Page 53 of Accidental Orc Daddy

Sandra gives my arm a supportive squeeze, jolting me back to the present. "Come on, it's time," she whispers. She nods to Asher, who’s toddling up the aisle with the ring pillow. It makes my heart swell, and when I look up at Mustaf, I see his heart is full, too.

Lalaine and Dragan follow Asher, then Macia and Fordan, and finally, Sandra gives my hand a little squeeze before she turns and walks toward the altar with Maui.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see my father.

“Ready?” he whispers ,and I nod. Taking a steadying breath, I begin my walk down the flower-strewn aisle on his arm.

With each step closer to Mustaf, the flutters in my stomach intensify until I think my heart may burst right out of my chest. His gaze never leaves mine, bolstering me, promising me with that look that everything will be okay. We're in this together now.

"You look beautiful,” mouths Mustaf.

I beam through my tears, knowing I've made the right choice in the man standing before me. We join hands, his warm strength enveloping mine, as the officiant begins the ceremony.

This is really happening. I'm finally marrying my soulmate and beginning our lives together as partners. I've never felt more sure of anything in my life.

As the officiant instructs, Mustaf and I turn to face each other, hands joined and eyes locked. This is the moment we've been waiting for.

Mustaf clears his throat and begins his vows. "Meiko, from the first moment I met you, I knew you were the missing piece my heart had been searching for. Your spirit, your smile, your kindness. Everything about you seemed to perfectly complement everything in me. We just clicked, like fate had planned it that way all along."

I grin up at him as he continues. "You challenge me, excite me, accept me fully for who I am. And somehow you make even my bad jokes seem funny." That elicits a laugh from our guests.

"I promise to always appreciate your compassion, support your dreams, and bring you ice cream after a bad day. I vow to dance in the rain with you whenever you want. And most of all, I vow to love you and our son unconditionally, in this life and whatever comes after."

Joyful tears prick my eyes as he finishes. Now it's my turn.

"Mustaf, you crashed into my world when I least expected it and swept me off my feet, and what’s more, you gave me the most beautiful son. You saw past my walls to the real me inside and loved me not in spite of my flaws but because of them. I promise to always return that acceptance and to be your safe space when the world feels cold."

I continue, voice catching with emotion. "I vow to bake your favorite treats when you've had a rough day, and to make sure we never run out of mint chocolate chip. To laugh at your absurd jokes. And to trust in the love that brought us here today – a once-in-a-lifetime soulmate connection."

I squeeze his hands tightly. "I can't wait to start our adventure together as a family. I'll love you and Asher forever."

Mustaf's eyes are misty as he mouths I love you back to me.

As we exchange rings and the cool metal slides onto my finger, I'm overcome with emotion. This amazing man is now my husband in the eyes of all we hold dear. Our union is sealed with a joyful kiss, the cheers of our family and friends ringing out around us.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of celebration, with hugs, laughter, celebratory toasts, and our first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Sato to a romantic ballad. Through it all, Mustaf's hand remains anchored in mine, his eyes shining with undisguised happiness whenever they meet my own.

Later, swaying together under the stars as the reception winds down, I lay my head on his shoulder feeling complete contentment. "Can you believe we made it here after everything?"

Mustaf smiles. "I never had a doubt, love. What we have can weather any storm." His hand gently caresses my back.

I glance over to where Asher is sleeping peacefully nearby, watched over by doting grandparents. My heart swells at the family we've become.

As the limo takes us home, officially married at last, I snuggle close to Mustaf, our fingers intertwined. The future lies ahead of us, bright and full of promise now that we've tied the knot. Life will still hold challenges, but together we are strong.

I know our love story is only just beginning. And with my husband and child by my side, I'm ready for whatever comes next. I have all I need to be happy in them.

CHAPTER 31

Mustaf

Waking up to the gentle kisses of my wife is like coming out of a dream and jumping right into another.

“Good morning, sweetness,” I say, my voice raspy with sleep as I peek out at her.

She giggles, and the sound is so delightful that it fills my soul. “Good morning, husband.”

Opening my arms to her, I scoop her up against my body and press a kiss to my forehead. “Who knew you’d like being my wife so much, hm?”

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