Chapter 74 Sad? Happy?

Chapter 74 Sad? Happy?
Bella’s pov. 
“Are you sure it was really him? It was Garrett?” I asked elder Elian for the hundredth time, biting my lip at the look on both his and John's face. 

Elder Elian sighed, smiling sadly at me. 

“It was him, Bella. It couldn’t have been anyone else. He had an army… vampires, witches, wolves. If he decided to come here we’d most likely be screwed. We need to prepare ourselves. I know you guys were trying to plan your laying ceremony and I think we should still do that but we’ll need extra warriors on patrol and any packs that come we’ll need to ask if they can bring extra warriors to help us if we need,” he sighed, rubbing a hand down his face, “we can’t just not live our lives while waiting for the unknown. I think we should have the mating ceremony sooner than later. So John can mark you.”

“We’ll do it in two days,” John said suddenly, making both of our heads turn towards him fast, “it’s best to do it as soon as possible. If he got to you… I wouldn’t be able to track you down without my mark on your neck.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded my head slowly, “two days… okay. I trust your judgment. Let’s do it. I will announce to the pack and we’ll start making the invitations to send out to the other packs around us, John, ask your brother if he can come and possibly spare a few warriors for the ceremony. They can dress casually so it doesn’t seem like we have many warriors on patrol. We need to be overly prepared. I can’t have anything happening. Especially not to Megan… she’s been through so much already…”

My mind drifted back to that day, when her father took her and she was scared out of her mind, having nightmares every single night. 

She just finally stopped waking up in the middle of night crying and screaming my name. 

“Okay, I’ll let him know tonight. And I’ll help you write the invitations out as well. Let Teeran know we’ll be longer than we originally thought. We need to get it done tonight. We also need to figure out who’s going to be decorating and give them a small idea of what we want done,” John said, sighing, “I’ll contact my brother now, you announce to the pack about the mating ceremony. I’ll be back.”

He got up, his hand brushing my arm before he walked out of the door. 

“Mated, huh,” elder Elian said to me with a smirk on his face. 

I shook my head while I chuckled a little, smiling over at him. 

“Mated,” I sighed, but it was happy, “I never thought I’d see the day where John was my second chance mate. But here we are, and I couldn’t be happier.”

“I knew you guys were fated as soon as I saw you had fire and he had ice. That was destiny at work right there. You were always meant to be. You both had mates before, yes. But that was just to get you two together,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes, “I’m happy for you. Truly. I think you guys are wonderful together.”

I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up…

I knew it would’ve been John either way. If we were fated or not. I fell for him, fast, faster than I expected. 

It was hard not to. He’s just… so amazing, in every single way. 

He puts me first, and even Megan. Who isn’t even his blood. But that doesn’t matter to him, he still cares and he’s still there whenever we need him. 

I opened my mouth to talk when John came back to my office, scratching the back of his head. 

“What is it?” I asked slowly, knowing that look. 

“My brother… he said he’ll be there but my father, he died this morning. There wasn’t anything they could’ve done to save him. The poison consumed him,” he mumbled, I almost didn’t hear him, almost…

I stood up quickly, rushing towards him and pulling him close. 

Rubbing my hands up and down his back, trying to help him the best I could. 

“I’m sorry, hun. He was a good king and he’s in a better place now, with the goddess. I’m sorry he couldn’t have been there for our mating ceremony, but he’ll always be watching over you,” I whispered beside his ear, kissing his cheek before pulling his face to look at me, “you’re strong. We’ll get through this, together.”

He nodded his head once. Squeezing my arms before he took a seat, taking me down onto his lap. 

“I know. It’s just hard to imagine my father dead. He was such a strong man, it’s a shame he let a siren get the best of him. I thought he was stronger than that, but I should’ve seen it coming, he was cheating on my mother for years before this even happened. I told him he should’ve left her a long time ago but he wouldn’t listen to me,” he said angrily, his hands clenching around my thighs, “he never listened to anyone, or cared about anyone but himself. I’m sad he’s gone but at the same time… I don’t know? Maybe a little relieved.”

I looked at elder Elian, a knowing look on his face. 

“I understand, John. Having parents like yours is hard, your feelings are valid…” he said slowly, looking at me before talking again, “but what did your brother say about the ceremony? About the warriors?”

I perked up at the question, also wondering what he said about it. 

“He’ll be there. And he’ll bring ten warriors. But with all of the attacks on the kingdom he can’t spare many, especially since he won’t be there himself. There’s vampires attacking them like crazy and I just trained them to be able to fight the vampires so he doesn’t want to take too many of those warriors with him either. But he assured me he’d help us in battle,” he mumbled, rubbing his hands down his face before placing them back onto my legs, “I’m just so over my family, Bella. I wish I didn’t need their help with our ceremony, it’s supposed to be the happiest day of our lives…”