Page 24 of Saved By the Grizzly Bear

“You still want to do this, right?” I whisper, and she smiles, nodding.

“Absolutely.”

We’re called back a few moments later, and I keep Morgan close to me as we take our spots in the officiant’s office. My friends gather around us, and I smile as we stand in front of the officiant.

“Ready to get started?” The officiant asks, and Morgan and I both nod.

The ceremony starts a moment later, but I can’t focus on anything that the officiant is saying. All I can think about is that fact that I have my fated mate and we’re getting married. By tonight, we’ll be bound in every single way.

“Alec, will you take Morgan to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her, forsaking all others, for so long as you both shall live?” The officiant asks, and I come back to the present.

“Yes,” I vow.

“And Morgan, will you take Morgan to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him, forsaking all others, for so long as you both shall live?”

“Yes,” she says, smiling up at me.

“Please take each other’s hand and repeat after me,” the officiant says. “I, Alec Warren, take you, Morgan Wright, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”

I repeat the words, staring into Morgan’s pretty green eyes the whole time. Then it’s my mate’s time.

“I, Morgan Wright, take you, Alec Warren, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”

Morgan repeats the words, and I take a shaky breath. This is it. We’re about to be pronounced husband and wife.

The doors bang open, and we all jump, spinning to see what the interruption is. Morgan tenses next to me and I know that the people glaring at us are her parents and Randolph. I can see the family resemblance, but these people are older and look so severe. They’re nothing like the happy, relaxed woman that is my mate.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Her mom screams, and I move in front of Morgan.

I can see my friends all step in front of their mates too. They’re eyes are locked on the intruders, and I know they can see them for the threat they are.

“I’m getting married,” Morgan says, and her mom sneers.

“To the wrong man!” She shouts.

“No, to the man that I choose. I don’t want to marry Randolph. I’m meant to be with Alec.”

“This man? What can he offer you? How well do you even know him?” She asks and I know she’s trying to manipulate Morgan into leaving and doing as they order.

“I know him. He can offer me a life of love and support,” Morgan says confidently.

Her mom must be able to see that she won’t be able to drive a wedge between us because she switches tactics.

“What about Susan?” She asks softly, and I see Morgan swallow hard.

“I’ll take care of her,” Morgan says, but she doesn’t sound as confident now.

“How? How are you going to afford that?” Her dad snarls, and she flinches.

I tighten my hold on my mate. My bear is growling in my head. He wants me to rip them to shreds, but I’m not sure that my mate would appreciate that.

“I can afford it,” I tell them, and they glare at me.

“You?” Her mom asks, laughing bitterly.

“No, you can’t,” her dad says, an evil glint in his eye.

“But I can,” Randolph adds.

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