Dusk till Dawn | Paul Lahote ✔️

Chapter 22

Today was the day I was marrying the man of my dreams.

Leah Clearwater was standing in the dressing room as my maid of honor, looking smug as she fixed my dress for me. "Damn girl, if you weren't already taken I'd take you myself." She whistled, grinning from ear to ear.

A scoff sounded from behind her, as one of her bridesmaids walked up. Destiny Stanley stood beside her girlfriend, giving her the side-eye. "Over my dead body," she teased, grinning as she turned towards me. "You look gorgeous, if Paul doesn't cry as you walk down the aisle I'll slap him." She smirks, high-fiving Leah.

"Well it's thanks to Alice that I got this dress so fast," I smiled over at the vampire, who was granted to cross over the boarder just for this purpose. Alice grins at me, her golden eyes sparkling in delight. "Thanks again Alice, I know it was super last minute." I complimented the fairy vampire, who just shrugs in response.

"Super last minute is my forte," Alice giggles, giving me a small smile. "Rosalie wanted to come as well to help with make-up, but Sam wouldn't let her. I'll have to leave shortly, but I wanted to make sure the dress fit before leaving! I have Bella and Edward's wedding to plan!" She grins at me, and suddenly I felt sorry for Bella and Edward. Though at the same time they reap what they sow, and this is the karma they get.

I glanced over at Leah, who had stiffened at the vampire girls voice. The wolves had promised to keep their beef separate from the wedding, just for one day since Alice was helping out, though I could tell that they were still uncomfortable with being in close proximity of them. "That's too bad, I bet she would have done a great job." I mentioned to be polite, though I knew that my bridesmaids and maid of honor wouldn't have been comfortable with the idea of two vampires being in proximity to them.

"She would have done an excellent job!" Alice insists with a beaming smile. Did this girl ever not smile? She seemed to be a bundle of joy. "Either way, congratulations on the wedding. I'll be it's going to be beautiful." She bows her head slightly before standing up. "I'll maybe see you later?" With that she sped out of the room, no longer in La Push.

Leah shivers beside me, scowling. "I'm grateful that she helped, but she gives me the heebie jeebies..." She frowns, before turning towards me. "Where's Emily? The wedding is about to start!" Leah had been on high alert ever since she accepted to be my maid of honor a week ago. Getting everything settled for a week planning of a wedding, she had been a godsend.

"I'm right here Lee Lee, relax!" Emily chuckles as she walks inside. "I'm catering, remember? With the help of your mother, of course." She turns to look at me, beaming. "Look at you, Laney! So gorgeous, as always! I know that you wanted Sam and I to have our wedding first, but I'm glad you guys decided to go for it." Emily insists and I smiled at her for that.

The music started to play and my eyes widened. It was happening. Fuck. "It's okay Laney, breathe!" Emily coaxed , patting my arm as she gave me a smile.

Destiny gave me a small smile. "I'm first so I should go. It'll be okay, Elaine. You've been wanting this ever since you met the guy." She gives me an encouraging smile before stepping out of the room. Emily also smiled at me before following after Destiny, leaving me with Leah in the room that we were using.

"Take a deep breath. If he doesn't live up to husband expectations I'll kill him for you," Leah offered, making me laugh slightly as she followed after the girls. Taking a deep breath, I counted in my head before walking outside. Dad was waiting for me with a beaming smile, tears falling down his face as he offered me his arm.

"I am so proud of you, Elaine," he tells me as he walks me down the aisle. Mom was sitting up front, tears also running down her cheeks. She was able to show up, though Phil wasn't able to come down since he had a game.

"You're always the best man for me, dad." I tell him softly, kissing his cheek as he lets me go towards my fiancée soon to be husband.

Paul had his mouth hung open as he stared at me, looking me up and down. "Wow. You're gorgeous..." He trails off in awe, and I giggle at him.

Billy clears his throat. "Ahem," he gives Paul a look, though there was a small smile on his face. Scanning the area I see Bella was sitting next to mom and dad, Edward wasn't present though I didn't expect him to be. Bella beams at me, and I smile at her back before turning towards Billy. "It is with great honor that I marry Paul Lahote and Elaine Swan, who I have seen as a daughter since she was a young child." Claire was standing beside Leah, the flower basket in her hands and Seth was standing next to Sam with the ring pillow. Since we didn't really know anyone younger that could do the job, Seth was elected - and while he was a bit flustered he accepted it, knowing it was important for us that he was apart of the wedding.

Paul chose, as his best man, Sam. Groomsmen were Jared and Embry, which I thought was suiting, and I knew those were going to be the two picked. Paul was closest with them, Embry less so but they had begun to get to know each other a lot better.

"Paul Lahote," Billy turned to look at Paul, who suddenly turned to attention and looked at him - taking my hands in his. "Do you take Elaine Swan to be your lawfully wedded wife. To live together in harmony and matrimony, to love her and comfort her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward until you both shall live?" He looks between both of us with a fond smile.

"I do." Paul replies softly, giving me a smile as he squeezes my hands. My heart was pounding in my chest.

"Elaine Swan," he turns to me now, and I stay looking into Paul's eyes. "Do you take Paul Lahote to be your lawfully wedded husband? To live together in harmony and matrimony, to love him and comfort him in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward until you both shall live?"

"I do." I squeeze Paul's hands, knowing that I wanted to be with him forever. He was my salvation. The reason I breathed.

I loved him, and knew I would never love anyone else as much as I did him.

"The rings, please." Billy glances over to Seth, who hurries to give them the rings.

Paul takes a deep breath as he puts the ring on my finger. "With this ring, I be-wed."

Taking the ring, I put it on his finger as well. "With this ring, I be-wed." Now I was Elaine Lahote, wife to Paul Lahote.

This was the ending I was hoping for, and the ending I would thrive for as long as I lived.

AN: AND I AM DONE!

I want to thank ALL OF YOU for the AMAZING support! There will be an epilogue to tie things up, but this is the last chapter I will be writing! I am sorry for those of you who want Breaking Dawn, but I had decided a LONG time ago that I wasn't going to write it. It gave me headaches to even think about writing it, and I couldn't think of any way to make original scenes for it so I just decided not to write it. I will, however, make an epilogue or two depending on what is needed to tie things up.