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Orion
Ever since the first moment I met Ariane, I knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I would move anything standing in our way if it meant she were safe. I would, and have, murdered any paranormal who became a threat. But my mate isn’t helpless, and she’ll be the first one to tell you that. So, while I will always have her back, I’ve learned that she needs to lead. And wherever she leads, I’ll always follow.
Ari is much more t
han my mate. She’s my best friend. She’s my reason for living. Ever since I met her, I’ve had a purpose. When she’s around, the air is crisper. The birds sing louder. The world is a better place. I know how that sounds. Corny and sappy and whatever. I love her and that’s all that matters.
Looking back, I can see how everything that happened in my life did so for a reason. My parents were killed and torn from my life. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss them. But their deaths brought me to the Avynwood Pack where I was raised. Without that, I would have never been put on the path to meeting Ariane. And she wouldn’t have been the catalyst to the pack war. The one who finally brought it to an end.
The stunning beauty walking down the aisle toward me is the paranormal I’ll spend the rest of my life with. We’ve already committed ourselves to one another when we mated, but this solidifies our bond in the human world as well.
No, there is no individual present at our wedding who doesn’t know about this paranormal world we live in. We wanted to be free to celebrate this occasion and we couldn’t do that if we, and the rest of our guests, had to hide our true nature.
As I glanced around while waiting for Ari, I loved seeing those who have become so important to us. Family. Friends who have become family. They’re here because they love us and we love them in return.
By my side are Wake and Aries. Two of the most important paranormals to me. Aries was there to keep me safe—he and his mate. He brought me into his home and raised me as he did his son. Wake and I grew up more than cousins. We were and still are best friends. To have these two shifters standing next to me, supporting me, is more special than they’ll ever know.
Ford and Ari approach where I stand. He kisses her on the cheek and passes her hand to mine. No words are spoken between Ford and me. He’s very protective over Ari. There was even a time when he wanted her to be his. However, fate had a plan for him as well. Now he’s like Ari’s older, insanely protective, brother.
We’ve had our fights, Ford and me. We still have our differences. But at the end of the day, we care about each other. Our friendship has grown over time and will continue to do so. Ford is one of the strongest vampires in the world, and I know he would fight to the death for my mate.
Titus, our pack brother, stands between Ari and me as the officiant of the ceremony. He got certified online just to do this for us. Of course, Solomon offered, but we worried what would come out of his mouth if he were the one to stand here. I have no doubt it would have been full of lewd comments and he’d drift off to another topic instead of just marrying us.
“I can hear you, you know?” he says in my mind. Turning toward him, I wink.
Titus beams proudly in his tux as he unfolds a piece of paper to read from.
“Good afternoon, Avynwood Pack and friends. I’m grateful you could be with us on this beautiful day to join Orion and Ariane and witness as they become man and wife. Or male and female. Shifter and shifter. Paranormal and paranormal. However you want to look at it, they’re getting hitched.”
Titus continues to talk through his prepared speech. Ari and I say our vows, opting not to write our own. We’ve said everything we need to. We can feel each others’ emotions. Read each others’ minds. We’re two souls merged into one. There’s nothing we need to say in front of our family and friends that we haven’t already said to one another. Some things are just for us. And the words we share—full of love and devotion—those are only between my mate and me.
When everything is said and done, I take my mate into my arms, dip her back, and kiss her with everything I have. I don’t care that there is an entire clearing full of paranormals watching us. This female is mine and I will cherish her forever.
When we finally break apart, it’s to applause and cheers of congratulations. Everyone is standing and smiling at us. Then, with a few flicks of his wrist, Kylest transforms what once were chairs and an aisle into golden tables draped with white cloths and matching chairs. Tall white flowers are in the center of each table, lush greens cascading down the vases they stand in. There’s no main table for Ari and me. Each one is the same, no seating chart here.
Raven, Kylest’s mate, uses her fae magic to string white lights along the trees surrounding us. It’s not dark yet but will be soon. Raven and Ky walk along the perimeter, adding touches here and there. Little lanterns are placed on the ground at the bases of the trees. Dinnerware is added to the tables. A large buffet appears and with it, more food than I think we can eat. On the opposite side is a bar and there are bottles of fae wine lined up on the top of it.
Ari squeezes my hand and together we make our way through the crowd. We talk to every individual who came. We hug them. We don’t rush it. No, not this. We’ve been through a lot to get to this point—we all have. There’s no reason to make this go any faster. For the only ones here are the ones we love.
“Are you sure I can’t be the bartender?” Solomon asks Kylest.
“We’ve been over this. You are not allowed behind the bar. Every drink will be poured using magic. It’s taken care of.”
“But what if I want the entire bottle? I can have a whole bottle of fae wine for myself, right?”
“Is the goal to get so drunk you make a fool of yourself?” Regular alcohol doesn’t affect us. Fae wine is a whole other story.
Sol slings his arm over Ky’s shoulders. “It’s like you’re only meeting me for the first time.”
Kylest rolls his silver eyes. Today his hair is the same color as his eyes. He loves to change the color regularly. He smiles at us then leads Sol away.
Raven embraces Ari then me. “Congratulations on your wedding. I’ve never been to one before. It’s a lot of fun.”
“You and Ky have outdone yourselves with the decorations,” Ari says. “I could never have imagined anything so beautiful.”
“I love it. We get to decorate and then, when the night is over, we’ll get rid of it quickly.”
