Chapter 48

Chapter 48

We stood before the altar again. No one was jeering or booing. I was in a white dress. Mason was in some very handsome robes.

An officiant was standing there, looking slightly bewildered but mostly happy. He wrapped a red cord around our wrists as Mason and I held hands.

“Do you, Alpha Mason Hale, accept Kora Monroe as your wife and Luna, to love and to rule beside you until the Moon Goddess takes you home?” the officiant asked.

Mason smiled at me and nodded. “I do.”

The officiant turned to me. “Do you, Kora Monroe, accept Alpha Mason Hale as your husband and Alpha, to love and rule beside you until the Moon Goddess takes you home?”

I swallowed back tears. “I do,” I whispered.

A loud cheer went up, and the officiant rolled his eyes. “I’m not finished yet!” he yelled over the crowd.

The crowd went silent.

“Thank you,” the officiant said. He cleared his throat. “I now pronounce you man and wife, you may k*ss-”

Another cheer burst from the crowd, and the officiant gave up.

Mason leaned forward and caressed my cheek. “I love you,” he whispered before his l*ps met mine.

I k*ssed him back, feeling melty all over.

“Are you absolutely sure we have to go to the reception?” Mason groaned under the cheering around us.

“Pretty sure it’s part of the whole pomp and ceremony, husband,” I grinned, though I was also panting and a little bit frustrated.

“I suppose we can’t disappoint, then, wife,” Mason chuckled. He swept me off the ground and carried me down the path between our gathered packmates.

I laughed and wound my arms around his n*eck. Mason did not put me down until I was seated at the head table in the reception area, which was also outside. It was the only way we’d be able to fit all the pack members in one place.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” the others chanted as they made their way to their outdoor seating.

If I had to guess, I’d have said Shawn started the chant. But then again, he was happily wrapped around Kate. The little stinkers had quietly had a mating ceremony the night before with just the two of them and the officiant. Right now, I envied their privacy.

“Wishing we’d eloped?” Mason asked in my ear before tilting my chin up so he could give me a very thorough k*ss.

“You have no idea,” I sighed.

“How long do we have to be here before we can go to a bed with our name on it?” Mason grumped, though his professional smile was fixed in place.

“Too long.” I muttered back, trying to paste on my own smile. I’d certainly been smiling a lot more now that everything was resolved, but it still didn’t come naturally to me.

“New wedding tradition. The celebration happens the next day. Bride and groom get to take off right after the ceremony and not be seen for twenty-four hours,” Mason said.

“If you think you can get it to catch on…” I chuckled.

“Oh, trust me. Every man I know will be behind the idea.” Mason sat down next to me, only to have another chant of “k*ss… k*ss!” shouted around the sea of tables.

Mason cupped my cheek and gave me another toe-curling k*ss.

I wished he’d started that new tradition yesterday.

“I’m so happy right now I could burst,” my father said behind us.

When we broke our k*ss, he looped an arm around each of our shoulders.

“Oswald,” Mason smiled. “I’m so glad you could be here for this.”

“I always knew the Moon Goddess would put you two together,” my father said, his voice tearful. “You were always so cute together. Even when you were tormenting your various governesses.”

Mason and I both blushed. “I’m glad you approve of me,” Mason said.

“Approve of you? Son, the only thing that could make this any better is if your father were here to see it.” My father looked sad.

“I think he’d be happy,” Mason replied, patting my father on the back. “And you need to stop crying, or you’ll make me cry, and it’s not manly for the Alpha to cry in front of the pack.”

My father chuckled and wiped his eyes. “Okay. You’re right. I’ll just make my way over to where the old folks are complaining about the weather.”

“But it’s a warm, sunny day?” I said in confusion.

My father winked. “Doesn’t mean the old folks still can’t find something to complain about it.”

Mason grinned and gave my father a hug. “You’re a good man, Oswald Monroe.”

My father gave him a strong thump on the back. “You’re a good son, Mason Hale.”

My own eyes were stinging as my father made his way off to the old folks. “I’m glad he’s home.”

Mason

my eyes, then my nose, then my l*ps, much to the excitement of the pack, who wh ooped loudly. “Well, as you said, we weren’t leaving without him.”

I swatted Mason. “You were the one who went and tried to trade yourself for him! Give me a heart attack, why don’t you!”

Mason shrugged. “I didn’t want you to be without him.”

“And I say again, what was I supposed to do without you?” I sighed.

“You’re never going to have to find out because you’ll never be without me,” Mason said, k*ssing me again.

“I’m taking that as a promise.” I breathed against his l*ps.

“It’s a guarantee,” Mason replied.

Everyone started getting settled for what smelled like a mouthwatering dinner. I was just staring down pot roast and some lovely potatoes when a hush went over the crowd.

I turned my head and saw Mason sitting stiffly next to me, his eyes narrowed in the direction of the castle.

“Mason?” I asked.

Mason took my hand in a death grip under the table.

I followed his line of sight and found myself looking at An nalise, Luna Regent, who was sashaying proudly over to

LIS.

“Mother,” Mason said coldly, pulling out the chair next to him.

“Son.” An nalise folded her hands prettily in her lap and regarded my husband coldly. “I was sure you must have simply forgotten to inform me of the upcoming ceremony.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing about your confinement,” Mason growled. “It hasn’t been a month yet.

An nalise squared her shoulders and huffed. “I certainly wasn’t going to miss your wedding.”

“I wouldn’t have minded,” Mason grumbled.

“We must put our differences aside and put on a united front. You’ve mated Kora officially. There’s nothing to be done about it now,” An nalise sniffed. “Not that you ever gave me much of a chance to object..”

“All I’m hearing is that you’d rather not be involved in your grandchildren’s lives,” Mason said flatly.

An nalise paled. “That’s not true, Mason.”

“Then tread carefully,” Mason shot back.

A nnalise looked from me to Mason, and back again. She took a deep breath. “Congratulations to you both. I wish you a long and prosperous life together.

I could have been knocked out of my chair with a feather. “Th-thank you,” I said faintly.