The traditional Drelos omega wedding suit was a bit tight around Sean’s middle, even before it was fastened.

“When Mihai said, ‘Let’s get married’, I had imagined something a little different,” he grumbled, although there was humor in his voice.

He felt his sister-in-law, Nathalie, tug the buttons together in the back of the elaborately embroidered vest, fighting the bulge in his belly.

“I’d say a giant wedding feast in the village square is still pretty good,” the woman laughed.

Sean found himself smiling at the thought. Leave it to his fiancé – soon to be husband – to be a bit coy with something like that.

“Good thing you guys didn’t postpone any longer,” Nathalie said. “You wouldn’t have fit into your wedding clothes even tomorrow I reckon.”

“I know,” Sean agreed. “Thank goodness for the paternity pants.”

God, the clothes were so tight, he didn’t even know if he could make it through that night. Originally, he had wanted just a quick civil service once Mihai had proposed. He and Mihai both knew how quickly things could change in their world. But they had to keep moving the wedding date further and further back because they both had to keep stomping out fires in Mihai’s newly reconstituted pack. There were a few wolves who seemed to miss the order the vampires had imposed.

Nathalie let out a satisfied sigh as she hooked the button over the tightest part of the suit and finished the rest easily. “There,” she added. She peered from behind Sean, meeting his eyes in the mirror. “Now you look like a happy omega groom.”

All dressed in white with the colorful embroidery, Sean felt like an omega groom. He looked at himself in the mirror, noting how his face was a bit more round and how he had needed pants two sizes bigger—and with the special pouch for his growing belly. His dark hair had grown out a little bit and his eyes glowed with an ethereal, healthy aura.

Something like butterflies fluttered in Sean’s stomach. He held his breath, wondering if he was feeling the baby for the first time. He reverently touched his hand to his stomach. The midwife’s assistant had said that, as this was his first pregnancy, he wouldn’t be able to feel anything until twenty-five weeks, which was still a ways out, but he kept hoping for it.

He couldn’t wait to meet the midwife who specialized in omega pregnancies to hear what she had to say.

The door opened and Nathalie whispered with someone outside. “Time to walk down the aisle, Sean.”

***

MIHAI HAD NEVER BEEN so nervous.

Pyt sighed and leaned against the wall, watching Mihai pace about the hotel room. Mary was chatting idly with him, trying to fill the time before the ceremony.

Mihai didn’t understand it. It wasn’t like Sean was going to say no. Sean was carrying his baby and they were already mates. This whole wedding thing was just a formality for humans. Mihai was a practical man and, until he had proposed, he had never gotten the point of it. It wasn’t that he was cynical. He just knew that there were many other things they should have been putting their energies towards.

But now? Now it was like this was the most important thing in the world.

“Stop pacing, you’re making me nervous,” Mary muttered to Mihai.

“I just hope it’s going to be everything he deserves it to be,” Mihai told him. “Because he deserves...everything...”

Mihai felt the sugary sweetness of the situation rotting his teeth. He was a man of action, a man who liked doing things that mattered. Not frivolous things like weddings.

So why am I so anxious?

Quietly, Pyt moved from his post on the wall, and, after nodding to Mary, he slipped out the door, presumably to go prepare for the ceremony.

About an hour earlier, Mihai had checked on the band on the stage in the village square.. He knew everything was as prepared as it would be.

If only he could turn off his own anxiety.

“Ready for this, Mihai?”

Mihai didn’t even jump at the voice – in fact, he’d been listening to the intruder sneak up on him the entire time. But rather than show his irritation, he just nodded to Pyt.

“Good man,” Pyt said in approval.

The door opened and Mihai prepared to leave the safety of the preparation room. For a long moment, he stood there in his black and white alpha wedding suit, his face bright red and sweaty. “It’s time,” he finally said, almost as if he were in shock. “I’m about to be a married man.”

“Then let’s not keep him waiting,” Pyt said with a hearty grin. “After all, you’ll have to answer to him every day of your life if you’re late.”

***

PYT MET SEAN IN THE hallway outside of the chapel. The Drelos guard gave him a warm smile.

“You look amazing,” he said.

Sean gave him a grateful smile as he hooked his arm through the elf’s. “Suit is a bit tight,” he reluctantly admitted. It was hard to breathe in it, actually. Or maybe that was just his nerves.

“Parenthood looks good on you,” Pyt told him.

Sean blinked furiously to keep tears from falling once again. Damn hormones, he thought again. He’d been a wreck since he realized he was pregnant. Or maybe it was just because everything seemed like it was finally falling into place. He was finally getting his happy ending. As was everyone else.

From the town square, music began playing to signal the start to the ceremony.

“Let’s get you two officially joined,” Pyt murmured to him. Sean swallowed, then nodded, feeling the nerves twist about in his stomach. The Drelos leader gave him a warm smile and patted his arm.

Pyt had arranged for a tent to ward off the weather, though the day had turned out beautiful and sunny. Two ushers pulled back the doorway curtains, revealing their small group of guests and the bridal party at the lavishly decorated altar, watching them expectantly. Mihai looked so nervous standing by himself in his alpha wedding suit, shifting his weight between his two feet. He stopped and grinned sheepishly at Sean as he stepped through the doors.

Mihai’s sister Nathalie stood up by Mihai, and Sean had the feeling that she was the only reason the alpha groom wasn’t bolting off.

Everyone in the chapel had a deep connection to Mihai, and now Sean. This was his wolf family, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. The only way it could be better was if he’d had family there to give their love and blessing. But his parents would never do that, and Sean could accept it. He was growing his own family, after all.

He finally stepped up to the altar, and Pyt grabbed him in a fierce hug. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered. He kissed the omega’s forehead. When he pulled back, his eyes were glistening with tears.

“Thank you for everything,” Sean replied softly.

Then he turned to where Mihai was waiting for him. You look gorgeous, he mouthed to Sean as he took his hand.

He found himself smiling broadly as the celebrant took them through their vows. No matter what happened from here, he was going to have a happy ending.

The thought thrilled him.

“Do you have the rings?” the celebrant asked, looking through his glasses. He was a werewolf himself, which made the ceremony that much more intimate.

Nathalie reached into the bodice of her dress and pulled out the rings on a gold chain.

“Right,” the celebrant said. “So, Mihai, do you take Sean to be your lawfully wedded omega?”

“I do,” Mihai said. His eyes met Sean’s and held him there, burning with a fierce intensity that he only had for Sean. “I do for the rest of my life.”

Sean stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. Tears started falling yet again.

The celebrant chuckled lightly and turned to Sean. “Do you, Sean, take Mihai Marshall Wells as your lawfully wedded alpha?”

Sean grinned and gave Mihai a sidelong glance. “I—” he started.

An unfamiliar hissing noise that Sean couldn’t place interrupted him. Smoke started filling up the tent, making it hard to see and breathe.

Then the werewolves attacked.