Page 176 of Down Knot Out
I look down at the flowers in my hands, broken but still beautiful. Still mine. “Yes.” My head lifts. “I really am.”
And for the first time in my life, I mean it.
“Do you want me to tell your Alphas that you need another five minutes?” he offers.
With a deep breath, I face forward once more. “No. My pack is waiting.”
Relief washes over his features. “Then let’s not keep them waiting any longer.”
I push aside the encounter with my mother, refusing to let her ruin this day for me. As we descend the grand staircase, each step brings me closer to the courtyard and the life I’ve chosen rather than the one thrust upon me. The afternoonsun slants through the lobby windows, casting prisms across the marble floor.
At the bottom of the stairs, Grady pauses. “Just a second.”
He leaves my side and filches a new bouquet from a vase on a pedestal. It’s not the planned one, but it will work in a pinch. He takes the broken one from my hands and sets it aside before handing me the new one.
His fingers squeeze mine before we continue toward the French doors leading outside.
Music drifts through the open doorway as a string quartet plays a melody that rises and falls in waves. The scent of lavender and roses grows stronger as we step onto the stone path. Paper lanterns sway above our heads, their light unnecessary in the golden afternoon but promising magic as evening falls.
The courtyard has transformed since I last glimpsed it from the window. Rows of white chairs line either side of a lavender-strewn aisle. Fairy lights twine through the pergola posts, waiting for darkness to reveal their full splendor. At the front, beneath an arch of greenery and white blooms, my pack waits.
Nathaniel stands tall in his charcoal suit, hands clasped before him, chin lifted with quiet pride.Blake’s broader frame fills out his navy jacket, his beard trimmed, hair pulled back in a bun to showcase the strong line of his jaw. Dominic’s lean elegance complements his gray suit, the cut tailored to his frame. And Holden stands perfectly still, his hazel eyes finding mine across the distance.
The sight of them steals my breath. My Alphas.
As the music shifts, the guests turn in their seats. Emily smiles in approval from the front row. Nathaniel’s father sits rigidly beside her, his expression unreadable but his presence a concession that matters more than he’ll ever admit. On the other side, Holden’s family beams, his mother already dabbing away tears with a handkerchief.
Quinn bounces on her toes at the edge of the aisle, her pink dress fluttering with each movement. She clutches a tiny bouquet of wildflowers she insisted on arranging herself, the stems wrapped in ribbons that match my dress. Beside her, Sadie places a steadying hand on her shoulder, whispering something, and the little girl giggles.
The first notes of the processional begin, and Quinn steps forward, scattering petals with more enthusiasm than precision. Sadie follows, her small bouquet held before her. When they reach the front,Quinn breaks protocol to run to Blake, who lifts her for a quick hug before setting her down beside him.
Then it’s our turn.
Grady’s arm tenses beneath my fingers. “Ready?”
I squeeze his elbow, and we step onto the lavender-lined path.
As I walk toward my bondmates, Nathaniel’s eyes shine with unshed tears, his composure cracking to reveal the depth of emotion he usually keeps contained. Blake’s chest rises and falls with controlled breaths, his eyes never leaving mine. Dominic’s fingers twist the ring he’ll soon place on my hand, the metal catching the light with each nervous rotation. And Holden rocks forward on his toes, as if restraining himself from rushing to meet me halfway.
By the time we reach the end of the aisle, my cheeks ache from grinning.
Grady places my hand in Dominic’s, the symbolic transfer of protection from friend to mate. Then he steps back, taking his place beside Sadie in the front row.
The officiant, a gray-haired Beta with a kind face, opens her book. “We gather today to witness and celebrate the formal bonding of this pack…”
Her words wash over me as I stand surroundedby my Alphas, their scents mingling in the air around me, Blake’s applewood and cider, Dominic’s citrus and musk, Nathaniel’s leather and clove, and Holden’s vanilla cake. The combination fills my lungs with each breath, my lilac and lilies curling through them all.
When the time comes for vows, Dominic speaks first, his voice steady despite the emotion that pulses through our bond.
“Chloe,” he says, fingers tightening around mine. “I vow to stand with you through whatever comes. To build our home on trust rather than obligation. To remember always that what binds us is stronger than what once separated us.”
Blake steps forward next, his hands engulfing mine. “I promise to catch you when you stumble, to carry you when you cannot walk, to fight for you when others try to harm you. My strength is yours, now and always.”
Nathaniel’s turn brings a hush over the gathering. “I pledge to provide a safe and stable home for our pack. To listen when words are difficult, to understand when silence speaks louder. To build a legacy worthy of the family we’ve chosen.”
Holden takes my hands last, his touch gentle. “I promise to love all of you, exactly as you are. Tocherish your light and your shadows equally. To fill our home with laughter even on the darkest days. To make Rice Krispies Treats when disaster falls.”
A giggle escapes me at the reminder of our first meeting, and I sniff back the sting of tears.
