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Luna kissed bothher head to Benedict as she leftin front of hihtly raised podium

Our families took their seats and I tossed my bouquet to Olivia who sat in the first row I slid azed up at him with tear-coated eyes

“Jocelyn,” Luna said, her sweet voice ringing over the crowd “You requested this bonding ceremony, and we are all here to witness it You may propose to your partner now”

Some of my vampire family furrowed their brows at her claim, but the witch side of the ceremonyceres, so I understood their confusion I hadn’t even prepped Benedict, ore an equally confused look, because I wanted it to be real and raw and powerful

I cleared aze off of him “You knoe usually only take consorts,” I said, and Benedict nodded “But there are special exceptions for cases of love in the purest form for witches We can choose to bind ourselves to one other person for the rest of our existence It’s rare, but no less important in our culture Choice is prevalent in our nature, in our history, and there is no greater honor or request when it co ceremony”

Benedict visibly sed, and my hands trembled in his

“As you all know,” I said to the crowd, but kept ether Neither of us had a choice, but eren’t exactly unhappy with Fate’s decision” A sh the crowd, and Benedict smiled down at me “But,” I continued “I wanted to come before you all today, before my witch queen…” I winked at my sister “Wanted to stand on my territory, and ask this of my mate before all of you…” I sucked in a sharp breath, nerves suddenly fluttering“Will you choose to bind yourself to nize, by power and love and understanding Through arguh eternity or our own endings, will you stand with me?”

Benedict smoothed a hand over rinned up at him

“Now and always,” I echoed him

Luna s in her pal, and honor it” Her poashed over us with a buzzing crackle that skittered along ourit “You ic”

Benedict wasted no ti over mine in the most delicious way I sank into his kiss, ue He kissedand my sister’s poashed away

We dreay froh to breathe, and he kept his hand in mine as we faced our families Noeren’t only mates, but a bonded pair, and we’d made the choice to keep each other forever