Chapter 299

TWO MONTHS LATER

The sun cast a warm glow over the royal gardens of the Ethereal Palace as Lucas and I stood across from each other, ready to exchange our vows in front of our closest friends and family.

Grandma Jo, Victoria, and James stood by our sides, along with King Alex, Professor Black, and Liam. Alex actually insisted on officiating our wedding which took some convincing. Lucas wasn't too keen on the idea.

"Imagine being able to tell people that the Alpha King was the one who married you two," Alex had said, wiggling his eyebrows at Lucas. "Doesn't that make for a good story?"

Lucas rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, a story we'd have to explain for the rest of our lives. No thanks."

I chuckled, patting Alex on the shoulder. "I think it's a fantastic idea, Your Majesty."

Alex grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I know, isn't it? I do love a good story. Perhaps I'll write a book about it."

Lucas shot me a sideways glance, a playful glint in his eye. "I don't know about you, but I'm starting to reconsider this whole thing."

I nudged him gently. "Too late now, you already gave me the ring and I'm never taking it off my finger."

"You better not." Lucas leaned in to give me a kiss.

Now, I held his hand as he blinked at me with eyes full of love.

"Shana, I promise to stand by your side, to support you in all your dreams, and to love you unconditionally for all the days of my life," Lucas vowed, his voice filled with emotion as he gazed into Shana's eyes. "We've been through so much together, but I would never take any of it away because it let us to this moment."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to Lucas's heartfelt words. "Lucas, I promise to cherish you, to stand by your side through thick and thin, and to love you with all my heart for eternity," I declared, my voice trembling with emotion. "You are my rock, my confidant, and my best friend. I couldn't imagine embarking on this journey with anyone else by my side."

King Alex cleared his throat, a smile playing on his lips. "Well, it seems we have some rings to exchange," he said, holding out the delicate bands.

With trembling hands, Lucas and I exchanged rings, sealing our vows with a kiss as cheers erupted from our small gathering of loved ones.

As we stood beneath the blooming arches of the palace gardens, Grandma Jo's eyes shimmered with tears of joy. "Oh, my darlings," she said, her voice choked with emotion, "you both look absolutely radiant."

Victoria and James stood beside her, beaming with pride.

"We couldn't be happier for you," Victoria exclaimed, wrapping us both in a warm hug.

James nodded in agreement. "I never thought this day would come. Who would've thought that out of the three of us, you two would be the ones to get married?"

Lucas chuckled, squeezing my hand affectionately.

"Well, miracles do happen," he said with a grin. "Next, it'll be you two." Lucas gestured to him and Victoria.

James let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head.

"Oh, I don't know about that," he replied, a twinkle of humor in his eyes. "I've already put Victoria through enough, haven't I?"

Victoria rolled her eyes playfully, swatting James on the arm. "Ignore him, he's just being dramatic. One wedding at a time is enough for now."

We all laughed, the lighthearted banter adding to the joyous atmosphere of the moment.

King Alex stepped forward, a smile spreading across his face. "Congratulations, you two. May your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day."

"Thank you, Alex," I replied, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for his support.

Professor Black and Liam joined the circle, offering their heartfelt congratulations.

"We wish you both a lifetime of happiness," Professor Black said warmly.

"Now let's party!" Alex cheered clapping his hands together.

"I like your thinking," James said, sliding up next to Alex. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Absolutely," Alex replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm thinking it's time to get the drinks flowing and get the music on full blast!"

James burst into laughter, nodding enthusiastically. "Now that's what I call a plan!"

Lucas looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Can you believe that the two of them just met?"

I whispered back, "No, but they're like the same person. It's weirding me out."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Yeah, it's like they were separated at birth or something."

I laughed, taking Lucas's hand and following everyone else inside the palace.

The sound of music filled the air as Lucas and I made our way to the dance floor. With our arms wrapped around each other, we swayed to the rhythm of the music, lost in the moment.

After our dance, Grandma Jo announced that it was time to cut the cake. The wedding cake, adorned with delicate flowers, stood tall and elegant on the table.

Lucas took the knife in hand, and together we made the first cut, the blade slicing through the layers of cake with ease.

Laughter filled the air as Grandma Jo teased us about taking the first bite.

"Don't be shy now, you two," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "It's tradition to smear a little frosting on each other's noses!"

Lucas grinned mischievously, dipping his finger into the frosting and swiping it across my nose.

"There, now we're officially married," he declared, his eyes dancing across my face.

I laughed, retaliating by smearing a bit of frosting on his cheek.

"Now we're even," I said, unable to contain my joy.

"Food fight?" James asked seriously, standing up from his table.

"No," Lucas shut him down before he could get carried away.

"Boo. You guys are boring," Alex commented, feeding into James's antics.

After all of us had a piece of cake, Grandma Jo finally announced that it was time for us to open our presents.

"Come on, you two lovebirds," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "let's see what treasures your guests have brought you."

I wasn't expecting anything from our guests, but it filled my hearth with warmth to see that everyone had given us something that would carry significance of this night forever.

Amidst the wrapping paper and ribbons, there was one gift that stood out—a small, elegantly wrapped package with no name attached.

Curiosity piqued, Lucas and I exchanged a puzzled glance before eagerly tearing into the wrapping.

Inside, nestled within soft velvet, was a delicate necklace adorned with the word "Busch" in elegant script.

Lucas furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Who could this be from?" he wondered aloud.

I thought about it for a moment, studying the elegant necklace, suddenly realizing that it must've cost a fortune.

"Do you think it's from Kendrick?"

Lucas blinked, shock taking over his face.

Grandma Jo leaned in, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "It's a lovely gesture if it's from him," she said softly. "I think that's his way of giving you his stamp of approval."

Hearing that come from Grandma Jo, even though she didn't necessarily like Kendrick, surprised me further.

I nodded, a warmth spreading through my heart at the thought of our families coming together to celebrate our love.

I was now finally a Busch...

With a smile, I slipped the necklace around my neck, feeling a sense of connection and belonging as I traced the letters with my fingers.

As the evening wore on and the festivities continued, Lucas and I found ourselves surrounded by the love and laughter of our cherished guests, our hearts full and our spirits soaring.

I looked at him, overcome with emotion.

He noticed me staring and reached out to grab my hand, placing a kiss on my skin.

"Now you can never leave me," Lucas teased.

"I wouldn't dream of it," I replied, leaning over to kiss him.

Together, we would embark on this new chapter of our lives, ready to face whatever adventures awaited us, knowing that with each other by our side, we could conquer anything.