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The next few weeks were a wonderful time for Vanessa and me as we made plans to celebrate our newfound commitment. We chose a date that matched the lunar calendar, which is an auspicious time for two soulmates to be joined in accordance with Orkarian custom.
My nephew Saya was captivated by these details, begging Vanessa daily to show him the wedding garments and decorations. “Will it be the most beautiful ceremony ever?” he inquired in anticipation. Vanessa’s patience never wavered; she always responded kindly, even if he asked if there would be an appropriate amount of bloodshed.
“It will be perfect, because you and your brother will be a part of it,” she promised Saya affectionately. “Even if Zorak won’t be slaying any beasts.”
In between planning for the wedding, Vanessa toiled away at earning her Orkarian law degree. Though she easily surpassed my own intelligence, I offered what assistance I could. “You are the most brilliant star in the sky,” I said to her one night, and although she waved off my praise, her pleased blush was all the thanks I needed.
As the ceremony drew nearer, our moments together became increasingly intimate. Taking advantage of Dakor’s watch over the kids, we were able to fully express our desire for each other. I caressed her captivating body as if it were a holy place, expressing nonverbally how deeply I cared for her.
I knew then that I would spend the rest of my life striving to be worthy of this precious treasure fate had bestowed on me. With Vanessa by my side, any dream was possible. Our story would become the stuff of legends. But most importantly, it would be ours - exquisitely imperfect and all the more beautiful for it.
Chapter 29
Zorak
I paced anxiously around the living room, waiting for Vanessa to arrive home. Today, her belongings were being shipped here from T’rra, and I had arranged a surprise for her. Without telling her, I’d invited her mother and best friend, Zoe, to visit for our mating ceremony in one week.
Part of me worried she’d be upset that I’d sprung her family on her like this. But I wanted to make her happy, and having her loved ones present for our joining seemed right. I just hoped I’d understood her species’ customs correctly.
The door chimes sounded, signaling the movers’ arrival. I took a deep breath and opened it to find two human females with them – a mature one who must be Vanessa’s mother, and her best friend, Zoe.
“Welcome!” I greeted them warmly. “I’m Zorak, pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise, dear,” the older woman, Marisa, said affectionately. “Vanessa has told me so much about you.”
“I remember you.” Zoe grinned and gave me a friendly hug. “Great to officially meet Vanessa’s soulmate!”
As the movers brought boxes in, I busied myself getting refreshments, anxiously awaiting Vanessa’s reaction.
It wasn’t long before I heard her voice as she walked through the door. “Zorak, I’m home!”
I rushed out to meet her, smiling excitedly. “Beloved, you’re back! And I have a surprise for you.”
I led her into the living room where her mother and friend waited.
Vanessa stopped short, stunned. “Mom? Zoe? What are you doing here?”
Marisa enveloped her in a hug. “That lovely mate of yours invited us for your joining ceremony.”
“It was Zorak’s idea to have us here to celebrate with you,” Zoe added. “He wanted it to be a surprise.”
Vanessa looked at me, unsure. “You planned this for me?”
I nodded, suddenly worried I’d overstepped. “I wanted your family present for our special day. Was this not right?”
But Vanessa broke into a huge smile and pulled me into an embrace. “It’s perfect, thank you!” She kissed me deeply, then froze. “Wait. They’re here for our special day. For our mating ceremony?”
“Yes?”
“Our mating ceremony?”
I crossed my arms across my broad chest. “Are you planning on mating with anyone else?”
I was teasing, but the thought of it made my temper boil anyway. Vanessa shot me a look – of course she could sense it.
“Not in this lifetime, no. You’re more than enough.” Vanessa shook her head, dazed. “There’s just…so much to do. I know we’ve talked about it, but I didn’t know it was so close. And I have exams next week.”
Zoe grinned. “Of course that’s what you’re worried about.”
