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“So ready.” I felt like I was about to burst out of my skin.
For real.
And that heat? It was still there. I thought about taking off my jacket, but then I’d probably cool off too fast. I didn’t want to be asking for it when I should have been saying I do.
“We’d planned to have the big reveal at the gazebo, but plans changed. My suggestion is the two of you walk down the aisle together. Colleen can walk with me.” Bibi offered her arm to my mother, and she gladly accepted.
Bjorn took my face in his hands. I closed my eyes. Would he notice how warm I was?
“I wouldn’t have done this any other way,” he said, his voice way too husky for his own good. It took everything I had not to rip the tux off him.
“Even the part when I hated you?”
“You never really hated me.” He had the nerve to chuckle. My infuriating bear. “Yeah, I wouldn’t change that part either because I knew the exact moment you felt the same way about me as I did about you.”
I narrowed my gaze. I’d never get sick of challenging him. “Do tell, what was that exact moment?”
“The morning we woke up together in the mountains. After the night I thought I might lose you.”
“Damn it.” I sighed. “You’re right. How did you know?”
“Because everything changed that night. After that, we couldn’t live without each other.” He nodded toward the aisle. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see everyone was turned around, watching us. “Wanna make it official?”
“I’d love to.”
It was so tempting to go up on my tiptoes and kiss him, mark him with my red lipstick, but we’d already tempted fate by seeing each other before the ceremony. I’d keep the kiss until the appropriate time.
And then I might never stop.
Bibi was waiting for us at the gazebo. Colleen, Suzanne, and my stepdad Michael were together on one side, and Bjorn’s family was across from them. Our friends from the show and the local packs filled the rest of the seats.
“When I put the team together forThe Mating Game, I knew we were creating something special,” Bibi said, opening the ceremony. “But I had no idea just how special. You are two of the most talented, caring people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. When the opportunity arose to put you in front of the camera for this episode, I have to admit, I was terrified. Even though I had a feeling things would work out, there was also the possibility it could have blown up in my face. It was a big risk, but to get big rewards, we must put our hearts on the line. I’m so glad the two of you took a chance on each other.”
I looked at Bjorn, eyes wide. My breath quickened. I was so hot I thought I’d pass out.
Or do something even more unexpected.
“I’ll let the two of you speak before I declare you mates,” Bibi added.
I gripped his hands tightly. “You go first,” I whispered. My thoughts were jumbled. I wasn’t the type to rehearse a speech, but I was scared I wouldn’t get to tell him how I really felt about him.
He grinned. “You know what I first noticed about you? The fact that you rose to any challenge that was thrown at you. You didn’t always know what you were doing or how you’d make it work. But it didn’t stop you from trying. A lot of people would have never taken those chances that Bibi was talking about. You welcomed them. If you hadn’t welcomed those challenges, we’d never be standing here today.”
“Bjorn.” I couldn’t wait any longer. “I think I’m gonna shift.”
His mouth dropped.
I pressed my lips together but couldn’t stop the whine that rose in my throat. It didn’t sound human. I was terrified. My wolf was coming. That was all I knew. But I had no idea what happened next.
“Get her jacket off her,” Bjorn growled. “Unzip her dress.”
“Naked. In front of—”
“Everyone here has already seen you naked or is a shifter. It doesn’t bother us.” Bibi swooped in and took my jacket. There was only a sliver of my humanity remaining, and I was glad that Bjorn and Bibi thought to save my dress and jacket. It was gorgeous, and I was about to rip it off to accommodate my shift.
I didn’t want to let go of Bjorn. Nothing bad could happen if he was holding me.
Right?
