Page 78 of Shadow of Fury
“I don’t need you to like it, I just…” Dominic let out a growl, cutting off his own words. “Shut up. Here she comes.”
Logan jerked his eyes forward but of course it wasn’t Wren that Dominic had seen. She was still sequestered somewhere way from prying eyes. The ceremony hadn’t started yet. It was Vivian, of course, who Dominic was watching as she made her way through the mass of people towards them.
She’d fully healed from her head wound and resulting hospital stay without any lingering side effects. Unless you counted the fact that Logan had been forced to tell her secret before she was ready and now everyone in the pack seemed to know she was pregnant, a side effect. She was dealing with it all pretty well considering, but he didn’t miss the way she walked with her chin purposefully tilted up or the way her eyes darted to Dominic before looking away just as quickly.
“You boys all good?” She stopped in front of Logan, raising her hands and straightening his tie for him.
“How is she? Is she okay? Nervous? Should I…”
“She’s fine.” Vivian put a hand on his shoulder to keep him where he was. “She looks beautiful and she’s just as excited and nervous to see you as you are her.”
“Good. That’s good right? That’s normal?”
“Totally normal.” Vivian smirked, “And we’re about to get underway. Raven should be right behind me. We’ll take our spots and then the ceremony can get started.”
“Thank you.” Logan pulled her into a quick hug, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for us, Viv.”
“You never have to thank me. We’re family.” She air kissed his cheek and then gave him a quick wink before moving back down amidst the crowd and taking her spot at the front, right next to the aisle.
Logan tried not to think about how the only family he had in attendance was Vivian. Their parents were both already in the ground and they’d never been close to any of their extended family. In fact, Logan was fairly certain his father had been the one to drive them all away because he hadn’t wanted anyone around who could challenge him. He reminded himself that he and Vivian had been on their own for a long time but that despite his lack of blood relations here today, he was surrounded by family because he had his pack and his friends.
Despite whatever was happening, or not happening, between Vivian and Dominic, the McMurtry’s had taken up post in the front row right along with her. Darren took Vivian’s arm as they sat beside one another. Drake and Sunny were next to him, and Dillon sat on the end of the bench. The McMurtry’s had always been as close as family, so it was only fitting they fill in the space where the groom’s family usually sat.
In a way, he supposed his mother was with them because she and her enrichment committee were the ones to create this venue for mating ceremonies. The events were always outdoors because at the end, it was tradition for the newly mated couple to shift and run off together into the woods to consummate their union in their wolf form. Most people had been getting married in their backyards or at the park but his mother and her friends had come up with the idea for this place and it was truly beautiful.
There was a slightly elevated pedestal with a metal arch built into it where flowers and vines could be wound to decorate during any season. There were benches laid out in a semi-circle that faced the arch. Behind the arch was the lush forest so that the happy couple could literally step through it and start their life together.
He liked to think she’d been planning it for him and Wren, even if she hadn’t known it, way back when.
Thinking of family, he glanced over at the bench on the opposite side of the aisle. Wren’s parents were there of course. They had managed to pull themselves together to be present for their daughter and he hoped that was a sign they would keep trying to get better.
The conversation Logan had with them about Lark hadn’t been easy. Not just because he’d been forced to relay their deceased daughter’s sordid history with his father to them but because, despite what he was telling them, neither of them really seemed to care. Wren had warned him they chose numbing their pain to experiencing reality, but he hadn’t truly understood how deeply lost in alcohol and pills they were until then. Only the mention of his mating with Wren had stirred any reaction and he hadn’t liked that their biggest concern had been when he would announce Wren as his Queen,
He'd been upset on his mate’s behalf, but she’d told him they weren’t worth getting angry about. It had broken his heart to know she was so accustomed to their selfishness, but he’d tried to put it and them out of his mind. They hadn’t tried to be part of the ceremony, or the planning and he had a feeling they wouldn’t have even remembered it was today if Raven hadn’t sobered them up as best she could and marched them to their spot at the front of the gathering.
A figure with dark hair caught his eye and his heart jerked hopefully before he recognized his soon-to-be sister-in-law making her way up the aisle.
Her dark hair was in curls that fell around her shoulders and the pale green dress she wore contrasted with her rich, honey brown skin. She looked beautiful and from the way half the men in the pack turned to watch her as she sashayed past, they had noticed too. Logan felt a protective urge to tell them to put their eyes back in their heads.
Raven’s red painted lips curled up into a grin and she made a face at him that said she knew exactly the effect she had on people. He shook his head but that only made her shrug. He swore she put a little extra bounce in her walk and thanked fate that he hadn’t been responsible for her while she was going through her rebellious teenage years because Lordy, the girl must have been a handful.
“Don’t look at me like that. You’re not my brother yet.” She pasted a sweet smile on her face and didn’t even look at him even though she’d clearly read his mind.
He chuckled, “And I was just thanking fate for that.” He chuckled.
“While you’re busy talking to her, go ahead and let her know I’d happily take a powerful Alpha mate of my own. First our cousin Gia messaged she’s getting married and now Wren. Good things come in threes, right?”
He refrained from pointing out that it was bad things that usually came in threes because Raven Culvert was quickly becoming one of his new favorite people.
She had welcomed him into their lives without so much as a sideways glance or a whisper about his past with Lark. She had listened to his explanation of what had happened that night and why he hadn’t been able to talk about it. She hadn’t said a word and when he was done and he asked if she had any questions for him she had only raised one eyebrow, looked at her sister and asked if they could finally be done with the past.
He opened his mouth to assure her that she would find her fated mate when it was time but the music began to play and he jerked to attention, looking for Wren even as the mass of people between them stood and blocked his view. Logan could feel her though. He could sense her nearness and it both soothed his nerves and ratcheted up his anticipation.
Logan held his breath as he waited and then, suddenly, she was there, and his heart split wide open at the sight of her.
Her jet-black hair was plaited into a braid that lay across one shoulder. Tendrils of hair escaped and framed her face, which glowed with happiness when she smiled back at him. She wore an ivory lace dress that he’d heard his sister refer to as boho. All he knew was that it clung to Wren’s slim figure and managed to be both elegant and sexy as hell. She looked more gorgeous than he had ever seen her and he thought his heart might actually swell out of his chest even before she reached the first row of pack members.
As she did, instead of continuing to stand, each member dropped to one knee and lowered their head as she passed. Wren’s steps stuttered and her eyes went wide. She glanced from the pack members back to him and he gave a small nod that she should continue. With a deep breath she raised her chin and continued up the aisle as row after row of pack members bent the knee to her in a show of loyalty and respect. They were showing her that she was their Queen and Logan glanced to Dominic and then his sister, trying to figure out if one of them had planted the idea only to have each of them smile and give a shake of their head.