Page 73 of A Healer for the Wicked Highlander

Michael couldn’t suppress the smile that stretched across his face. He met Freya’s eyes again, seeing her there, surrounded by everyone, her happiness shining through. This moment, despiteall that had happened, felt like the beginning of something better. Something solid.

Stepping closer to her, Michael placed a hand on her back, guiding her a bit closer to him as he spoke. “We’ll be a family,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Here, in this castle. All of us, together. I’ll take care of ye and yer sisters—always.”

Freya nodded, her hand finding his. She looked at the others, her eyes glistening. “Together. We’re finally home. All of us.”

In that moment, Michael realized that this was his true home now, too. This was the family he had fought for, and he would never let go.

Weeks had passed since that fateful day, and now the castle was alive with a buzz that had little to do with the work of the men and more to do with the upcoming wedding. The halls were decorated with garlands of ivy and wildflowers, and the scent of baking bread and sweet pastries filled the air. Freya had never imagined that the castle could feel so… warm, so full of life.

As she stood in the main hall, watching Cody run by with a string of flowers, his laughter echoing in the stone walls, she couldn’t help but smile. It was strange, how much had changed. How much she had changed.

She had become accustomed to the feel of this place. The vast halls, the high ceilings, once so cold and intimidating, now felt like home. She wasn’t just a visitor here anymore. She was part of something, part of this family.

Marissa and Abigail were busy in the courtyard, arranging more flowers for the ceremony. Freya could hear their voices, light and full of joy, as they argued over the best way to place the roses. Their presence, their excitement… it made her heart swell with gratitude.

“It’ll look lovely here, don’t ye think?” Marissa asked, stepping back to admire their work.

Abigail glanced at her sister, a small smile on her face. “Aye, it’ll do.” She adjusted the petals of a rose, her face lighting up with satisfaction.

She was about to turn back to the hall when she heard Cody’s voice again, this time from the entrance. “Freya, look!”

She turned just in time to see him holding a large bouquet of wildflowers in his small hands, his face beaming with pride. “I picked these just for the weddin’! For ye and Da!”

Freya’s heart fluttered at the sight, and she knelt down to his level, accepting the bouquet with a smile. “They’re beautiful, Cody. Thank ye so much.”

Cody grinned, his eyes wide with excitement. “Ye’re goin’ to be so pretty, Freya. Da’s goin’ to love them!”

Freya felt her cheeks heat at the thought of Michael, but she didn’t mind. She kissed the top of Cody’s head, pulling him into a hug. “Ye’re a good boy, Cody. Thank ye for helpin’.”

As she stood, she saw Michael walking toward them from the hallway, his strong figure framed by the grand doors. His gaze softened when he spotted her, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

She stood there, holding the flowers Cody had given her, and smiled at him. He met her halfway, his hand finding hers.

“Ye look happy,” he murmured, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“I am,” Freya said, her heart full as she leaned into his side. “I’ve never been happier.”

In this moment, with the sounds of laughter, of family, of love filling the castle around her, she realized it wasn’t just about the wedding. It was about the life they had built. A life with Michael, with Cody, with Marissa and Abigail. A life she had never dared to dream of, and now, it was hers.

EPILOGUE

The day had finally arrived.

Freya stood before the large mirror in her chambers, the soft glow of candlelight flickering across the delicate fabric of her gown. The day had passed in a blur of preparations, of laughter and excitement. Now, in this quiet moment, reality settled over her.

Marissa and Abigail stood beside her, their hands steady as they helped her fasten the pearl necklace around her throat. The pearls were cool against her skin, familiar and comforting. Their mother’s necklace. A piece of the past, carried into the future.

Freya lifted a hand to touch the pearls, her fingers ghosting over the smooth surface. A lump formed in her throat.

“Mama would have loved to see this day,” she murmured, her voice softer than she intended.

Marissa’s hands stilled for a moment before she gave a small nod. “Aye. She would’ve been so proud of ye, Freya.”

Abigail sniffled, trying to fight back the emotion in her eyes. “And Da, too. He would have walked ye down the aisle.”

A deep ache settled in Freya’s chest at the thought, a longing for something that could never be. She swallowed hard, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.

“I miss them,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.