“I?
??m dressed,” I tell him. No need to shout. He has shifter hearing after all. We could hear a pin drop anywhere in the house. “You can come in.”
“I didn’t want to walk in on something I shouldn’t have,” he states when he enters the room. His eyes immediately land on Paige then bounce to me then Ford. “What did you say to her?” Accusation is clear in his tone as he takes Paige in his arms the best he can, given her pregnant belly.
“You do realize your female is pregnant, right?” Ford asks. Wake glares at him. “She’s going to cry over little things. You should know this by now!”
Wake’s eyes flash emerald, telling us his wolf has risen to the surface.
Ford parts his lips as he lets his fangs descend. “Care to rumble, bestie?” The two of them are best friends, but that doesn’t mean they don’t fight, especially when it comes to their mates. Ford is just as protective over Sienna as Wake is over Paige.
Sienna suddenly appears in the room. Her light blonde hair is pulled away from her face, accentuating her cheekbones. The maroon dress she’s wearing ends just past her knees and fits snugly to show off her petite, slender figure.
She scans the room. “I should have known better.” Turning to her mate she asks, “Why are you fighting with Wake? You know that only ends in trouble.”
“What kind of wedding would this be if there weren’t a fight?” Ford replies while straightening his jacket. “It’s a shifter wedding, full of other paranormals. Fighting is fun. It’s what we do.”
“No, it’s not what we do. You don’t see me brawling with Ari.”
Ford smiles wide. “Now there’s an idea. Would you pull her hair? Maybe hit her with a pillow? Oh, I know! She could tear your dress clean off your body. That would be so freaking hot.”
“For fate’s sake, Ford!” I yell. “You’re over a hundred years old and you’re behaving like a teenager.”
“It’s like you don’t even know me, princess.”
Another vampire suddenly enters the room. This one has light blond hair and the same grey eyes and cocky smirk as his brother, Ford. “You know it’s bad out there when they send me in to get all of you.” His eyes bounce from paranormal to paranormal. “Wait. Are we fighting?” He stares at his brother. I have no doubt he’s reading his mind. A slow, wicked smile forms on his lips. “We are! I love a good fight! Although, I’m not sure which side to be on. Wake is my bestie, too. But Ford is my brother. Decisions, decisions.” He taps his chin in thought.
“That’s it!” I yell. “Everyone out! Even you, Ford. I’ll meet you in the hallway. I need a moment. This is my wedding day after all.”
“Oh, please,” Solomon says. “It’s not like you’re not already spending the rest of your thousand year life with Rion. You’re mated. This is just a human formality.”
“Get. Out.” I growl the words this time and let my wolf rise to the surface. If Sol won’t leave with the rest of them, she’ll make him.
“Pfftt,” he scoffs, reading my mind. “Bring it on, female.”
I’m one second from shifting when Ford moves behind me and grips my waist. “Not now, princess,” he murmurs in my ear. “Wait until the ceremony is over. Then I’ll help you tear into my brother.”
“Your butt is mine, Sol!” I yell and try to lunge forward. Ford holds me back.
“Kinky.” Sol grins. “I like it.”
“Out!”
Everyone finally files out of the room, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts. I have to force the thoughts of those in the hall out of my head. Sometimes being able to read everyone’s mind isn’t fun. Others project what they’re thinking without realizing it.
Another knock sounds on the door.
“I’m going to murder you where you stand if you don’t go away!” I scream. I’ve had about enough of these paranormals.
“It’s me, Ari.” Oh. My mom.
“Come in!” A blush rises to my cheeks as she enters the room then closes the door behind her. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t meant for you. It was for the idiots in the hall.”
She smiles. “I knew it wasn’t directed at me, especially when I saw Wake staring down Ford and Sol grinning.”
“The fun never ends.”
“Not when you’re part of a wolf shifter pack and have a vampire as a best friend.” Mom finally gets a smile out of me. “You look gorgeous,” she says warmly as she takes me in. “I still can’t believe you went with black for your wedding dress, but that’s your decision, not mine. I only wish your father were here to see it. He would have loved walking you down the aisle.” She wipes a tear away. I can’t imagine how much she misses him. It feels like there’s a hole in my heart at times when I remember all he did for me. All he risked.