"Ready." I was beyond ready.

We walked down together with no music and no fancy decorations. There was just the sound of the birds from the woods and our home as a backdrop.

The wedding was short. We didn’t venture much from the traditional vows. But even so, by the time we were introduced as husbands, my eyes were teary and joy was overflowing from me.

And then he kissed me.

It was different…more. Or maybe I was different. Or maybe he had been right and getting married was important to me in a way I hadn’t realized. Whatever the case, our first kiss as married husbands was perfection.

Then the music turned on. It was just somebody’s speaker connected to their phone, but we danced and chatted and devoured the potluck the guys from the shop had thrown together.

It was like a big backyard party mixed with true love and a whole lot of laughter.

And as much as I was enjoying myself, there was no sadness when it was time for everyone to go home. Because I was finally going to be mated to my own alpha.

I took his hand and pulled him up the stairs, not even pretending to have any chill. But then again, he wasn’t either. We both wanted this.

"I’ve been waiting for this day for so long." I ran my hand down his arm.

"Me too, my love," he murmured as he worked my tie loose. Somewhere along the way, his tie was already long gone.

"Did I mention that I love you?"

He dropped my tie onto the floor. "Only in front of all of our family and friends."

Minus my brother, of course. But I didn’t bring him up. We were finally free from all of his bullshit. And I planned to keep it that way.

As soon as we were completely undressed, Todd slowly lowered me onto the silk sheets and held his body over mine. “This is permanent, omega. Not like wedding vows.” He kissed along my jaw and then licked my neck in the spot he planned to mark. “This can’t be broken.”

“That’s what I’m counting on, alpha.” My body was taut with desire as I waited for him to do it.

Todd’s hands roamed over my body as the gentle flicker of the lights still twinkling outside danced across his features. His eyes locked onto mine, and a contentment fell over me that made all my nerves disappear.

My heart drummed in my chest with the anticipation that coursed through me. The air between us was electric, charged with the promise of our vows and the life we were about to build. The life already growing inside of me.

The weight of Todd’s body against mine was a welcome pressure, warming me from the inside out as he protected me from the rest of the world.

My fingers traced the expanse of his back, feeling the muscles shift beneath his skin with every movement. “Make love to me, Husband.”

A low growl erupted from him as his mouth crashed onto mine. Our controlled movements were replaced with erratic touches and desperate kisses as he opened me up, making sure my slick opening was ready for him.

I was. I always was.

After pressing his fingers into me a few times, he spread my legs and positioned his thick cock at my opening. “I love you, Niam.”

I stared into his eyes and looked at him through the tears of emotion I couldn’t keep at bay. “I love you too, Todd. More than I ever thought possible.”

Without breaking eye contact, Todd pushed into me until he was as deep as he could be. Our breaths mingled as he pulled out and then pressed back in. Our rhythm started slowly but quickly built up into a crescendo that was beyond anything I’d ever felt before.

The connection between us was almost tangible, like a thread had formed from my heart to his. From his bear to the baby growing inside me.

As my pleasure escalated, I knew I couldn’t last long. The bond we shared flared to life as we hit the peak of our union.

“Come for me, Niam.” Todd thrust faster and harder, pushing me over the edge of control until I was crying out and convulsing in his arms. “Yes, alpha. Yes!”

I felt the unmistakable swell of his knot as it expanded inside me to hold in his release. Todd grunted as he held his whole body tight, absorbing the waves of ecstasy that rolled through him.

And then it happened.