Longer than that- I linked him – I’ll find you in the afterlife. You had better not take another lover if I go first. Holden’s smile widened – Is that a vow?
It is
Then same, or I do.
“Cali?” The officiant whispered
“What? Oh, I do.”
“You may now kiss the bride.”
“Or you can kiss me if you want?” Holden winked at me.
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close. He encircled my waist, dipping me low, deepening our kiss.
“I now present Mr. and Mrs. Earhart.” Applause sounded around us, and the music started, but I only saw him. “Did you know I didn’t know your last name until a few months ago when I saw it on a contract?” I asked. “Would it have changed your mind?” He smiled at me.
I shrugged, “No, it’s not too bad, but it’s yours, so I guess you get extra points.”
“You’re stuck with it now,” he whispered into the spot he first claimed me.
After a classic limo ride and expensive champagne that tasted like the stuff I bought from the gas station, we made it to our reception.
The place was huge, with ceilings stories high with old arched windows every few feet. It reminded me of an ancient banquet hall and everything I wanted our celebration to be. Massive chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. The place was decked out in white flowers, everything and it just smelled rich.
I knew money wasn’t an object anymore, even though I didn’t fully comprehend that. I felt rich when I put an extra $20 in savings before, and now we were renting out a room that I couldn’t even afford to walk past before.
It was decadent, over the top, and my first and last wedding. It reminded me a bit of where he proposed, on those tall steps with candles and flowers. I took that and amplified it more, with the help of Willa, Nora, Rachel, and the parents, and made it something that looked like a fairytale castle.
It was my fairytale d.amnit, I deserved this.
Everyone stood up and cheered when we went in, and even though I didn’t know them, I basked in it. Ideally, I would have had more than those in our wedding party to invite, but that was the past. Today wasn’t about broken ties and blood family. Today was about new, chosen ties and the family that you made. Today I was celebrating with the people that were there no matter what and didn’t judge you and wouldn’t disown you for those choices.
Holden led me to the front table up a few stairs. We were looking over everyone else sitting at their round tables. Candles were everywhere, basking the room in an intimate glow. “This looks good on you,” I ran a finger on Holden’s gold band.
“You being your husband looks good on me,”, He countered, pulling me in for a deep kiss.
The night was spent in pure bliss. We ate, drank, and danced in a world of our own. I focused on our family and friends, there was no way we would be able to meet everyone tonight, and I didn’t care to share my night.
I was encapsulated in my own fairytale. “I don’t think I could ever be happier,” I whispered into Holden’s neck as the music turned slow, and he wrapped me in his arms.
He pulled back, studying my face, “Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?”
Wife. Foreign, but with Holden it felt right.
Mother, mate, partner, wife, business student, Gamma.
I could do them all.
“It might be the drink talking,” I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Don’t backtrack, I know you love me.”
“You think I would wear white for anyone?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Wow, you must really like me. Coming on a bit strong there Mrs. Earhart.” He winced, but I laughed, pulling myself closer to him.
“I do. I happen to very much love you, Mr. Earhart.”
“Wait no!” Holden stopped me from opening our hotel room.
“What?” I scanned the hall, looking for any threat.
I’ve been training with them in the mornings. Between studying for my business classes online at a university, working on Gamma duties, training, and spending time with Loreli and Holden, I felt completely and utterly fulfilled.
My life had a purpose, a purpose that went past the primal need to care for Loreli. Even going to business school was a choice to help take care of her and set something up for us in the long run.
It was a coincidence, a beautiful coincidence, that I ended up loving my classes and being so d.amn good them. I hadn’t made the choice of business school for my benefit, it seemed safe. I stopped taking risks past survival and what would be best for my daughter. Even though some Goddess apparently chose Holden for me, fated us from birth or whatever, I still liked to believe that we chose each other. From what Willa told me about her ex s.hit rag of a person, I knew the mate bond was strong, rarely broken, but it wasn’t unbreakable.
She finally looked at the past, her past, from a place that wasn’t hurt and broken and was able to piece together that they weren’t meant for each other. She had a blind infatuation with Nolan but with Caspien, it was partnership, understanding, and love. I was instantly attracted to Holden in a way it terrified me. Honestly, when they explained they were werewolves and they had this bond, it made more sense than me falling for a stranger. The s.ex was incredible, the feeling and attraction unlike anything else. But I really got to know him. He got to know Loreli, and after her full approval, I let him mark me. I liked him; he was weird as .f**k, goofy, but also completely loving, confident, competent, and always thinking about Loreli and me. He was my perfect match, and as Willa explained, the bond was just a beacon to find them.
I should thank The Goddess for this. I don’t know where I would have ended up without him, without them. I would have made it work but to what end for Loreli? So could she end up like my past self? I didn’t want to think about that, and it was no use dwelling on it. She was taken care of, she had a family, a father, and she would have a good life. That I always knew, but Holden made it better, for both of us.
“You good?” Holden asked, “Seems like you were internal monologuing for a second.”
“Reflecting, some might call it, and there is no apparent threat, unless you can sense something I can’t.” I crossed my arms.
“No threat. Well, not unless you want to threaten our marriage. You can’t go in walking,” He looked horrified before he scooped me up and unlocked the door.
He threw me on the massive bed scattering rose petals everywhere.
“Since we have to put off our official honeymoon for a weekend away, I figured we would go all out.” He opened the bottle of champagne and it sprayed everywhere, “A bit premature, but I will say I won’t be,” He winked at me, filling up our glasses.
I had finals next week, my first finals for official business school, and we would take a long honeymoon after.
He flopped on the bed next to me clinking me glass to his. “I can’t believe I convinced you to marry me,” He took a sip shaking his head.
“I was the one that said I wanted a wedding.” I countered.
“I bought the ring.”
I looked down at my oval diamond encircled in smaller diamond rays that reminded me of the sun.
“You’re the only person that would ever consider me their sunshine, their sunray whatever.” I rolled my eyes, taking a sip.
“You are,” he looked serious, shifting to face me, “Yes, you are cold and snarky,” He smiled widely, “But you bring so much joy and light to Loreli and my lives, I couldn’t think of you as anything else.”
I swallowed and then downed my glass, taking his from him.
“Help me,” I turned around to the zipper under a few hidden clasps. His warm hands were on my back, brushing the bare skin. He unzipped the dress and ran his hands up my back helping it fall from my shoulders. I turned to him in nothing but my u.nderwear. “What the fuck is this?” He pulled Caspine’s handkerchief from my b.rest where it was stuck from the sweat after a night of dancing.
“Something blue?”
He shrugged, “Fair enough, but the only brand, the only signet, marking whatever you will be left with tonight is mine.”
He lifted me, crashing us against the wall as his hands tangled in the back of my hair, meeting his hungry lips with mine. I grabbed onto him, he was mine, all mine, and I wanted to show him how much that meant, even though he was the only person who I knew fully understood.
He moved us to the bed throwing me down, “Take those off.” I removed my u.nderwear as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.
He watched me as I wiggled out of them and opened my legs wide. His eyes flashed black as he ripped off his boxers after. He knelt over me, pushing my thigh further with his legs.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.