CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The scent of wildflowers mingles with the damp earth as I tread through the forest clearing, my mind a whirlwind of lace and vows. A beam of sunlight pierces the canopy, spotlighting the very spot where Alex and I will stand to become one before the pack. My heart flutters like the wings of the butterflies that dance among the thistles.
"Right here," I murmur to myself, visualizing the scene. "Under the guardian boughs and open sky."
"Are you talking to the flowers or to yourself?" Alex's voice, deep and rich with humor, startles me from my daydream. I spin around, finding his tall frame leaning against a tree trunk, arms crossed over his chest, an easy smile playing on his lips.
"Maybe a bit of both," I confess, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. His presence has
