Zoey

“Do you, Nora Baker, take Torin to be your wedded husband, to cherish in love and in friendship, in strength and in weakness, in success and in disappointment, to love him with all your heart, today, tomorrow, and for as long as the two of you shall live?”

“I do. With all my heart, I do.”

I struggle to keep from crying as I watch the two lovebirds exchange their wedding vows. We were nearly late, the two of us — Kage and I were so lost in our own world, we almost forgot that there’s a freaking wedding going on today. Seems hard to forget, but when I look into those brilliant, teal eyes of his, it’s easy to get lost.

We rushed to get our clothes on, and we got quite a few looks as we dashed down the stairs from all the immaculately dressed guests. I’ve never seen such a diverse group of people before. There’s humans, there’s Zorans, there are aliens that look like big lions with impressive manes and red capes around their shoulders. There are even a few, well, I can only describe them as fish-men in tanks on wheels here!

Kage smirks at me from across the aisle, and I bite my bottom lip to stop from smiling back. This is their moment, I shouldn’t be drawing attention to myself.

The human minister now turns to Torin.

“Do you, Torin, take Nora to be your fated partner, knowing in your heart that you have a friend, a partner, your one true mate? Do you affirm, in the presence of Zora herself and all of these witnesses, to stay by her side, no matter what the future may bring?”

Torin clears his throat.

“Nora Baker, you mean the world to me. There is no one in the entire universe that makes me feel the way you do. When you met me I was lost and in need of help, and you gave it to me. You believed in me, when the very system itself had failed me. I had begun to lose hope, and in my darkest moments, I was filled with despair… but then you came. You freed me from my chains, both the very real ones around my wrists and ankles, as well as the ones I had erected around my heart. Nora Baker, it makes me unbelievably proud to call you my mate. I will protect you with my life, I will honor you each and every single day. I do, Nora. I do.”

My heart melted after the first two lines, and by now tears are freely streaming down my cheeks. My gaze crosses Kage’s across the room, and even I can see that the stoic warrior is moved. He’s not crying as much as I am, but even his teal eyes are watery.

His lips move silently.

That is how I feel about you, too.

A shiver runs down my spine. It’s almost too much to take in. A few days ago I was alone, no romantic prospects, and I had (although somewhat begrudgingly) accepted that. Now I have a magenta alien, a seven-foot-tall Zoran professing his undying love to me… and I realize I feel the exact same way about him, too.

The moments we’ve shared, haven’t just been fun — they’ve been life changing. I can’t imagine flying back home to my empty apartment and my boring job. How could I, when I have such a hunk, such a sweet man who wants to make me his?

“By the powers vested in me by both the Human and Zorans powers that be, I now pronounce you man and wife. Two mates, brought together by fate. You may now kiss the bride.”

In that moment, as Nora and Torin share an amazing, exuberant kiss, I make my decision. I pledge my heart, my soul, my life to Kage. I will follow him to the edge of the galaxy if I need to. There’s nothing waiting for me back home, and with him, I feel so damn alive. I will throw caution to the wind, I will jump feet first into the water with him.

Only, I will keep it a secret until tomorrow. Tonight it’s all about Nora and Torin. I don’t want to take even a fraction away from them.

“A moment, please, a moment.”

A silver-colored Zoran stands up from the front row and walks towards the stage. He’s regally dressed, and I notice that every Zoran in the room snaps to attention. Even Torin drops to one knee, his wife along with him.

“Oh, rise, please, it’s your party,” the man chuckles. He turns to the crowd.

“To those who don’t know me, I am Vinz.”

Of course! I feel so stupid now. Vinz, the Zoran Warrior-King, the one who first mated with a human female, the one who started it all… I’ve heard so much about him over the years. I feel starstruck! I’m evidently not the only one, because a murmur passes through the crowd.

“Most of you know me as King, and I have done my best to steer the Zorans in the difficult times we’ve had. Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been easy. There are dark forces at play, and if it wasn’t for Torin, Nora, and all the other men and women who have fought along side them, the world would have looked very different. I might not have been here today. Fortunately, they have won their battles, and for that I will be forever grateful.”

The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“I want to look ahead. We, as the Zoran people, need to look ahead. That is why I am so happy to be here today, to witness this union, of Zoran and human, as equals.”

He turns to the President of the Human Federation, sitting on the other side of the front row, and extends his hand.

“Tobias Wellington. Please accept my hand as a token of goodwill.”

The human president almost jumps out of his chair and shakes the silver hand.

“O-of c-c-course,” Wellington stammers. “Of course!”

Torin slaps the two leaders on their backs, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Now that the formalities are out the way,” he says. “We feast!”

Kage

“You look amazing,” I say. “Amazing.”

Zoey is in my arms as we dance, our eyes locked. The ballroom is filled with guests from every corner of the galaxy, all eyes on our little group of Zoran-human couples.

“So do you,” she says, her eyes radiant.

“Where will you go tomorrow?” I ask.

That question has been gnawing at me the entire ceremony. Last night was pure heaven, pure perfection, but tomorrow, everyone will fly out. Life will return to normal. Where does that leave us?

“Wherever you will go,” she answers matter-of-factly. “I don’t care.”

I’m so taken aback I nearly drop her. Luckily, I manage to regain my wits just in time before we make a scene.

“You don’t care?” I whisper.

She smirks back at me.

“I don’t care where we are — as long as we’re together.”

“What about—?”

“I don’t have anything waiting for me back home. Nothing that compares to you, anyway.”

I swirl her around and catch her in my arms.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” she says. “Trust me.”

Whoa.

I had feared it would be a difficult conversation, one that might end with heartache, but she gives herself to me so freely! I’m so happy I could throw her up into the air. I know how much she dislikes heights, so I resist the urge, but I dance with her all the same.

“You’ve just made me the happiest Zoran in the world,” I whisper.

“Happier than that guy over there?”

She nods at Torin, who is dancing in the middle of the ballroom with Nora in her arms.

“Happier than that guy,” I confirm.

Zoey

“Congratulations!” I say as I kiss Nora’s cheeks. I’m slightly tipsy, but trying to keep a straight face. “You look absolutely stunning! I think that was the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever seen.”

After the dance, it is now time to congratulate the happy couple. There’s a long line behind Kage and me, as the entire elite of the universe want to bless the happy couple.

“Thank you,” she says with a wide smile. I don’t think she’s ever looked more radiant. Her hair is done-up beautifully, a few locks hanging down, framing her face. The elegant wedding dress she’s wearing complements her shape perfectly. If I even look half as good on my wedding day, I’ll be more than happy.

I offer Torin my hand, but instead, he grabs my waist and lifts me up high in the air in a bear-hug.

“Zoey!” he growls. “We are family now!”

“Don’t mind him,” Nora laughs. “He’s been hitting the kuhla hard. A ‘present’ from his squad.”

Torin is normally quite stoic, as all Zorans are, but now his turquoise cheeks are tinted rosy, and he’s got a loopy grin on his face.

“We sure are, Torin,” I say. “Family!”

Kage is up next. He’s been silently practicing his lines behind me. The purple warrior confided in me that formal events like this aren’t his strong suit. I told him all he had to say was ‘congratulations’.

Nora beats him to the punch. “Congratulations!”

Kage looks confused. “That’s my line!”

“Yes,” Nora laughs, “but now it’s our turn to congratulate you and Zoey!”

“Wh-what?” Kage stammers.

“You know?” I ask, my cheeks burning.

“How could we not?” Torin says.

“You both rush downstairs, hot and bothered, with that sex-look all over your face? We’re not stupid,” Nora laughs.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

“Don’t be!” she says. “We’re happy for you. Why do you think we set you two up?”

“You what?” Kage growls.

“We didn’t ‘set you up’,” Torin says. “We just invited you both here and, well, the two of you did the rest.”

“And I’m happy it worked out so well,” Nora says.

“So am I,” I whisper. “So am I.”

“What is next for you?” Torin says. “If you hurry up, you could rent this place for your wedding!”

Kage and I exchange a glance and we both laugh.

“That’s a little jumping the gun,” I say.

“Yes, I don’t think we’d like something so grand. No offense, but something a little more intimate would suit us better.”

My cheeks burn brightly with a happy glow. He didn’t even blink at the idea of marriage. Most guys would run away if you brought that up within the first year, let alone the first weekend, but Torin already let the cat out of the bag.

And Kage is holding my hand, smiling at me like he can’t wait to put a ring on it.

“We won’t hold you up any longer,” I say as I pull Kage away. The line behind us has gotten longer and longer, and it now includes King Vinz and Tobias Wellington, the President of the Human Federation. My arms slide around his waist as we continue our dance, swaying to the rhythm like we’re the only people in this ornate ballroom.