THE WEDDING
1990 Words
*8:00PM. ROOFTOP. NIGHT VERSION*
The city was quiet.
Kade had a blanket.
I had his jacket.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Anything.”
“Do you ever think about what would’ve happened if you didn’t reject me?”
He was quiet.
“Every day. But I also think about this. And I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”
He pulled out the key again.
“Lake house. Move in whenever. No rush.”
“What about here? HQ?”
“This is pack business. That’s home.”
He kissed me.
Slow.
No desperation.
Just promise.
“My Luna,” he whispered.
“My Alpha.”
---
*10:30PM. BEDTIME ROUTINE*
Baths.
Pajamas.
3 stories.
Because Leo negotiated.
Kade did voices for all the characters.
Badly.
The twins loved it.
When they were asleep, we stayed in their room.
Watching them.
“They look like you,” Kade said.
“They have your eyes.”
“They have your heart.”
We went to our room.
Bigger bed.
Same us.
Kade pulled me in.
“Tomorrow?”
“What about tomorrow?”
“Nothing. No meetings. No Council. Just us.”
“Promise?”
“Promise promise.”
---
*11:59PM. LAST THOUGHT*
My phone buzzed.
Thomas: *All clear. Darius’s crew processed. No new threats.*
I showed Kade.
He deleted it.
“Not tonight,” he said.
“Not tonight,” I agreed.
He turned off the light.
Pulled me close.
“Goodnight, Luna.”
“Goodnight, Alpha.”
For the first time,
We fell asleep without checking the doors.
Without listening for footsteps.
Just sleep.
Just home.
---
*9:00AM. THE LAKE HOUSE*
White chairs.
White flowers.
Blue door.
Exactly like we said 5 years ago.
I was in the bridal room, staring at the dress.
My hands were shaking.
Elena zipped me up.
“You look like her,” she whispered. “Your mother.”
“She would’ve liked him,” I said.
“She loves him.”
Knock.
Lila and Leo in mini tuxes.
Lila: “Mommy you’re a princess!”
Leo: “Dad’s crying already and he’s not even here.”
I laughed. Cried. Then laughed again.
---
*10:30AM. GUEST ARRIVAL*
40 people.
No Council.
No press.
Just pack.
Thomas at the door with a list.
May from the diner.
A few elders who actually liked me.
Kade’s beta, his mom, his old trainer.
Elena walked me down a path of white petals.
No music.
Just wind and water.
And Kade.
---
*10:45AM. AT THE ALTAR*
He was in black.
No tie.
Sleeves rolled up.
Eyes red already.
When he saw me he forgot how to breathe.
Thomas cleared his throat. “Alpha.”
Kade blinked. “Right. Sorry.”
I took his hands.
They were cold.
“My hands are sweating,” I whispered.
“Makes two of us.”
The officiant was an old pack elder.
“Today we bind not just two wolves, but two lives. Two histories. Two hearts that found each other twice.”
The twins stood in front of us.
Ring bearers.
Leo had the pillow.
Lila had the flowers.
“Do you, Kade Blackwood, take Ava Mooncrest as your Luna, your mate, your partner?”
Kade didn’t hesitate.
“I do. I did 5 years ago. I do today. I’ll do tomorrow.”
Someone in the back sniffled.
Probably Elena.
“Do you, Ava Mooncrest, take Kade Blackwood as your Alpha, your mate, your partner?”
I squeezed his hands.
“I do. Even when you were an i***t. Even now. I do.”
Laughter. Soft.
“Then by the moon and by your pack, I pronounce you mated.”
Kade pulled me in.
Kissed me.
Not soft. Not for show.
Like a promise kept.
Cheers.
The twins yelled “WE HAVE A DAD!”
---
*11:15AM. THE VOWS*
We wrote them ourselves. No one else heard them.
Kade went first.
He pulled a paper from his pocket. Crumpled.
“Ava.
I rejected you because I was scared.
I lost you because I was stupid.
I found you again because the moon wouldn’t let me forget.
I promise to choose you every day.
To cook terrible pancakes every Sunday.
To fight for you, with you, beside you.
To be a dad that Leo and Lila deserve.
To build you a home with a blue door.
I was Alpha before I met you.
I’m a man because of you.
I love you.”
I was crying.
Elena was crying.
Thomas was pretending he wasn’t crying.
My turn.
“I was 17 when I loved you.
I was 22 when I left you.
I’m 23 now and I’m not running anymore.
I promise to call you out when you’re being an overprotective alpha.
To let you be soft with me.
To raise our kids to be kind and loud.
To wear daisy crowns and drink bad coffee with you.
You’re not just my second chance.
You’re my first real home.
I love you.”
He kissed my forehead.
“Blue door,” he whispered.
“Blue door,” I answered.
---
*12:00PM. RECEPTION. GARDEN TENTS*
Salted caramel cake.
Cut together.
Fed to each other.
Leo immediately stole a piece.
Speeches:
Elena: “I’ve known Ava since she was 15. She’s stubborn. She’s loyal. She’s perfect for him.”
Thomas: “Alpha. You’re still terrible at emails. But you’re a good man. Congrats.”
Lila: “Can we have ice cream now?”
Kade danced with me first.
No song. Just him humming.
“I’m scared,” he said into my hair.
“Of what?”
“That this isn’t real.”
“It is.”
“Pinch me.”
I did.
“Ouch.”
“Real.”
Then he danced with Lila.
Then with Leo on his shoulders.
Then with me again.
No phones.
No threats.
Just sunlight.
---
*2:00PM. PHOTOS*
Family photos.
Kade + me + twins.
Me + Elena.
Kade + Thomas looking miserable together.
All of us by the blue door.
The photographer: “Okay, kiss!”
Kade: “We’ve been doing that all day.”
“Again.”
He did. Longer this time.
---
*3:30PM. QUIET MOMENT*
I slipped away to the lake.
Alone for 5 minutes.
Footsteps behind me.
Kade.
“Found you.”
“You always do.”
We sat on the dock.
Feet in the water.
“No Council today,” he said.
“No Darius.”
“No emails.”
“Just us.”
He laid his head on my shoulder.
“I waited 5 years for this.”
“Me too.”
---
*5:00PM. GOODBYES*
Guests left slowly.
Hugs.
“Welcome to the family, Luna.”
Elena hugged me hard.
“I’m proud of you, baby.”
“Thanks, mom.”
Thomas: “Take the week off, Alpha.”
Kade: “Try and make me.”
Thomas left anyway.
---
*6:00PM. THE HOUSE*
Empty now.
Just us 4.
The twins ran inside screaming.
“Our house!”
“Our rooms!”
Kade carried me over the threshold.
Old tradition.
New start.
“Welcome home, Luna.”
“Welcome home, Alpha.”
---
*7:00PM. DINNER*
Takeout.
On the floor.
Because we hadn’t bought a table yet.
Kade: “What do we do now?”
Me: “Live?”
Leo: “Play!”
Lila: “Stories!”
So we did.
Board games.
Bath time.
3 stories.
Bed.
---
*9:30PM. OUR ROOM*
Bigger bed.
Our bed.
Window open.
Lake sounds.
Kade was behind me.
Arms around me.
Ring on my finger.
His ring on his.
“Mrs. Blackwood,” he whispered.
“Mr. Blackwood,” I answered.
He turned me over.
Kissed me.
Slow.
No rush.
We had time now.
“I love you,” he said.
“I know.”
“Say it back.”
“I love you, Kade.”
---
*11:00PM. LAST THOUGHT*
The house was quiet.
No sirens.
No buzzing.
No fear.
Just breathing.
4 of us.
Safe.
Kade’s hand found mine under the covers.
“Friday,” he whispered.
“Every Friday,” I whispered back.
He smiled in the dark.
“Goodnight, Luna.”
“Goodnight, Alpha.”
And for the first time in 15 episodes,
We slept.
Really slept.
---
*11:30AM. AFTER THE KISS*
The kiss broke.
But Kade didn’t let go of my hands.
The elder smiled. “You may now present your rings.”
Leo stepped forward. Proud.
Too proud.
He tripped.
The pillow flew.
The rings flew.
Everyone gasped.
Kade moved faster than thought.
Caught both rings mid-air.
“Alpha reflexes,” Thomas muttered.
Leo: “I meant to do that.”
Lila: “No you didn’t.”
Kade knelt.
Slid the ring on my finger.
Silver.
Simple.
Engraved inside: _Blue Door - 5.14.26_
My turn.
His hands were shaking now.
I took his.
Same ring.
Engraved: _Mine - 5.14.26_
“Took you long enough,” he whispered.
“Shut up and let me marry you.”
---
*12:45PM. RECEPTION. TOASTS*
Glasses up.
No champagne.
Apple cider.
Because of the twins.
Elena stood.
“To my daughter.
You left home with nothing but a backpack and heartbreak.
You came back with a family and fire.
To Kade.
You hurt her.
You grew up.
You came back better.
To all of you. May your home be loud and your love be louder.”
Everyone drank.
Then Kade’s mom stood.
She’d never liked me.
5 years ago.
She looked at me now.
“At 17, I thought you’d ruin him.
At 23, I see you saved him.
Welcome to the pack, Luna.
Welcome home.”
I cried.
Kade squeezed my knee under the table.
---
*1:30PM. FIRST DANCE. FULL VERSION*
The song started.
No DJ.
Just Thomas’s old speaker.
Kade’s playlist.
Our song.
From when we were 17.
He pulled me close.
We weren’t good dancers.
We stepped on each other’s feet.
“I used to practice this,” he admitted.
“In my room?”
“Yeah. With a pillow. Pathetic.”
“Cute.”
He spun me.
The dress flared.
The twins clapped.
“I don’t care who’s watching,” he said.
“Me neither.”
We danced for 3 songs.
Until Leo demanded a turn.
So Kade danced with Leo.
Then with Lila.
Then dragged me back in.
“Forever?” he asked.
“Forever,” I said.
---
*4:00PM. LAKE DOCK. EXTRA 10 MINUTES*
We went back.
Just us.
Shoes off.
Kade traced the ring on my finger.
“You know what the worst part of the last 5 years was?”
“What?”
“Nights like this. Alone. Knowing you were out there and I couldn’t call you.”
“I was alone too.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We’re here now.”
He picked up a rock.
Skipped it.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5 skips.
“One for each year we lost,” he said.
“One for each year we get back,” I answered.
He kissed me.
Tasted like cake and cider.
“My wife,” he tested the word.
“My husband,” I tested it back.
We stayed until the sun dipped low.
Until Thomas texted: *Guests gone. House is yours.*
---
*8:30PM. BEDTIME. EXTENDED*
After stories, after lights out,
Kade and I stood in the hallway.
Listening to the quiet.
“Did you hear that?” he whispered.
“What?”
“Nothing. No threats. No sirens.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s new.”
He pulled me into our room.
Closed the door.
Locked it.
Not because he was scared.
Because he could.
“Come here,” he said.
Sat on the bed.
Pulled me into his lap.
We didn’t talk.
We just sat.
His chin on my head.
My hand in his.
“I love being married to you,” he said finally.
“I love being yours.”
Outside, the lake moved.
Inside, we were still.
- Writer
