Page 109 of The Gamma's Second Chance

His responding laugh is dark and promising and tinted with a growl. It’s like a heated caress against my soul, reminding me of all the delicious things he’ll do to me soon and all the wonderful sensations he’ll bring to life as he does.

“I’m holding you to that,”he says, giving me one last chuckle before closing the link.

“I’m almost finished…” my mom murmurs, as if she knows I’m mindlinking my impatient mate. She pushes several more pins into my hair before sighing and lifting my chin with her hand. “There.”

I smile at her reflection in the mirror. “Thank you, Mama. It’s exactly how I imagined it.”

She returns my smile and nods, then perches on the edge of the cushioned seat, taking my hand and sandwiching it between both of hers. “Now, about your dress. I—”

“It’s all right, Mama,” I say, covering her hand with my free one and squeezing reassuringly. “I know it was short notice, and there wasn’t time for you to have my own gown made for me. I don’t mind that the gown won’t be custom-made.”

Her gaze softens, and she moves her hand to my face, thumbing across my cheekbone. “My sweet girl.” She shakes her head. “I have done everything in my power to make this day perfect for you. Including making you your dress.”

I frown at her words, confused. “But how? How did you have time? Even if you started making it when Nolan called you, there wouldn’t have been enough time to…” Her eyes sparkle as I speak, her lips tipping into a secretive smile, and I remember herwords from our phone call my first morning at Crescent Lake—you will likely stay with the gamma for longer than you think you will.

“You knew?” I ask, and she nods. “How? Since when?” I sputter, laughing incredulously.

“I didn’t know for sure,” she amends. “When they came four and a half years ago, I had a brief vision of you and him hugging on the shore of a lake with marks on your necks. You were still young, though, and I wasn’t sure how you would end up in Crescent Lake. Not until King Malachi called asking if there was anyone who could help Luna Haven with her aura.” My eyes water and my lip trembles, but I smile at her. “As soon as you agreed to go, I began working on it.”

I dive forward and wrap my arms around her, clutching her tight. “Thank you, Mama.”

We hug for a long while, her swaying us side to side and me squeezing my eyes shut to stem the tears. Then she leans away and nods towards the armoire in the corner. “Your gown is in there, and your mate is waiting for you at the edge of the temple grounds. He is growing antsy, but take all the time you need before you join him.”

I nod, and she kisses my forehead, then rises from the seat and exits the room, leaving me alone to dress. I stand on shaky legs and cross to the closet, taking in a deep breath before I open it.

The diaphanous fabric of the white gown glitters with sparkling embroidery along the edges and scattered over the skirt and bodice. Each decorative piece is handsewn onto the fabric, and I can almost feel and taste the love, care, and thought my mother put into my ceremony gown. It’s beautiful and timeless, and everything I ever dreamed of for this moment I thought I’d never experience.

I trail my fingers over the floral details, admiring it on the hanger before I remove the pieces and lay them out on thecushioned seat so I can dress. First, I pull on the gown itself, slipping it over my head and adjusting the thin straps on my shoulder. The low neckline on the bodice cups my breasts, and the floral embroidery on the almost sheer fabric hides the pink of my nipples. I smooth my hands over the flowing skirt dotted with tiny jeweled daisies, swaying slightly so the gown’s skirt flows around me, before I slip on the second layer of the outfit.

The long sheer sleeves extend to my wrists, ending in a scalloped lace hem that matches the hem along the bottom edges and front opening of the outer layer. I clasp it in the middle, right at the bottom of my ribs, and trace the swirling edges and flowers along the split opening. The layers of sheer fabric work to hide my body from the world, but under the moonlight and in the candlelight of the temple, my mate will be able to make out almost every inch of me with his sharp eyes.

I stare at myself in the mirror, taking it all in, my heart full and my soul ready to become one with Nolan’s. The gown is more stunning on my body than it was hanging in the armoire. The glittering adornments catch the fading light and reflect it throughout the room, and I know it will do the same in the temple.

Inhaling deeply, I gather the skirt in my hand and head out the back door of the room. The sun is almost gone, the last vestiges of light clinging to the sky and hiding some stars, but the moon glows already, silver and bright against the darkening sky.

The winding trail lined with jasmine leads me to the edge of the temple grounds, right in front of the pond at the foot of the temple stairs. The open-air temple with the moon hanging above it is reflected flawlessly in the smooth surface of the water, but it all pales in comparison to Nolan.

My mate.

His back is to me, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares out at the temple beneath the rising moon. The tattooed wingson his shoulder blades ripple, and the blade down his spine sharpens as his muscles tense as he spins to face me.

His arms uncross and he freezes, holding himself still as his eyes roam over my dress before they lift to my face. They shine with love and wonder, and before I can take time to appraise him in his low-slung white linen pants, my feet are already carrying me to him, my dress flowing out behind me as I cross the distance between us in mere seconds.

“Cassandra…” he murmurs as he envelops me in his arms, pressing kisses to my neck and across my shoulder until his lips hit fabric and he makes his way back again.

His massive, firm arms embrace me with such gentleness, and once again I find myself wonderstruck by the juxtaposition of his visible strength and the tenderness with which he always treats me when he holds me like this.

“Goddess, you are so beautiful,” he whispers, leaning away to gaze down at me in his arms. I blink back tears as he continues to gaze at me with complete and utter awe, a lump forming in my throat at the pure love I feel for him and sense from him.

I slide my fingertips over his bare torso, tracing the outline of his muscles. He shudders beneath my touch, eyes closing and chin lifting as he strains his neck and holds himself back from me. “Are you ready?” I ask, even though I can tell he is by the tension in his body.

He nods and releases me from his grasp, and I back away, taking his hand in mine and leading him towards the temple to begin our ceremony.

Chapter 38

NOLAN

Cassandra strolls in frontof me, her skirt lifted in one hand and my hand clasped in her other. She glances back at me every few steps as she leads me across the stepping stones in the grass and up the stairs into the temple, smiling as she does.

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