Chapter 156 - Both- Ceremony (VOLUME 2)
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Reece
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There had been a wedding arch prepared that was covered in white and blue flowers. Some of the flowers hung from the arch on vine-like stems and swayed gently in the breeze. A white cloth had been unrolled for the wedding party to walk down as they walked to and from the altar. The seats that had been prepared were white with long vines of flowers connected along their backs.
There were not enough seats for everyone at the ceremony, a good chunk of the attendees, mostly wolves, had to stand. This was not something they complained about as the ceremony would not last long and the reception would have ample seating for those staying for it. That too, was here at the estate.
The altar was set up in the clearing where we performed our important pack gatherings. I couldn't think of a more important gathering than this. The white cloth ended at a small set of stairs, leading onto the ceremonial stone which held the wedding arch. Where I waited with Riley and the groomsmen. Michael, the elder, was officiating the ceremony for us and stood there in a prim looking black suit.
Soon, live music began playing. A sweet mix of strings and woodwinds playing the wedding march. It was almost time for me to see my bride.
First, little Renea in her pretty silver dress walked out of the trees dropping blue flower petals as she went. She was followed by her older brother, Conner, he was carrying the small blue satin pillow with two rings sitting on top.
Once the children had taken their places on top of the stone platform the bridesmaids started their way slowly down the aisle. Heather came first in her silver dress with blue and green accents. She was followed by Emmalee then Nikki, all their dresses matched and they took their places on the platform. Juniper came next, her dress slightly different. When all the bridesmaids and the maid of honor finished their procession and took their places, it was time for my bride to make her debut.
I felt my heart speed up as I heard the change in the music that indicated the bride was on her way. I watched with unbridled anticipation as the two men escorted my mate out of the trees and into the clearing.
Wesley was walking on Little Bunny's right side, his left arm wrapped around her right. His right arm crossed in front of his body and covered her hand with his. Samuel mirrored his son, walking on his granddaughter's left side, holding her arm with his and crossing his body to cover her hand as well.
I could see a proud look in the red rimmed eyes of both men. They were emotional, both happy and sad, but even more full of pride.
The true vision of beauty that was walking in between them drew my attention. The long sweeping silver cape-like veil was trailing behind her. Beneath that was a pale blue dress with brighter blue metal accents. The modest dress hugged her body perfectly, showing off her perfect figure while still maintaining an air of sophistication by not giving away anything more than what was needed.
Her eyes sparkled with every move she made. Her beautiful, full, kissable lips were perfect with a slight peachy color. Strands of her perfect, dark brown hair hung down in her face and along her neck, fluttering against her skin as she walked.
I felt the smile on my face when it formed. I felt it the second I saw her in all her beautiful glory walking slowly toward me. My heart was pounding, my palms were sweaty. I knew that I had never seen a woman half as beautiful as her in all my life. And knowing that she was mine brought pure joy to my life.
The closer she got to the altar, the more radiant she became. The sun reflected on her makeup, shimmered off the dress, and gave her beautiful, pale face a happy glow. My hands itched to hold her in my arms after just one night away. I needed this woman in my life. I descended the steps to meet her and her escorts at the end of the white path covered in flower petals.
"Who gives this woman away?" Michael asked out of formality.
"We do." Samuel and Wesley said together.
"I, Samuel Whitton, her grandfather."
"And I, Wesley Whitton, uncle by birth but father in heart."
My Little Bunny turned and hugged each man, kissing them lightly on the cheek in turn. They hugged her back and kissed her cheek as well. With sad eyes and happy smiles they watched as I took my mate's hand and escorted her up the steps and to the altar.
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Trinity
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It was time for the wedding to start, Lila told us it was time to get ready to go. I walked with everyone down the hallway to the stairs, down the stairs and to the foyer, through the front door and into the wide open driveway. We followed the same path I took before for the marking ceremony. The winding narrow path through the trees to the clearing.
Taking this path brought back memories of that night, both the good and the bad. But even with the memories of everything bad that had happened between us, I could never regret a moment of it. I loved Reece, and I always would.
As we got closer to the clearing I heard the music begin. Renea went first, dropping her flower petals, followed by her brother Conner with the rings. The procession continued with the rest of the wedding party, until it was just me, Dad, and Grandfather left.
"I'm proud of you." Grandfather said as he patted my left hand. "I hope you know that Trinity, I've always been proud of you. You've become such a beautiful and capable woman and I love you very much."
"I love you too, Grandfather." I smiled, doing my best not to tear up and ruin my makeup.
"You're the perfect daughter, and the best Luna possible for this pack." Dad smiled at me. "And now, you're going to be the best mother possible."
"You two are going to make me cry." I sniffled as I dabbed gently under my eye, careful of the eyeliner and mascara.
The music shifted, signalling it was time for us to proceed. I entered the clearing and saw the flowers I had picked out decorating the chairs and the arch of the altar. The blue petals on the white cloth path was strikingly beautiful and mesmerizing.
I saw the nearly two thousand people in attendance all looking at me. I recognized some of the faces, members from our pack and the ones I had visited with Reece. I saw Dietrich sitting in the front with Mom, Lila, Rawlynne and Jackson. My bridal party was on top of the stone to the left side of the altar. The men, Noah, Carter, Vincent, and Riley were standing to the right. I laughed silently to myself as I thought that all but one pair of the parties were mates. Juniper would have to walk alongside Riley after the wedding. Katie, Riley's wife, was sitting on the right side of the aisle in Reece's friends and family section. She looked beautiful as she held their youngest baby, Alexia, in her arms. Their son Roan, was sitting in the chair next to her.
I saw Reece, standing at the end of the white cloth path waiting for me, an alluring smile on his face. He looked sexy and drool worthy on a normal day, but now, with his hair styled and his tuxedo that added an air of elegance I had never seen from him before, he looked ten times more handsome. Looking at him, seeing him there eagerly waiting for me, made my heart flutter.
I smiled when I saw him. I could not help it. Seeing him, knowing he was all mine for the rest of my life, that made me immensely happy.
Michael, acting as the justice of the peace for the wedding, asked who was giving me away. The words I heard after that made me feel truly loved by my family.
"Who gives this woman away?"
"We do." Dad and Grandfather answered in unison before they each spoke separately.
"I, Samuel Whitton, her grandfather."
"And I, Wesley Whitton, uncle by birth but father in heart."
Reece was beaming at us as he held his hand out waiting for me. I turned to Grandfather and hugged him lightly as I kissed his cheek. He hugged me back, kissing my cheek as well. Next I turned to Dad and hugged him in the same way, kissing his cheek as he kissed mine.
Reece took my right hand in his right, wrapping his left arm around my waist as he escorted me up the steps to the altar. We stopped once we stood in front of Michael who had a happy, yet starstruck, look on his face.
"Friends, family, loved ones, Shifters, Vampires, Warlocks, and Fae, we thank you for gathering here with us today to celebrate the marital union of our Almighty Alpha, Reece Gray, and our Heavenly Luna, Trinity Whitton. These two have been blessed by the Moon Goddess and granted eternal love. Our Alpha and Luna have written vows for each other, and I ask that they now recite them for each other. Reece, if you will." Michael's voice carried powerfully and rang clear across the clearing.
"Trinity, my dear sweet Trinity, there is so much that I could say. The beginnings of which are thank you for being here with me today and thank you for not giving up on our future. When I look at you, I think about the man that I want to be, the man you deserve, but I also think about the faults that lie in me. You deserve all the best the world can give and more, and I will strive every day to give that to you. I promise, from now and until the end of time, from this world and into the eternal hunt, I will never stop loving you. You are my mate, my lover, my best friend, my biggest supporter, my everything and you make me want to be stronger and better than I have ever been. I promise you, I will never do anything to hurt you, from this day forward you can always count on me to be there for you." Reece's words rang with truth and love as he looked into my eyes the entire time he spoke. His words pulled on my heartstrings.
"Reece, my love, you are my protector, my guardian, my savior, the light of my world, the center of my universe. Without you I would not be here today, and without you there would be no point to my life. I thought I knew what life was before I met you, but I was wrong. There is not a moment since I met you that I would change, the good or the bad. All those times, all those moments, they shaped us into what we are now. Through the trials and tribulations of (our) relationship we have become stronger and more united. Reece, I love you, more than I can ever explain, more than I could ever understand. But what I do know, is that I don't want a life that doesn't have you in it. You make me stronger, wiser, and better than I could ever hope to be alone. I will love you today, tomorrow, for eternity. Reece, you are my one and only. And I know, Reece, that you will be the best, most loving father to our pups that there ever could be." I tried to put all my feelings into those words for the man that I loved.
I was close to tears, happy ones, and while fighting to stop them from flowing I heard sniffling coming those in attendance.
"Now, if we may have the rings." Michael called out and Conner walked slowly forward, a broad smile on his face.
"Thank you." Reece smiled as he patted Conner on the top of his head. Reece took the ring meant for me, and I took the ring meant for him.
"Now, Reece, please repeat after me." Michael smiled and Reece nodded, taking a deep calming breath.
They spoke, one after the other, Reece repeating everything Michael asked him to.
"I, Reece, take you Trinity to be my wife, I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. With this ring, I seal this promise." Reece slid the ring onto my left hand in front of the other ring there. The new ring was platinum with black and white diamonds just like the other one. The white diamond on top was shaped like a crescent moon and sparkled in the light.
"Now, Reece, will you have Trinity to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, forsaking all others and remain true to her, as long as you both shall live?"
"I will." Reece was grinning happily as he answered.
"Trinity, please repeat after me." It was my turn to repeat these words with Michael.
"I, Trinity, take you Reece to be my husband, I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. With this ring, I seal this promise." I slid Reece's ring onto his hand. The platinum ring with black and white diamonds was like mine but his ring was much thicker and larger. Instead of a special design like mine, the two different colored diamonds alternated around the ring.
"Now,Trinity, will you have Reece to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, forsaking all others and remain true to him, as long as you both shall live?"
"I will." I smiled happily as I gave my answer.
"Then, with the power vested in me and before these witnesses today, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Reece, you may now kiss your bride."
It was as if Reece had been waiting to hear those words. He tugged at my hand that still held his after I slid his ring onto his finger. That little tug pulled me into his arms. Immediately I felt his warmth envelop me, surrounding me in his familiar scent. With a hand at the small of my back and another at the side of my face he tilted my head back and leaned down for a kiss.
His lips settled on mine and I could feel the heat restrained in them. This was a kiss in front of nearly two thousand people, my family included, so I could not give into desire, but I didn't know if Reece could be restrained. His lips, so hot and so sweet, covered mine as he licked my lips gently. Then, like an off switch had been pressed he pulled away.
I knew there was desire in my eyes, and I could clearly see it in Reece's as well. But it was clear as day what message he was sending me. 'Just wait until tonight.' He winked at me slightly as he turned me to face the crowd of people. Loud cheers was all that could be heard as everyone in attendance celebrated my wedding.