Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2)

by H. C. de Cossy

  Marissa and Malia thanked Aldona and her team profusely as they were helped into their dresses. They had decided on matching dresses. The gowns were white, with long sleeves and low backs. Their backs were covered by long capes that hung from their shoulders, attached with diamond studded ornaments. The dresses’ bodices were form-fitting, with sweetheart necklines. The bodices came to points in front. The skirts were full and long. The gowns were covered in crystals that sparkled in the light. Aldona and Rosalie had worked with Aldona’s Royal Dressmaker to ensure their perfection in every way. The twin sisters looked like princesses.

  When she had woken that morning, Marissa had felt as if three o’clock was hours away, and she didn’t know how they would fill the time. Now, there was only an hour left. She reached out and grabbed Malia’s hand as it was reaching out for hers. Malia was crying, testing the spell on her makeup already.

  “When I married Jack the Jerk, I didn’t tell you guys, and I had no one there for me. It was all his friends, and his family. I was such an idiot,” Malia said.

  Marissa squeezed her hand.

  “Well, you’re doing it right this time. We are all here for you today.”

  “This is your day, too, Rissa. I’m sorry I’m being so silly.”

  “Hey, you’re not being silly. This is how it’s supposed to be. It’ll be great. And we get to do this together.”

  Malia nodded. Aldona handed her a tissue to dry her eyes.

  Guests had begun to arrive around two o’clock, bringing the dishes that they are contributing to the potluck. Mr. Cooke had shown up with an additional couple of grills, for a total of four, and several huge coolers full of meat. Ben Ma’s family brought pad Thai, pad see-yew, spring rolls, fried rice in pineapple boats, boba teas, and several curries. The Murphys brought pastries and baked goods. Mollie had brought the ice cream over with herself the night before. Other people brought salads, vegetables, fruit salads, ambrosia and other puddings, drinks, rolls, chips, shrimp platters and more. There was more than enough food for everyone. Even with Dragons and Shifters. The tables groaned under the weight of all the food. Tom Casey went around and magically shored them up to prevent any disasters.

  The younger twins were running around outside with their friends. Milena and Allie were in dresses that were miniature versions of their mothers’. Ian and Mikey were in suits that mirrored Tony’s and Theo’s. Thankfully, they had all been spelled to stay clean. The girls’ hair had been spelled to stay neat as well.

  Shari-Beth, Mollie and Mariellen were dressed in pale green dresses that mirrored those of the sisters as well. The color worked well for all three of them, as they were all of similar coloring.

  At two forty-five, Luc cleared his throat and used a charm to amplify his voice.

  “If you would all please gather round,” he asked the milling crowd.

  Everyone hurried to gather in a circle around the dais. Tony and Theo took their places on the small stage. Ralph, Josh and Remy joined them. As the highest ranking person there, Aldona had agreed to perform the ceremony. Ciaran would assist her.

  Declan had had music playing in the background while everyone was arriving. Now Patrick began to play. Soon, Maggie’s flutelike tones joined him, clear and crystalline, soaring to the sky.

  Brendan was going to walk both his daughters to the dais. They left out the front door, then walked around the side of the house to the back where the circle was gathered. Maggie’s voice soared, ending on a particularly bell-like note as Brendan and his girls reached the corner of the house. They began to walk slowly towards the dais as Patrick and Maggie took up the music again.

  Celine hung on to Luna’s hand tightly as she watched her daughters approach. Tears were running down her face. Luna patted her hand and handed her a tissue. Luna’s eyes were damp as well.

  Suzette watched her cousins with a smile on her face. They were so beautiful. And they were both so lucky to have found their fated mates. Suzette turned to the dais, looking for one particular Shifter. She had first seen Remy in person that summer, at Malia’s welcome home party. That wasn’t the first time that she had seen him, however. Suzette had been dreaming about Remy for years. At the summer party, she had been afraid to approach him. He had been focused on Tony, and his new responsibilities as Third in the Pack. So she had watched him, but had kept her distance. Maybe now that Suzette was living here, she could get to know the man she had been dreaming about ever since she was a child. It was one of the principal reasons Suzette had been so eager to take the position at the clinic in Valerian’s Cove. Hopefully, it was a gamble worth taking.

  Betsy Gianetti watched Tony as he waited for Malia to reach the stage. She felt an immense amount of pride in the fine man and Alpha that her son had become. Betsy was happy that Malia had come home and given her son a chance at love and a family. Betsy adored Ian and Allie as if they were her own blood already. She was hoping that there would soon be other additions to the Casey-Gianetti family tree.

  Lucille and John Thorndike stood with Betsy near the dais. Lucille was crying quietly as she watched Theo. They had lost much time with her beautiful grandson, but they were together now. She was so happy to see how he had grown. And Marissa was perfect for him. Lucille looked forward to many years with her boy and his family still to come. John squeezed her hand as he turned to watch the women and their father coming towards them.

  The children and Shari-Beth were on the dais with the men. Shari-Beth, Mollie, Mariellen, Allie and Milena stood to the left facing the crowd. Ian and Mikey stood with Tony, Theo, Ralph, Josh and Remy on the right. Aldona and Ciaran waited in the middle.

  Brendan led Marissa and Malia to the dais, then kissed them both and stepped back. He joined Celine and Luna at the front of the circle, standing between them with an arm around both of them.

  “We are gathered here today,” Aldona began, “to witness the handfastings of Malia and Anthony, and Marissa and Theodore. Both couples are strong in their love for each other, and in their love for their families. Both couples have undergone experiences which have tempered their love and commitment to each other into something invulnerable and true. All dross has been burned away. Only true steel remains. As we bind their hands, as a symbol of their commitment to each other, they will recite their vows. We witness these vows together in support of them, and offer our love and support to them and to their families as a community, so that their unions remain strong and true.”

  Aldona and Ciaran turned to Malia and Tony, wrapping their cord around the couple’s wrists as the two spoke their vows to each other. Their voices were enhanced so that everyone there could hear them. When they were finished, Aldona and Ciaran turned to Marissa and Theo and did the same.

  Both couples had kept their vows short and sweet. As they finished, the crowd began cheering. Allie and Milena began jumping up and down. The gathered crowd parted to let the couples and officiants down from the dais. They moved through the crowd, gathering well-wishes, kisses and handshakes along the way.

  Declan jumped up onto the music stage that had been set up near the training field. Soon other musicians from the community joined him and they had a lively set going. Dancers moved into the field as the grills were loaded down with food and the party began in earnest.

  Shari-Beth sat on the back steps of the house, watching everyone dancing and eating. Celine noticed her there and joined her.

  “How are you doing, Shari-Beth?” Celine asked her youngest daughter.

  “I’m fine. I was just thinking about how much has changed this year. Everything has been so great since Ralph and Theo found me. Even with Clarice and Faith. We got through it, and we’re still here. I’m really lucky you guys decided to keep me. Thank you.”

  “Of course, Sweetheart. You’re family now, and always will be. We love you.” Celine put her arm around Shari-Beth, who put her head on her mother’s shoulder. Shari’s friend Emma ran up and grabbed her hand.

  “Come on, Shari-Beth! Come dance wi
th me!”

  Celine kissed her cheek and gave her a little push.

  “Go have fun, Sweetheart. I imagine this party will go far into the night. Enjoy it. We will all be sleeping late tomorrow.”

  Remy stepped down from the dais and glanced around. There were more people here than he’d ever seen in one place in his life. After living a fairly reclusive life growing up, he was finding the crowd rather overwhelming.

  Ralph noticed and slapped Remy on the shoulder. “Let’s go check out the grill,” the older Wolf said. They joined Luc by the large grill being manned by Mr. Cooke. His grandson Nils was nearby, plating the finished cuts and getting the next batch ready to go on. They greeted the two men with handshakes and smiles.

  “There is food ready on the tables, if you are hungry,” Mr. Cooke told them.

  Remy was still looking around the crowded field. He was a bit on edge. He felt the urge to watch everyone, in case he needed to run, or defend someone in some way. Parties at the Pack under his father usually ended badly for someone. He was still getting used to the idea that things were now very different with his cousin Tony as Alpha.

  Remy’s gaze fell on a small group near the picnic tables. Marjorie was talking with Marissa and Suzette. They all had glasses in their hands. All three were smiling. Remy stared at Suzette.

  “Who is that girl over there, talking to Marissa?” Remy asked Ralph.

  “That’s Marissa’s cousin, Suzette Rousseau. She’s just been hired as a Healer at the clinic in town. She moved into Theo’s cottage a few days ago.”

  Remy moved forward towards the women. His eyes were fixed on Suzette. He felt as if he were being pulled along by something he couldn’t explain. He had to get near to her. He had to smell her.

  Marissa turned as she was laughing at something Suzette had said and caught sight of the approaching Wolf. She raised an eyebrow at her cousin.

  “I think you have an admirer,” she teased.

  Suzette looked around and saw Remy heading towards her. She paled. Marjorie looked at her in surprise.

  Remy drew close enough to touch. He was several inches taller than Suzette and found himself looking down at her. She smelled of fresh herbs on a summer day. The smell calmed him. He reached out to brush a piece of hair off her face.

  “Dance with me?” he asked her. Suzette nodded and took his hand.

  Marjorie turned to Marissa, an inquiring look in her eyes. Marissa smiled wickedly.

  “Suzette has been dreaming about Remy since she was young,” Marissa filled her in. “She only saw him for the first time this summer. I don’t think she’s ever spoken to him before.”

  “Another pair of fated mates for your family, hm?” Marjorie said.

  “Looks like it,” Marissa grinned.

  “Your family definitely is lucky in love,” Marjorie replied.

  Theo came up to join the ladies as they stood watching the dancers. He bowed and offered his hand to Marissa.

  “May I have this dance?” he asked. Marissa curtsied and grinned at Marjorie, who shooed them away.

  Theo felt that he had never been so happy as he was today. He held Marissa in his arms as they swayed to a slow song Declan had put on while the musicians had a break. He lowered his lips to hers as she looked up at him and smiled.

  “And so begins the best part of the rest of our lives,” he said to her in a low voice for her ears alone. She smiled back at him.

  “I am so luck to have found you again. Thank you for giving me another chance,” he told her.

  “I’m glad I decided to,” Marissa said. Theo smiled.

  “I hope we can get some time to just be a family for a while before the next crises strikes,” he said.

  “That would be nice,” Marissa agreed. They danced quietly together for a while. Marissa smiled as Remy and Suzette danced slowly past them.

  A bunch of children ran past, engrossed in a game of tag. The Shifters were winning.

  Malia and Tony swung up beside them. They were smiling.

  “Are you having a good time?” Malia asked.

  “Definitely. Are you?”

  “Yup. I’m starting to get a little tired, though. We might head in early.”

  “We should go cut the cakes, then,” Marissa suggested.

  The two couples made their way over to the cake table. The two cakes had been set up side-by-side on one long table. Declan made an announcement, and everyone turned towards the house to watch as the couples sliced into their cakes. There were quite a few cat-calls and wolf howls as Theo and Marissa fed each other mostly neatly, while Malia smooshed a piece into Tony’s face. He laughed and kissed her, getting cake all over both of them.

  Malia and Tony retired for the evening soon after that. Marissa was feeling a little tired already herself. Theo kissed her head, then led her over to Celine and Brendan to say goodnight.

  Celine watched them from within Brendan’s arms as they went inside. She turned her head to look up at him.

  “I think we are going to have more grandchildren soon,” she said. Brendan smiled down at his beautiful wife. He couldn’t think of anything better.

  Acknowledgments

  To all of my friends and family who have supported me thus far in my author journey, thank you. I love you.

  Hetty Cate

  About the Author

  H.C. de Cossy is the author of the Valerian’s Cove series, of which this is the second book. She lives on the Pacific Coast with her son and two cats. She has family all over the place. Cate loves to travel, to paint, to dance, and sing. She occasionally makes her own clothing and costumes. She has always felt close to fairies, nature and the paranormal world.

  Visit www.hettycate.com to learn more about Hetty Cate and keep up to date with new releases.

  Also by H.C. de Cossy

  The Valerian’s Cove Series

  Waken the Witch

  Broken Bonds