Luna was nineteen when Sienna proposed. Not marriage in the traditional wolf sense with fated mate bonds and Moon Goddess blessings. But a commitment ceremony, a formal declaration of partnership chosen freely rather than dictated by fate.
"I know you're not my fated mate," Sienna said one evening as they sat by the lake. "And I'm almost certainly not yours. But I don't care about fate. I care about choice. I choose you, Luna. Every day I choose you. I want to formalize that."
Luna's filtered emotions took a moment to process. She felt joy, yes, but also fear. Commitment meant vulnerability. Meant trusting that what they had would last despite all the complications.
"What about the age difference?" Luna asked. "You're twenty two. I'm nineteen. And I'm going to live potentially centuries
