Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
NAVIRA
Three months had transformed Navira’s world in ways she never could have imagined when she first stepped through Gerri’s wormhole.
Standing in her former guest suite—now converted into a bridal preparation room—she pressed her hand to her still-flat stomach and marveled at how much had changed.
The discovery of her pregnancy a month ago had sent Thalric into full protective Alpha mode, insisting they postpone the wedding until she was past the delicate early stages.
“You need to focus on your health,” he’d said, his eyes fierce with concern. “The wedding can wait.”
But Navira had wanted their ceremony before she began showing, before the pregnancy became the focus instead of their love. They’d compromised on today—the perfect balance between caution and celebration.
Now, as Alira carefully arranged the flowing fabric of her wedding dress, Navira felt a flutter of nerves.
The gown was a masterpiece of Nova Auroran craftsmanship, woven from silk that shifted between ivory and silver depending on the light, with delicate beadwork that caught the twin suns’ beams streaming through the windows.
“I still can’t wrap my head around any of this,” Jenna said from her perch on the velvet settee, her bright green eyes sparkling with amazement.
She’d arrived two days ago, brought through the same wormhole that had changed Navira’s life forever.
“When you left for the coaching job, I thought you’d be back in a month with some good stories.
Instead, you’re marrying an alien sea wolf Alpha and pregnant with his baby. ”
Navira laughed, the sound bubbling up from her chest like champagne. “Trust me, I got way more than I bargained for when I stepped foot on Nova Aurora.”
“More like you got exactly what you needed,” Alira said softly, her silver-blue eyes warm with affection as she adjusted the dress’s train. “You were always meant to be here, Luna. The whole pack knows it.”
The title still sent a thrill through Navira’s chest. Luna.
Not just Thalric’s mate, but the female leader of an entire pack of sea wolves.
Over the past three months, she’d grown into the role with surprising ease, her natural leadership skills and strategic mind earning the respect and loyalty of every pack member.
The territory was peaceful now—the coalition of surrounding packs had proven effective in maintaining regional security, and the ocean that called to her soul was finally safe to explore without fear.
Well, mostly safe. Thalric’s protective instincts had reached new heights since her pregnancy was confirmed. He insisted on accompanying her during every swim, hovering nearby like a gorgeous, possessive shadow.
“At least Thalric still lets you swim every day,” Jenna pointed out. “Most men would probably try to wrap you in bubble wrap.”
“I told him the water is therapeutic for both me and the baby,” Navira said, smoothing her hands over the dress’s fitted bodice. “He reluctantly agreed, but only if he’s there to watch over us.”
“That’s love,” Alira said simply. “Alpha love, but love nonetheless.”
Before Navira could respond, the suite door burst open with dramatic flair.
Gerri Wilder swept in wearing a stunning coral pantsuit that somehow managed to perfectly complement the wedding’s oceanic color scheme, her snow-white bob immaculate as always.
Behind her followed a familiar figure that made Navira’s heart leap.
“Dad!” She rushed toward Robert Amaryllis, careful not to trip over her flowing skirts.
Her father caught her in a warm embrace, his brown eyes bright with unshed tears. “You look absolutely beautiful, sweetheart.”
Before Navira could get completely overwhelmed with emotion, Gerri’s voice cut through the moment.
“I know things started off a bit rocky between us,” Gerri said, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she set down her signature leather handbag, “but I’d say everything worked out in the end.”
Navira pulled back from her father’s embrace and turned to face the matchmaker who had orchestrated her entire new life. “I forgive you for the omission of why you really brought me here, Gerri. No hard feelings.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Gerri replied, her voice carrying that familiar note of cosmic certainty. “I just didn’t know how to explain that you were destined to be Luna without scaring you off completely.”
“That definitely would have sent me running back to Earth,” Navira admitted with a laugh. “I would have missed out on this beautiful planet, my perfect mate, and the most incredible life I never knew I wanted.”
Her father stepped forward, his weathered hands gentle as he cupped his daughter’s face.
“I’m so proud of you, Navira. You look truly happy—more alive than I’ve seen you since before your injury.
I always knew you were destined for great things, but I never imagined it would be on an alien planet as Luna of a sea wolf pack. ”
The emotion in his voice made Navira’s throat tighten.
Having her father here, seeing him accept not just Thalric but this entire world she’d chosen, meant everything.
When Thalric had graciously offered to provide her father with a home near the estate so he could be close to Navira and their growing family, both her father and her had been overwhelmed by the gesture.
“Thalric is so generous and attentive now,” Navira said, thinking of how much her mate had grown from the controlled Alpha she’d first met. “He’s nothing like the man who tried to manage me into submission three months ago.”
“Speaking of your Alpha,” Jenna interrupted with a grin, “he’s been pacing the beach like a caged wolf for the past hour.”
As if summoned by their conversation, the door flew open again and Kaelen burst through, his usually composed demeanor slightly frazzled. His dark hair was windswept, and his brown eyes held a note of barely contained exasperation.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Kaelen said, his deep voice carrying the weight of diplomatic necessity, “if we don’t get this ceremony started soon, Thalric has threatened to abandon the entire beach setup and storm in here to carry Navira off to some remote island for a private ceremony.”
Navira burst into laughter, the sound rich and delighted. “He wouldn’t dare. He spent weeks helping me plan every detail of this wedding. He wouldn’t dream of disappointing his mate after all that effort.”
“You underestimate an Alpha’s impatience when it comes to claiming his bride,” Kaelen said dryly. “Especially when that Alpha has been separated from his pregnant mate for more than an hour.”
Through their completed bond, Navira could feel the truth of Kaelen’s words.
Thalric’s emotions pressed against her consciousness—love, anticipation, possessiveness, and a growing thread of barely leashed impatience that made her skin warm with awareness.
Her Alpha was ready to make her his wife, and his wolf was growing restless with the delay.
“We’d better get down to the beach,” she said, her pulse quickening with excitement. “Before my very proper Alpha does something completely improper.”
The afternoon light from Nova Aurora’s twin suns cast everything in warm gold and amber as Navira stepped onto the back terrace of the estate, her father’s steady arm linked through hers.
The silk of her wedding dress whispered against the stone as they moved, the fabric catching the light like captured starlight.
Through the ornate archway that led to the beach, she could see their future unfolding—the elegant wedding arch draped in flowing ivory and sea-green silk, the pale yellow sand scattered with rose petals that caught the ocean breeze, and their pack seated in neat rows of chairs facing the pink waters.
But it was Thalric who commanded her attention completely.
He stood beneath the arch in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, his dark hair slightly tousled by the sea breeze, and even from this distance she could see the rigid set of his shoulders.
His hands were clasped behind his back in that familiar pose of controlled authority, but Navira could feel his emotions through their completed bond—anticipation wound so tight it bordered on desperation, love so fierce it made her breath catch, and an undercurrent of possessive need that sent heat spiraling through her veins.