Chapter 186
Elena’s POV
The next morning, beautiful chaos had begun.
The sun was shining brightly, the garden bloomed with flowers. It’s like everything was coming to places and blessing our wedding day.
Inside the fitting room, the air was thick with the scent of lavender and hairspray. My team of stylists moved around me in a synchronized dance, but for once, the chaos didn’t make me anxious. I sat in front of the vanity, staring at my reflection, but I didn’t see the frightened girl who had been rejected by Bryson. I saw a woman who had walked through fire and came out holding the flame.
“Stop fidgeting, Primcess,” Zara teased gently, placing the final pin in my hair. “You’re going to ruin the masterpiece.”
“I’m not fidgeting,” I smiled, my hands resting on the cool silk of my dressing gown. “I’m shaking.”
“Good shaking?”
“The best kind.”
Then, it was time for the dress. Its silky fabric glides through my skin and it’s a hundred times better after it was customised, refitted, and polished compared to the first time I tried it on.
When they said they’ll make it better, they weren’t lying. I felt and looked like a princess more than ever.
Once I was done changing, I stepped out from behind the changing screen, the room went silent. Zara, usually never at a loss for words, pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes shimmering.
“Oh, Princesa,” she whispered. “The prince is going to forget his own name.”
A soft knock on the door broke the spell. The heavy wood creaked open, and a small figure stepped inside.
It’s Rafael.
He was dressed in a miniature version of the Royal Guard ceremonial uniform, complete with a small gold sash. He looked incredibly handsome and incredibly serious. He had taken his role as my escort very seriously.
“Wow,” he breathed, his eyes widening as he looked up at me. “You look like a fairy queen.”
I knelt down, ignoring the stylists‘ gasps of protest as the expensive fabric pooled on the floor. I took Rafael’s small hands in mine. “And you look like a prince, Raf. Are you ready to walk me?”
He nodded solemnly. “Uncle Deacon said I have to be strong so you don’t trip.”
I laughed, blinking back tears. “Then I know I’m safe.”
The ride to the wedding hall was a blur of cheering crowds lining the streets. They threw flower petals at the car, chanting our names. It seemed the entire Kingdom had turned out to witness the union of the Prince/God of war and the woman who had captured his heart.
When the massive oak doors of the wedding swung open, the sound of the organ swelled, vibrating deep in my chest. The scent of thousands of white daisies blooms rushed toward me.
I took a deep breath, hooked my arm through Rafael’s, and stepped into the light.
The walk down the aisle felt like walking through a dream. I saw faces I recognized–pack leaders, foreign dignitaries, old friends, and of course, the king and the rest of the Royal Family. But they were all a blur. My world narrowed down to the man standing at the altar.
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Deacon.
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He stood with the posture of a warrior and the grace of a prince. He was wearing his formal dress uniform, the medals gleaming on his chest, a black velvet cape draped over one shoulder. But it was his face that undid me.
As our eyes locked, I saw his composure crack. The prince and the most feared general warrior, the man who made enemies tremble with a growl, looked as if he had just been struck by lightning. His golden eyes were wide, filled with a raw, reverence that made my knees weak. He didn’t just look at me with love; he looked at me as if I were the only thing that tethered him to the earth.
Rafael marched me up the steps with perfect precision. When we reached the altar, Deacon stepped forward. He didn’t look at the priest; he looked down at Rafael.
“Thank you, soldier,” Deacon said softly, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll take it from here.”
Rafael beamed, puffing out his chest before stepping to the side to stand next to the best man, Sir Kaelen.
Deacon took my hand. His palm was warm, his grip firm. “Elena,” he whispered, as if testing the reality of the moment. “You are … magnificent.”
“You clean up alright yourself,” I managed to whisper back, my voice trembling.
The ceremony was traditional, steeped in the ancient rites of the werewolf kings, but when it came time for the vows, the script was abandoned.
Deacon held both my hands, his thumbs brushing over my knuckles. The silence in the Cathedral was absolute.
“Elena,” he began, his voice ringing clear and true. “I had spent my entire life training and preparing for war to protect my people. My entire life, it’s all about blood and fist. I never thought I’d see the rainbow until you came into my life and jumped down on that tree when we were young.”
My eyes widened in shock and my hold on him tightened.
When we were young… Now, I remember. Yes… we had seen each other before. Back when my father was training him.
Has he liked me since then?
“I once asked for your hand but didn’t succeed and I thought that would be the end. But the moon goddess had another plan because here you are now.”
Asked for my hand? When? Where? How? How come I didn’t know about it?
Raising my hand he landed a soft kiss on it. “Elena, I vow to you that I’ll honor our marriage for the rest of our lives and build a world worthy of you. My past was yours and so is my today and my tomorrows.”
Tears streamed down my face as warmth touched not just my heart but my entire soul.
My cries were probably ruining my makeup but who cares?
I steadied my breath and regained my strength as I did my vows.
“Deacon. I spent years thinking I wasn’t enough but you showed how I was worth everything in the world. You didn’t just give me a crown, but you showed me that I could be loved for who I am. You have been my safe haven and I promise to stand by your side, loving and cherishing you.”
The facilitator smiled, raising his hands. “Do you, Deacon, take Elena to be your lawfully wedded wife and Princess?”
“I do,” Deacon answered instantly.
“And do you, Elena, take Deacon to be your lawfully wedded husband and King?”
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“I do.”
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“Then, by the power vested in me by the Moon Goddess and the Laws of this Kingdom, I pronounce you bonded for life. You may kiss your bride.”
Deacon didn’t wait. He cupped my face in his hands and lowered his lips to mine. The kiss wasn’t tentative. It was a seal. It was passionate, possessive, and filled with a promise of forever.
The hall erupted with cheers and applause in an instant, filling the entire place.
“I love you, Elena.”
My heart pounded. It’s real. We’re not just business partners in an arrange marriage. We’re a couple.
And to think about it. I think we have never been just a partner. We’ve always been a couple.
With a sweet smile, I reciprocated. “I love you too, Deacon.”
With that, we turned back to face the crowd with our hands interlocked, watching the admiration and blessing in the crowd’s smiles, including the King’s.
In that moment, I felt peace and a sense of completion I never felt before.
It’s like… we’ve passed the storm.
Or so I thought.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
