Chapter 169

Ava

James shook my hand warmly, snapping me out of my reverie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ava,” he said with a grin. “Chris has told me so much about you.”

“Is that so?” I glanced over at Chris, who just winked in response. “All good things, I hope,” I said with a laugh, trying to hide the way that my face was reddening beneath the weight of finally being introduced as Chris’s girlfriend.

“Oh of course,” James laughed. “He’s mentioned that you’re an excellent Luna; I’ll have to come and visit your pack sometime so I can see it for myself. Speaking of which… here comes my better half. Amanda! Come meet Chris and his girlfriend.”

The bride, a beautiful brunette who was utterly radiant in her lacy white gown, joined us. After another round of introductions, we fell into easy conversation. I was surprised at how naturally I fit into this world, chatting and laughing with James and Amanda as if I had known them for years. No one seemed to care much that I was a werewolf, and I didn’t care that they were humans. Here, we were just people, sharing drinks and stories and laughter.

A little while later, as the lively music changed to a slower song, Chris excused us from the conversation. “Would you like to dance?” he asked, extending his hand.

I took it without hesitation, already a bit tipsy from champagne. “I would love to.”

With a grin, he led me to the dance floor, pulling me close as we swayed to the music. I pressed my cheek against his chest almost immediately, letting him tug my body flush against his. The scent of his cologne overwhelmed me, but in a pleasant sort of way.

For a moment, just a moment, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to daydream. To daydream about… us. To imagine what it would feel like if this were our wedding, our commitment to each other in front of everyone we knew.

The thought made me smile, but it also created a soft pang in my chest.

“Having fun?” Chris murmured in my ear, breaking me out of my reverie.

I snapped my eyes open, nodding and pulling back just enough to look at him. “It’s perfect, Chris. Thank you for bringing me with you.”

He smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from my cheek with the back of his hand. “James and Amanda really seem to like you.”

“I like them, too.”

“Do you feel like you’re fitting in better here? In the human world, I mean,” he said softly.

I paused, pressing my lips together for a moment, considering. Finally, I nodded. “I think so,” I admitted. “Lately, I feel like the divide is closing a bit. Maybe that’s just me.”

Chris shook his head, his green eyes scanning the crowd. “It’s not just you. Something is changing, Ava. The world is changing.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, cocking my head to the side although I think I already knew the answer.

“I mean…” He paused, sucking in a breath through his teeth. “I don’t know exactly. But lately, it feels like the bridge between worlds is growing shorter of its own accord. Maybe it’s just that people are changing, evolving.”

“Do you ever wonder if the changes we’ve been making back home are helping?”

Chris nodded without hesitation. When his green eyes met mine, they were practically sparkling. “I do, Ava. And a lot of that is thanks to you.”

I couldn’t help but smile. We danced through several songs after that, just lost in our own little world. When a faster one came on, Chris spun me around, making me giggle like a kid again.

As the night progressed, we indulged in the champagne and the delicious food that was laid out on the buffet tables. Chris piled both our plates high with a wide variety of foods, everything from glistening oysters to colorful macarons.

“Try this,” he said, holding out a forkful of some exotic-looking mystery food.

I took a bite, my eyes widening at the explosion of flavors—lemon and salt, sweet and sour, tangy and savory. “Oh wow, that’s amazing. What is it?”

Chris shrugged and shot me an amused smirk. “Not a clue. But it’s good, right?”

We laughed, continuing to sample different foods and feeding each other bites. It felt intimate and playful, even in the midst of the crowded reception. And most of all, it felt good to be free to do such things in public.

Suddenly, there was a commotion near the dance floor. “It’s time for the bouquet toss!” someone announced.

“Go on,” Chris nudged me. “Give it a shot.”

I hesitated. “I don’t know…”

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” he insisted, gently pushing me toward the group of women gathering by the dance floor.

Reluctantly, I joined the crowd. Amanda turned her back to us, her vibrant bouquet in hand. With a count of three, she tossed it over her shoulder. I wasn’t even trying to catch it, but somehow, the bundle of flowers arced through the air and landed right in my arms.

There was a moment of stunned silence before the crowd erupted into cheers. I stood there, blushing furiously, holding the bouquet like it might explode in my hands.

“Look at that!” Chris called out, wolf whistling over the crowd and eliciting laughter. “Guess we know who’s getting married next!”

If possible, I blushed even deeper. Before I could recover, it was time for the garter toss. To my utter mortification, Chris caught it with ease.

“Well, well,” James said, clapping Chris on the back. “Looks like you two are destined after all, huh?”

The DJ called for Chris to put the garter on me. I froze, but Chris was already sauntering over, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“May I?” he asked, holding up the lacy garter with a pink bow on the front.

I nodded and sat down in the chair in the middle of the dance floor, unable to form words. Chris knelt down, his hands warm on my leg as he slowly slid the garter up my thigh. His fingers lingered there, unabashedly caressing my skin, and suddenly, the rest of the reception seemed to fade away—it was just us, and that stupid garter and that bouquet.

The touch sent shivers through me, and I had to bite my lip to keep from making a sound. I quickly looked away, clenching my jaw tightly.

When he finally stood, his eyes were dark with something I couldn’t quite read, but it was certainly something akin to desire. “Beautiful,” he murmured in my ear, just loud enough for me to hear.

The rest of the reception passed in a blur of dancing, laughter, and stolen glances between Chris and me. As the night wound down, Chris suggested we take a walk through the vineyard. Needing some fresh air away from the noise and the heat of the crowd, I gladly accepted.

Hand in hand, we strolled between the vines under the moonlight. The air was cool and fragrant with the scent of ripe grapes. On impulse, I reached out and plucked a few from a nearby vine.

“Ava!” Chris exclaimed in mock horror. “Are you stealing grapes?”

I popped one into my mouth, savoring the burst of sweetness. “Maybe. Want one?”

He leaned in, opening his mouth. I fed him a grape, my fingers brushing against his lips. He caught my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm.

We continued our walk, occasionally stealing more grapes and feeding them to each other. After a while, I was the first to break the silence.

“Do you put any stock in that whole ‘next to get married’ thing?”

Chris was quiet for a moment, and I held my breath. Finally, he turned to me, his expression serious. “How would you feel if I did?” he murmured.

I felt my cheeks heat up beneath his gaze, and it was all I could do not to look away with embarrassment. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it,” I admitted. “I love the idea of having a small, intimate wedding with a long white dress. But…”

“But?” Chris prompted gently.

I sighed and shrugged at the same time. “Sometimes, since I’m in my mid-thirties and have already been married once before, I feel like I’m too old to be a blushing bride. And that no one will care to attend my wedding.”

Chris stopped walking at that , turning to face me fully. “Ava, that’s ridiculous,” he said firmly. “You could be the most beautiful bride to ever exist right now, right this very second. Age is just a number, and your past doesn’t define your future. And as for people caring? Ava, the entire pack would be there in a heartbeat. Not to mention all the friends you’ve made here in the human world.”

His words warmed my heart, causing my face to flush even more. Suddenly, I was glad for the dim light partially hiding my red cheeks. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” he said, leaning in to kiss me softly.

When we parted was when it happened. Grinning, he suddenly dropped to one knee.

In that moment, time stood still. I didn’t know whether to scream or cry, run or fall to my knees in front of him. I felt frozen, like a statue with my hand over my mouth and my lips falling open.

“Chris, are you…”

“Ava…”

I clapped both hands over my mouth, my mind reeling. Was this really happening? Here? Now?

But then Chris simply reached down and tied his shoe, smirking up at me. “Ava, my shoe came undone.”

Relief and embarrassment flooded through me in equal measure. “You jerk!” I exclaimed, swatting him with my purse.

Chris laughed, jumping to his feet. “You should have seen your face!”

“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that!”

“Gotta catch me first,” he taunted, backing away.

With a growl, I launched myself at him, my purse raised for another swing at his shoulder. Chris turned and ran, weaving between the rows of grapevines. I chased after him, our laughter echoing through the moonlit vineyard.