Lila’s POV
"I do," Jasper said.
When it was my turn, I suddenly rembered what he had whispered in my ear last night: "You don’t have to rember the past. As long as you’re willing to stay by my side, the future is ours."
I looked at him and nodded gently. "I do."
Thunderous applause erupted.
Jasper finally took a step forward and took my hand. This ti, he didn’t lag behind. He interlaced our fingers, locking my hand firmly in his, as if declaring to the entire world: She is my destined mate.
Just then, brilliant fireworks suddenly burst across the sky. They were massive patterns ford by drones—first, the head of a wolf, which then transford into the intertwined initials of my na and Jasper’s, and finally dissolved into a shower of stars that rained down upon the sea, rging with the reflected night sky.
The crowd broke into thunderous cheers.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Caleb standing in the farthest corner. He wasn’t clapping; he was just watching us silently. The sunlight fell on his face, illuminating the bottomless regret in his eyes.
My words from just a mont ago—"Please respect him as my forever brother"—had twisted into his heart like a dull knife. He rembered the night before their engagent, the girl crying as she asked him, "Caleb, are you really doing this just for your family?" He hadn’t answered, only turned and walked away... The source of all the suffering was his betrayal.
And now, she didn’t rember a thing, yet she had still instinctively protected him.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and a heat blood behind his eyes. It wasn’t because he was moved, but because of a belated, soul-crushing guilt.
He looked at and suddenly gave a very slight, very slow nod. It wasn’t a blessing, but sothing more like a farewell.
Then, he turned and slipped away, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the hall.
「The evening banquet was held on the main hall’s terrace.」
The sea breeze swept past, lifting my veil. Jasper pressed a glass of warm honey water into my hands—he knew I couldn’t hold my liquor.
"Tired?" he asked in a low voice.
I shook my head and leaned against his shoulder, watching the sun sink below the distant horizon. The Star Dust Wedding Dress shimred in the twilight, as if I were draped in crushed diamonds.
He gently wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling halfway into his embrace, and rested his chin on the crown of my head. "You did very well just now," he whispered in my ear, his voice tinged with a subtle hint of a smile.
I looked up at him. The last rays of the setting sun reflected in his golden eyes, igniting two gentle flas. He lowered his head and gently kissed the tip of my nose, his touch as delicate as if he were handling a priceless treasure.
"Jasper," I said softly, "thank you for letting stand here."
He bent down and kissed the top of my head, his voice deep and gentle. "I’m the one who should be thanking you. Lila, you’re back."
————
The night was black as ink. Waves lapped gently against the island’s reefs, creating a low, rhythmic sound. The boisterous guests had long since departed, leaving only a few scattered candles on the terrace to echo the star-filled sky.
I stood before the bedroom’s massive floor-to-ceiling windows. The sea breeze drifted in, lifting the gossar veil of my Star Dust Wedding Dress. Its layered silver threads shimred with a fine halo in the moonlight, as if I were wearing the entire galaxy.
The door behind clicked shut, sealing off the last whispers of the outside world. I felt a familiar presence draw near, carrying with it an undeniable pressure and warmth.
Jasper didn’t speak right away. He simply wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin in the crook of my neck. The warmth of his breath ghosted across my skin, sending a faint shiver through .
"Tired?" he asked, his voice lower and huskier than it had been during the day, laced with an undercurrent I couldn’t quite place.
I shook my head, but my heart began to beat faster against my will. Although my amnesia made so many things feel foreign, my body’s instincts seed to rember the man before . His hands were large and warm. Through the thin fabric of the dress, I could clearly feel the lines and heat of his palms. It was a profoundly secure embrace, as if he wanted to knead into his very bones and blood.
He turned around to face him, cupping my face in his hands. In the moonlight, his golden eyes were as deep as an abyss, churning with emotions I couldn’t understand but which made my heart pound. He stared at , his gaze slowly drifting from my eyes and brows, down the bridge of my nose and across my lips, finally settling on my neck. The erald pendant I wore there was rising and falling gently with my breath.
"Lila," he called my na softly, his voice trembling with restraint. "Look at ."
I lifted my head to et his gaze. The next second, his lips were on mine. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, but one filled with an almost pious urgency and possessiveness. His kiss fell like a tempest, prying my lips apart as his tongue slipped inside to tangle with mine. I subconsciously gripped the front of his shirt, my knuckles turning white from the force, but my body honestly pressed closer to his, as if wanting to be consud by this blazing fire.
The zipper of my dress was slowly undone. The fabric, woven from liquid silver thread, slid down like flowing water, pooling on the floor like a brilliant galaxy in the moonlight. His kisses trailed downward, from my collarbone to my waist, each touch on my skin igniting a new fla. I could feel the tension and restraint in his body—the instinctual control of a predator facing its prey, yet terrified of hurting it in the slightest.
Suddenly, a strange yet familiar wave of dizziness washed over . The scene before my eyes dissolved into a vast, white snowfield. The wind howled, and the world was reduced to nothing but black and white. I wanted to scream in terror but found I couldn’t make a sound.
Just then, a long, mournful howl tore through the night sky.
I saw a colossal, silver-gray wolf. Its fur shimred with a tallic luster in the moonlight, and its golden eyes held endless majesty and deep affection. It walked slowly toward , lowered its head, and gently licked the back of my hand with its rough tongue. The sensation wasn’t human, yet it sent a tremor through my very soul, bringing both a thrill and a sense of peace.
Imdiately after, another wolf erged from the shifting light and shadows. This one was slender, its fur as silver as moonlight. Its coat had a faint silver sheen, and its eyes were clear and gentle, holding a trace of confusion and curiosity. It walked up to the Silver Wolf without a hint of fear and affectionately nuzzled its head against the larger wolf’s neck. The Silver Wolf let out a low whine, lowered its head, and began to gently groom the moonlight-colored wolf’s fur with its tongue. The two silver wolves nestled against each other on the snowfield, licking one another as if performing an ancient, sacred ceremony of recognition.
"This is from last ti..." I finally found my voice, but it was only a faint, breathy whisper.
"Our souls," Jasper’s voice sounded in my ear, tinged with a gasp. "They’re resonating."
The dizziness faded, and the real world snapped back into focus. I found myself clinging tightly to Jasper, our foreheads pressed together. Sweat soaked the stray locks of his hair, and his golden eyes had now darkened to the color of ink. A fire called desire burned within them, yet he was still fighting to restrain sothing.
"Lila," he panted, his voice raw and hoarse. "I want to mark you. Are you willing?"
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