Chapter 50

two years later

I need to breathe before I pass out before even stepping outside of the wooden double doors. It's happening. It took us one extra year to tie the knot, but it's actually happening.

I'm getting married, and I can't breathe. How can humans do it? It feels like I'm about to die of nervousness. I pace around the vacant living room of the Clowder.

Xavier and I decided to have the wedding in front of the house. There have been some changes to the traditional Christian one, but I can't help to have this gut feeling that things won't go as planned. It feels too good to be true.

My feet are killing me from the uncomfortable black heels. I thought that living with heeled boots would have made the pain go away with real heels, but I guess I was wrong.

A knock on the door startles me. "Are you ready?" Richard asks from outside.

I shake my head. "I need five minutes," I say as I take deep, elaborated breaths.

"Are you planning to run away?" he asks.

I snort. "I would never do that."

"Then hurry up before Benjamin ruins the wedding by starting a rainstorm because of you," he says and doesn't wait for my reply since I hear his footsteps walking away.

He's right. It's time.

I lift the dark dress as I slowly head outside. My heels click against the marble floor of the entrance hall. My hair is elegantly put into a bun with few loose strands in the front. Everything is going to be alright.

Soft music gets louder the closer I get to the front door and stops when I open it. The chatter that I could hear from inside dies down, and I let my eyes roam at the scene.

The Clowder is split into two sides, looking at me with a wide grin. We put a red carpet that starts from the front door, leading toward my mate. The full moon is glowing above us.

I spot Nala in the last row, gently shoving my two-year-old son forward. Benji walks in the middle with a basket of vanilla petals. His wavy red hair is pushed back as his wide golden eyes look up at me as if in a daze.

"Mama cute," he says. If the princess-like blood-colored dress wasn't so pompous, I would have crouched down to hug him.

Instead, I smile. "Thank you, you're cute as well. Now, remember what we practiced for today?" I ask, already knowing his answer.

Benji nods his head before turning around and starts dropping the vanilla petals on the carpet as he walks forward.

A slow song starts playing in the background as I walk forward, seeing my father on the left with tears in his sapphire eyes. Slowly, my eyes shift to the right, and my mouth goes dry at the shocking sight of Xavier freely crying.

He doesn't even bother to wipe the tears away. His lips curve upward, and I can't help but do the same.

The first thing I do when I'm in front of what humans call an altar is hugging my father. "The dress looked so horrendous on the mannequin I can't believe it actually looks good on you," dad whispers into my ear, making a laugh bubble out of me.

"I love you," I say.

Dad chuckles. "I'm proud of you."

With that, we break from the hug, and I turn around at the dashing lion dressed in a white tux.

Xavier's infamous dreads are now gone, showing the world the beauty of his natural dark curls. He looks younger with them.

He grabs my hands, bringing them under his nose to kiss my knuckles. My face automatically heats up, receiving a proud smile from him.

"Alright, love birds, let's get started before the Clowder witnesses an unholy act," Richard says, standing between Xavier and me.

We can't help but chuckle with the rest of the werecats before giving one glance at Richard, silently asking him to proceed with the mortal wedding.

"Werecats, please shift, as a sign of loyalty and union to the bride and groom," Richard starts. My gaze falls on the Clowder, watching in awe as everyone shifts into their feline. Outfits are tearing apart or falling over the heads of the few housecats.

"Alexa, Xavier, you can now half shift," he continues, and with a firm nod, we listen to him.

My tail is hidden under the dress as my ears happily perk up to attention. My canines grow pointer, my nails elongate, and my green eyes are glowing at the man I fell in love with.

Xavier only shifted his ears since he's self-conscious about his canines being too big for his human mouth, but I don't mind because the golden glow of his eyes is enough for me.

Richard let his dark eyes turn blue. "We are gathering here today to witness the union between Alexa Reeds and Xavier Lyon under the light of the Moon Goddess. It feels weird knowing that my left and right hand will be holding hands right behind my back—"

"Richard," Xavier and I say at the same time, rolling our eyes at our leader.

The tiger laughs. "You're already saying stuff at the same time. I guess this is one of the many advantages of true love. Anyways, Benjamin, it's your turn, boy."

Putting our focus on our son, we proudly watch him walk up toward us. His walk is already confident for a two-year-old hybrid. He stops in front of us and closes his eyes, concentrating on what the head of faeries taught him.

The water that surrounds our house quietens down and, slowly, water liquid flows from the lake to the land, coming toward us. Turns out Benjamin can control any type of fluid.

The water trail keeps coming until two small boxes are formed with them. Benjamin holds them above his tiny hands as he opens his fists, revealing two beautiful silver rings.

Xavier gently pats his son's head before grabbing one ring and sliding it into my ring finger. "My beautiful Alexa. I knew we were meant to be by the time I saw your pigtails red hair for the first time. I might be exaggerating for that, but I definitely knew we were going to last when we met again four years later. There is so much to say about what we've been through and about you that if I could list them all, we would stay here for at least two hours.

But for the sake of our guests and Richard, who's already glaring at me, I'll keep it short. You are the most alluring woman I've encountered in my life. We might not be soulmates, but we've been blessed by the Gods in being twin flames. Your smile, your teasing, your mind, and your constant blushing face will always turn my worst days into the best ones. I love you and, I will never get tired of staying by your side."

I am crying. I'm not talking about the innocent, cute cry. No, I'm talking about the full-on ugly cry that I feel any person would run away from it. Xavier puts his warm hands on my cheeks and kisses my tears away as I feel a tug on my dress.

I look down, seeing my son with glassy eyes. "Mama, no cry," he says as I feel teardrops falling on my shoulders from the sky.

My lips curl upward. "I'm not– I'm not crying. I'm fine," I look back at Xavier, "Your vows were so beautiful, I don't think mine will reach the same level," I say in-between deep breath.

"Well, we don't have all night to be waiting to hear them, so please do your part," Richard snaps.

Xavier and I growl simultaneously, shutting him up for good. Richard puts his hands up in surrender.

I take the ring from Benji's hand and slide it on Xavier's ring finger. My chest rises as I breathe in. "I have a confession to make," I start, feeling my heart increasingly speed up. Xavier tilts his head to the side.

"I fell in love with you twice. The first time happened in high school. I would watch you from afar, absorbing the suffocating power you would release once you were near me. You tutoring me about literature was the perfect excuse to spend more time together. The closer you were, the more I fell for you until I convinced myself that these feelings couldn't happen because you were a lion and we were friends. I shot myself in the foot for it, but I got handed a second chance.

Four years later and I found you again. This time I promised myself I wouldn't do anything that would cause me to fall in love again, but it happened, and I'm not regretting it. I was scared at first, but you turned my world upside down with your idiotic banters and warm hugs. You said you were scared we might end up in a loveless relationship, which might happen because not everything is perfect. But I'm sure we will overcome any obstacles that come in our way because that's how much I love you. I trust you, and I will never get tired of staying by your side."

Xavier licks his lips, and without saying another word, he pulls my body toward him, passionately kissing me. My arms go around his neck as he puts his around my waist. He slips his tongue inside my mouth, meeting mine.

A sniff breaks our kiss. Richard is crying, well, he's trying to not cry. He keeps looking up while blinking fast. "I'm sorry, I just need a second," he says, sniffing again.

Xavier and I don't pull away from each other. I lean my head over his chest as I watch Richard having a hard time controlling his emotions, and it's a beautiful sight.

After a quiet minute, Richard exhales before clearing his throat. "Alright, with these beautiful vows, Alexa and Xavier vow to love each other unconditionally, in sickness and in health, in human and in feline form, until death do them apart. You may now mark each other as soulmates," he says.

The worst part of the mating is out of the window, so this should be anything but painful.

I lean away from Xavier's chest, looking at the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. "Are you ready?" he quietly asks, and I nod, giving him a soft smile.

With that, we kiss once again, but this time no tongue is involved. It's an innocent kiss as our hands grab the back of our neck. With my elongated nails, I slide my fingers in the upper back, digging into Xavier's skin as he does the same. I scratch him as I slide back up to the back of his neck.

A moan comes out of Xavier's mouth before he scratches me as well. An overwhelming fire is burning my body. Everything is burning but in a way that makes me moan.

My core is pulsating for the new feeling, and a deep chuckle booms in my mind.

Mate, the deep voice says in my mind, leaving me confused.

Mate, Foxy happily exclaims, rolling from one side to the other as she purrs.

I pull away from the lion. "Did you hear it?" I whisper wide-eyed.

He nods with a grin. "That's our felines. Mine talks a lot, but you'll get used to it." And with that, he kisses me again as I feel my heart ready to come out of my body.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Richard speaks up as we kiss.

Loud thuds resound around us, and I'm guessing it's the Clowder smacking their tails against the ground, trying to imitate the clapping sounds.

A tiny form is trying to hug my leg, but the dress is too big. I pull away to look down at Benjamin hugging us. Xavier chuckles, picking the tiny lion up into his arms.

Xavier kisses his cheek before grinning. "Are you happy that your mom and dad are now married?" he asks, receiving a vigorous nod from his son.

I kiss Benji's cheek as well. "We are too," I say, exchanging a loving gaze with my husband.

We are too.

The End.