Epilogue

“If I wasn’t nervous before then I absolutely am now.” I paced back and forth. Kara stood with me as we waited for everyone to take their seats. My dress was on, and my hair and makeup done, everything was in place. “What if I mess up my lines, or say the wrong thing, or fall, or make a fool of myself in front of the whole nation?!”

“Clover.” Kara placed her hands on my shoulders. “You will be fine. There is nothing that could go wrong and ruin this day for you guys, so don’t worry.”

“Okay,” I tried to convince myself, “It’ll be fine, everything will be okay.”

The wedding march started up and I rose to my feet in a panic. I was meant to be out there in thirty seconds, and I had lost track of everything I was meant to do and speak about. This would be terrible.

“Oh god!” My arms flapped in front of me. “How do I look? Is everything okay? Do I look presentable enough?!”

“Yes,” she smiled, “You look amazing. Very royal if I do say so myself.”

I was wearing the gorgeous dress I had picked out the day before, it had beautiful lace details and jewelled accents. My hair was sleeked back into a low bun with the traditional royal tiara placed neatly on it, and my makeup was very minimal – but still more than I had ever worn before.

“You ready?” I nodded in response. Kara had to go out before me, so my safety net would leave and I would be left by myself, great. “Good luck.”

I smiled at her, and she threw me a thumbs up before walking through the grand doors and down the aisle. My stomach churned at the thought of walking in front of all those people.

It was my turn now. I had been ushered to the grand doors and I was just waiting for them to open. I could hear the wedding march through the doors and faint murmurs of guests and those waiting for my arrival.

The doors opened slowly, letting me take in the amazing scene that was in front of me. There were rows of white chairs on either side, they had big bows on the back to match the silk white isle that I was about to walk down.

One foot in front of the other, that’s all it takes.

As I walked down slowly, my head raised up and saw the one person I was doing this all for. Him.

He shot me a smile as I approached him. I tried to ignore all the prying eyes and just pretended it was only us on the room.

“Come here often?” I smiled. “I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen you around here before.”

“I dabble in old churches.” He pulled a face and whispered to me under his breath. “You look so beautiful, by the way.”

I half-bowed to him. “And you look very handsome in your tuxedo.”

The vicar beside us piped up and we both turned towards him. “Welcome family, friends, and loved ones. We are gathered here today, surrounded by the beauty of creation, and nurtured by the sights and sounds of nature to celebrate the wedding of Clover and Luke. You have come here from near and from far away to share in this commitment now they make to one another, to offer your love and support to their union, and to allow Clover and Luke to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them.”

My gaze moves to those that were sitting in the chairs opposite us. I could see a few familiar faces, but most were filled with Luke’s distant family and some of those that were close with the royals.

The vicar continued. “We thank you for your presence here today. And Clover and Luke ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their marriage and life shared together. They also remember other loved ones who cannot be here to share this moment.”

I looked at Luke who bowed his head to me. For him to remember my lost family at such an important time like this meant the world to me, and it made me know for sure that I was marrying the right person.

“Marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, who trust that love, who honour one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. It enables the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, and memories, their joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life.”

He turned to the both of us, motioning to our hands. “Clover and Luke, please can you join hands, look at one another now and remember this moment in time.”

Looking into Luke’s eyes, I took his hand and nodded.

The Vicar turned to him. “Please repeat after me; Clover, I take you as you are, for better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, and promise to love and adore you for long as we both shall live.”

Looking into my eyes, he repeated the Vicars words. “Clover, I take you as you are, for better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, and promise to love and adore you for long as we both shall live.”

The Vicar turned to me. “And you, Clover, if you could repeat these words. Luke, I take you as you are, for better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, and promise to love and adore you for long as we both shall live.”

I squeezed Luke’s hands and smiled; it was like we were the only two ones here. “Luke, I take you as you are, for better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, and promise to love and adore you for long as we both shall live.”

The Vicar looked back at him. “Luke, do you take the Bride, Clover, to be your wife?”

Luke nodded to me and smiled. “I do.”

The Vicar then turned to me. “Clover, do you take the groom, Luke, to be your husband?”

I smiled. “I do.”

“Now, could we have the rings please?” A guard walked up to the alter and handed the Vicar our wedding bands. They had been passed through generations of the Royals.

“Your wedding ring is a symbol of your promise to one another. The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love” He turned to Luke again. “Luke, as you place this ring on the bride’s finger, repeat these words after me: This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.”

Luke took the ring from him and gently slid it up my finger. It was a perfect fit. “This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.”

The Vicar turned to me again. “Clover, as you place this ring on the groom’s finger, repeat these words after me: This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.”

Taking the ring from the Vicars hand, I hoped and prayed that wouldn’t mess the words up. “This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.”

The Vicar clasped his hands together in glee, before addressing the room. “And with that, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

I grinned at Luke before pulling him into a gentle kiss as everyone around is clapped with glee. The Vicar got everyone’s attention again. “I’d like to welcome the new Alpha couple from Alpha Luke’s pack, who will be staying within the Kingdom for the next few days before they go on their Honeymoon” His arms flew up in the air. “Let’s give it up for them everyone!!”

Everyone stood to their feet and cried and clapped for us as we walked back down the aisle hand in hand. Queen Sybil pulled me into a hug as we passed her. “Welcome to the family Clover!!”

I thanked her and turned to Luke as we made our way back to the grand doors. “We did it!”

“We did” He grinned back. “I can’t wait to start my life with you” Leaning in, he pulled me into a passionate kiss as we walked through the grand doors again.

***

THREE YEARS LATER:

"AND THEN, WE KISSED."

Our daughter, Kara, put her hands up to her ears and made a face. “Mom, dad, I don’t need to hear the horrible story of your life, okay? It’s gross!!”

I laughed and continued making lunch. "But that's the best part of the story!"

Her head shook. "No, no more kissing! Tell me about how bad Dad used to be, he sounds like a badass!”

“Hey!” I snapped at her. “What did I tell you about using those words?”

“Dad says them” Her arms crossed over her chest.

Luke was sitting next to her laughing. "I mean, I was a very bad Alpha and I still am, but I’m sure your mother wouldn’t want me talking about all that stuff.”

“Yes, listen to your father.”

“Fine!” She huffed and jumped down off the counter. “I’m going to play with my brothers and sisters, call me when lunch is ready – I do not want to miss it!”

Watching her run away out the back door, I let out a laugh and nodded to Luke. “Yep, she’s definitely like her father.”

He shrugged. “Well, I'm glad she has you as her role model. If she even turns out half as nice as you, I'll be happy." I fumbled about in the kitchen drawers but jumped as Luke suddenly appeared behind me.

"I want it to be like this forever." His head snuggled into the crook of my neck.

I leaned into him, taking in his aroma. "Forever is composed of nows." My hand made its way through his hair, and I closed my eyes. "We did a good job, despite all the odds against us."

He laughed. "What odds?"

"Oh, you know. Just a few odds and ends here and there, nothing major."

"Well, we’re here, aren't we?"

"We're here. We're more than here. I've never felt more alive than I have right now, with you." My voice quivered, and he turned around to face me, planting a kiss on my forehead.

"I like our tale of love."

My head nodded. "It will go down in history, I'm sure of it. I'm just glad it all worked out in the end."

"I love you, Clover."

"I love you, Luke."

It's important to live in the now. Because in the end, we will all be stories.