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After I hear the door close, I peek my head out and begin my run to our bedroom. Of course, I don't make it there without someone bursting in. I see just enough to know it's Keri and Grace holding Bazin as I shriek and dart into the bedroom, shutting the door on them and their loud laughter.
"We did give you baths when you were younger," Grace points out.
"Yeah, that was a pretty long time ago," I shout back.
"Feels like yesterday to us," Keri snickers.
"I hate you guys!" I yell. "But not you, Bazin."
They laugh again and I shake my head as I move away from the door. I take my dress out from where I hid it from Kayo and lay it on the bed. Soft grey, off the shoulders, and floor length. Kayo's right. It is beautiful. I put on my panties, which, much to Kayo's dismay, I had made a few days ago, and then slip my dress over my head, pulling it down my body.
Kayo's been so busy the past week going to our cavern each night to try to get it ready as soon as possible that it was easy for him not to see it. And then the meetings he'd been attending with his father and brothers with the new President. It's hard to even imagine it. The old President had been in his position all my life, somehow. Well, it was easy to assume how, especially after the whole family gathered here for Warzo to tell us all they had learned about his affairs. I hope things will get better, but it's pretty hard to hold onto that hope given how our quadrant has always been. Kayo had said there was a big announcement Warzo would make about what changes were coming to the Grounders, but that I'd have to wait until the feast. But even though I'd enjoyed my time with my sisters, Bazin, and his family, I'd missed Kayo so much over the last few days. With tonight being our ceremony, I'm happy to have a day that's just for him and me, cavern forgotten, and no meetings to attend. Just him by my side.
Looking at myself again, I take a deep breath and open the door. Both Grace's and Keri's eyes instantly glaze over with tears.
"Please don't." I chuckle. "Then, I'll cry, and my eyes will be red and puffy all day."
But it's too late, the tears are gathering, that tickling at the bridge of my nose that says this battle is lost. As the first tear falls, they both rush forward and wrap their arms around me, our heads coming together, Bazin in Grace's arms in the circle of us. His eyes are wide like he's trying to figure what the hell is going on.
"Look at us," Grace croaks. "Even though we were always telling each other it would be okay, that things would get better, none of us could have imagined this."
"That we'd all end with the very monsters we were told ate us?" Keri chuckles. "No, none of us saw that coming."
"Happy." Grace laughs. "I meant happy."
"I know," Keri says. "And no, none of us foresaw ending up with monsters who would do any and every thing for us. Who love us so unconditionally."
"I still can't believe it sometimes," I admit. "Sometimes, I can't go to sleep because I'm afraid I'll wake up and find it's all a dream. But then, there's Kayo, wrapping his arms around me, telling me it's okay to close my eyes because when I open them, he'll be right there."
"We got everything we never even knew we could have," Grace adds. "More than we even knew to ever hope for. And what's better, we got to have it together. We have love, happiness, family."
"Well that family is about to get bigger," Keri says softly.
We all break apart then, my hand shooting to my mouth as I ask, "Do you mean...?"
Keri nods. "I'm pregnant."
"How can you know?" I ask.
Grace grins. "They can hear the baby's heartbeat the moment it starts beating. Imagine how much that freaks you out when you're just lying in bed and your mate pops up and puts his ear to your belly, telling you there's a baby in there."
I picture Kayo doing exactly that and my lips curve into a smile.
"We were in the hot spring," Keri says. "Linc all but tossed me out of the water so he could hear it better last night."
We all laugh and then Nicole comes into the cavern. She stops short when she sees me.
"Oh, you look beautiful," she says in a shaky breath. "Just beautiful. Is everyone ready?"
"Just gotta do Leah's hair, and then we're good to go," Keri answers.
I get seated so Keri can braid a crown at the top of my head, leaving the rest down. My mind drifts to when I braided Kayo's long hair last night, him between my thighs, pressing kisses to them so much I had to constantly remind him to keep his head still, but each one made me smile. This is the rest of my life. That has my eyes closing, a breath of relief leaving me.
"Ready," Keri declares, and then we're all leaving in a rush. I let everyone walk ahead of me, so Kayo doesn't see me yet. I look at the decorations as we enter the market, no stalls or tables with wares now, just tables with humans and Grounders seated at them, flowers everywhere, food in the back. It's beautiful. Then, my family sits down, and Kayo's eyes are on me. I can see the way his chest shudders with the breath he releases, the love in his eyes, and the slight tremor in his hand when he walks over to me and links our fingers.
The ceremony itself passes in a blur, because the moment I can hear his thoughts, nothing else matters. I barely taste the food or notice the talk and laughter around me. I just want to hear every thought, see everything through his eyes, although what he mostly envisions is me, me naked, my mouth around him, how it looks when he's sliding into me. I look around to see if anyone's staring at my blush, and that's when I see it, that some of the stares are not of joy and delight at our bonding.
"It doesn't matter," Kayo says. "They'll come around."
