Page 43 of His Protective Bear

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At precisely seven-thirty, we got into Hunter’s truck to make our eight o’clock reservation. There was a new restaurant overlooking the other side of the river that everyone was raving about. I was surprised he managed to get us in there tonight, but I was learning the sheriff could make anything happen. That was good because I was starving.

When Hunter made the turn to go toward my parent's house, I looked over at him.

“Where are we going? This isn’t the way to the restaurant.” I was perplexed, to say the least.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you we were picking up your Papa and your Dad. And Clay. They invited us for dinner at their place, and since we already had reservations, I just invited them along. It all happened while you were napping. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. My bad.”

What the hell? These pregnancy hormones were throwing me for a loop.

When we pulled up outside of my childhood home, my parents and brother came rushing out and got in the backseat of the truck. When everyone was buckled in, Hunter drove off.

“It’s a surprise seeing you all tonight. Hunter forgot to tell me, but I’m always happy to see you guys.”

“Thanks for the invitation, Hunter. We are all excited,” my Papa said.

I turned around quickly when the road suddenly became bumpy. This was definitely not the way to the restaurant.

“Where are we going now, Hunter?” I was getting perturbed with him.

“Oh, did I forget to tell you? We’re making a pit stop.” Okay, I’d had about enough of his secrets.

“And why are we making a pit stop?” I huffed.

Hunter looked over at me and smiled. “We’re stopping to get married.”

You could have caught flies in my mouth it hung open so far. I was stunned. And the moment he pulled up to my favorite spot on our ranch, adorned with an arch covered in flowers, with Judge Simmons standing under it, I was further gobsmacked.

Not only had he arranged the judge and the archway, but he had managed to get my parents and his, along with all his brothers and their mates, and my uncles and cousins out to my special spot to witness our wedding. He arranged all this in two days.

I turned and looked at him. “Hunter,” I managed to get out before the tears started to flow.

“I hope those are happy tears, babe,” he said as he drew me into his chest.

“They are,” I sniffled. “I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

“Sage, don’t you get it yet? I would do anything for you. You are the love of my life, and I would move hell and high water to take care of you and protect you and our little one. You are mine, and I don’t intend to spend one more minute without you as my husband.”

“I love you, Hunter Hallbjorn. Thank you for not giving up on me when I threw all the flowers in your face.”

“Babe, sometimes we have to go through bad things to know when we have the best of things. I love you, Sage. More than I can show you in a lifetime, but I'm going to try.” Hunter beamed at me, then placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

And that’s how we came to get married in my favorite spot on our ranch, with all our friends and family there to witness our vows at sunset. It was perfect. It was us.

I wonder how many more wonderful things he would forget to tell me.

Epilogue - Hunter

To say my life had made a complete three-sixty in the last five months would be an understatement.

Not only had I finally convinced my mate that he was really my mate, but I had pulled off the surprise wedding and honeymoon of the year.

Sage was stunned when we pulled up to our wedding ceremony site with his parents in the backseat. He loved that spot overlooking the river on his parent’s land, and I did too. It was the first place I’d made him mine. The place where we had conceived our baby. At least, that was the story I was holding on to.

Our reception took place at our family estate. My parents hosted it for us since Seth had graciously agreed to my shotgun wedding to his son on their property and made all the arrangements, including the arch and flowers, as well as all the phone calls to get everyone there.

When the night grew long, and my mate started to wilt, I scooped him up and took him to our home and bed. That was another perk to having our reception so close to home.

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