Chapter 123

It was a massive celebration after the battle. Archer announced that they would join with Duncan and Jacks's Pack/Clan. Thus, making a network for all shifters, especially those mixed, to have safe and happy places to call home.
With rules that applied to all, no more treating others of your communities differently or enslaved people. Everyone has to work together to make it a better place. Without taking away their individuality, respect is given, not taken.
It wasn't a utopia. There will always be a few clashing ideals, but they will not be allowed to rule over everyone else. Everyone was allowed to come or go as they pleased.
There were punishments for the rule-breakers, and revisions were sometimes needed as the future progressed.
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1 Year Later...
Archer and August stood in their mother's vast flower garden dressed in the latest tuxedos, surrounded by white and yellow roses. The ceremony itself was much smaller than the reception afterward. That was the only concession that his mother would allow.
They didn't want to have a big affair, but their mom wouldn't have any of it. She wouldn't budge. She decided that since her two wonderful daughters-in-law grew up without a mother or father to spoil them, she would ensure that she got it done.
Instead of being the grooms' mother, she became the mother of the brides, especially since Rachel had announced that she was two months pregnant.
The gardens were transformed into this amazing fantasy of whites and golds. White twinkle lights were in every tree even though it was daytime, between the lights and the sun shining on all the crystals in the trees and anything else that didn't move.
The whole garden sparkled and was covered in small moving rainbows. Even the chairs for the guests were covered in sparkling tool fabric.
Music started to play to signal their bride's arrival. The first to come down the aisle was the three-ring bearers. They were dressed the same as Archer and August were; they looked cute and dashing and uncomfortable as they went down the aisle.
They were standing to the side of the two grooms as the four maids of honor came down, Marnie and Ashton, Duncan and Adira, Jack and Nova, and finally Ava and Harry.
Then the two grooms held their breath as the song "Everything I do, I do it for you." by Bryan Adams began to play.
Rachel and Anna appeared amongst the sparkles and rainbows.
Rachel had her hair up in simple braids with miniature yellow roses weaved into the design; she wore a crystal beaded A-line gown with off-the-shoulder hanging crystal straps. Her bouquet was yellow roses and pearls.
Anna wore her hair down in a long braid with a veil topped with a gold and crystal tiara. She wore a similar beaded gown like her sister, but her dress had the fuller skirt. Her bouquet was white roses with crystals.
They linked their arms together as they came down to meet their grooms; they were all smiles just as the music came to the last few words. They joined their mates at the alter.
Later came the reception. It lasted late into the night, almost into the following day. It was an affair that was talked about for a long time.
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Ava and Harry didn't have anyone to make them have a big party; they just hopped onto Harry's motorcycle and the road to Las Vegas and got married at a small chapel.
She wore a pink polka dot fifties style dress while Harry wore a dark casual suit. Harry made sure that the chapel was covered in pink roses as Elvis officiated their wedding.
They had a blast and then rode on to his home in Bear Mountain clan, where they had a small reception before packing their saddlebags on the bike and taking off for a month-long excursion into the wide-open spaces.
They were both free spirits and loved their own company. They decided to figure out where to settle down after their honeymoon.
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Three months later, Archer and Rachel found out they had twin boys. They decided at the naming ceremony that their son's names were Dargon and Joran.
When they went to their room for the night, a sword and a ring were on the bed. Alongside them was an ancient-looking book. All of them were tied together and on top of it was a scroll.
Archer picked up the scroll and unrolled it. It was a strange message...
Your two firstborn sons will be a warrior and a scholar. The sword is for the scholar, and the ring is for the warrior. They will understand why soon after they receive them.
The book is for your third child, a female; give her the book upon her sixteenth birthday. She will know what to do with it.
We are looking out for you.
Love'
Dargon & Arianna
Archer and Rachel stared at the items in almost disbelief. Archer picked them up and put them in a cedar chest. Taking Rachel's hand and guided her to the bed.
"Let us not worry about that till it is time to do so, my sweet catnip. For now, we are just going to enjoy living."
With that, they settled down for bed and slept happily in each other's arms.
When their son's reached the age of 18, they were each given the sword and the ring.
Dargon was the scholar, and Joran was the warrior; at first, they just stared at their gifts, then Dargon picked up the sword, and a look came over his face; he exclaimed that the sword had a rich history was going to study it.
Dargon became a great archeologist. He traveled the world. He made many discoveries for the Shifter communities. He carried that sword with him everywhere he went.
On a very ancient dig site, the sword saved Dargon's life as well as his future mates. They had stumbled onto the ancient home of a wendigo creature, trapped and with nowhere to go inside a vast tomb; The wendigo attacked them.
Dargon had learned how to wield the sword since he was given it. He took on the responsibility and became a master swordsman. It was a good thing he had it with him on that day; he fought the creature till finally, he could sever its head.
Once they made their way out of the tomb, Dargon turned to his mate and asked her what her name was.
"My name is Arianna."
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Joran was a great warrior. He knew all forms of combat in both his human form and in his Lion Aries form. He also taught classes on self-defense and advanced training for enforcers and hunters.
He never took off his ring; he wasn't sure why he just never did. He would look at it and think that it looked like he only had half of the whole ring. He could still hear the voice in his head as the day he was given it.
"Only when the two are one will the next to be born."
Next, what he didn't know, he hoped that someday he would find the other half. He also learned that the ring protected him and his lion Aries.
The strangest thing about the ring is that it transfers itself to Aries; it appears onto his middle digit on his right paw. Aries thought it was fantastic; he was the only Lion with accessories.
At the beginning of the school year, another teacher was introduced. Joran couldn't take his eyes off her; she taught music, mainly violin and piano.
When he was introduced to Serena Clark, the second they shook hands, sparks started to fly between their hands, and when Joran finally looked at his hand, his ring was now whole.
Serena looked at her hand to discover that her ring was gone. That was when Joran held out his hand to her. She looked at him for a long time and then smiled.
"You are my true mate; that ring has been in my family for generations; no one wanted it till I came along and found it in an old jewelry box. When I put it on my finger, it wouldn't come off."
"I know it sounds strange, but I heard a voice in my head that day. It said..."
"When the two become one, the next will be born."
They were married and mated shortly after that; it wasn't till they all met up again for a family holiday that when both sons told their tales, their parents smiled and said...
"As it should be."
They smiled and said no more when asked to elaborate on their statement.
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Duncans Pack, Jacks Clan, and Archers Pride. Decided that each one would build a school, each school would teach the basics; however, once they reached the 6th grade, they would all have to go to other schools.
They will stay with the families and learn different ways of life and the different things between the shifters and learn survival skills, academic skills, and everything in between.
They also started a bigger and more modern hospital and medical facilities.
There would no longer be misunderstandings and ignorance amongst the different shifters. They were all taught basic living skills, so there was an understanding between the various social levels, no longer the underclass or the upper class.
It wasn't a perfect system. There were always challenges, but through those challenges, they grew.
They later added music classes and athletics. Even some humans attended that knew about the different species; this system also opened the door for some that usually wouldn't find their mate to find them.
Ava and Harry finally settled down and had two daughters. Ava taught magic at one of the schools, and Harry taught self-defense and painting for beginners and advanced classes.
Ava continued to have visions though they didn't come as often as they once did. Nor were they ever as intense as they once were.
Their two daughters were a handful; both were Bear shifters and witches. Each had her unique talent. They even started an all-female motorcycle club at the age of sixteen.
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Thomas and Tammara Bennet adopted son and daughter of Archer and Rachel, all though they had to deal with all the things that disabled children do, they had one advantage, they could shift. In their cat forms, they were free.
They also became advocates for Handicapped shifter children giving others places to turn to in the shifter communities without fear of being bullied or worse. Some shifters still believe that children born with handicaps or who become handicapped should be terminated.
They were slowly changing the views of the older generations and those who believed in pureblood only. It was a long path to take, but they were determined to see it through.
They also opened an orphanage for disabled children of all races and ages. It wasn't only a home. It was also a school to teach the children skills and educate them to help them in the real world.
They also provided adoption, but they were conscientious and thorough of who they adopted out to. They made sure that abuse didn't happen or go forward.
Those who were too damaged by the abuse were provided with a safe, permanent home to help others who would come to them with the same types of abuse.
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As for the three little boys that Jack adopted, well, we will save them for another time perhaps.
Archer's little girl with the book will also join the three boys.
Later.