More thunder and lightning flash through the sky above us, turning into a wild storm that rains down on us. We fall back as Nina jerks in immense pain. I sit up, pulling Nina onto my lap. We suddenly feel sparks wherever our skin touches. It feels amazing. Our eyes turn black, and the word 'Mate' escapes our lips in unison.
Nina lets out another scream in pain.
'Try not to fight it, Nina. It will hurt less if you let your wolf take over,' I say, my fingers gently stroking through her hair.
'It hurts,' she gasps, her voice strained.
'I know, babe. I'm here and will help you through this,' I assure her.
Nina nods, doing her best to relax.
Black fur suddenly begins to cover her as the rest of her bones snap, and she shifts into her wolf. The sight takes my breath away. Her wolf is pure black with a white-shaped star on her forehead.
'Nina, your wolf is so beautiful. I've never seen anything like this,' I say, my hand running along her fur, then over the star on her forehead. Nina steps back and gains her balance. She glances down at her paws and then prances happily in her wolf form in the mud and rain before excitedly nudging into my shoulder.
'If the curse is broken, I should no longer feel any pain when I shift,' I smile at her, remove my clothes, focus my mind, and close my eyes.
I feel my body morph swiftly without any pain. I open my eyes and stare at my large white paws.
'This is amazing,' I think to myself.
'I can hear you!' Nina replies through the mind-link.
'I can hear you too, and we can mind-link now!'
Nina rubs her face against my fluffy ear. 'We were fated mates all along. Can you believe that?' she mind-links.
'We were never cursed, Nina. On the contrary, we had been blessed with each other all along,' I reply.
I return her affection and caress my face against hers. 'Let's go for a run towards home,' I mind-link.
Nina runs ahead, and I can only just keep up behind her.
We run for hours through the night until we are exhausted. Then, we lie huddled together and stare up at the moon.
I shift into my human form. 'Moon Goddess, thank you for blessing me with Nina as my mate,' I say, staring at the moon.
Nina nudges me and shifts back into her human form. 'That was amazing. We can both shift now, and we are fated mates!' Nina squeals, plonking herself happily in my lap. I nuzzle my face into her neck, inhaling her lavender and mint scent.
'You smell so good,' I tell her.
Nina giggles at my nose, tickling her neck.
'You smell like chocolate and freshly chopped wood,' she laughs.
'Really?' I ask.
'Yep,' Nina grins.
Without warning, my mouth crashes onto hers, and we passionately kiss. Our lips meld together. I wrap my arms around Nina, pulling her closer, and she reciprocates, holding onto me as if afraid to let go.
As the kiss deepens, our canines extend, a primal instinct taking over. I run my elongated teeth across the nape of Nina's neck, a gentle but deliberate caress that sends shivers down her spine. In response, she does the same to me, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin on my neck.
We are ready to mark each other, a symbolic act of claiming and solidifying our bond. My teeth sink into the nape of Nina's neck and hers into mine. A euphoric surge courses through us as we mark each other, the physical connection mirroring the emotional one. The world around us seems to fade away as we lose ourselves in the act of claiming and being claimed as we make love.
We are officially mates. Nina is officially mine, and I am hers.
As we wake, Nina lifts her head from my chest, and her eyes meet mine. 'Shall we skedaddle the rest of the way back home?' she asks, a bright smile gracing her lips.
'Yes, let's go,' I reply, sitting up with a sense of exhilaration.
Wrapped in the warmth of my embrace, Nina twirls her wand with a flourish. 'Skedaddle Dash, Skedaddle Dash, Skedaddle Dash.'
In the blink of an eye, we find ourselves transported to Shadow Crest, only to land in the refreshing waters of Shadow Crest Lake. Laughter bubbles up from deep within us as we float in the middle of the lake, the night sky above reflecting the approaching sunrise.
We remain in the water for a short while before sprawling out on the grass, allowing the sun's gentle rays to dry our clothes. A peaceful slumber befalls us, and it’s almost lunchtime when we wake.
Nina wears a smile, though she winces when her fingers graze the mark on her neck.
'Tender?' I ask.
'Yeah, but that's expected,' she smiles through the discomfort.
'I can't wait to announce that you are my mate,' I confess, a genuine smile playing on my lips.
Hand in hand, we stroll through the town of Shadow Crest, our laughter echoing through the quiet streets. Whispers and curious glances follow us, with rumours of Nina being a witch and accusations of cursing me that we both ignore.
Arriving back at the packhouse, we enter together, finding our families gathered for lunch.
'Magnus!' My parents shout in excitement.
'Nina!' her parents exclaim with joy.
A collective rush ensues as Zak, Josie, Flint, May, and Pipsqueak converge, their eyes drawn to our interlocked hands.
'Magnus, what is going on?' Mother asks in confusion.
'We broke the curse,' I announce with a proud smile. 'I confessed my love to Nina, pledging to be with her even if it means I never shift and she never gains her wolf. We didn’t need the mate bond to know we love each other. Then lightning struck as we kissed, and then she shifted. I can shift without pain, too, now. And you should all see her wolf! She is so beautiful.’ I turn Nina towards me. ‘Just like her human form.’ I say and kiss her endearingly in front of everyone.
Tears of happiness well up in everyone's eyes. My father and Leon share a handshake, and our mothers embrace each other with sheer joy. The room is filled with an overwhelming sense of love and unity as our families celebrate the end of the curse and the beginning of a new chapter for Nina and me.