Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Forever United
Draven’s POV
As I walked down the aisle with Clara on my arm, I couldn’t help but marvel at how Caroline had planned every detail of our ceremony with such careful precision. The garden of the pack house had been transformed into a wedding paradise, with wooden benches decorated with ivory silk ribbons arranged in perfect rows. Large crystal vases filled with white and red tulips, which symbolized our eternal love and devotion, lined the entrance path.
At the altar stood an ancient wooden table carved with the symbols of our pack, and behind it, an elegant wooden arch draped with flowing white fabric and covered with fresh tulips. When I reached my place, my eyes fell on the front bench where two empty spaces had been reserved. There, sitting on the bench, were silver framed portraits of my parents, each with a white tulip placed before them.
My throat tightened. Caroline had found a way to make my parents present on this most important day, ensuring everyone knew they were here in spirit. Clara took her seat beside the photos, and I felt my wolf Alaric surge with emotion within me.
"She honors our family," Alaric growled with approval. "A true Luna."
When our pack members and friends began their procession, I couldn’t help but admire the bridesmaids’ dresses. Each one was colored to match a different tulip in shades of deep purple, vibrant red, sunny yellow, warm orange, and delicate pink. They created a living garden as they walked, taking their places in the ten chairs arranged on either side of the altar, facing our gathered guests.
When the white curtains opened, showing Caroline on her father’s arm, my world stopped. My mate, my soon to be Luna, looked beautiful in white. Her dress was simple and elegant with a halter top held by long tulle straps that went around her neck and fell from a bow at her back, leaving her smooth skin bare. Layers of tulle made the skirt, with pretty lace details on the bodice and throughout the flowing fabric. As she walked, she seemed to float toward me like a dream.
In her hair, which was styled in a low bun, she wore my mother’s tiara that I’d sent to her this morning. Seeing my mother’s crown on my mate’s head broke something inside me, and I felt tears running down my face before I could stop them.
"Mine," Alaric howled inside me. "Finally, completely ours."
When she reached me, her father put her hand in mine with a knowing nod, and her bright smile and eyes full of pure love almost brought me to my knees. In that moment, I knew for sure that my life, my soul, everything belonged to her.
The ceremony started, mixing ancient werewolf traditions with modern vows. When it was time for the rings, little Liam came in, proudly carrying a wooden box with silver details. When he reached us, he gave me the box, then quickly sat on the edge of the platform between Caroline and me, messing up Eleanor’s careful planning but making the moment much more perfect.
"Look, Mommy! I did it!" he announced proudly, his violet eyes that were so like my own sparkling with delight.
The guests laughed, and Caroline smiled at him proudly. I opened the box to show our rings, which I’d had made from both my parents’ and grandparents’ wedding bands. My parents’ yellow gold rings with platinum in the middle were combined with my grandparents’ yellow gold bands with diamonds, creating two unique rings made from four. Inside each one, I had written "My heart is yours through every moon."
After we exchanged rings and said our vows, sealing our marriage with a kiss that made Alaric howl happily, I asked everyone for one more moment. I called Liam to stand in front of us and took out a small box from my pocket that I’d gotten from my family’s safe.
"Liam, come here, buddy," I said, getting down to his level.
From the box, I took out a silver bracelet with two small plates, which was something my father had given me when I was born. On one plate it said, "May you always walk protected. Daddy loves you." On the back, where my name used to be, I had added Liam’s name next to it. Next to the plate was a small silver wolf charm, and on the second plate I had written, "My blood runs in your veins, my protection surrounds you always."
As I put the bracelet around his tiny wrist, I also took out the official pack papers recognizing him as my heir and gave them to Caroline. I lifted Liam into my arms, faced our gathered pack members and allies, and announced proudly,
"I present to you my son and heir, Liam Bennett Thorne!"
Everyone gasped, followed by loud applause and howls of approval. I took Caroline’s hand, and the three of us walked back down the aisle under falling rose petals and the happy howls of our pack members.
The party afterward was amazing. The great hall of the pack house had been turned into an elegant reception venue with tables covered in ivory linens and centerpieces of red and white tulips in crystal vases. Among our many guests were the Alphas and Betas from nearby packs, all who came to witness the official union between myself and my true mate.This was a statement to the werewolf world that Caroline was under my protection, and any threat to her would be met with the full force of the Storm Valley Pack.
From Maplewood, Caroline had invited only her former Alpha Gerald and his family, along with a few close friends. We danced and celebrated with our packmates until the evening stars appeared, and I held my mate in my arms for what felt like hours, not wanting to let her go even for a moment.
We had decided to wait on our honeymoon until I could properly organize pack affairs, but Ryan and Eleanor had helped turn our master bedroom in the pack house into a romantic place for our wedding night.
When the party began winding down around midnight, since Caroline had wanted the event to end at a reasonable hour for Liam’s sake, I watched as the remaining catering staff quietly cleaned up everything while our security team stayed at a respectful distance around the house.
Ryan promised me they would stay quiet and make sure we wouldn’t be bothered. With everything arranged, I pulled my wife into my arms and whispered in her ear,
"It’s time for ’alone at last,’ my Luna."
She looked up at me with those beautiful green eyes, now shining with excitement, and replied softly,
"At last, my Alpha."
I swept her into my arms, holding her against my chest as Alaric rumbled with satisfaction, and carried her toward our bedroom on the second floor, where we would begin our forever together.