Chapter Fifteen #2
“I proposed to you.” I fingered the titanium ring he wore on his left hand, the one that matched mine. We’d taken them off for the hunt, of course, since there was no way for them to fit on a wolf’s paw, but we’d put them back on as soon as we were able. “Have you decided to back out?”
“You’re the one who proposed, but I think I was the one who started bringing up getting married.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. We’re going through with it.”
“You’d better.” Suzannah had entered the room behind him and stood with her hands on her hips. “With everyone here and all the money you’ve put into making this happen, it had better happen.”
“Yes, Suzannah.” Kyle grinned up at her.
“You just want to make sure you still get to be the best person. Or person of honor, or whatever we’re calling you.
” Kyle and I had chosen Suzannah to stand with us because she was close to both of us, having become my confidante while I was Alpha of Boston North and being Kyle’s first friend in Boston when he moved a few months before he was changed.
Since Garrett said we needed two official witnesses, we’d asked Kirk to stand with us too.
“You’re calling me Suzannah.” She rolled her eyes. “Okay. I’m going to go get dressed. You two should probably do the same. T minus one hour until the ceremony starts.”
“Shit.” I stared at the clock on the wall. I’d lost track of time. And Kyle’s parents and sister hadn’t shown up yet, though I’d gotten a heads-up that Mandeep had left for the airport to pick them up a while earlier. Hopefully their flight hadn’t been delayed.
“Come on, fiancé.” Kyle stood and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s get ready to put on this show.”
We dressed in the same rooms we’d slept in the night before. When I went downstairs, ready to go to the back lawn where the ceremony would occur, Kyle was nowhere in sight. But seven humans, looking extremely confused, were.
I’d only met Kyle’s parents, sister, and niblings once, shortly after he and I got together.
They lived in Pennsylvania, not far from Zane’s home, so paying them a visit while we were out there for the first regional gathering of our life together had made sense.
I’d broken our laws to allow him to see them, but I’d felt like he deserved it.
Now they stood here, surrounded by people they’d never met and who they would never know were werewolves. When I approached, relief washed over his mother’s face. “Tobias. It’s good to see you again.”
“You too, Hillary.” I smiled at them. I assumed the man beside Kyle’s sister Amy was her husband, who hadn’t been present during our visit.
Kyle had told me he’d never really gotten along with the guy, though I could understand why Amy hadn’t wanted to come to the wedding without him.
The three children standing nearby, whose names I had to think about to recall, had grown in the past two years.
Greg, the youngest, actually looked like a kid instead of the just-past-infant he’d been back then.
All of them were dressed up, looking uncomfortable.
I didn’t know how to fix that. “Jim. Amy. And…?”
“My husband Stuart,” Kyle’s sister Amy said.
“Stuart. Nice to meet you.” I held out my hand. Stuart shook it, followed by Kyle’s father Jim. “Thank you all for coming. Kyle will be so happy to see you.”
“Don’t understand why he couldn’t have come to see us sooner,” Kyle’s father Jim huffed. “What is there, a law against traveling between Massachusetts and Pennsylvania?”
Since there was, in fact, a law, I decided not to answer that. “There’s just been a lot going on. I’m sorry he hasn’t been able to visit you.”
“Who are you?” Michael appeared beside me, startling me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Trey standing nearby. He must have sent Michael to put the kids at ease. “I’m Michael.”
“Sophie.” Sophie had grown from a four-year-old to a sturdy six-year-old who was as tall as Michael. “Jasmine.” She rested her hand on her sister’s shoulder. The smaller girl swatted the hand away. Sophie lightly bapped her little brother on the head. “Greg.”
“Want to come play?” Michael gestured toward the lawn. “We can’t get messy, but at least we can run around or something until the grownups make us sit down.”
“Can we, Mommy?” Sophie looked up at Amy, whose blond hair was swept to the side. Kyle’s sister could have been a model if she’d wanted.
“Go ahead,” Amy said. “But when Uncle Kyle comes down, you need to come say hi to him.”
“Okay.” Sophie looked toward the edge of the lawn. “Race you.”
She took off running before Michael could respond. With a shrug, he followed, with the two younger kids right behind him.
“Mom?” Kyle’s stunned voice came from behind me.
I turned. He looked completely gorgeous in the light blue tux he’d picked out. He’d wanted a white tux to complement my black one. I’d convinced him that was a little too much, so we’d compromised on the pastel.
He wasn’t smiling. His eyes were wide, and I was pretty sure a tear ran down his cheek. Not the impression I’d wanted to make.
“Dad?” He came toward us slowly, looking like he was holding his breath. Tobias, what the fuck did you do?
I wanted your family to see you get married. Maybe making it a surprise hadn’t been the smartest move.
“Kyle, it’s so wonderful to see you!” Hillary practically shoved me out of the way to hug Kyle, and Jim grabbed him as soon as Hillary let him go.
For a minute or so, Kyle, his parents, and his sister all talked at once. Stuart stood back looking bored. I was beginning to get a sense of why Kyle didn’t like him.
“How did you guys know this was happening?” Kyle gestured around us. “I was in charge of the invitations.”
“That didn’t mean Tobias couldn’t get in touch.” Hillary frowned. “Like you could have. We’ve missed you, Kyle. I’m glad Tobias reached out.”
“Yeah.” I wish I could say the same, but…
We’ll talk about it later. I’m sorry. I didn’t have much more to say than that. We can sort it out afterward.
We’ll have to. He forced a smile and started chatting with his family again.
Fortunately, the music we’d chosen started playing, with Jon, Peacekeeper of Boston North, running the sound system.
Even though Kyle had been all about tradition for most of the wedding, the song he’d chosen for our walk to the gazebo where Garrett Saucier awaited was anything but traditional: A pop song about a club where drag queens and strippers mingled. Because Kyle.
All of the guests started moving toward their seats.
Michael brought Kyle’s niblings back to us, and Amy and Stuart took charge of getting them to the right places.
Suzannah and Kirk led us up the aisle between the two sections of folding chairs that had been placed along with the rest of the furniture and decorations.
“Thank you all for being here,” Garrett said when we were all in place.
“Marriage is not a commitment one makes on a whim. Today, Tobias Rogan and Kyle Slidell will make that commitment to each other, after two years together, forged in fire and grown in joy and sorrow. They will be joined legally, but also in spirit. Tobias, you have something to say to Kyle?”
“Yes.” I’d had to think carefully about how to phrase the vows, knowing that his human family might be present.
It hadn’t been easy, but I’d finally found the words to say what I meant without giving anything away.
“Kyle, when we met, I didn’t believe we could be together.
In one night, everything changed, and I realized you were the one I was meant to be with for the rest of my life, however long that might be.
We’re no longer who we were that night two years ago, but you’ve stayed by my side through everything, even when I tried to push you away.
I love you, and I want you to be my husband until the end. ”
“Aww,” someone in the seats whispered. Everyone laughed.
“Kyle, you have something to say to Tobias?” Garrett asked.
“Yes.” Kyle took a deep breath and looked into my eyes.
“The first time I saw you, Tobias, I knew you were supposed to be in my life. I didn’t know how.
I sure didn’t know the way things would go down.
But we’re here now. We’ve survived everything.
I’ve pushed you away, and you stuck with me.
We’ve managed to stay right where we belong even when we’ve been thousands of miles away.
I don’t know who I’d be if I hadn’t met you, and I’m glad I don’t have to find out. I love you.”
This time, no one made a sound. I was a little irked by that.
“Tobias and Kyle will not be exchanging rings,” Garrett said.
“They chose to give each other the rings they now wear when they got engaged. But they will exchange promises.” He looked at me.
“Tobias Rogan, do you take Kyle Slidell to be your lawful husband, to cherish, to hold, and to care for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” I said. Something in my heart gave way, and I had to swallow hard to keep from bursting into tears.
This was happening. I’d claimed Kyle as my mate nearly as soon as I recognized him.
I’d declared him in front of Zane and everyone attending the Northeast Region’s gathering two Septembers prior.
But this felt different, and as Garrett repeated the question to Kyle, and Kyle spoke those two words, the feeling grew into something huge and powerful.
Kyle was mine. From now until one of us ended, he was mine. And nothing was going to change that.
“I now declare, by the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, that Tobias Rogan and Kyle Slidell are husbands.” He grinned. “Kiss if you want, don’t if not, but I’d guarantee that’s what everyone’s waiting to see.”
I grabbed Kyle and yanked him against me. Our lips met, and that power grew. We made each other stronger. Better. And now everyone would know it.
The guests cheered, and someone—I suspected Michael—made a gagging sound. To the accompaniment of laughter, Kyle and I joined hands.