Chapter 48
CHAPTER 48
Three Months Later
Issa
H ow had they talked me into this?
Not only had Amir and I agreed with Ax’s excited and rambling plea to bump up the date of the wedding, but I’d allowed them to help in the planning.
I’d thought Athena was a lot. She had nothing on my alphas.
The only high point was they hadn’t invited hundreds of people.
But they had decorated the entirety of the house – literally the whole house including the bedrooms and bathrooms – as well as the yard with thousands and thousands of fresh flowers and flickering candles.
At least they’d listened to every bit of input I’d given them. The flowers were in soft blush and lavender tones, the candles were all ivory, and the guys all slept together in the pack bed while I’d spent the night alone in my own room.
It had felt so weird sleeping alone after spending so much time surrounded by the scents and warmth of my pack, but it was one of those things I wanted to do, one of those little superstitious things betas often did before their wedding.
And I wanted to feel as normal as possible for once.
Not that anything about our pack was normal, and that was completely fine with me.
Amir and I had asked our alphas if they would walk me down the aisle the way fathers often did when giving their daughter’s hand in marriage. The beatific smile on Ax’s face had been enough to melt my heart.
Apparently, they’d already talked and had hoped Amir and I would invite them to be a part of the ceremony in some way but refused to pressure me.
As if I could do something so important without them playing a part.
I hadn’t seen any of them since last night, since they each stood in a line and kissed me goodnight before I’d spent some time pampering myself in the tub in my ensuite bathroom.
Now, I sat in front of my vanity as Cora helped attach the jeweled hairpiece I’d chosen the day I’d picked my dress with Aryn, Amir, Athena, and Alysia.
That had also been the day all our lives could have changed irreparably and irreversibly.
But that memory wasn’t welcome in my head or heart today. All that mattered was we were all together, all safe and in one piece.
Even my bruising had faded, though I did have a few faint scars that had to be covered with concealer since my dress exposed so much skin. I knew my alphas and Amir wouldn’t care about the marks, but I didn’t want anything to mar this perfect day, including bad memories.
“Have you seen my guys yet?” I asked Cora when she stepped away to check her placement in my soft braids .
A soft smile pulled up the corners of her lips when she met my gaze through the mirror.
“Your guys look amazing. They’re dressed in their tuxes and Ax even pulled his hair back. Although Amir left his crazy mane loose.”
“Per my request,” I said with a chuckle.
I loved my omega’s hair. I loved the feeling of his soft, silky curls running through my fingers.
Especially when he was nestled between my thighs, his tongue in my mouth as he fucked me, his hair creating a curtain around us…
“Girl. You’re lucky you’re not an omega.”
I frowned at my sister’s reflection.
“You’re flushing and your pupils just blew wide. If you were an omega…” She gestured toward where I sat with my dress smoothed down under me and I caught her meaning immediately, causing my flushed cheeks to blush a deeper shade of pink.
“Cora!” I whisper-screamed, pressing my cool hands to my cheeks.
It wasn’t exactly warm outside, but the alphas had turned on the AC, determined to make sure everyone was comfortable if they ended up mingling inside the house.
As though we’d invited a hundred people instead of maybe twenty.
I’d actually begged to cut the list more when I’d spotted Amir’s guest list. He had a huge family, and they were all overjoyed he had not only found a pack but was actually marrying his beta.
Apparently, every single one of his family members held the same belief that designations didn’t mean anything when it came to finding your forever person.
And the two of us had not only found our forever person but forever people . We had each other and three alphas who adored us.
“Are you nervous?” Cora asked, stepping back to check her hair and makeup in the other mirror hanging over the double sink.
“I wasn’t until you asked. Thanks a lot,” I teased, pushing away from the vanity and standing. “Is everyone ready?”
“I’m pretty sure your alphas have been waiting outside your door for the past hour. Or more,” she said with a chuckle.
“They’re ridiculous,” I said, hurrying across my room and pulling it open a crack to find exactly as Cora said – my alphas leaned against the wall looking absolutely edible in their tuxes.
“They’re in love,” Cora said, pulling the door open further so she could step out and make her way down the stairs. “I’ll let everyone know you’re ready,” she called over her shoulder as she carefully descended the stairs in her lavender heels.
She’d chosen a lavender dress to compliment the soft rosy blush color of my gown, hers matching my décor.
I had gotten a glimpse of the decorations before I’d been sequestered away by Cora before the alphas had seen me, but I couldn’t wait to fully see the damage my pack had done in the form of money spent. There had been no reason to go so overboard, but I wouldn’t stop them from following their instincts, from protecting and spoiling me and Amir.
Actually, their instincts were supposed to be protecting and spoiling their omega, but Amir had taught me to simply enjoy everything they did for me and give them my heart in return.
Oh, and my body.
But I would have given all four of my men my heart, body, and soul even if we’d simply donned nice clothes and had a judge or other officiant come to our house to declare me and Amir husband and wife.
“Wow,” Cyrus said, taking my hand and bending so he could press a kiss to my knuckles. “You look so beautiful.”
“You really do,” Enzo said.
Ax remained silent, his eyes wide as he scanned me from head to toe, his lips parted as though unable to speak a coherent sentence.
And man did I get that sentiment. All three looked amazing. And Ax had pulled his hair back and tamed it into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck.
Since I’d chosen the style and decorations for the ceremony, I’d let Amir decide on the guys’ attire. Not that there were a whole lot of choices.
But he’d gone with simple black tuxes with white shirts and black bowties .
“You guys…you all look so handsome,” I said as my smile grew.
That snapped Ax out of his silence. “Oh, please. I look hot.” He tugged on his lapels and smoothed his jacket before extending his elbow. “You ready to marry our omega?” His voice was softer, sweeter, just like the look on his handsome face.
“I’m so ready,” I admitted.
I was still a little nervous, but not about the marrying part. I was nervous I would trip and make a fool of myself or stammer over my words. There wasn’t a chance in hell I could ever doubt how I felt about my omega or my alphas.
Cora appeared at the bottom of the stairs and raised her brows, so I shot her a smile and a thumbs up.
This was it. I was ready.
The guys would escort me downstairs, through the house, and down the makeshift aisle Athena and Alysia had designed alongside Cora and Aryn. I really didn’t know what I would have done in such a short period of time had it not been for the women in my life, with my new mother-in-law, my new sisters, my only biological sister, and my best friend.
Cora hurried away and my alphas guided me down the stairs, ensuring I was steady on my heels on each step.
The trip to the backyard was a blur; all I could focus on was the ridiculous number of flowers and candles everywhere. All this had to have cost my alphas a fortune.
Once the French doors opened, the soft music filtering to my ears and I caught sight of Amir in all his glory waiting for me under an arch made entirely of fresh flowers…
All thoughts of cost, fears, memories, nightmares, and my past floated away like a wisp of smoke from an extinguished candle. All that mattered was the man grinning at me with the most heartwarming smile and the three alphas surrounding me on my left, my right, and following closely behind.
The guests who’d been invited – coworkers, Cora and her pack, some of Amir’s family, and even my brothers – all stood when Cora spotted me and pushed to her feet .
Smiles were on most faces, but there was only one I could focus on.
It felt as if I was floating down the beautiful ivory runner covered in petals scattered by Annalise and Amini.
Our alphas handed me over to Amir then took their place near the officiant. I might have been mistaken, but all three looked a little misty eyed as we were told to repeat after the beta guiding our vows.
The moment we were announced legally married, Amir wrapped his arms around me, dipped me backward, and sealed his mouth over mine, deepening the kiss regardless of who was watching.
I didn’t mind. If our guests didn’t like this beautiful show of affection, they could close their damn eyes.
We were nearly skipping back down the aisle, our hands clasped tightly, and led the entirety of the group to the tables set up around the lawn.
The guests chatted as the caterers Athena had found on such short notice served our food.
Once dinner was over, it was time to party. And party we did.
Ax had a blast showing off. Amir and I danced until I gave up and kicked off my heels. Cora and her alphas danced with my pack. Even my brothers seemed to be enjoying themselves, though they barely spoke to me.
It would take time to build a relationship with them the way I had with Cora. We had all been raised by the same jackass tyrants and had a whole lot of habits and twisted ways of thinking to break.
But we had time now. I no longer had to worry about Antonio or anyone else out there with some messed up vendetta.
I could live my life with my pack, enjoy my life with them, love them as deeply as possible while continuing to heal from those parts of my past that sometimes still reared their ugly head in my memories.
Eventually, the party slowed, and the guests left, leaving behind more gifts than twenty people should have brought.
“My family sent them,” Amir explained when I gawked at the massive pile in the living room.
“That’s going to take us forever to open. What in the world could they have bought? Not like we’re newlyweds setting up our first pack house.”
Amir exchanged a cryptic look with my alphas but steered me toward the stairs before I could question them.
It was time to consummate our marriage. And there was no way that would happen without all five of us naked and in the bed together.