Alan
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. If I hadn’t slipped off yesterday morning none of this would’ve happened. Just a quick trip, I said to myself. I’ll be back before she notices I’m gone. Instead, Kattlyn had looked for me. And ran into Jussin. No, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
I’d only run to the market to pick up her engagement ring, hoping to ask her to marry me as soon as I got back. Krista and Sydney had everything ready to go and we’d planned for an afternoon wedding.
And then she’d left.
“Would you stop pacing already. It worked out fine.” Kollin took a drink of Fire’s Breath as he relaxed on the couch.
Jakke, Dazz, and Risshi were spread out in various chairs. Out of all of them, I disliked Jakke the most, but we had formed an uneasy truce.
Jakke leaned back in the chair, took a big drink from his mug, and grumbled, “You know, Sydney will never let me forget that she didn’t have a wedding day.”
“Hear, hear,” replied Dazz. “But I don’t think Chloe was as excited about it as the others were.”
Jakke shot his brother an irritated look and then asked, “Do we really have to wear these”—he pulled at his collar— “these nooses?”
I sighed. “It’s called a tie. And yes, you do.”
I tuned them out as I paced. It would be almost dark by the time we got married. Maybe a sunset wedding would be nice. After everything she’d been through, everything she was giving up for me, Kattlyn deserved the best. My heart sang a happy tune when I thought of what was to come. Her honeymoon surprise. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face.
I had to hand it to her family, Kollin rallied the troops and they really came through for me. For us.
A knock sounded on the door and Takkeo stuck his head inside. “Ready?”
As ready as I’ll ever be. This was it, time to get hitched. To be honest, I never thought I’d find someone I wanted to marry. And here I was, marrying an alien on a different planet. Too crazy.
We filed out one by one and followed Takkeo to the outside training fields. Not going to lie, my eyes got a little watery when I saw how traditional it looked. Rows of chairs set on both sides of the red carpet that led to an archway. All the guests looked back. I wanted to laugh. As traditional as this wedding was, the guests were really unorthodox.
I took my place at the archway and waited while her brothers sat in the front row next to King Mallik.
He came to me when he’d heard about Kattlyn and what that bastard Jussin had done. In a roundabout way, he apologized, but not really. For Kattlyn’s sake, I kept my mouth shut, but I wouldn’t quickly forget the hell he put Kattlyn through.
I don’t know how Krista pulled it off, but soft music started playing as the other girls hurried down the aisle. When they got to their seats, Sydney announced, “Would everyone please stand.”
This was it. The moment I never thought would happen for me. When she appeared at the entrance, her beauty stole my breath. I fingered the rings I held in my pocket, twirling them around and around as she took slow steps, heading my way. I couldn’t believe this is happening, that she would soon be mine.
My heart pounded so hard I thought it might break loose from my chest.
When she neared, I extended my hand, taking hers. Face to face, only a few inches separating us.
“You look so beautiful, Kattlyn. But you always do.” Her face softened with a smile. “So,” I licked my lips. To say I was a little nervous would be a huge understatement. “Since there is no preacher to perform the ceremony, I guess I will say my own vows.”
She tilted her head a little. I could see the curiosity in her eyes, which I loved. I purposely asked Sydney, Krista, and Chloe not to tell her too much. I wanted to see her honest reaction.
“From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. In that moment, everything I had was yours. My heart, my thoughts, my reason for being on Azziar. With that being said, I, Alan, take you and only you, Kattlyn, to be my lawfully wedded wife and mate, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
I heard her breath quicken when I said the words. I pulled a ring out of my pocket and turned her hand over, palm down. “On Earth, we don’t have mating bites or scent changes, but we do have this.” I held the ring up for her to see. “This ring is a circle, a token of my love. It’s unending and everlasting. Kattlyn, I love you.”
“Oh, Alan,” she whispered as I slipped the ring on her finger.
She held out her other hand and I knew what she wanted. I placed the other ring, the one meant for me, in her hand.
She stared at the silver ring before meeting my eyes. A gamut of emotions rushed over her face and I knew this ceremony meant as much to her as it did me.
Holding my hand the way I did hers, she started. “That first night when you arrived on Azziar, I couldn’t believe that the gods had answered my prayers. That you were here. It took everything in me not to rip Krista out of your arms and cart you off to my rooms.”
Everyone chuckled, including me. I’d never heard this story.
“Thank you for coming here and being my mate. For this beautiful ceremony and to do this marry. I am yours and you are mine. Always. I love you.” She slipped the ring on my finger. “Is that it?”
“Kiss her!” Sydney and the other human females yelled.
Looking into Kattlyn’s eyes, I grinned. “Not yet,” and then I took her in my arms and dipped her backward, kissing her deeply, slowly, savoring the moment. When I broke away, I was till nose to nose when I said, “Now we’re finished, wife.”
We caught the last rays of the suns as it streaked across the sky and dipped behind a mountain. They had stayed around long enough to watch us marry. Perfect.