AWOO, MUTHAFUCKAS! I can only say that to you guys one more time, as the epilogue for this fic is on Sunday. I still can't believe I've gotten this far, and that this story has gotten so popular. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope this chapter, and the next one, are a satisfying ending for my beloved readers.
Enjoy!
The winter that followed the last great battle in Vale was the most eventful season that the land had seen in a long time. Between rebuilding, establishing a weekly trading system with Burgundy, and figuring out how both the town and the pack would survive together, there was hardly any time for anything but work.
The rest of the first month went by, and the pack gained two new werewolves: Jaune and Coco.
Coco happily became physical with her husband again as soon as they were able to get alone time after the battle. Unlike Jaune, she was all too happy to parade around town with several bites visible on her neck. Of course, this led to Johann casting suspicious glances toward Jaune's scarf, which prompted Jaune to keep himself occupied with repairs for as long as he could.
When the night of the full moon came, Jaune and Coco transformed at the same time, surrounded by their friends and family from both Vale and the pack. Many humans and Faunus who were new to this backed away or let out shocked cries. Some fainted. Jaune and Coco didn't notice, however.
Jaune gasped as he fell to his hands and knees, feeling the moon seeping into his body for the first time. For days now, he had felt his strength and stamina increasing and his senses sharpening. Now, it was like all that new energy was being released in one burst, like a gushing river finally breaking free of a stifling dam.
The fur grew, making his skin tingle. His snout twitched as he sniffed and tasted the invisible starlight that mingled with the frost and essence of pine in the air. Then, he turned and saw his mate and everything else faded away.
He bounded over to Pyrrha, even as his paws were still forming, burying his nose in her sweet, spicy scent. She growled playfully, biting his ears and nuzzling the thick fur of his neck, causing him to shiver with pleasure.
Pyrrha was whining and panting without restraint. She didn't care about dignity in that moment. Jaune was a werewolf, and he was every bit as beautiful as she had imagined! His eyes, which shone like a summer sky on his human face, now reflected the deepest layers of sapphire and cerulean. His fur was a bright, shining yellow color that could make one think it was still daytime. And his scent was that same sweet, musky aroma, now mixed with the deeper, richer smell of the forest. She could see the muscles rippling under his fur, and couldn't wait to run through the trees at his side.
Fox, meanwhile, rushed over to Coco, burying his muzzle in her thick fur and inhaling deeply. She still smelled just like she always did, but there was a new, deeper tang of wildness that set his blood on fire.
Coco bit at her husband's snout, huffing with excitement, her dark eyes glinting with excitement on her chocolate-brown face.
Silvia tried to move away from her mother and run to her brother, but was held back by Yang.
"Easy, kiddo," she murmured. "Jaune needs some space right now. The first transformation can be overwhelming, and he might not recognize you right away."
Silvia's lip trembled. "Will he know who I am later?"
"Of course!" Yang assured her. "It's just that he's part wolf now. He needs to get used to it. It was the same when some of our other friends changed for the first time."
"Like Ruby, Blake, and Weiss?"
"Sort of, though this is a lot less stressful," Yang murmured.
Johann was staring at his son's bestial form, his face distinctly pale. His hands shook, and he had to look away as Jaune and Pyrrha nuzzled and flirted with each other as wolves. His wife put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's still our son, Johann," she said, her voice gentle but also holding a hint of warning, a hint of the scolding she would give him if he showed any sign of not accepting Jaune as he was.
"I know, love," he assured her, touching her hand. "It's just hard to get used to."
Jenny, on the other hand, was giggling as she watched her brother and Pyrrha. "They look like happy puppies!" she remarked
"Very big happy puppies," Mary chuckled. She, along with the other townsfolk who hadn't witnessed this before, watched with a distinct sense of awe and traces of old fear as the wolves turned and rushed into the forest, leaving silence and rustling grass behind them.
The pack ran together that night through the forest, past the streams, under the mountain, and skirting the wastelands. It was the first time that the wolves could feel absolutely no fear, and run wherever they wanted. This knowledge was enough to make them forget the gnawing hunger of winter, and run faster than ever before.
A few playful omegas leaped into the air out of pure joy while Ilia found herself running through snow banks, similar to how she had learned to run through piles of leaves several months ago. Ruby found one of the streams completely frozen over and led several wolves in sliding down it. Jaune and Coco were at the front of the pack with Pyrrha, tongues lolling out as they eagerly drank in everything around them through their new senses.
Pyrrha's paws thundered on the ground, and she let out a joyful howl. This was it! Her pack was together, and it was safe. Jaune was running at her side, in the form of the most beautiful wolf alive. And he's my mate! she thought fiercely, baring her teeth in a grin as she remembered the night they had shared. The first of many, just as this is.
Jaune's human thoughts had been pushed to the back of his head as he gave himself wholly to the thrill of the cold earth under his pawpads and the knowledge that his mate was right beside him. He playfully bumped Coco, causing her to snap at his ear. Whuffing loudly, he shot ahead, propelling himself off of a tree with his back legs and landing several yards away, nearly falling flat on his face in his excitement.
Pyrrha let out a yip of laughter, breaking away from the pack to tackle Jaune into the snow. The two scuffled, playful growls and yaps filling the air while Ruby took over and led the pack toward the southern forest.
After a few minutes of play fighting, Jaune and Pyrrha stood up, panting clouds of mist into the night. Jaune shook his fur out and stepped closer, touching his nose to Pyrrha's. Blue and green wolf eyes met in the full moon's light, creating a moment of blissful clarity that neither of them would ever forget.
Together, they lifted their heads and sang to the moon. Jaune's new voice was clear and strong, ringing like a church bell alongside Pyrrha's fiery, spirited song. The two voices twined perfectly, curling around each other as they stretched higher and higher, seeming to touch the velvety blanket of sky above.
Meanwhile, in the southern forest, two white wolves ran alone. The first had only one eye, which was fixed firmly on the other wolf, ready to use the alpha stare if things got out of hand.
Winter hadn't wanted to transform in front of everyone, preferring to have her first run on her own, only in the company of her sister. "I'm still a priestess, Weiss," she explained. Ozpin had assured her that her new status as a werewolf would not threaten her position at all. "People expect a certain amount of dignity from me."
Though Weiss tried to tell Winter that there was nothing humiliating about transforming, she gave in. After all, she remembered feeling the same disgust toward nudity that Winter now showed. Everyone must adjust in their own time, she thought, remembering how patient Pyrrha and the others had been with her.
Winter was shocked at how wonderful the change felt, so shocked that she didn't fight the bestial side as it temporarily took over her mind. She was one with the night, one with the very spirit of the world around her! It was the holiest feeling she had ever experienced.
The two ran swiftly through the forest, twin rivers of alabaster under the kindly moon. When they stopped, it was to sing. It was a wordless hymn to the Maidens and the Moon, a silvery howl that could have caused even a Grimm to weep.
…
Over the next few months, more signs of integration between the species became apparent. Werewolves started assisting with the town repairs. Huntsmen spent days in the forest, helping to fortify the dens and caves, and delivering fresh clothes, food, and medicine. The werewolves very quickly developed a love for human cuisine, often gorging themselves on bread and other baked goods when they were brought from Burgundy. Pyrrha smiled as she watched them, fondly remembering her first taste of Wallace's raisin bread so many months ago.
Her plan to herd deer from other areas was moderately successful, but it became clear that it would take time for the populations to get to where they should be. During this time, Ilia brought up the idea she had discussed with Fennec, Corsac, Deery, and Sandy: sending part of the pack back to Obsidian to form a new pack there. Pyrrha responded enthusiastically, appointing Ilia as the leader of the group that would depart at the beginning of spring.
Emerald was one of the first wolves to volunteer to go. She admitted that this forest held too many bad memories, and hoped that she could find something better elsewhere.
By the time spring came, Vale was almost completely rebuilt. A decent-sized herd of deer had settled in the forest, though was only being hunted sparingly for the time being. Soon after the first thaw, Nolan, Ferron and the Obsidian Huntsmen prepared to lead a group of betas and omegas from Vale, assuring them that the towns between there and Obsidian would be more than accommodating.
Bartholomew decided to go with them and help establish the new pack. "Been in one place for too long," he said to Roman and Qrow. "I'll miss you scoundrels, though."
"Well, don't miss me too much yet," Roman laughed. "I'll probably accompany you part of the way. I can't exactly stay in one place for too long either. I have a feeling that this year will be the most profitable one yet, especially with my new bodyguard."
Qrow tilted his head, then realized that Roman was looking at Yang, who was laughing with Neo by the cart. "Should've figured," he chuckled. "I hope everyone plans on staying long enough for the wedding."
"But, of course!" Roman gasped. "Do you honestly think I'd miss that?"
The wedding in question was for three couples: Weiss and Ruby, Jaune and Pyrrha, and Ren and Nora. The werewolves had already declared themselves as mated pairs on the first of spring, and were eager to make it official in the human way.
Nora, of course, had squealed with excitement at the prospect of a triple wedding. "This is going to be the best day EVER!" she shouted when the plans were finalized, bouncing up and down while hugging Ren tightly.
Due to preparations, and the strain of getting the town running for the upcoming year, the wedding wasn't held until the middle of the second month of spring. When the day came, however, everyone was determined to make it a day of special excellence.
Wallace was brought in from Burgundy and worked with the bakers in Vale to create a huge, layered vanilla cake with creamy frosting, and sugared strawberries between each layer. He also secretly made a batch of maple cookies, which would be hidden until the reception. The entire town was decorated with spring colors, and a special altar dedicated to the Spring Maiden was set up in the center of town. Banners hung from all the houses, and the taverns were providing free drinks. A large, grassy area near the southern forest was cleared out, and a stage was set up for a group of minstrels who would be coming in from Vermillion. Ozpin had already seen to several stew pots being set up in the center of town, and the aroma of beef, venison, potatoes, and pork made everyone's mouth water.
Winter had suggested holding the ceremony outside, as a show of respect for the werewolves, and had personally set up the outdoor altar. There was some grumbling from the older townsfolk, but this was quieted about as quickly as the early complaints about Winter's new werewolf status.
On the morning of the wedding, the various parties were preparing in different houses. Pyrrha, Weiss, Nora, and most of the bridal party was in the Schnee estate.
"Why am I not allowed to see Jaune, again?" Pyrrha asked as Neo adjusted her dress, a beautiful red gown with gold trimming. She also wore a gold headpiece that Weiss had found when rummaging through her mother's old jewelry.
When Winter had explained the tradition of wearing a white dress to signify virginity, Pyrrha had flatly told her that wearing one would be a blatant lie. The priestess had eventually agreed to telling the townsfolk that white was the color of the moon, and was therefore too sacred for a werewolf to wear. Nora, when she heard about this, admitted that she didn't want a white dress either and decided to get a bright pink one. Winter hadn't put up much of a fight.
"Because it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony," Coco explained.
"But he's seen me before!" Pyrrha pointed out. "We see each other every day, in fact!"
"You know, that tradition is actually from the time when there were arranged marriages," Neo commented. "It was so the groom wouldn't find the bride unattractive and back out. He only got to see her when the deal was already done."
"That's dreadful!" Pyrrha gasped.
Weiss, who wore a pale blue dress, was adjusting a silver-colored shawl, staring anxiously at a mirror. "Are you sure I shouldn't do something else with my hair? Did I get all the dirt off when I bathed earlier? Blake, use your beta powers to check, please!"
"You're fine, Weiss," Blake soothed. "You look beautiful, and Ruby will think so too."
"Why is Ruby with the groom party?" Pyrrha wondered.
"It goes with the tradition of keeping the couple separate," Weiss said. "Also, she prefers being around the boys during formal events. There's less of a chance that someone will put her in heeled shoes." She shook her head, rolling her eyes as a fond smile came to her face.
"What are heeled shoes?" Pyrrha asked. When Yang showed her, she shook her head slowly. "There's nothing practical about those… How do you walk?" Humans are so strange! I'd be hobbling like a newborn fawn on those.
"I thought about wearing some," Nora said. "But, I wanna dance all night and not lose my feet!"
Neo peeked out the window. "Ooh, I see the groom party moving toward the square. We'll be going up soon!"
Weiss immediately started fidgeting in front of the mirror again, straightening her eye patch for the dozenth time until Blake dragged her away. "But, I just need to-"
"You just need to calm down!" Blake cut in. "Look at Pyrrha! She's calm."
Pyrrha smiled gently at Weiss. She certainly wasn't calm, but she definitely wasn't the least bit nervous. She and Jaune already belonged to each other in the purest and truest sense. In her mind, the official declaration that they were mates and the ceremony that was about to occur were simply ways to reinforce that. Honestly, she was mostly excited at the prospect of her first time celebrating a human and Faunus event.
"Weiss, you and Ruby are already mates, and you love each other. There's nothing to worry about," she assured her fellow alpha.
"I know that," Weiss said, folding her arms. "I just hate waiting for things like this. Once the ceremony starts, I'll be fine."
Nora, of course, wasn't even pretending to be calm and was jumping up and down. Yang had given up on trying to adjust the ribbons on the young bride's dress at this point.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door before Roman stepped in, holding a hand over his eyes. "Are you ladies decent?"
"You can look, Roman," Neo replied.
Roman removed his hand, letting out a gasp. "Oh, you three look wonderful! Time to walk down the aisle, unless you're getting cold feet."
Weiss rolled her eyes. "As if that would happen after all we went through to get here."
Roman laughed. "Just checking." He closed the door, and the women all scrambled to get ready.
"This is happening!" Nora squeaked, hugging Pyrrha's arm.
Pyrrha smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. "Let's be sure to enjoy every moment."
The doors opened, and the group approached the center of town. The brides stayed in the back while the bridal party went first down the aisle, which was marked by a simple path of pale pink flower petals and a parting of the crowd on either side.
In the moments before they were called forward, Pyrrha, Weiss, and Nora held each other's hands. Eyes of emerald, mist, and turquoise glinted and shimmered with happiness and anticipation.
Roman waved to them, and they started down the aisle. As they walked, they finally got to see their to-be husbands and wife. Jaune wore dark pants, and a deep blue dress shirt embroidered with gold thread. Ren wore a green collared, pink-cuffed uniform in a style more common to the eastern countries where his ancestors came from. Ruby wore a dark red dress, and a simple golden necklace that had belonged to her mother. Even brighter than their new clothes were their eyes, which lit up at the sight of their brides.
"Wow…" Jaune breathed, his face melting into what people would later call the most idiotic grin ever. "She's…wow… Ren, Ruby, are you looking?"
"I'm looking, Jaune. I'm looking," Ren murmured, though he only had eyes for Nora.
Ruby covered her mouth to hold back a squeak. "She looks like an actual angel!"
"Hush, now," Winter chided gently, though she was smiling almost as much as the others. Even with that eyepatch, Weiss had never looked more beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen her smile like that before, Winter mused. This is truly a blessed day.
The three brides walked as fast as they could to get to their waiting fiancés. Pyrrha took Jaune's hand, her own smile widening at the huge grin that decorated his face in that moment. Weiss brushed her hand against Ruby's cheek as she moved to stand beside her. Nora ran the last few steps and hugged Ren's arm, giggling when he tapped her nose.
Winter raised her hands, and the chatter in the crowd slowly died down. "We stand today, all of us, in the light of God, the Maidens, and the Moon," she declared. "On this day, we celebrate not one, but three blessed unions: Jaune Arc and Pyrrha, Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose, and Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. However, another union is occurring today, a union between species that wasted so many years on a pointless war. This day is for all of us, humans, Faunus, and werewolves. I welcome you all!"
There were some cheers and murmurs of agreement. The few grumblers in the crowd couldn't even be heard.
"The love between these people has transcended war, starvation, hardship, prejudice, and illness!" Winter continued. "In truth, this ceremony is little more than a formality. It has already been proven that the love that has grown between them will last until death and on into eternity."
She approached Jaune and Pyrrha. "Jaune Arc, do you take Pyrrha to be your wife? Will you walk with her in the light of Maidens and Moon, loving and caring for her and the family you make together, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do!" Jaune replied immediately. He squeezed Pyrrha's hand, his heart stuttering when he felt her thumb rubbing his wrist.
Winter turned to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, do you take Jaune Arc to be your husband? Will you walk with him in the light of the Maidens and Moon, loving and caring for him and the family you make together, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Pyrrha said, bowing her head respectfully. She was pleased that Winter had adjusted the ceremony, and was making the Moon just as much a part of things as the human God and Maidens. She turned to Jaune, who was gazing at her with such adoration, it was hard to resist kissing him right then and there. She settled for smiling back before turning to watch her friends.
The Arcs, meanwhile, stood at the front of the crowd with Taiyang and Qrow. Johann's stern gaze softened as he watched his son. The pure joy on Jaune's face in that moment was so overwhelming, Johann felt tears trickling down his cheeks.
Joan wiped her eyes, smiling softly. "He looks like you on our wedding day," she murmured.
Mary sniffled. "Damn, I told myself I'd keep it together…"
"Do you think Pyrrha will let me wear that dress when I get married?" Jenny wondered.
"I like Weiss's dress the best," Katie whispered.
"But Nora's is pink!" Silvia protested. "That's the best color!"
Taiyang blinked back tears as Ruby said her vows. Are you watching, Summer? he thought. Our little girl's all grown up.
Qrow wiped his nose on his cloak. "Dammit, Tai," he grumbled when he saw how close to tears Taiyang was. "Quit it. You're making me cry!"
Winter stepped back from the couples after Ren and Nora said their vows, trying not to chuckle at how Nora was impatiently rocking back and forth on her heels. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, wife and wife, and husband and wife," she said, looking at each couple in turn. "You may kiss now to seal your union."
Pyrrha pulled Jaune close, claiming his lips in a deep kiss. She wrapped one arm around him while gripping his shirt with her other hand. She tugged lightly at the front in a way that wasn't obvious but that Jaune would definitely feel, subtly hinting at what awaited him once the festivities were over.
Jaune smiled in the kiss, sneaking in a very quick nip to Pyrrha's bottom lip as he pulled back, his eyes glinting. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was in that moment.
Weiss and Ruby's kiss was much more gentle and soft. They held each other tightly, and Ruby peppered a few smaller kisses over Weiss's face before pulling back.
Nora leaped into Ren's arms, nearly knocking him over as she kissed him, prompting Coco to let out a loud whoop. Ren returned the exuberant kiss as best as he could, though was panting a bit by the time it was over. He laughed freely, hugging Nora close and touching a kiss to the tip of her nose, which caused her to giggle all over again.
After the ceremony, the wedding became a very casual affair, with people eating, drinking, or dancing at their leisure. The minstrels played throughout the night, taking a few breaks here and there.
Pyrrha gladly accepted a dance with Johann, who helped her figure out the right steps to take as a slower song was played. "I'm glad to be part of your family," she commented.
Johann smiled. "We're glad to have you." And he meant it. The weird feeling in his stomach that appeared whenever the werewolves were close was becoming less and less prominent by the day. At night, when the girls would play with the wolves at the forest's edge, Johann didn't spend the entire time watching through the windows anymore. Any misgivings he still might have felt had vanished when he saw his son's smile at the altar.
There were several dances that night, most of which were between the couples. Ruby, however, did manage to get Winter out for a faster song, though the priestess insisted it wouldn't happen again. Qrow, after having a few too many free drinks, took over the entire dance floor with a series of ridiculous, flailing moves that left most of the crowd laughing and the rest shaking their heads or sputtering at the indignity of it all.
Sun was having the time of his life, having found that his tail made several dance moves more fun, such as twirling his partner and pulling her against him. He grinned at Blake as he came close to her again. "I can get used to this!"
Blake pressed even closer to him, pecking his cheek. "Just let me know if you get tired."
"Tired? Pfft! Like that'll happen!"
It was long past midnight when things started to quiet down. The minstrels came down from the makeshift stage. The stewpots were mostly decimated. Everyone either went to the taverns, or started for home. It had already been decided that the cleanup would wait until the following afternoon.
Sensing an end, the couples started to go their separate ways. Ren and Nora returned to their newly-rebuilt house. Several buttons on Ren's coat had been undone already, and Nora was very quick to close and lock the door.
By the time she had changed out of her dress and into her old tunic and pants, Ruby was half asleep. Weiss ended up carrying her back to the denning area. She kissed her wife's face softly as she walked. Once she arrived at their shared den, she placed Ruby on their bed and snuggled close to her, falling asleep almost immediately.
Jaune and Pyrrha elected to put their formal clothes away at the Arc residence before turning into wolves. They walked through the forest together, occasionally running into another packmate. More often than not, the packmate in question was stumbling around, experiencing the joys and regrets of alcohol for the first time.
As they got closer to the denning area, Jaune got a little playful, nudging and batting at Pyrrha before jumping away, his tail wagging like a banner.
Pyrrha let out a whuff of laughter, cuffing her mate over the head before running the rest of the way, hearing Jaune's large pawsteps behind her.
They turned back into their human forms once they reached their den, and Jaune immediately pulled her into a kiss. "I love you!" he sighed against her lips. "Have I mentioned that lately?"
"Once or twice," Pyrrha chuckled, stroking his chest gently. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
Jaune nodded. "That was probably the best wedding Vale has ever seen, hands down."
"I'm glad," Pyrrha said. "I'm also happy that Roman, Neo, and everyone from Obsidian stayed for it. I'll miss them when they go."
"Me too," Jaune agreed. "But that just means we'll have to go visit them sometime."
"Of course!" Pyrrha rested her head on Jaune's shoulder. "You know, this still feels like a dream. All this madness started only a year ago, and look at us now."
"Yeah," Jaune murmured, resting his cheek on Pyrrha's head and gently combing his fingers through her hair. "I guess miracles really do happen, huh?"
"You're enough of a miracle for me."
Jaune groaned. "You really need to stop listening to my cheesy lines. They are not a standard you should hold yourself to. Trust me!"
"Oh, shut up. I like them." Pyrrha nuzzled his shoulder before allowing her fangs to grow and giving it a light nip. She smirked when this caused Jaune's back to stiffen. "So, what was that tradition about a couple's first night together as husband and wife?"
Jaune moved down to her ear, lightly biting the lobe before whispering: "Why don't I just show you?"
After all that buildup, I knew I had to give the three main ships an awesome wedding scene. They deserve it after everything they went through. Sunday will be the final chapter, so stay tuned. Thanks again, everyone!
If you like what you see and want to join an awesome fan community while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.
Peace out!