Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

He pulls out a little blue velvet ring box and opens it. Inside was a beautiful ring. The giant purple, sparkly stone in the center is square with rounded edges, down the sides of the band are little white diamonds. | gasp and put both hands up to my mouth. | feel my eyes getting wider. | look from the ring to Bronx and back again. A purple aura starts to glow brightly around me. Bronx puts his hand on my knee and starts to glow too.

“|...Bronx, where...|...you," | feel so flustered, | can't form a sentence. Tears start pooling in my eyes, threatening to spill over. | manage t0 pull one hand away from my mouth enough to point to the ring and whimper, " Where did you get that?” : “| stopped in Paris after my first visit with you at the coven and had it custom made. It's a purple diamond. Like, it's a real diamond that's purple, something to do with minerals in the earth. | had no idea diamonds came in colors,” he chuckles a little, "The sales guy at Harry Winston told me they're super rare. | told him | knew just the person for a super rare purple diamond. So? What do you say, Kas? Will you be my wife? Will you marry me?”

I'm full on ugly crying now. | hear my voice squeak as | nod yes. | couldn't speak actual words if | tried. Bronx pulls the ring out of the box, takes my left hand away from my face, and slides the ring on my finger. It fits perfectly. | stare at my hand in shock.

The air feels thin. | sit down to catch my breath as | stare at my hand with the giant diamond ring securely in place. | feel an odd pang in the back of my mind, but | ignore it. +

“| was going to do this at the Solstice party tomorrow, but this felt right. Just us, not a huge audience," he says as he wipes my tears away. Without warning, | throw my arms around him, crashing my lips onto his. Surely he had to know this was going to get him laid, right? Well if he didn't he does now. 2

| wake up the next morning tired but in a completely blissful state. | just got engaged and now it's the winter solstice. Not only that, | get to join in on the festivities. But first | have to get out of Bronx's clutches. | swear he has the arms of an octopus. °

| finally get him off of me, | roll over and look at my hand. The engagement ring is still there. Last night was real. Oh my Goddess, | still can't believe it. | look out the window with a huge smile on my face. It's gently snowing. Oh, man! | feel a twinge of sadness because | know if Lex was here, she would have loved to go for a snow run with the pack.

“Wake up, Sweetheart. It's Winter Solstice! Come on. Let's go meditate," | shake his sleeping form.

out last night. I'm a weak old werewolf, whose wolf won't even talk to him,

seven years younger than him, just barely old

to sleep after we meditate,"

up, I'll be there in a minute," he waves me off with his face smashed in the pillow.

room and pull out the yoga mats and light some tea lights. | pull the curtains closed to dim

how you expect me to be able to concentrate if you're naked," he looks me up and down. He has a smirk on his face with his eyebrows raised. | look down and realize in my excitement, | forgot to put on clothes. | giggle as | run to the closet and put on comfy yoga

phone and take his hands. We have found it is

Saint and Lex are back in our

sounding a

close our eyes and

you?" Her

please find me!"

Lex. Follow my voice. You're

stay here and

You always tell me you're a warrior. So prove it. Get up and fight for your life. Follow my voice. Right now. Let's go!" | never thought | would have to be the one using the ‘tough love’ tactic on my wolf, but here

up now. It feels like forever but | sense her getting closer and closer until | can envision her beautiful black fur. | can practically feel myself being able to wrap my