Chapter 248

Ella

The doors to the chapel opened, and the soft sound of orchestral music filled my ears. This was it; this was the moment. Everything felt like it was moving so fast, and yet somehow it felt as though time was standing completely still at the same moment.

I watched as the wedding planner gestured from the sidelines for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to pair up and walk through the doors, preceded by the flower girl—a family friend’s daughter, who looked absolutely precious in her little pink dress with her basket of petals. Even from where I stood, I could hear the guests cooing over how cute she was.

I held my father’s arm, my stance tense. Being in front of so many people was something that I had gotten used to as a lawyer, and yet the idea of saying my vows in front of all of the wedding guests—family, friends, plus-ones, friends of friends, distant cousins who I had only ever met once, and the list goes on—seemed as daunting as ever.

My father, noticing my nervousness, glanced down at me with his cool gray eyes that so closely matched my own. “Ready?” he asked gently, patting my hand.

His voice pulled me back to the present and I nodded, my throat tight with a mixture of fear, excitement, and nervousness. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady even though I knew it was a losing battle.

We watched as Sarah and her boyfriend walked through the doors arm-in-arm, and then it was our turn.

But I was frozen to my spot.

My father paused, looking down at me again. “You okay?” he whispered.

I swallowed. “There’s too many people,” I muttered. “I… I can’t do it.”

“Honey,” my dad whispered with a soft chuckle, “it’s not that many people. Besides, it’s just gonna be you and Logan up there. You don’t need to worry.”

Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet my father’s. He looked so warm and welcoming on the outside, but I knew him too well, and I could see right past it. On the inside, he was just as terrified as I was.

“You’re shaking, too,” I teased, punching his arm.

My father’s face reddened a little, and he smirked, looking away. “Look, it’s not easy for me, either,” he said softly. “Giving my little girl away and all… I’m a dad. It’s hard.”

“But…” I said, knowing that he was going somewhere with this. The music carried on in the background and the wedding planner was shooting us both a worried glare, but we were too wrapped up in our own little world to notice much else.

“But,” my father continued, taking a step forward with me on his arm, “it’s a part of life, doing hard things. And you take after me.”

“Meaning?” We were almost at the doors now.

“Well, you’re tough,” he said. “You can handle a little pressure. Maybe even more than I can, honestly. So you’re gonna get out there, and you’re gonna say your vows, and you’re gonna feel like the happiest woman on the planet.”

“And what about you?” I whispered.

“Me?” My dad laughed, maybe a little more loudly than he intended. “I’ll try not to cry, and I’ll kill that man if he ever hurts you. Although I don’t think he will.”

I didn’t realize it, but we were standing in the doorway now. The guests were all standing, looking at us; but my eyes were only on Logan, who stood up ahead, his hands folded in front of him.

And even from where I stood, I could see the sparkle in his eyes as he beamed down the aisle at me.

As my dad and I slowly began our fathomless walk down the aisle, the world seemed to fall away. All I could see was Logan at the end of the walkway, standing tall and handsome in his perfectly tailored suit. His blue eyes shone with love and anticipation, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

The guests gasped and murmured as I walked past, their faces blurred in my vision, all except for Logan. Time seemed to slow down, every step bringing me closer to the man I was about to marry, my fated mate.

Finally, we reached the end of the aisle, and my dad gently placed my hand in Logan’s. He leaned in, kissing my cheek softly before whispering, “I’m so proud of you, Princess.”

I squeezed his hand. “I love you, dad,” I whispered back.

Turning to face Logan, I was struck all over again by the depth of emotion in his blue-eyed gaze. He gave my hand a squeeze as we ascended the steps to the podium, and leaned in to whisper to me.

“You look stunning,” he whispered.

I couldn’t help but smirk a bit. “You’re not so bad yourself, you know.”

The officiant began to speak, his voice calm and soothing, but I barely heard him. My dad had been right; my entire focus was on Logan, on the man who had changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. No one else seemed to be here. It was just the two of us, standing in the middle of eternity together.

But then, suddenly, it was time to exchange vows. I didn’t know how it had happened so quickly, but it had.

Logan went first. His voice was steady, but I could hear how he was trying to contain his emotion as he spoke fluidly and eloquently.

“Ella,” he began, “from the moment I met you, I knew my life would never be the same. You’ve brought light into my darkness, joy into my sorrow, and love into my heart. I promise to cherish you, to protect you, and to love you for all the days of my life.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as he spoke, and when he was finished, it was all I could do to contain them. I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts for my own vows.

“Logan,” I began, my voice trembling slightly, “you are my rock, my safe haven, and my true love. You’ve shown me what it means to be loved unconditionally, and I promise to give you that same love in return. I vow to stand by your side, to support you, and to be your partner in all things, for as long as we both shall live.”

As I finished, Logan’s eyes glistened beneath the sunlight streaming in through the high stained glass windows, and a smile spread across his face.

The officiant then asked for the rings, and Clara, my maid of honor, stepped forward to hand them to us. Logan took the ring and slid it onto my finger, his touch gentle and sure. With a shaky hand, I took his ring and placed it on his finger.

Then, the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, and Logan pulled me into his arms for our first kiss as a married couple. I felt our wolves intertwine in that moment, a sensation that was both exhilarating and impossibly beautiful. He dipped me low, and my fingers curled into his hair, and the sounds of the guests cheering faded into the background.

When we finally broke apart after what felt like an eternity, the guests erupted into applause, and we turned to face them, hand in hand. The joy in the air was palpable, and as we walked back down the aisle, the guests threw rice over us, showering us with their blessings.

It was a fairytale moment, one that I would cherish forever. The setting sun cast a warm, golden light over us, and I felt as though I was living in a dream.

My dad had been right.

I really did feel like the happiest woman on the planet.