I stood at the end of the ballroom, flanked by my two groomsmen, Ryan and Caleb. Behind us, Eric’s band kept up a steady stream of sweeping neo-classical music. They were dressed in tails and top hats and would be playing acoustic versions of their famous songs. I’d been waiting forty-five minutes for Willow to emerge from the dressing room. The rest of the guests were enjoying the free-flowing bar, but I couldn’t drink. I was too nervous.

Ryan’s mother Clara stood beside me, her hand on my arm. “Give her a moment,” she said in a soothing voice that did very little to soothe me. “A lady always wants to look her best on her wedding day.”

I grunted in reply, imagining Willow in one of the back rooms, trying to manoeuvre her prosthesis out of a window so she could escape. I pictured her running across London in her wedding dress, arms flailing, ready to tell the world about the crazy wolf who’d tried to coerce her into marrying him—

“We’re ready!”

Alex made the call from the doorway. The room fell silent and the guests stood on either side of the arched aisle as Ghost Symphony broke into a slightly gothic version of the classic wedding march.

Everyone oohed and aahed as Elinor and Alex swept into the room, their flowing dresses sweeping around them. They came to stand opposite me and my two groomsmen. Alex grinned and waved at me.

Willow appeared in the entrance, her mother on her arm.

My heart rose to my throat. She had never been more beautiful than at that moment. A rush of emotion hit me in the chest, and I stepped back as though I’d been punched. My eyes stung as tears pricked in the corners. I’d never cried before in my life, but right now, it seemed the only response to the beauty before me.

Their walk up the aisle was agonisingly slow. The whole time my eyes remained locked with Willow’s. The love I saw there reflected my own.

Finally, they reached the end of the aisle, and I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around Helen, and kissing her cheeks. “Welcome to our family,” she said. “I hope that this marriage is going to be the start of mending the mistrust between our species.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said, kissing her cheek again.

“Look after my daughter.” She squeezed my arm while tears poured down her face.

“I will always love and protect her. Thank you, Helen, for everything. This wouldnae have happened without you.”

“Oh, my son-in-law.” Helen clapped my shoulder. “You have the rest of your life to make it up to me. I’m already making a list.”

I laughed. She left us then, and I turned to my wife. My beautiful wife. Willow extended her arm, looping it through mine, and I led her back to stand in front of Clara.

“Hey,” Willow said, her smile piercing my heart.

“Hey, yourself.”

I tried to concentrate on Clara’s words, as she spoke about the meaning of marriage and the significance of our commitment. But they all fell in one ear and out of the other. All I could focus on was Willow. I couldn’t believe my luck – this incredible woman was not only willing to forgive my horrific stupidity, but she was going to become my wife and love me and be with me for the rest of my life.

“The couple will now exchange rings,” Clara intoned. My fingers clasped Willow’s, and I kept my gaze on her as I repeated the words. “With this ring, I make you my wife. I promise that I’ll protect you, honour you, and do everything in my power to make you happy, for the rest of my days.” Willow beamed. Another tear escaped my eye as I slid the ring onto her finger.

Willow clasped my hand in hers, and tears streamed down her face as she made her own vow. “With this ring, I make you my husband. I promise that I’ll protect you, honour you, and do everything in my power to make you happy, for the rest of my days.”

No words had ever sounded so good to me before.

“Before your family and friends, I have the honour of pronouncing your husband and wife.” Clara stepped back and raised her hands. “You may now kiss the bride!”

Damn right. I wrapped my arms around Willow, and devoured her with my lips. Her tongue slipped against mine, and we lost ourselves in the power of our bond. The roar of our friends clapping and cheering and howling for our joy brought us up for air. We linked arms and danced down the aisle while streamers and confetti swirled in the air around us.

My wife. My amazing wife.

Willow gazed up at me, her bright eyes dancing. I felt like a majestic medieval knight who’d just slayed a dragon. She knitted her fingers into mine. “What now, wolf?”

“Now, we party.”

---

We partied long into the night, drinking amazing cocktails and eating great food and tearing up the dance floor. It was amazing, but at the same time, I wanted everyone to go away so I could have some quality time with my wife. Ever since our kiss, my cock was stiff, ready to enjoy our wedding night.

Willow didn’t seem to have got the hint. Every time I tried to drag her off the dance floor, she pulled me back for one more song. My shy wife who never wanted to do anything to attract attention to her leg was starting conga lines and hopping around like an Energiser bunny. I would have found it completely adorable if I wasn’t so desperate to tear that gorgeous dress off her.

Finally, Big Ben struck midnight. One by one, our guests started to wander away, heading back to their own hotel rooms, or to the Mouth of Hell. Helen and Richard were the last to say goodnight, and they left arm in arm, Helen blowing kisses to us over her shoulder.

I hailed us a taxi back to the hotel I’d booked, wrapped Willow in my arms, and carried her over the threshold, slamming the door shut behind with my foot. Finally, Willow and I were completely alone.

“I’m so tired,” she said, as I laid her down on her bed. Her eyelids fell heavy, her gaze studying my face. The bond swirled around us, uniting us as one.

“Hey.” She ran her fingers over my cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“You know, we never did the garter toss.”

I grinned. “I’m surprised you go in for such silly traditions.”

“I’m the wedding planner. Silly traditions are what I’m all about.” Willow scooted up the bed and rolled up the hem of her dress. Wrapped around her lower thigh, just above socket of her prosthesis, was a pale pink garter festooned with a tiny ribbon rose.

“Willow Summers, you are bold.” I knelt down in front of her and grabbed the garter with my teeth, sliding it slowly down her leg. My hands roamed over her soft skin, teasing her with what was to come.

As I lifted the garter free, I helped her remove the prosthesis. Then, our desire took over. We tore at each other, drunk on the fire of our connection and the joy of our perfect future stretching out before us.

“Show me a different position, husband,” Willow begged, biting her lip in what I suspected was a purposeful gesture. Who could say no to that face? I spun her around, grabbed her hips and thrust her back onto my cock, doggie style. She gripped the frame of the painting above the bed to brace herself, and I moved a pillow over so she could support her right knee. I slid deep inside her, using my hands to tease her nipples and stroke her clit. She yelped with pleasure until her lack of traction meant she toppled over.

A few months ago, that would have made her burst out crying, but now my wife just pulled me to her. I dropped down behind her on the bed, wrapping her body in mine, and entered her from the side. She lifted her leg to allow me better access, her warmth drawing me deeper. I kissed down the side of her neck, relishing her shudders of delight.

Her body yielded to me, and our connection drove the urgency of her touch. She folded against me, a perfect fit. The bond wrapped around us, binding our bodies as one.

As soon as we finished, Willow settled back against my shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered with bliss. Soon, she’d be asleep.

“Irvine,” she murmured against my chest.

“Mmmhmm?” I stroked her hair, unable to believe that she was mine.

“I’m not broken anymore.”

“You nae were, Willow Summers.” I kissed her, my lips lingering against her soft skin. “If anyone was broken before, it was me. But as long as we’re together, we’ll nae have to feel that way again.”

“Amen,” she agreed, her eyelids closing. In a few moments, she was asleep.

THE END