Chapter 38

Stacey's POV

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"Do I look like a mini version of mommy now?" I heard my little daughter asking who had worn a little white dress with a crown on her head, made up of white flowers.

Jr. Scarlett was going to become the flower girl, and Laila's son was going to be the ring bearer at our wedding. That's why his son, Xander, who was three years old, had worn a dress that was similar to Derek's.

"Yes! Absolutely.", Sr. Scarlett responded, and then she looked at me.

I could never thank her enough for the happiness which came in my life as a Derek. She could have acted like bitch and would have got married to Derek, but for the sake of Derek's happiness, she let him go.

"You look beautiful.", She gave a compliment.

"Thank you.", I said wholeheartedly. She tried to hide her sadness behind her smile but failed miserably when I smelt her feelings. "And I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Are you feeling sorry for falling in love with Derek?", She asked, arching her brow.

"No. Not because of that but for hurting you unintentionally. And I'm literally very so…."

"Stacey!! I have done nothing so great. I'm sure you would have done the same if you were in my place.", She said, cutting me in between. "And most importantly, I did this for myself because It's good to stay single then get married to a man who loves someone else."

"You're a great woman, Scarlett. I can see why did Derek love you so much!!"

"And I can say that you are no less. Now, enough of this talk. As for now. I'm sure that you are feeling okay and not planning to fall unconscious at your own wedding."

"Oh! Don't worry about that. I'm feeling damn too energetic and excited that there will be no way I can fall unconscious again.", I chirped and looked at myself in the mirror. I smiled at myself after checking my wedding gown, my make-up, my hair, and my diamond neckless.

My father entered the room and smiled at me. "Sweetheart, It's time.",

"Scar & Xander!! You will go first." he talked with the kids on which they nodded happily. "Everyone is outside. They will guide you on how you will have to perform, okay?"

"Okay, Grandpa.", Scarlett chirped and ran out, holding Xander's hand. Then he looked at my three bridesmaids, who also took a clue to leave before me. And last, he stared at me for a while.

"You look so beautiful. And I'm so glad that Moon Goddess chose the best mate for my daughter this time. And I'm positive that you're going to have a better life ahead now. I'm so happy that Derek loves you for you because he wouldn't have become the Alpha of the pack if he had had any idea of the marriage."

"Yeah! I know how he thinks." I agreed with dad, knowing that he would have thought that he was in Alpha's position because he was getting married to me, not because he was capable. "And thank you for everything, Dad."

He kissed my forehead. Then he held out his arms to me and led me out of my room. I smiled, looking at everyone and earned smiles from them.

A choir of cellos, villains, and a piano was playing classical music.

Again a kid of some pack member walked, holding a board in his hand. 'Alpha! Here comes your Luna!' I chuckled, reading the words on the board.

Soon the music stopped, and A Thousand Years, The Piano guys, played, signifying my arrival. Everybody stood up and looked at the entrance.

Dad squeezed my hand and smiled at me. I smiled at him and allowed him to walk me down the aisle.

"Mommy!!!" Scarlett screamed and started running toward me, leaving her daddy's side. I smiled and crouched a little, opening my arms for her. She hugged me softly and held my hand from the other side while dad held my hand again. My relatives, friends, and guests were watching me; many of them were in tears. My eyes landed on Uncle Peter, Luna Naomi, Adams with Megan, and many more people to whom I had once introduced Derek as my love interest. Tears were also rolling down my cheek even though I was trying my best not to cry.

I started ahead and saw Derek standing there, splendid and breathtaking as usual, and his best friend, Bruce, who had left the pack a long ago, was standing behind him.

His eyes never left mine as I walked toward him. And it felt like walking toward my eternity… toward the only world, I would ever want to belong to.

As I took each step toward him, I saw my life flashing before me.

I remembered him walking inside my office, holding the files, and I had asked him to act like my love interest. Then take him to the pub, then to my penthouse, and then our friendship. And inviting him to my place for the dinner and then kiss, then regretting it later, then Adams's patience by making him jealous, then the party night, then our first night together.

I smiled, remembering how pretending things went to the attraction and then like and then love, and here we are now mates, getting married to each other.

Derek was looking at me intensely lovingly. He was crying, too. And he gave a gentle smile.

"I love you, Mate.", he whispered.

I smiled back at him. "I love you, too."

Dad took my hand and placed it in his, copying him. Scarlett did the same. Derek crouched a little so that she could do this easily. Then dad picked Scar in his arms and took her with him while Derek guided me toward the altar.

Derek and I intertwined our hands all throughout the ceremony. Even until now, I couldn't believe that I was getting married to him because till a few hours before, I was thinking that he was getting married to his mate. Well, the things we're still the same. The only difference was that his mate had been changed. All thanks to Sr. Scarlett and Moon Goddess for that.

"Derek, a few months before, I was heartbroken, and I thought I was unfixable beyond belief. I was in the dark, and I didn't know how to find my way out. At the lowest point of my life, when I couldn't understand why everything was happening to me? Moon Goddess created the situation where I couldn't find anyone more trustworthy than you, and you offered me your help, your friendship!!

Now, I understand why I had to go through everything that I went through….and I wouldn't change a thing if I get a chance to live this same life again. Because without all those incidents, I wouldn't be standing here…happier than I could ever imagine. I will forever thank Scarlett…and Moon Goddess because of whom you are in my life as my second chance, mate. And I will forever thank you, too, for loving me, for helping me to overcome my agony, and for healing me. Not to forget, I would also thank our family members and friends who believed that You are my mate, my friend, my beta, my Alpha, my everything. I love you so much, Derek Randell, and I promise to love you forever, more than anything in this world, more than myself, and more than life itself."

Tears were glistening in my eyes as I said those words that are my heart and the promise that I intend to keep until the rest of my days. A smile broke in my life when I saw that Derek's situation was no more different than mine. Tears brimmed Derek's eyes, too, as he squeezed my hand in his.

"Stacey, a few months before, I was living my life more like a robot, but from the day we had become friends, my life had been no less than a roller coaster ride. You changed my life instantly. I didn't know what I was missing in life until you walked in and announced. You made me feel needed. You had given me a whole new purpose and my life a whole new meaning. You are everything that I didn't know I needed again in my life. Just like you mentioned before, I never want you to go through that pain ever in your life, but at the same time. I now understand that your pain was the beginning of something beautiful days in our life. I will forever be thankful to Alpha Adams for that. And I will forever be thankful to you for loving me the way I was. I love you to the power of infinity, Stacey Derek Randell. I promise to make all your dreams a reality. I promise to keep you and your decision before me. I promise to love you a little more than the previous day and take care of you like a queen that you deserve today, tomorrow, forever, and beyond."

Derek's vow went out of my heart, and Alicia purred in happiness because those words were engraved in my heart, and they would remain there for eternity. I knew that he meant every word. Finally, we put our platinum and diamond couple bands on each other fingers.

"I pronounce you husband and wife. Now you can proceed with marking each other."

"You go first.", Derek said.

"Why me? You can go first.", I suggested.

"Well, I'm allowing my short mate to mark me first.", he teased, on which everyone chuckled a little while I glared at him. "Don't be mad. You know that I'm just messing with you. Well, to be honest, I just promised you that I would keep you before me. That's why I want you to mark me first."

I kept glaring at him, though we both knew it was a fake glare. I saw him stripping in front of me. Well, not the full but the upper half, revealing his well-crafted figure, which was going to be mine forever now. Pulling me into his arms, he lifted me a little grabbing my ass.

"Don't make me wait more, Baby.", he said lovingly, and holding his shoulder for my support, I leaned toward the place where I had to mark him. I licked there at first and felt my canine getting extended. The next thing I knew that I punctured his soft and smooth skin, marking him as mine. After that, I liked the wound for a while to close it.

'Finally, we are here.' I heard a heavy voice, and it didn't take me time to realize that it was Rex.

Unlike him, I didn't have to get half-naked to mark me because I was already wearing an off-shoulder wedding gown. I just had to remove my necklace, and the moment I removed the necklace, Derek marked me as his, not even waiting for a section more to mark me as his.

'Finally, we are his now.', Alicia purred in happiness.

In the background, we could hear a lot of hooting sounds and cheering sounds, not to forget, even a lot of them were howling.

After marking me, he leaned toward my lips and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. One kiss…but t lasted for a long time because that single perfect kiss contained so much love, so much passion…so many promises that we couldn't even put into words.

When the kiss ended, Derek leaned his forehead against mine, smelling my scent. Then he pulled away gently and said, "Stacey Derek Randell, my love, my friend, my wife, and my mate."

*****

"All right, Unmated ladies, shuffle your seat.", Mom said happily, and I turned around, not looking at the place which was settling at which place!!

As per the rituals, I had to throw my necklace at unmated females, which I was wearing a moment before, without looking at them. It was said that whoever caught this necklace would be blessed with a mate soon by the Moon Goddess. But they didn't have to fight to catch this necklace because that meant snatching someone else fate because, as the elder said, 'everything comes to us at the right place and right time.'

'Moon Goddess!! Please bless a loving and caring mate to that female.' I prayed inwardly and threw the necklace to the unmated female sides, and quickly turned around to see who caught the necklace. My eyes widened when I saw the person holding it.

"I…I didn't want to participate. It's just Mrs. Randell asked me to… I'm sorry.", She muttered and gave the necklace to Lucy, who was standing near her.

"It's fine, Scarlett. This is just a game. Nothing to worry about.", Mom said so that Scarlett wouldn't feel bad. Since she was a human, so she might not be aware of it, but to be honest, it was something that she should worry about because in 99.98% of cases, whoever catches the necklace was about to meet her mate soon.

'I know what you are thinking.' Derek mind-linked me just like old days, but now he couldn't just mind link me but also feel my emotions and read my thoughts which he was not able to do as a Beta. 'Just don't tell about it too, Scarlett; otherwise, she will start getting worried.'

'But what? It's a piece of good news, right? Soon, she too will have someone who would love her just like you used to do before!!'

'Well, that's great news for others but not for her. Not when she didn't want to fall in love again, not when she is dying.'

'She what?'

'I will share everything later.'

'You better do because it looks like everyone knows about it except me.'

After that conversation, we were sent to the room to change our clothes, and then we had to attend the party again, So we barely got a chance to romance.

***

When we returned back to the party this time, we got busy taking pictures with everyone and thanking everyone who congratulated us and bought us gifts for us. We were not going to keep any reception after that, so I had to attend this, even though I was feeling kind of tired.

'We can leave. All you have to say YES.'

'No. It's not that you through Alpha's ceremony party, nor I'm getting married but yes, if you want then you can shorten the time period of the party.', I said, thinking like an Alpha of the pack. Most of the guests were Alpha, so we couldn't risk offending them.

Thankfully Jr. Scarlett helped me with her power by healing me from time to time, but I knew that as long as I was pregnant, I had to learn how to handle all these symptoms because not even a healer could heal the weakness and tiredness which was happening to me because of the pregnancy.

The finest wine was served during the toast, but I wasn't allowed to have it. Now that I was complaining, I was happy with the fruit bear. We had a five-tier wedding cake that had baby pink flowers and a little water cascading on it from the topper down to the base. I looked at Derek, who looked clueless, and then my eyes landed on Sr. Scarlett, who smiled.

'How did she know that I had once given water lily to Derek?'

'Maybe someone would have told her.', Alicia concluded. 'No matter how much I hate sharing my mate with someone else, even a little. I know that she will always hold a part of Derek's heart.'

'I'm all yours, mate.' I heard Rex's words in my mind. I focused my mind back on the party and let Alicia and Rex some quality time together. Now that I was pregnant, I knew they couldn't get a chance to spend time in wolf form.

I knew that werewolves were territorial animals, but at the same time, both Alicia and I had to understand that Scarlett would always be a part of our life, and I would also accept that fact. Just like Scarlett didn't act like bitch and let go of Derek just for the sake of his happiness. I promised myself that I wouldn't act like bitch and respect Derek's love which he had for his ex-mate. What mattered the most at this moment was he loved me!

But why did he say that Scarlett was dying?

But then again, it was not the right time to ask about it. Soon, the song played, and after completing my first dance with Derek, I danced with my father-in-law, then the male relative, though there weren't many of them, then his nephew and cousins. At the same time, Derek gave priority to female members of my family members.

I also danced with my friends, John, Owen, Jack, Brandon and many more. As of last, I finally got a chance to dance with dad, I was emotional when I danced with him, and he got teary eyes even though he was very happy because he knew that he didn't have to worry about me now. At the same time, I was observing Derek dancing with Sr. Scarlett.

'I shouldn't be feeling jealous.'

'I shouldn't.'

Then finally, I was back in Derek's arms. He leaned forward and kissed my lips gently. 'Is my mate still feeling jealous?'

'Yes! A little more kisses will help.', I answered back, and Derek gladly kissed me a couple of times more. I leaned my head on his chest and sighed contentedly, closing my eyes. I would never have thought that whatever happened with me a few months back was for my good. Now, my legs were giving up, and all I wanted was nothing but to sleep and rest for a while.

When I opened my eyes, my eyes landed on the familiar person whom I loved once, who was offering a drink to Megan while she was shaking her head. It looked like she was feeling restless. Well, she was also pregnant, so I could understand. She would be feeling tired too.

Call a coincidence or the perfect timing, Adams's eyes met mine, and he smiled at me genuinely. I realized that I couldn't blame him all my life for whatever he did because I was truly happier now. And if it weren't for him, maybe I wouldn't be here with Derek.

Slowly, I smiled back at him. Then I took a deep breath and mouth, "Thank you for everything."

Somehow, he understood my message, just like he used to once. His smile widened when he realized what I meant. If I was wrong, tears brimmed in his eyes, and he nodded at me. 'I'm still sorry, though.'

'I forgive you.'

'Thank you.'

I hugged Derek a little more tightly than before, filling his scent in my lungs as much as possible, and I felt like thousand tons were lifted from my chest. I didn't know that I was still holding this anger inside me until I finally decided to let it go. And I felt better now. Opening my eyes, I looked back at Derek. I doubted that he wouldn't have seen what I was doing a moment before, but he didn't comment on that.

'Let's leave the party now. I'm sure others would understand that being a newly mated couple, we needed time.', he suggested.

'Yeah!', This time, I agreed with him because I was feeling tired.

Infirming the guest and relatives, we took a leave from the party. Those who wanted to leave early left the party then and there, while those who wanted to spend some more time were still there.

'Are we going to our room?' I asked because, at that time, I wanted nothing but to sleep.

'Yes!'

So, there would be no honeymoon? I thought inwardly, but then this was a surprise plan for both of us, so maybe he didn't get a chance to plan a honeymoon for us!

Never mind, we could go on the honeymoon later. But when? Not after the delivery of my pup because I couldn't travel here and there carrying the pup in my arms. And if that little one would go, then I couldn't miss Scar. She was also a part of the family. So, it would be more like a family trip than a honeymoon.

By thinking about all this, I didn't realize when I slept in his arms.

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#TBC