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"I can't believe how lucky I am," she murmured against his lips.
"You're not the only lucky one," Magnus replied, his hand caressing her cheek. "I never thought I'd find someone like you."
Alexis couldn't hold back the tears that welled in her eyes at his words. She had been through so much in life and had almost given up on finding true love. But here he was, Magnus, the man who made everything else fade away.
They spent hours talking and laughing under the stars, enjoying each other's company until exhaustion finally caught up with them. As they curled up together on the blanket by the dying fire, Alexis felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her.
This was it. This was where she belonged. In Magnus's arms, surrounded by nature and love. And as sleep claimed them both, she knew that no matter what life threw their way, they would always have each other.
TWENTY-SEVEN
ALEXIS
Alexis stared at herself in the mirror as Lillian added the finishing touches to her makeup. Behind her, Chloe had the curling iron in one hand and was pulling a bobby pin out from between her teeth so she could pin a strand of Alexis’s blonde hair back.
“Blink,” Lillian ordered.
Alexis opened and closed her eyes several times as Lillian added mascara to her already thick, full lashes.
“God, I’m so nervous,” Alexis muttered.
“You’re nervous?” Fiona cried. “You should see your fiancé. I think his suit is wet with sweat. He’s literally standing in a puddle.”
The girls giggled, and it turned into long-winded laughter at the thought of the big, strong alpha terrified to marry the weak, little human.
“God, these men,” Lillian said with an eye roll. “How big is that ogre? Six foot seven?”
“Watch who you call an ogre,” Alexis joked. “Jolly Green at the end of that aisle is going to be my husband in … Oh, my God, in twenty minutes. Geez.” She fanned her face to lend credit to her words that she was, in fact, nervous.
“Breathe, you’re fine. Your fiancé is sexy as fuck, and he wants to marry you. So be happy about it. Come on. Your hair is done. Your makeup is perfect, if I do say so myself. I also really like that you chose to have an indoor wedding. Who the fuck wants to get married outside?” Lillian mused as she looked out the window.
Rain splattered against the windows, creating a steady drum against the panes of glass that surrounded the room the girls were getting ready in. After Magnus had proposed, Alexis immediately called her three friends and asked them to be her bridesmaids. Then, the four of them set out to plan the perfect wedding.
Alexis wanted an indoor venue, and it was Magnus who suggested the massive barn on his friend Jax’s property. While Jax was a wolf shifter, he had over two hundred acres and a completely remodeled barn on his property.
He also took the liberty of decorating the barn for the wedding. Strings of tiny white lights hung in waves from the ceilings. Bouquets of large flowers in every color sat on each table.
Alexis had picked out the pale pink tablecloths, preferring the subtle splash of color to the more traditional white. When they had arrived the night before, the girls set about creating the perfect atmosphere for Alexis’s big day, with Jax’s and Magnus’s help, of course.
“Okay,” Alexis said after checking her appearance one last time. “I think I’m good.”
She smoothed out her ivory gown as she rose to her feet. The off-the-shoulder dress she chose was simple yet elegant. There were no intricate lace patterns or sparkling beads sewn into the material. The fabric flowed down her long legs in a waterfall of uncomplicated silk.
They left the room and walked downstairs, Fiona in the lead. They made their way to the barn doors, where a long white carpet had been laid out from the entranceway to the podium where the officiant would perform the ceremony.
Pink flower petals had been strewn down the entire length of the carpet. The moment the violins began playing, Alexis couldn’t keep the smile off her face. One step at a time took her closer to the man of her dreams.
With her closest friends surrounding her, she made her way slowly down the aisle. She didn’t realize all the guests were standing as she passed them. She had eyes for only one man.
It felt like an eternity when, in fact, it was mere minutes that had passed from the time she left the open barn doors and made her way toward him. As soon as she was close enough, Magnus took her hand in his.
Her fingers tightened around his, and the smile returned to her face as she looked up at him. His answering grin widened as the officiant began speaking.
“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Magnus Kade and Alexis Nixon …”
The rain sloshed against the roof, the only other sound that could be heard in the quiet space beside the voice of the officiant. Alexis found the thunderstorm that raged outside to be a cleansing metaphor for the horror that Carvin had rained upon her life.
“Do you, Magnus, take Alexis to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
