Chapter Sixty-Four
Dusty
Feral Ratville was quite the name for the most well-organized event I’ve ever been to.
One week a year, they transformed an island in Greece into a neon electric cacophony of color and sound.
Unlike Winter-Fest, which only had music at night, this also had music all day.
The multiple stage areas each had their own aesthetic with different decorations, vibes, food, and activities.
Something about this festival brought out the best in people as they came from all over the world and walks of life to be kind, help each other, listen to music, and enjoy themselves.
There were even areas where people could camp, or stay in yurts and pop-up cabins. We were staying in one of the luxury villa communities.
Ava was here. Baby Meatloaf had grown considerably since the last time I saw her. Vixen Underground was also at the festival, as was Remington Skylark.
The whole pack was here, too. Our pack application has been submitted. Everything was in order. All we were waiting for was the notice that the paperwork had been accepted.
Today I was marrying Mi Cielo. Our song, the one that we first sang at Winter-Fest, had become a huge sensation. The kind of sensation where her grandpa learned to use the Internet, so he could simply say, That’s my girl.
I went into the kitchen to make a smoothie. Carlos walked in, sunburned and wearing a wool fishing hat with a blinking lure in it.
“How was fishing?” I asked. A bunch of his teammates chartered a yacht and had been casually fishing the Mediterranean with occasional visits to rivers in the mainland. This was entirely to keep an eye on the girls’ trip to Europe, which currently had stopped here at Feral Ratville.
As was the yacht. I’d helped them get a dock pass and tickets, though the ladies had sorted themselves. Fiona and Saoirse were with them now.
“We had a lot of fun.” Carlos leaned against the counter. “Wow, you did it. We’re at Feral Ratville.”
“I’m here because of you,” I told him honestly. “I’m here because you told me to fucking ignore what Mrs. Johnson said and record anyway. It was your unwavering support that helped me get here.”
Carlos gave me a hug. “I just cheered you on. That’s what not-husbands do.”
“Should we call them?” I looked at my phone again, as I made a smoothie for Saoirse.
“I’m here.” Saoirse joined us, wearing a long, flowing dress and carrying a straw tote.
“Fiona is still with the ladies, but Hale is trailing them with a couple of the other guys. Though some of them are pretty vicious and have been throwing things when the guys get too close.” She chuckled. “I like this group of friends.”
Gwen, Mercy, and Dimitri’s sister were part of the group, among others.
“Give me a moment to change,” she said. “Tyrell already has everything for my wardrobe change and is bringing it backstage. I’m really excited.” She took my hands, the ring from the wedding we couldn't entirely remember, gleaming on her finger as sun streamed in through the villa window.
“Me, too.” I leaned in and kissed her.
She’d stopped hiding her bump, which wasn’t huge yet. We’d had lots of tests, scans, and checkups. Baby Lovely was doing just fine, and the announcement had been a hit.
“I made you a smoothie.” I handed her one.
“Thank you.” She took a sip and leaned into me.
I put an arm around her. “Do you want one, Lalo?”
He shook his head and checked his phone. “Hale is bringing me meat on a stick.”
We had a bit of time. I was the second to the last act tonight on the main stage. Vixen Underground was the headliner.
Ava wasn’t doing a set. This wasn’t her sort of festival. She’d come for me, to marry us tonight. Though Ava had been invited by a number of people to drop by their sets, and was having a great time.
I drank my smoothie and finished getting ready in my room. Saoirse came out of the bathroom, wearing an incredible festival outfit that showed off her baby bump.
“Tyrell chose it. But I feel ridiculous. If you were performing in the daytime, I would get incredibly sunburned no matter what SPF I wore,” she told me.
“You look so fucking hot.” I took her gorgeous pregnant body and planted a big kiss on her belly. “Hey, Baby Lovely. Tonight is a huge night for Daddy and Mommy, and we’re so glad you’ll be there with us.” I looked at her. “If you don’t want to wear it, don’t. I’ll deal with Tyrell.”
She looked down at herself. “He did an excellent job. I just feel very obvious.”
“As much as you’d like to think that you weren’t obvious running around in your suits and heels all the time, there were definitely instances where you were,” I told her.
She gave me a defiant look. “I looked like somebody’s personal security.”
“You looked like you were from a spy movie full of hot people.” I grinned.
She pushed her palm against my forehead. “Stop.”
That was my wife.
“Can I still perform the song tonight?” I had finished the song eviscerating her horrible ex and sister.
“Yes. My grandfathers have all arrived and are having a really good time. They have discovered the clothing optional area, though I really didn’t need those pictures.” She grimaced.
We had gotten her grandfathers and brother day passes and they’d come out from Ireland. Her cousins already had tickets.
“I’m glad they’re enjoying themselves. Do you want to wear something else?” I asked.
“This outfit is fine. I’m just cranky. The security here is incredibly lacking from the perspective of me and my cousins,” she replied.
I gave her a startled look. “Really? I thought the security was pretty good.”
“From an ordinary perspective, it is. But from the point of view of somebody who is expecting a child and has worked in security for many high-profile and high-net-worth people, there are a lot of things they could do to make it much safer,” she replied.
“Maybe you should put together a proposal and sell your knowledge. Honestly, that is probably a really good thing that you could do–tell people how to improve security and advise people on little lifestyle changes they could do to make things safer. Like those tips that you gave Ava, since she’s bringing Baby Meatloaf out in public now,” I suggested.
Saoirse had done a few jobs with Fiona, but mostly had been getting the house set up, training the puppy, recording with me, helping Fiona with all the event planning, and well, fixing the security at my company. Though she got itchy sometimes.
That could be just the thing she needed.
“Oh, that is something to consider. One of the things I miss about working personal security was helping advise on ways to make things safer,” she replied.
Hale, Fiona, and Carlos were all there at the table, dressed and ready, eating meat on sticks that had come from somewhere.
“We have enough for you, too, if you want some,” Fiona offered.
“I’m all right, thank you, Mo Stóirín.” Saoirse gave Fiona a kiss. Her tummy had been very picky. She ate a lot of pickles.
“Oh, I’ll fuck one of those up right now.” I grabbed one and took a huge bite, letting the creamy sauce and the spicy meat explode in my mouth.
We finished eating and I checked the time.
“You can hang back, but Saoirse and I should go before Kace starts texting,” I replied.
“I’m ready.” Carlos stood. “Pack Lovely is ready to take Feral Ratville by storm.”
“You look fantastic.” Tyrell adjusted my glasses.
I wore the hat that Saoirse had given me. Also, I had on some really nice black pants, black shoes, and a bowtie. Nothing else.
The wedding would come towards the end of the set, but I wanted to be prepared.
“Everyone is ready,” Kace added. “We also have the T-shirt cannons, cereal, cookies, chips, and the giant teddy bear with a wedding veil. The inflatable dicks are ready. Sadly, no burritos. But we could get gyros.”
“Oooh, gyros would be good. You know, at some point we might have to substitute something else for the dicks,” I replied.
“We can do that.” Kace turned to Saoirse as someone adjusted her microphone. “You’re going to be amazing out there.”
I was doing this differently and we were opening the show with our song.
Not that I’d done many big shows in the past six months. Though I’d been a regular at the club that Carlos and I used to sneak into. The one I played my first show at. They’d been great as I tried out new things.
“I’m fine. Though my grandfathers are going to be very hungover tomorrow.” She showed me a picture on her phone.
The stage manager came out. “Ready?”
I looked at Saoirse, who was still wearing her festival outfit. Her wardrobe change would be later. “Ready?”
She took my hand. “I am.”
We went out to the edge of the stage, which was completely dark.
The overall theme of this area was Enchanted Memories.
It was full of starry scenes and trees that extended into the crowd.
Some of the tiny star-shaped lights flickered in a cascade, and the crowd cheered.
They flickered again, and I looked at Saoirse as she started to sing acapella.
The stage remained dark with just some of the stars flickering on and off as she walked onto the stage.
I joined her silently, going to my equipment that had been set up in the middle and started the music. The cheers increased. I could practically taste the excitement as my beats and her voice intertwined, as the enchanted forest backdrop slowly started to wake up.
The overall lights still dim, the music continued to build as the backdrop illuminated bit by bit. At the drop everything went dark.
Then the full stage lights came on.
The crowd roared.
Our pack, Saoirse’s family, the girls’ trip, and their guys, were all up front. People were dancing and having a good time.
I started my rap and my hand reached out to hers. She was nervous, but it was the good nervous, not the bad nervous, and we continued to sing. The thrill of singing with her, of making music with her, was still there.
Yeah, this was almost as good as fucking her.
Almost.
As the final strains of the song ended, I didn’t go straight into another. We let the notes fade as the crowd went wild. My stage crew and some people in inflatable unicorn costumes started shooting T-shirts and gyros into the crowd.
“Good evening, Lovely Fuckers,” I yelled. “I’m so excited to be here in Greece with you this evening, but you don’t seem excited enough. Come on, let me hear you.”
The cheers grew louder.
“Much better! Let’s give it up for my amazing partner.” I gestured to her.
She waved.
Then, I launched right into Eat More Pussy and Cocksucker. Saoirse disappeared from the stage as I continued to play the songs I knew they wanted to hear.
“I’d like to shout out to Pack Lovely who is here tonight. Especially Lalo, who’s going to come up and sing for us.” I motioned to Carlos as he crawled up on stage.
“Wow. I can’t believe we’re here,” Carlos said, taking the microphone Kace gave him. “We were teenagers with borrowed recording equipment and a shower, now here we are in fucking Greece with all you Lovely Fuckers.”
The music for the Cookie Song started and he began to sing. Kace handed him cookies and he threw them at the crowd. I grabbed the chips and poured them over everybody at the front as I joined in with Guacamole.
He went back down with Fiona and Hale.
“Give it up for Lalo. I’m so fucking grateful for my pack.
Some people might look at me and think I’m just some musician who likes to be shirtless and do silly things.
While I do, I will go after anyone who messes with my pack.
Of course, I’m a musician. So if you cross my packmates, you might end up in a song.
Guess what? I have one for you tonight,” I told the crowd, which rippled with excitement and curiosity.
The music started. I looked over at the side of the stage at Saoirse. She nodded and I nodded back as I kept my promise and eviscerated her stupid fucking family in song.
Her grandfathers seemed to especially enjoy it.
“Take that, all you toxic people out there. I have a really supportive family, but I know not everyone does. Those of you with toxic families keep on keeping on. Someone very wise said to me that the best way to deal with toxic family is to block them.”
A lot of people started cheering.
“I’m so grateful for my pack, but I’m also grateful for my friends. Especially Beefy Pot Roast who has been with me through so much over the years,” I added.
I brought Ava out and we sang our most popular collaboration. She was really tall, even for an alpha woman–over six foot, without her usual platform shoes. Ava always had incredible outfits and tonight was no exception.
“Beefy, I’m so happy to share this night with you,” I said.
“I believe you promised me something. You know, we all missed out with that surprise wedding at Winter-Fest. How dare you get married without me present.” She gave me an exasperated look.
“You’re just jealous because I was there and you weren’t.” Vixen Underground joined us.
You could see people put things together as security started helping people on stage.
“Well, do you think we should get married again just for you?” I teased.
“I think you should. What do you think?” Ava turned and started riling up the crowd. “Do you want to see BroKen get married again?”
The crowd started chanting, wedding, wedding.
“I think I like that idea.” The spotlight went onto Saoirse, who came on stage wearing an incredible backless gold halter dress. It was shimmery, but not sparkly and showed off her bump, but still gave her the freedom she expected from dresses, you know, just in case she needed to take anyone down.
She wore her heart-shaped earrings that she’d worn the night we’d gone to my mom’s, which now I knew had been the last thing her gran had ever given her.
We had signed the marriage certificate a little bit earlier. Ava made sure that she was legal to perform weddings in Greece.
Yep, this time it would be official.
“You look amazing,” I said.
“Though you were pretty hot in that little gold dress with the blinking penis veil,” Vixen added.
“Will you marry me?” She came up to me and took one of my hands and kissed it.
“Yes, I’ll marry you right now, and not just so Beefy won’t be jealous anymore.” I leaned in and gave her a kiss as Tyrell handed me a tux jacket. I shrugged it on as Vixen started to play.
Here we were, full circle. I was about to marry Mi Cielo in front of my pack, her grandparents, some of my closest friends, and a whole lot of new friends we just made.
A perfect end to a perfect night.