The Silent Alpha novel Chapter 93

***Natalia***

My heart flutters as I wait for my cue to walk down the aisle, knowing that in a few short minutes, I will officially be Zane’s wife.

"Talia," Gwen murmurs, carrying a small gift box in her hands.

"Vanessa had this delivered for you.Toran says she couldn’t make it, but she wanted you to know that she’s happy for you."

I take the box from her hand, and stare at it for a moment, not knowing how to feel about her absence.I had thought long and hard about sending an invitation to my sister and finally decided I would leave the choice up to her.

There is a small note attached to the box and I read it to myself.

To my dear sister, I know it is not much, but I hope you and your daughter love it as much as you and I did.

With love, Nessa.

Untie the ribbon and remove the lid, tears filling my eyes as I look inside.

"What is it?" Gwen asks, pulling a handkerchief from her dress pocket.I pull out the small music box with two little cats sitting on the lid and crank the knob until the song, "Memories," begins to play and I watch the little cats dance around the lid through my tears.

"When I was little, my mother had this exact music box.She would play it for us to go to sleep every night," I smile as I wipe my tears.

"She used to tell us a story of the two little cats on the lid," I giggle.

"They were sisters named Natalia and Vanessa and they loved each other very much." I stare at the box in disbelief.

"It broke years ago.The music wouldn’t play anymore and I was devastated because I had always dreamt of playing it for my own children." I shake my head as I wipe my tears.

"I can’t believe she found it."

"That’s a lovely gift," Gwen murmurs, helping me to carefully wipe my tears.

"But now we must keep you sane for your wedding." nod at her and fight to compose myself, carefully putting the music box back in its box and powdering my face.

"Okay, my lovely," Gwen sighs, cradling little Quoia in her arms and grabbing a small basket of flower petals.

My beautiful Maid of Honor wears a forest green dress with a flowing skirt to accentuate her cute baby bump, and her fiery red hair is tamed within a romantic braid and flowers.

"Are you ready, Talia?" She asks and I give her a bright smile.

"You look beautiful. He is so lucky to have you," she smiles in return.

"Dakota, are you ready?" she giggles at the dancing pup.

He grins back at her, holding up an empty pillow in his hand.

"Kota, where are the rings?" Gwen asks in restrained panic.

"They kept falling off when I danced," Kota explains as he breaks into a silly dance.

"So! put them in my socks," he grins, Gwen and I both sighing in relief as he rolls his pants up past his ankles where two lumps stick out from his socks.

"Okay, but you need to put them on the pillow so you can give them to Daddy," Gwen chuckles, getting into position to make her entrance.

"Good luck," she whispers as she steps out from behind the curtain with Sequoia in her arms.

Oohs and awws erupt from the crowd as Gwen walks down the aisle with my baby, sprinkling little petals on the floor as she makes her way to the altar to join the rest of the bridal party.

"Okay, you’re next," I tell the pup, Kota very excitedly breaking out into another dance.

"How do I look?" I ask, stepping back and spinning for him.

My dress is an off the shoulder ball gown with puffy sleeves and pretty flowers decorating the bodice and my hair is curled and braided with tiny hair jewels in it.

"You look like a princess, Mommy," Kota smiles proudly.

"And are you, my handsome prince?" I ask, the little boy shaking his head.

"No, I’m a wolf," he howls, the music picking up in the background.

"Okay, Kota, time to go," I instruct him and he hurriedly gets into position with the empty pillow.

He’s happily skipping out from behind the curtain before I can tell him to put the rings back on the pillow.I pull the curtain back enough to watch as Kota skips down the aisle, the crowd giggling as the little boy waves hello to everyone.

When he reaches the middle of the aisle, Kota breaks into a } full sprint, racing right into his father’s arms.

My handsome .

Mate scoops up the little boy and kisses his forehead, a million butterflies fluttering in my belly at the beauty of their II love.

Zane whispers something in Kota’s ear and the little boy pulls up his pants to grab the two rings from inside his sock.

The crowd bursts into laughter as Kota proudly hands the rings to his Dad who gives him a high five for completing his mission.

Finally, the music changes tempo and the guests all begin to rise from their seats and turn to face me.

My heart begins to race in my chest and Devina purrs happily as I pull back the curtain to make my entrance.

Several faces smile upon seeing me, but the only face I care to see is Zane’s as I walk slowly down the candlelit aisle.

The moonlight illuminates the handsome features of his face, and I see trails of tears glistening on his cheeks.

Afraid I may burst into tears, I look up at the night sky, a million stars watching over me as I walk towards my soulmate.

At the altar, Gwen, Celina, Nikki, and Nadia stand in as my bridesmaids and to Zane's right, stands Agnes as his Best Ma’am with Tylen, Evan, and Micah as his groomsmen.

Dakota stands in the center of the altar, smiling from ear to ear at me and bouncing on his toes with excitement.

In the front row, Rionna and Toran smile proudly at me, Rionna holding Sequoia in her arms.

Zane steps off the altar and holds out his hand to me to help me up.

Sparks tingle up and down my arms as he interlocks our fingers, and I gently wipe the tears on his cheeks with my thumbs.

"Hi," I whisper, Zane’s lips curling into a smile.

"H-hi," he murmurs, lifting my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles.He leads me to the center of the altar, where Aurora awaits to officiate our union.I hardly hear a word she says as I gaze back at my mate and the cool sensation of the ring sliding down my finger jolts me awake.

Zane chuckles to himself when he realizes I haven’t been paying attention.I take the ring from Aurora and slide it onto Zane’s finger, my mate smiling back at me with joy.

"By the power vested in me by the State of California and by our dear Moon Goddess, I now pronounce you, husband and wife," Aurora proclaims, the crowd holding their silence.

"Zane, you may now kiss your bride."

He cups my cheeks in his hands and leans forward, our lips meeting for the first time as wolf and wife before our pack, His soothing scent of sage and bergamot fills my nostrils, and the rapid beating of my heart slows down as peace finally washes over me.

A smile curls on my lips as I pull away, and Aurora takes Kota by the hand and presents him to Zane.