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All of the anxiety Eliana had been feeling about speaking and walking in front of so many people vanished the second Lucas’s lips touched hers. She was right where she was supposed to be.
They walked back down the aisle, hand in hand. The reception was set to take place on the same beach, catered, of course, by the Hal restaurant and Eliana’s mother.
She had told her mother that Lucas could afford to hire outside the island, but she had shaken her head, looking irritated.
“I don’t trust anyone else for my daughter’s wedding. This is my gift to you. Accept it.”
Her mother was stubborn and bold, so Eliana accepted it with a playful eye roll.
Later that night, the wedding planner took down the altar and the scatter of rose petals to replace them with an elegant and opulent floral display. She blended in the use of their island colors, which were pale yellow and flamingo pink. Fairy lights were draped in the palm trees and stretched over each table decorated in purple and red lanterns, which would glow softly once the evening fell into dusk.
It all felt like a fairy tale, but Eliana didn’t let herself get caught up in the fear of it. She used to let fear corrupt every lovely moment in her life, wondering how she was going to carry on when it was all over. But never again.
Lucas and Eliana sat at their table while the entertainment of the night began. Tropical fruits were served at the main table before the entrees, which were all personally signed off by Bria herself. Hula dancers started the ceremony while the booze flowed, everyone having kicked off their shoes to tread along the pale sand. The dancers were then followed by fire dancers once the sky looked like the shade of a bruised peach.
Everyone was having a good time. The energy bouncing off each person was passed on to another. Eliana’s eyes scanned the crowd as dinner was served, which was Hal restaurant’s famous ribs.
Lucas had invited some of his former pack members who wanted to give him a proper farewell and congratulations on attaining his new pack following. He had also invited his brother Vincent, who was elated by the passing of the torch as head alpha for his own pack.
Vincent looked strikingly similar to Lucas, which was both strange and magical. He stood next to their table in his own Hawaiian shirt and white beach pants.
“I am so happy for you, Lucas. I can’t believe you are the first one to find your mate,” Vincent said, ribbing his brother. “This one was so dead set on ignoring romance that I was starting to worry about him.”
Lucas pursed his lips at Eliana, who was gently running her fingers up and down the back of his hand. She grinned at her new husband, the sharp edges of his face reminding her more and more of a Greek god every day.
“I can imagine that. It took me a long time to see a crack in his face. I thought maybe he hadn’t known how to smile,” Eliana joked with a wink.
Vincent burst out laughing. He was obviously the more outgoing brother in the family but was likely just as capable as Lucas. Lucas gave them both a solemn raise of his brows, not arguing the point whatsoever.
“I thought it was pointless as a pack leader. But meeting Eliana changed all that,” he said.
Vincent took a sip of his drink, a distant look crossing his face.
“Well, just know that I am happy for you, brother. I know you will be a blessing to this pack, and I hope I can replace you with the same level of respect and admiration.”
Lucas touched his brother’s hand that had been leaning on the table, gripping it with a sudden serious glare.
“I know you will, brother. I have complete faith in you.”
Eliana wasn’t entirely sure what had passed between them, but she had a lifetime with Lucas to figure it out.
When it came time to tear up the dance floor, the guests flooded the wooded installation. Torches flickering in the darkness illuminated the calm night. Tao and Jean had been invited to the wedding and had shown up from California with a surprise in their arms.
Lucas and Eliana met with them on the dance floor, the music from the DJ thumping around them as they yelled over it with congratulatory cheers.
“Oh my God, Tao!” Eliana yelled. “You never told me, you ass!”
Tao giggled as he held a child in his arms, only a few months old. He looked around at the fire flickering on the torches, an innocent curiosity that made Eliana’s heart skip a beat.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Jean yelled back with a smile. “He was a surprise, but we couldn’t be happier.”
Tao, Jean, Eliana, and Lucas all embraced, along with the new little pup that would eventually learn of their pack roots. Lucas then took Eliana by the hand, leading her away from the loud, throbbing energy of the reception.
Slowly, the music faded as Lucas led her along the beach. Night had fallen, a crisp, midnight blue shade with waves softly lapping against the shoreline with a tranquil ambiance.
Eliana couldn’t stop smiling as he pulled her along, the sight of the reception glow shrinking. When he stopped, he turned back to her, holding her hands in the same way he had at the altar.
“Do you remember this place?”
