Chapter 32
Thirty-Two
ANYA
Three Months Later
Isit perfectly still in the plush makeup chair, watching in the mirror as the artist applies a soft pink blush to my cheeks. My heart flutters in my chest as I think about my wedding and becoming officially bonded to five men who have completely changed my life.
“Try not to smile too much,” the makeup artist, a petite woman named Eloise, says with a wink. “It’s going to be hard to keep your eyeliner perfect if you start grinning.”
“I can’t help it,” I admit, watching my reflection as my lips curl upward anyway.
The door to the suite bursts open, and my mother steps in. She looks absolutely stunning in a blush-colored dress that hugs her curves before flaring just above the knee. Her hair is styled in soft waves around her face, and her makeup is subtle but perfectly enhances her natural features.
“Mom,” I breathe, tears already threatening. “You look so beautiful.”
She beams, doing a little twirl. “Do you like it? I wasn’t sure if blush was too much.”
“It’s perfect,” I say, feeling my throat tighten with emotion. “You’re going to be the most beautiful mother of the bride.”
She laughs, crossing to kiss the top of my head carefully. “Speaking of which,” she says, her voice taking on a slightly nervous edge. “You have a visitor.”
I frown, confused. “A visitor? Who? It’s not one of the alphas, is it? They’re not supposed to see me before the ceremony.”
“No, no,” she says, waving her hand dismissively. “It’s someone else.”
I freeze, my heart suddenly racing. Who could possibly be here? I don’t know anyone on the island except my mother, the alphas, and the staff at the resort.
Before I can say anything else, the door opens again.
“Oh, my god.” The words burst from my lips as I lurch to my feet, nearly knocking over the makeup chair. “John?!”
He stands in the doorway, looking almost unrecognizable in a perfectly tailored navy suit, his usually messy hair neatly combed, his perpetual five o’clock shadow trimmed to a neat stubble.
For a long moment, we just stare at each other.
Then I’m moving, rushing across the room with a cry that’s half-laugh, half-sob. I throw myself into his arms, nearly knocking him over with the force of my hug. He catches me easily, his arms wrapping around me with familiar strength.
“Anya,” he says, his voice choked. “Holy shit, Anya.”
I’m crying now, great gulping sobs that make it hard to breathe, let alone speak.
“I missed you,” I gasp when I can finally form words. “I missed you so much. I’m sorry I didn’t call as much…”
“Hey,” he says, his hand coming up to stroke my hair. “It’s okay. I’m here now.”
“How are you here? How did you find me?”
John grins, the familiar mischievous quirk of his lips making my heart squeeze. “Your man invited me.”
“My... what?” I blink, confused.
“Ryker,” he clarifies. “Big guy, looks like he could bench press a car? He showed up at my apartment last week with a plane ticket and this suit.” He plucks at his lapel. “Told me you were getting married and would want me there.”
My heart melts at the thought of Ryker taking the time to track down my best friend and bring him here.
“That’s... that’s so like him,” I say softly.
“You could have told me, you know,” John says, though there’s no real accusation in his voice. “I wouldn’t have judged you. You know me better than that.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, grabbing his hand. “I wanted to tell you, but I wasn’t sure... I mean, would you have believed me if I said I was dating five guys?”
“Hold up,” John interrupts, his eyes widening. “Dating five guys? What the hell are you talking about?”
I wince, suddenly remembering that I never actually explained any of this to him. “Maybe we should sit down,” I say, gesturing to the small sitting area by the window.
“Hmm,” he says, eyeing me suspiciously after I tell him as much as I can. “You sure you haven’t been brainwashed? This whole thing sounds pretty culty.”
“Maybe a little,” I joke, then sober. “But John, I’ve never been happier. They’re good to me. They love me. And I love them.”
He nods, apparently satisfied. “Well, then, I guess congratulations are in order. But I still think you’re crazy.”
“I am a little,” I admit with a grin.
The makeup artist clears her throat from across the room. “We should finish your makeup,” she says.
I nod, rising to return to the chair. As I settle in, John takes a seat nearby, watching with interest as Eloise works.
“Oh,” I say suddenly, remembering. “There’s one more thing.”
John raises an eyebrow. “What now? They’re actually vampires, too?”
I laugh. “No. But I’m pregnant.”
His jaw drops. “You’re what?”
The wind carries the salty scent of the ocean as I stand at the top of the stone stairs leading down to the open-air pavilion.
Golden sunset light bathes everything in a warm glow, turning my white dress to liquid gold.
Far below, waves crash against the cliffs, the sound rising to meet the gentle notes of a string quartet playing a piece I don’t recognize but that makes my heart swell.
This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for.
The moment I become theirs, officially and forever.
My hand trembles as I smooth it over the swell of my stomach, barely visible beneath the fitted bodice of my dress. The white mermaid-style gown hugs every curve, the lace overlay catching the light with each breath I take.
“You ready?” John asks, his voice gentle as he offers me his arm.
I take a deep breath, nodding. “Ready.”
We start down the stairs together, his arm steady beneath mine.
The pavilion comes fully into view as we descend.
There’s a semicircle of white stone columns, draped with flowing white fabric that billows in the breeze.
Rows of chairs filled with resort staff, guests, and business associates of the alphas.
They all turn to watch our approach.
And there, in the front row, is my mother. She looks radiant in her blush dress, a single tear tracking down her cheek as she meets my eyes. She gives me a small, encouraging nod, her hand pressed to her heart.
I smile back, feeling my own eyes fill with tears.
My breath catches in my throat at the sight of my pack.
Five men, each devastating in his own way, all dressed in identical black suits that somehow make them look even more massive than usual. Ryker stands front and center, his dark eyes fixed on me with an intensity that makes my knees weak.
To his right are Alaric and Lorenzo. To Ryker’s left stand Rex and Marcus, watching me with naked longing and hunger in their eyes.
The music shifts, and I realize we’ve reached the end of the aisle. John squeezes my hand, then steps back to take his seat beside my mother as I move forward to stand before my alphas.
“We are gathered here today to witness the bonding of Anya Rosewood to her five men,” announces the human officiant. “As I understand, they’ve written their own vows. Ryker, will you please start off and read your vows?”
“Yes,” says Ryker, stepping forward first, his massive frame seeming to block out everything else.
He takes my hands in his, his touch gentle despite his strength.
“Before I met you, I thought I had everything. But it was all empty. Hollow. Then you came into my life, and suddenly I understood what I’d been missing.
You’re my home. My heart. And I will spend every day of our lives together proving that you come before everything else.
Because without you, none of it means anything. ”
Tears spill down my cheeks as he speaks.
“Thank you,” I whisper, feeling touched.
Alaric steps forward next, his blue eyes soft in a way I’ve rarely seen. He cups my face with one hand, his touch reverent.
“You’ve spent your life being told you’re not enough,” he says, his voice low and intense. “You’re everything to me. I will never let you feel alone or unwanted again, not as long as there’s breath in my body.”
I lean into his touch, my eyes never leaving his face as Lorenzo takes his place.
“My beautiful Anya,” he says, taking both my hands and bringing them to his lips.
“From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. But I had no idea just how completely you would steal my heart.” He kisses each of my palms in turn.
“I vow to keep you smiling, to cherish every moment with you, to love you with everything I have for the rest of our lives.”
I’m openly crying now, but I don’t care. This moment is too perfect to worry about mascara. My mom hurries to give me a napkin, which I take gratefully.
Rex is next, his massive frame practically vibrating with intensity as he steps forward. He doesn’t take my hands—instead, he pulls me against his chest in a hug so tight I can barely breathe, his face buried in my hair.
“You’re it for me,” he growls, the words rough with emotion. “The only woman who’ll ever own my heart. My mate. My omega. I’ll protect you to my dying day.”
As soon as he releases me, Marcus steps forward, his dark eyes burning with an intensity that makes my stomach flip.
He cups my face with both hands, his touch possessive but gentle.
“I’ve waited my whole life for you,” he says, his voice a deep rumble that I feel in my chest. “And now that I’ve found you, I’m never letting go.
” His thumbs brush across my cheeks. “I promise to spend forever making sure you’re happy.
To give you everything you’ve ever wanted and things you didn’t even know to ask for.
I will love and protect you until my dying breath. ”
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you married,” says the officiant. He raises his voice. “You may kiss your bride.”
Ryker is first, his kiss deep and sweet, a promise of forever.
Alaric follows, his lips soft against mine, his hand gentle on the back of my neck.
Lorenzo’s kiss is playful, his tongue teasing the seam of my lips until I open for him with a gasp.
Rex lifts me off my feet, spinning me once before setting me down and capturing my mouth in a kiss that leaves me breathless.
And then there’s Marcus, who doesn’t wait for me to catch my breath before claiming my lips with his own.
His kiss turns filthy almost immediately, his tongue plunging into my mouth as one hand slides down to grip my ass through the thin material of my dress.
I gasp against his lips, heat flooding my body at his boldness.
The crowd erupts in cheers and wolf whistles, but I barely hear them over the roaring in my ears.
When he finally releases me, I’m panting, my lips swollen, my cheeks flushed. The alphas are grinning, looking immensely pleased with themselves.
“I now present,” the officiant says, his voice carrying over the laughter, “the Blackwoods and their wife, Anya.”
The crowd rises to its feet, applause breaking out as my alphas surround me, their bodies forming a protective circle as they lead me back down the aisle.
I catch John’s eye as we pass. He looks completely stunned, but he’s smiling, giving me a thumbs up that makes me laugh.
And beside him, my mother beams with pride, tears streaming freely down her face as she blows me a kiss.
As we reach the end of the aisle, Ryker leans down to whisper in my ear. “Ready to start the rest of our lives, Mrs. Blackwood?”
I look up at my five husbands. These men who chose me when no one else ever had, and the word "yes" doesn’t feel big enough.
So I say the only thing that matters.
“I’m yours.”