Chapter {60}

Emrys Belle:

Damon tugged me out of the room leading us to this ornate hall. Kendyn was carrying Leora in his arms with Luke clinging to his leg while Wolf had Aurora in his arms and a still tired Aj standing next to him alongside Wolf's boys.

"Everything alright here?" I questioned a little surprised that nor Rose or Leigh were here to wake the kids up.

"All is alright, mum and Ro are dealing with your mum, sister and step dad at the moment. Kendyn and I just legged it, seemed to get pretty heated." Wolf confessed giving my daughter to her eagerly waiting father.

"Steven is here? He wasn't invited." I sighed frustrated.

That is the one thing I asked of my mother was to not bring him and she promised she wouldn't. She promised me a lot of things for this wedding but I guess I should have taken the hint when she didn't show up to my ceremony.

I walked off in a huff trying to find the ballroom and left all the boys and kids where they were wanting to sort this mess out before there was blood on the walls.

I could hear elevated voices coming from one of the side corridors just before the main hall where all the dancing and rest of the tables for the guest were.

I could see my sister cowering away behind my mother while Steven was seemingly trying to argue his way in with Mr and Mrs Mortimer.

"What is going on here?" I decided to make my presence known to the small crowd that had now gathered.

"Tell these people that I'm allowed in. I am family." Steven demanded.

"No." I simply answered.

What is it with these men in my life deciding that today of all days is the time to make a scene.

"No?" he enquired, his demenor changing drastically.

"I said no. You were not invented. I specifically asked my mother for this favour." I stated matching his posture. I could see the little smirk at the corner of Asher's lips.

"Emrys, honey, please don't make a scene and let us in. Sorry we're late." my mother decided to speak up to calm the air.

"Me? Make a scene? You are the ones crashing my wedding. And late? Really? This is not late, this is taking the piss." I shot back at my mum knowing that I had hurt her but I needed my mum with me on my wedding day and she couldn't even do that.

"If you are going to keep arguing with the Mortimers and I than you have no place here. Mia can stay if she so wishes as I'm pretty sure she had nothing to do with this." I send a tender look towards Mia because I knew that if it were up to her she would have been by my side at the alter.

A small silence fell in the air, Everleigh and Asher standing their ground not wanting to interfere and let me speak.

"So? Are you leaving or do we need to escort you off these premises?" I crossed my arms over my chest, staring Steve down.

There was a glint of malice in his eyes and I knew that I was really pushing my luck because I would never normally stand up to this man for my mother's and Mia's sake but today I felt empowered. I was now a Mortimer and Mortimers do not sit back and take the hits, they strike first.

Steve's resolve faltered and Asher's glare certainly helped move things along.

"I'm sorry Ems. For everything." my mum carefully whispered out as she reached out for my hand as a sign of peace.

I gracefully squeezed her hand, eventhough I am mad and severely disappointed in her behaviour I know deep down that Steven is a very cunning and controlling man. I want to hate my mother but she is still my mother despite all the mistakes and laps in judgement she has had over the years towards me.

With those last words she left, tugging Steven along beside her. Mia chose to stay for the evening which I was glad about because I have missed my sister and she would be safer with me right now then going home and witness the big fight that is bound to happen between our mother and Steven.

I took a moment to catch my breath in the garden with Damon before making our big entrance for our reception and get the party started. Jeremy's words still ringing in my mind and Steven's attitude only further stressing his words. I felt watched and unsafe.

"Penny for your thoughts?" came Damon's deep voice taking me away from this area of doubt I was stuck in.

His warm brown eyes making me feel at home, his strong build letting me know that when wrapped in his arms I would be safe of any harm.

"Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you by my side until the day we die." I smiled.

He pulled me to his chest so that my back was against it, looking out onto the beautiful lands we had before us.

"We will never die, you are my sunshine, my light and that will never end." he kissed the nape of my neck and as we swung lightly following the beat of the music playing inside, our bodies moulding together as we did so.

"Oi! Love birds! Time to make the big entrance and get this party started!" we turned and saw Alex already with a glass in his hand calling us over for our first dance as a married couple.

Damon took my hand and walked up to the big ball room that was all set up for our reception party, all our family and guests waiting patiently for our first dance as we were anounced by the DJ as 'Mr and Mrs Mortimer'.

'Strangers in the night' by Frank Sinatra started to play through the speakers, it was Damon's and I's song according to Rose because we were just two strangers in the night that fateful evening.

He and I just shut the world around us, only focusing on ourselves in this moment. Everything else just disapearing as I stared into my husband's eyes. The words to the song playing around us drowning away the light chatter surrounding us.

The song soon came to an end but I never wanted this moment to end. It just felt so right being here with him. Damon placed a tender kiss on my lips, our eyes meeting once again before he whispered in my ear 'I'll be right back, stay there'.

I stood confused at his words, still standing in the middle of the dance floor, all eyes on me as I watched my husband pop on stage and grab a microphone, giving it a few taps to see if it was working.

"Hello everyone, I hope you are all having a great evening." he started earning a loud chorus of yells, whistles and cheers from out guests.

Damo let out a smile and waved the noise down before he continued talking.

"Now as most of you know, after the first dance comes the father/daughter dance. However, Emrys' father is no longer with us and not a day goes by that we do not appreciate the sacrifice he made for our family and for the survival of our gang. Carter was a brave man, a family man and sadly today he cannot share this moment with us, and especially not his daughter." Damon's eyes cast to me at those last words.

I tried not to let too many of my emotions show but I did feel a whole in my heart today not having him here, not having him walk me down the aisle, not having him stand by my side, hold my hand or make a speech.

"Your dad may not be present with us today my sunshine by he is never far. So I offer you this instead." Damon looked to his left and came onto the dance floor Ray looking a little nervous stepping onto the dance floor.

"May I have this dance?" he asked as Celine Dion's song Dance with my father again rung through the speakers.

The air got caught in my throat a little hearing the lyrics as Ray took my hand and led the way on the dance floor telling me about the time dad beat him up after he had knocked auntie Annie up. He continued to tell me little stories about dad until I felt a little tap on my shoulder.

Ray and I stopped dancing, I turned and saw Asher standing tall, a tender look in his eyes.

"My turn Princess."

I swapped arms and felt as if I had a father with me in this moment. Asher has played a big part in my life since I have been with Damon and has filled to some extent this whole in me.

"Your father would be so proud of you princess. Proud of the woman you have become, of the things you have accomplished in your life and for being the amazing person, this loving anf caring person. Every time I look at you I see my best friend and more so when I look at Aj, they are so alike it scares me in the best possible way. I miss him so much." I could hear the slight falter in Asher's voice, tears brimming in both our eyes.

I stopped dancing and gave Ash a hug in the middle of he dance floor. A hug we both needed.

"Thank you for being here for me. Dad may not be by my side but he would be happy to know that you are here to keep an eye on me." I felt Asher squeeze me even harder and understood what Everleigh says about being crushed by his hugs.

"Umm, dad? May I have a turn?" I peaked over Asher's shoulder and saw a shy yet intimidating looking Carter standing beside us.

Asher quickly regained his composure and stood tall as if he hadn't just let his guard down remembering his best friend, the man he called brother.

I was soon swept into Carter's strong arms, damn all these men be big burly bears.

"I know we don't talk much and you may find this as awkward as I am right now but I have to say this quick before it's Paul's turn to dance with you." Carter spoke in one breath before he continued.

"Your dad is the reason I am alive today and for that I am forever grateful. I wish I got to know him and grow up with him around but instead I will carry his name with pride and honour and just know that if you or the little ones need anything at all, I'll be there. Always. I'm the new uncle Carter and will protect you all just like he did for my mum and me."

I let out a small tear that I quickly wiped away, nodding in agreement to his words.

"Thank you Carter."

I gave him one last hug before it was time to dance with Paul. he gave me a small smile before we two stepped to the end of the song. No words were spoken between us nor did we need to say anything. Just having him there was enough for me. We had both lost someone we loved so dearly, yet his love was kept secret, just as much as I was kept a secret to everyone present.

The song slowly came to an end. I had ended with Aj on my hip who wanted to have his little moment with me feeling left out even if a new song started to play as the guests joined us on the dance floor. I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist knowing straight away that they belonged to my new hubby.

"Thank you for organising that little father/daughter dance. That meant a lot to me." I said to him once we had stepped off the dance floor to grab a snack for Aj.

"You are more than welcome my love. You know your dad is still here in spirit but you also have these substitute dad's that have your back and besides my dad and Paul would have fought their way to the dance floor and claim the father/daughter dance so I avoided a major conflict here. You are welcome." he joked with a cheeky grin making me let out a gigle knowing that both those men would literally have fought eachother.

The rest of the night continued without a scratch, the room was filled with music, love and laughter all through the evening. Despite the wedding crashers and Jeremy's warnings I felt as if nothing could get to me. I was happy, I had it all. I was a Mortimer now and nothing was going to stop me.

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Hello my loves!

I know it's been ages but a lot has happened!

a) ya girl is FINALLY done with university! whooo three years have gone past quick

b) got a new job so now I'm working 2 jobs lol

c) sadly my grandmother passed away so that was rough

d) I got kittens as a graduation present so I have my hands full with my new babies Apple and Crumble

e) ya girl got herself a man that treated her right but then still ended up single, right person wrong time :/ 

and I think that's all of the major life moments in the last 4 months, been rough but we're managing!

hope all of yall are well!

Cried my little eyes out writing the end of this chapter, been wanting to write that scene for ever!!

Thoughts? Predictions?

best bits?

God knows when I will update next but I will try and find the time to update when I can!

don't forget to follow me on insta and tiktok!! 

much love, until next time

xoxo