#Chapter 55 – Claiming

The day of the claiming dawns bright and clear. I am almost woozy with lack of sleep, having spent the whole night – as promised – tearing apart Amelia’s table cloth and making it into something new.

I caught a few hours of sleep, just before dawn, but now I’m up, showered, and ready to face the day. In the soft yellow light of morning I lift the linen dress up over my head and let it slip down over the length of my body, falling all the way to the floor.

Ultimately, I decided on a very simple pattern. My dress is almost Grecian in its drape. Its simple lines fall from my shoulders to the floor with a slight hitch at the waist, my arms left bare. I study myself in the mirror, pleased with the result. It’s simple, but it’s elegant. And I look damn good in it.

Smiling, I bustle from my room and hurry to open the door to the boys’ bedroom. “Alvin, Ian –“ I call and then stop short when I see them standing in the middle of their room, dressed in their posh little white suits, Alvin quietly straightening Ian’s tie.

“What – what are you two doing up?”

“We couldn’t wait,” Ian says, smiling at me.

“We couldn’t sleep all night, we’re so excited,” Alvin says, finishing with his brother and striking a pose for me. “How do we look.”

“You two look amazing,” I say, meaning every word of it. I stretch out my hands for them and we head down the stairs. “Now we just have to figure out how to feed you without getting lucky charm stains all over your clean clothes…”

noon, when the sun is at its zenith over our heads. The sun, for us, is a recognition of family, of community, of culture. The moonlight is the space in which

wonderful job. The entire yard is elegantly draped in white, so much so that it almost looks like a little alpine village, covered in snow. Beautiful white orbs hang from the trees; at night, they will

a grassy circle down by the edge of the property, by the trees through which you can see my own little cottage standing cheerily by. The rest of the guests – there are tons of them – gather around us, peaking

in white (I guess they all got the memo). I scan the faces all around us and am pleased when I see that

be Victor’s

small bow. I smile back at him. Willard is the Alpha of a very small, new, progressive, and relatively unimportant pack. Did Victor invite

when Victor told me that she would be running the ceremony – she’s important for him, politically, and

claiming between a father and his sons,” Annabeth continues, her voice strong and steady. “Long separated by time, distance, and misunderstanding, they have come together today to recognize and respect their

please come forward.” The three walk steadily towards Annabeth and stop when Victor stands at

so that we are again united. Amelia is in the

ground at

steps so that they’re both facing him. Victor pulls a bone-handled knife from his pocket. It

I can tell that his heart is very much in his throat. “From the moment I met you, I knew that you were very special, very brave, and

the world to recognize our bond as one of bone and flesh, the unbreakable commitment of a father to his sons.” With this, he draws the dagger across his left

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