my voice. “I’d love that. I don’t need anything traditional. This is all I need.”

Jekia slipped the ring he’d given me off my finger, replaced it with the golden band, then put the diamond ring back on.

I was surprised I could keep my hands from shaking as I slipped the other gold ring on his finger. This was enough of a human tradition for me.

We didn’t need a church or a priest. This was the perfect union between his world and mine.

The celebration after that was huge. Everyone was thrilled not only to be there but to witness this moment where Jekia and I spiritually sealed our marriage, as they were now calling it.

Although it was a lot of fun, as the night wore on, I was feeling pretty drained from all the excitement.

The festival had finally ended, and I found myself sitting alone just outside the palace grounds, relishing the returning quiet.

There were large, flat rocks scattered around, and I chose one to sit on, my dress fanning out beneath me. The soft moss cushioned my legs.

Vishu was with me, along with Rin and Rayne. They quickly came over and nestled their heads on my lap, their bodies curling up on my skirt. I smiled, stroking their hair and ears, feeling them relax under my touch.

“It was a busy evening, wasn’t it?” I murmured to them.

“It was so much fun. I want to play with the other kids again soon,” Rayne replied.

“I do too,” Rin chimed in, stifling a yawn. “It was fun watching you and Father get married. I didn’t know how humans get married until now.”

I chuckled. “Well, my dears, human weddings are similar to that, but not exactly the same.”

Vishu moved closer to me, her gaze sweeping over the quiet woods surrounding us. Even in the dim moonlight filtering through the trees, her long hair and spider body seemed to glow white.

“You were surprised, weren’t you? Lord Jekia kept saying he hoped you would be,” she confessed.

“That’s why you made me such a beautiful dress. You and the others knew about his plans,” I realized.

“He did tell us, and we were so excited,” Vishu confirmed, a wide smile spreading across her face.

“You know, my lady, what Willow said was true. You mean a lot to everyone here, and we all see you as a queen. You’ve brought hope where we only felt safety before.”

“Are you talking about the girl who spoke to me earlier?” I asked her.

“Yes. That was Willow, a tree nymph who grew up near where I was born. She’s my closest friend, and we visit and write to each other often.

“She’s told me many times over the past few years how much everyone here has come to love you as they’ve gotten to know you.

“We’ve all seen the profound effect you’ve had on Lord Jekia. As I said, that gave us renewed hope,” Vishu explained.

“Yes, Willow did mention something like that. I wasn’t expecting to hear it though, especially in front of Jekia.

“It sounded like they respected him, but they were also afraid of him,” I observed.

Vishu nodded slowly. “Yes, I think that’s true, from what I’ve heard. Even though I’m still quite young, I’ve heard older ones speak of Lord Jekia with a certain fear.

“While he treated us fairly and ensured our lands were safe, he often seemed unapproachable unless it was for important matters.

“Many said it was because he’d closed off his heart after his family died. But it also felt like he only saw us as pawns to protect.

“There was no real sense of connection with him, even though he was our appointed ruler and guardian.”

“Just out of curiosity, do the people in the other lands feel a connection with Lord Merrick and Lord Vincent?” I asked her.

“Oh yes,” Vishu answered without hesitation. “I believe they’re also building that connection with Lord Lyric, from what Willow has told me.

“But I’m glad we can now have that with Lord Jekia. Things may not have been easy for a long time, but you’ve made them right.”

“What about us? Have we helped too?” Rin asked her.

Vishu patted his head with a smile. “Of course. You and Rayne are the future of our lands, and we’re all so happy that you both are here.”

“Ah, there you are.”

I turned to see Jekia approaching us. A smile spread across my face.

“We didn’t go far. I just wanted to enjoy the quiet here, and Vishu and the boys decided to join me,” I told him.

“I can’t blame you for that. Even though it was fun, we’re all pretty worn out now,” Jekia agreed.

He sat down on the other side of me from Vishu and gently patted the boys’ heads. “You both look tired. I bet you’ll sleep well tonight.”

“Yeah…,” Rayne yawned. Rin was already nearly asleep against me.

Vishu chuckled softly. “If you’d like, my lord, I can take them and get them cleaned up. They’re already falling asleep,” she offered.

“Yes, please do that for us. We’ll be in soon,” I told her.

Vishu stood up, gently lifting Rin into her arms while Rayne nestled onto her back and held onto her shoulders.

“Come on, little ones. Let’s get you cleaned up and ready for bed,” she cooed.

Jekia huffed as we watched her leave, a knowing smile on his face.

“Despite what they say, all female spiders tend to be quite maternal,” he murmured.

“I’d agree with that.” I nodded, smoothing out my skirt before looking up at the moonlight filtering through the leaves. “What a beautiful night. It’s so peaceful out here.”

“Yes, quite beautiful,” Jekia echoed.

I caught him looking at me from the corner of my eye. It made me giggle.

“Are you talking about the night or me?” I teased.

Jekia chuckled, playing with a strand of my hair.

“You’ve changed so much since the day I met you. You’ve become stronger, both mentally and emotionally. It makes you even more radiant,” he told me.

“Maybe so,” I agreed. “But honestly, I don’t think I could’ve changed if I hadn’t met you and Sage.

“I can look back and say that you weren’t very kind to me for a while and that Sage used me in his own ways.

“Those are undeniable facts, even if I know that something similar probably would’ve happened in my world too.

“But, you know, going through all that with you, it brought out a side of me I didn’t even know existed.

“I started standing up for myself, for what I wanted, even if it was just baby steps at first.”

“Are you talking about when you tried to run away from me right after you got here? You do remember how badly that went, right?” Jekia scoffed.

“I failed, sure, but I also succeeded,” I told him.

“Really? How’s that?”

“I made you see what you were starting to feel for me, and how scared you were that I could have died.”

That one hit him. I could see it in his sudden stiffness, even though he tried to hide it quickly.

“Maybe you have a point,” he admitted quietly.

I moved closer to him. “Even though it was a terrible thing, I can’t say I regret it now.

“After that, you started to open up to me, little by little. And the more I saw of the real you, the more I realized I was falling in love with you.”

“I’ve always loved you,” Jekia told me quietly.

“Sure, at first I was mostly attracted to what you are and the pleasures of your body, but it didn’t take long for me to feel something deeper. I knew then I’d made the right choice.”

“And you were pretty jealous of Sage most of the time, even though he was your best friend,” I pointed out.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Even if I accepted it, it was hard for me to think about him in bed with you, doing whatever he wanted.”

“Well, I can’t deny that I enjoyed being with him,” I sighed, shaking my head a little. “Becoming an omega has been quite an eye-opener.

“I never thought I’d have such intense cravings, or that I’d be so willing to let you or him do whatever you wanted to me.

“Sometimes I think I’ve become too loose, even if it is with you, my husband.”

Jekia looked amused as he gently ran a claw over my collar and breasts.

“You might never let go of those human beliefs, but as I’ve told you many times, this is all part of who you are.

“A beta might enjoy physical pleasures with her lover when she feels like it, but an omega’s heat is much stronger.

“Whether you want to breed or not, you’ll always have intense cravings for the pleasure I give you, and you’ll always be able to easily lure me into giving you that pleasure.”

“I guess I have to accept that,” I gave in.

“It never hurts to try.”

My eyes closed as he kissed me, and I savored the wonderful feeling of him deepening the kiss as my mouth opened, letting his tongue caress mine.

He was right about how I’d always want these things from him. Maybe in the end our desires really did match. I even wondered if sometimes mine could be stronger than his.

I could feel his heart pounding under my hand as we pulled back a little. It was in sync with mine.

“We should probably go back now. The boys will want us to tuck them in before they fall asleep,” he reminded me.

“You’re right,” I agreed. I kissed him again. “But after that, we could consider this our wedding night.”

“We could, and as much as I like this dress on you, I’ve been wanting to see your beautiful naked body for quite a while now.”

I expected as much, but it still excited me.

Jekia stood up, helped me to my feet, and we headed back to the glen and palace.

Vishu had the boys cleaned up and in bed by the time we got to their room. After bowing, she said goodnight and went off to her webs.

Jekia and I went over to the beds, tucking in Rin and Rayne. They were already drifting off to sleep, their faces peaceful from their happy evening. It was wonderful to see.

We’d been worried for a while that they’d be scared of festivals and events after what had happened.

Everything was quiet as we went to our room, which was still across from theirs. As soon as the door was closed and locked, I was pulled into a passionate kiss.

I kissed him back just as passionately, my hands moving down his chest to undo the button on his shirt. I felt him pull down the zipper on the back of my dress, and it loosened and slipped off me.

We didn’t slow down as we undressed each other, and a soft moan escaped me as I felt his naked body against mine, along with his kisses and licks on my neck and shoulder.

My hand moved down his body as he continued, tracing his sculpted chest and abs until I reached his hardening cock.

I wrapped my fingers around it, starting to slowly stroke him. A low moan escaped him as I did, and his breath shuddered against my collar.

I knelt down, kissing the head and taking him into my mouth. Jekia let out another low moan as I did, and I felt his arousal growing as I worked on him, slowly moving my head back and forth.

In the back of my mind, I had to admit how much I liked doing this now.

I didn’t think I would at first, but everything about this had become enticing, from the feel of his cock in my mouth to the taste of his essence.

A satisfied moan escaped me as I pulled back completely and licked his tip. As always, he was already extremely hard, and I could taste where he was leaking.

Jekia pulled me up into another kiss, and I was easily lifted onto the nearby bed as our tongues battled.

He worked his way down my body as I lay there, and I closed my eyes, savoring the pleasurable feeling of his lips and tongue.

His tongue swirled around my right nipple before he started sucking on it, then he moved to the left to do the same.

A soft cry escaped me as I felt him touch me between my legs, rubbing two fingers over my opening before moving them in and out as he suckled my breasts.

“Oh…more…,” I whispered, feeling my legs open wider for him.

“Your desire smells so good tonight,” Jekia murmured, leaning in to kiss me again. His hands never stopped their exploration.

“I need you,” I managed to gasp out between kisses.

He shifted over me, and a gasp slipped from my lips as I felt him push into me.

His rhythm was steady, a constant in and out that had me moaning and gasping as heat spread through my body.

This sensation, it was so similar to when I’d gotten pregnant with Rin and Rayne. Was it possible they were letting me conceive again now that things had calmed down?

I really hoped so. I wanted more children.

Jekia kept moving within me, his thrusts picking up speed and depth.

It was heavenly, the feel of him inside me, the taste and touch of his smooth skin under my hands as I kissed his neck and collarbone, the rapid beat of his heart.

It was so beautiful. I wished it could last forever.

But, as always, such intense passion could only last so long. Jekia’s thrusts slowed, going so deep I was sure I could feel him in my womb.

That was enough to send me over the edge, and I cried out as my climax hit me with a force that took my breath away.

He buried himself deep inside me as I came, and I heard him moan as he filled me with his warmth.

We stayed still, panting as we rode out the waves of pleasure. Our bodies were slick with sweat, and I reached up to stroke his face, feeling where some of his hair was stuck to it.

My other hand slid down his chest, feeling his heart still beating fast. I could swear I still felt him twitching inside me, releasing a bit more.

“That was beautiful,” I whispered.

He chuckled, the sound breathy. “You do realize we’re going to be doing this a lot now. I plan to have my beautiful wife all to myself.”

I giggled. “I’m okay with that. I love the pleasure we give each other.”

We shared another slow kiss, our tongues lazily twining together. My hands moved up to stroke his back as we continued, the pleasure building again.

“I love you so much,” Jekia murmured, pulling back slightly. “You’ve given me so much, and I’m so grateful that I’ve been blessed with you and our family.”

“I feel blessed too. Even though I never expected my life to turn out like this, I’m so happy it did.

“You’re the one I was meant to share my life with, and I’ll love you forever,” I told him.

“And I love you the same,” Jekia murmured. He sat up, pulling me into his lap. I kissed him again before moving to his neck and shoulder, hugging him as I did.

“Do you think we can keep this peace?” I needed to know.

“I’m sure we can. And if problems come up, we’ll face them together,” Jekia promised.

“You promise?”

“I do.” Jekia held me tighter, his claws gently stroking my back. “We’re one forever, my beautiful Lana.”

No, in the end, no life is truly a fairytale, and you can’t say there are happy endings, because nothing ever truly ends.

But as long as you can find comfort in life with the one you truly love and are meant to be with, any hardship is worth it.

These were my thoughts as I closed my eyes and savored the loving, intimate embrace of my husband.

Yes, this was where I was meant to be, with this beautiful family we had created, and in his loving arms.