Chapter 185: Planning Forever

Chapter 185: Planning Forever
Sierra's POV

"You're staring at it," Adrian mumbled against my neck. His voice was sleepy and rough. I smiled. "Can you blame me? It's beautiful." 

He kissed my shoulder. "Not as beautiful as you." I turned to face him. His hair was messy. Eyes still half closed. He looked younger like this. "We need to start planning," I said. "The wedding won't plan itself."

Three hours later Lena burst through our front door. She didn't knock, just walked right in carrying a huge bag. 

"Where's my future bride?" she yelled. I came down the stairs laughing. "Lena, you're too loud. Alexander is napping." She dropped her bag, grabbed my hand and pulled the ring close to her face. "Oh my god. Sierra, this is gorgeous. Adrian actually has taste."

Adrian walked in from the kitchen holding coffee. "I'm standing right here." Lena waved him away. "Go do man things. This is girl time." 

He looked at me. I shrugged. "She's right. Wedding planning is sacred." He kissed my forehead and left. I heard his office door close upstairs.

Lena pulled out notebooks, magazines, and fabric samples. She spread everything across the dining table like a rainbow explosion. "Okay, first question. Colors. What are we thinking?" 

I sat down and touched a pale pink fabric. It was soft like flower petals. "I want spring colors. Soft and natural. Pink, cream, maybe some green."

Lena wrote everything down. "Perfect. Next, dress. Do you want traditional white or something different?" "White," I said. "But simple. Nothing too fancy. I want to feel like myself." Lena nodded. "We'll go shopping next week. Just you and me. No pressure."

We worked for hours. Picked flowers, dahlia and roses. Choose the menu, simple but elegant. Decided on music, a string quartet for the ceremony. Everything felt right like pieces falling into place. 

"And the wedding party," Lena said. Her voice got softer. "Have you thought about who you want?"

I reached across the table and took her hand. "You. I want you as my maid of honor. You've been my best friend through everything. The only person who never gave up on me." 

Lena's eyes filled with tears. She blinked them back fast. "Stop. You're going to make me cry and I'm wearing mascara."

We both laughed. "So that's a yes?" I asked. She squeezed my hand. "Of course it's a yes. I would fight anyone who tried to take that spot from me." 

The doorbell rang. I got up to answer it. Patricia Hunt stood on the porch holding a basket. "Luna, I heard the news. Congratulations." She handed me the basket. Inside were fresh cookies and a card.

"Thank you, Patricia. That's so sweet." She smiled. "The whole pack is excited. A real wedding. It's what we've all been hoping for." 

Two weeks later Lena dragged me to a bridal shop downtown. The store was all white and cream. Soft music played. A woman named Claire greeted us. "You must be Sierra. Lena told me all about you." She led us to a private room. Dresses hung everywhere like clouds.

"Try this one first," Claire said. She held up a simple gown. Lace sleeves and a flowing skirt. I went into the dressing room. The dress slipped on easily. When I looked in the mirror I couldn't breathe. This was it. This was the dress. I stepped out. Lena's hand flew to her mouth. "Sierra. Oh my god."

Claire adjusted the train. "It's perfect for you like it was made for your body." I turned slowly. The dress moved like water. Light and soft. "I want this one," I said. "We don't need to look anymore." Lena wiped her eyes. "You're really getting married. A real wedding this time."

The next day Adrian called a pack meeting. Everyone gathered in the main hall. Families sat together. Children played in the corners. Alexander sat on my lap pulling at my necklace. 

"Thank you all for coming," Adrian said. His voice carried through the room. "As you know Sierra and I are renewing our vows. Having the wedding we should have had from the start."

The pack clapped. Some whistled. Patricia Hunt stood up. "Luna, we'd like to help with the planning. The pack females want to contribute, make decorations, help with food. Whatever you need." My throat got tight. "I would love that. Thank you."

Three days before the wedding Lena showed up at our house with six other women. Sarah, Patricia, Maria, Jennifer, Kira, and young Emma from the training grounds. "Bachelorette party time," Lena announced. She held up bags of food and wine. "We're kidnapping you for the night."

Adrian laughed from the couch. "Have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Lena snorted. "That leaves us a lot of options." 

The women swept me out the door. We drove to a cabin on the edge of pack territory. Inside was decorated with flowers and candles. Music played soft in the background.

"Sit," Lena ordered. She pushed me onto the couch. "Tonight we celebrate you. No Luna duties, no mother duties. Just Sierra." Sarah poured wine into glasses.

"To Sierra. The strongest woman we know." Everyone raised their glasses. "To Sierra."

The night unfolded like a dream. We ate and laughed. Told stories.

Then Lena grinned. That dangerous grin that meant trouble. "Okay. Time for embarrassing Adrian stories. Who wants to go first?" Jennifer raised her hand. "I've known Adrian since we were kids. Once he got stuck in a tree trying to impress a girl. We had to call the fire department."

Everyone laughed. Even me. "There's more," Kira said. "During training when he was sixteen he shifted and his pants ripped. He had to walk back to the pack house basically naked." The mental image made me laugh so hard I cried. "Stop. I can't breathe."

Sarah leaned forward. "But seriously Sierra. We're glad you're here and you chose to stay. Adrian is different with you. He’s more softer." Patricia nodded. "The pack is different too. Stronger and more united. You did that."

Something broke open in my chest. These women weren't just pack members. They were my friends and family. 

"Thank you," I whispered. "For accepting me. For giving me a second chance." Lena put her arm around me. "You never needed a second chance. You always belonged."

We stayed up until dawn. Talking and laughing. By the time they drove me home my cheeks hurt from smiling. Adrian was waiting in the kitchen. "How was it?" he asked. I kissed him passionately. "Perfect. Everything is perfect."

Two days before the wedding Adrian took me to the cliff. The place where we'd have the ceremony. Workers were setting up chairs, building the arch from his drawing. Flowers waited in buckets. "It's really happening," I said. 

Adrian pulled me close. "Cold feet?"

I shook my head. "No. The opposite. I've never been more sure of anything." 

He tilted my chin up. "I love you, Sierra. I'll spend the rest of my life proving it." The wind picked up. Carried the smell of pine and earth. "I love you too."