Chapter 40
Ella.
"Are you ready?" Everett asked Ella, handing her the bouquet of white Ranunculus spotted with Lavender and Scottish Thistle.
Ella breathed in nervously, her chest shaking slightly from nerves. She nodded. Everett held out the crook of his elbow to her. She looped her arm through his, turning toward the clearing and the end of the aisle.
"You look just like your mother," Everett breathed, a tear coming to his eye as he smiled sadly. "And you look so beautiful in her wedding gown."
A wistful smile formed on Ella's face. "Thank you, Daddy."
She turned back toward the aisle, allowing her father to lead her toward Adam and Preston. He smiled at her so lovingly that she blushed. As he continued to smile so warmly, Ella felt as if she could physically feel the warmth and joy radiating from him, wrapping around her like a comfy blanket.
The comfort she felt reminded her how happy she was to be able to wake up next to him every morning, to share every experience with him. She no longer felt any fear or nervousness - she didn't even wonder if she was walking too fast or too slow. It was just her and Adam, everything else fading away into the background.
***
Adam.
This day was surreal to Adam - the sun shone more brightly than ever, the birds seemed to be twittering their songs just for him and Ella, and the air was calm and peaceful. The trickling stream’s melody complemented the birds’ songs. Everything was perfect.
The night after he proposed, Ella had marked him back, completing the initial Mate bond. The night had been amazing. Today, he wore the mark proudly as he stood at the end of the aisle marked by a carpet of soft fuchsia petals.
Ella had wanted an intimate ceremony with just their closest friends and family, so Adam had arranged for the ceremony to take place in a clearing near the stream- both their favorite place to go to think. The only people in attendance were Ella’s father, their two children, and Preston.
He couldn't believe this was finally happening.
Adam stood nervously at the end of the aisle. He'd been waiting for this day for so long - now that it was here, he couldn't believe it. He finally would get a second chance with Ella - a fresh start to showing her how amazing she was.
Adam looked behind him at Preston, his best man, who gave him a warm, assuring smile before nodding toward the other end of the aisle. Adam followed Preston's gaze and saw Ella walking toward them next to her father, their arms linked.
She looked like an angel in her ivory gown. Her ginger locks had been beautifully curled in loose curls, and her bangs perfectly framed her face. Locks of her hair had been woven with flowers to create an amazing crown, matching her bouquet.
A warm smile grew on his face as he took in Ella's beauty. He heard a tiny stifled laugh from behind him. Preston must have seen him looking at Ella, staring at her like a dog drooling over a savory bone.
Adam ignored him and continued smiling at his Mate. Their eyes locked and Adam's breath hitched as butterflies fluttered in his stomach. She smiled back at him, the corner of her eyes crinkling.
***
Ella.
They reached the end and Everett handed Ella off to Adam, his large hands enveloping hers as Everett continued beyond them, turning around to officiate.
"I am so happy and honored to be here today," Everett started. "Today we join two people and two wolves in a bond to last forever."
Ella looked at Adam as they held hands. Her eyes teared up and his mirrored hers.
"As Mates, you two have a special bond already. After marking one another, that connection became stronger. Now, with this ceremony, we seal that bond," Everett continued, wrapping a length of golden cord around their wrists, tying a knot at the end. "Let this cord represent your bond. As you intertwine together as one, you are strong and unbreakable. There are so many things you can do together where before you couldn't."
Sparkling magic began to dance around the rope, filling the air with a sense of wonder.
As the light ended its dance, it melted into their combined hands, spreading up their arms and into their chest. Ella could suddenly feel and sense everything Adam could, as if they were her own. He squeezed her hands, and she knew he felt it too.
Everett removed the cord and asked Emme and Aaron for the rings. Emme eagerly produced a golden band for Ella, while Aaron gave Adam the matching one for Ella.
"With these rings, we unite your human halves as well."
As Everett spoke, Adam slowly placed the ring on Ella's finger. "Ella, I love you so much. I have since I met you all those years ago. Even though you thought I was full of it, I couldn't help but try to impress you. I'm so glad I was able to win your heart not only once, but twice. I made such a terrible mistake five years ago, acting the way I did and then letting you go without a fight. But I promise from now on you are my number one. You will always be the reason I do what I do. I will be there for you no matter the circumstances, no matter what may be in my way."
Ella's eyes were filled with tears and her voice shook as she spoke. "Adam, I love you so much more than I can even express. The feelings I have for you have completely wiped out the pain from the past. I want to be there when you wake, and after work. I want to raise our children together. I want us to be the strongest Mates anyone has ever seen. I promise to you that I will be by your side through thick and thin. No matter what the world throws at us, we can conquer it together."
She slipped the ring onto his finger. She looked deeply into his eyes, which were fixed on hers; the world became just two Mates promising to be together until the end. Love permeated the air, filling Ella with warmth as she stared into Adam's perfect green eyes. She could hardly hear her father announce that they could kiss. But as Adam's lips neared Ella's, her eyes closed instinctively, and she leaned forward to meet him.