My Little Assassin

Epilogue

"May the Goddess in her goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with her blessings. What the Goddess has joined, mortals cannot divide."

The grand ballroom was decorated with white garlands, elegant white lace draperies, and a red path of rose petals coming down between the two sections of chairs. The entire kingdom has shown up as well as the pack. Nico stood in front of me, gripping my left wrist in his left hand while I held his wrist in mine. There were red, blue, green, purple, yellow, and white ribbons binding our hands together. 

I looked up and met Nico's darkened eyes. His eyes raked over me and by the time he made it back up to my face, I was sure I was as red as the ribbon around our hands. 

"May the strength of fire, the flexibility of water, the sturdiness of earth, the fierceness of air, and the love of spirit watch over you two mated souls as we join the both of you under the careful eye of the Goddess herself."

The elder cut the ribbons and placed his hands on our foreheads.

"As a speaker for our deity, I announce you, Nicodemus Blakely and Brin Ferli, as a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Blakely, the King and Queen of the elemental world. Nicodemus, you may kiss your bride."

My mate and new husband wasted no time.

His lips came crashing down on mine and I melted into him, hands gripping the lapels of his suit jacket. He was the one to pull away as the audience whistled at us and clapped, laughing at my flushed expression. I spotted Laylee make her way to the back of the line to congratulate us.

About two hours later, we had gotten through everyone and Laylee handed me my son. Nico wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder as he looked down at little Ethan Sage Blakely.

We had a reception party planned, but our guests knew that the happy couple would not be attending. I was too tired from staying up too late last night doing paperwork and taking care of Ethan's midnight crying. The open bar, blacklights, and expert DJ would make up for us not being there and no one seemed to care.

Back at the top floor of the castle, I put Ethan in his crib in his room. Nico swooped me off of my feet and carried me to our room bridal style.

"You think that doorframe counts as me carrying my bride over the doorstep?" Nico joked.

"I think we can count it for now," I said around a yawn. "I'm sorry, exhaustion just hit me like a wall."

"Don't worry about it. Let me help you get out of this, and we can get ready for bed."

He placed me on my feet and unbuttoned the back of the dress, easing it off of my body. I stripped off the stockings and rummaged through his drawer for an old t-shirt. A growl halted me when I had pulled it on and was heading towards the bathroom to get rid of my makeup.

Hands gripped my hips and turned me around. I found Nico kneeling on the ground, looking up at me with dark eyes. His hand gently cupped the back of my thigh, bringing that leg forward and resting my foot on his thigh.

Slowly, he leaned in and gripped the garter gently between his teeth. My breathing sped up as he slowly eased it down and of my leg. He tossed it to the side and then kissed my ankle before placing my leg back on the ground.

"Alright, you can go now," he teased. I turned and shakily walked into the bathroom.

Once back out in the bedroom, I made my way to the bed, pulling back the covers and diving in. Minutes later, the bed dipped and my husband shifted me so that I was cuddled up against his side. Just as I was about to pass out, I heard him say something that I will never forget, and will always melt my heart.

"Brin, ever since I laid eyes on you, I hoped that you could help me be who I was supposed to be. It was rocky in the beginning and I know that it was partly my fault for being to pushy and assuming. When you broke down those few days was my turning point. I had always thought I had it the worst because I was the youngest in the Alpha family, and had no rank in the pack. You made me realize that I had it easy compared to others. You're the one who taught me how to love, how to be brave, and how to fight for the things you want. Before you came along, I was miserable all the time. You changed everything and I could finally see the good in things again. Because of you, I've become the man I'd always dreamed of being. I don't care about rank, or money, or anything else that is material because the only thing I ever needed, and will ever need, is you.

You are my soul. You are my everything. Without you, there wouldn't be a me. Or at least not the same one who is laying here next to you right now. You have no idea how much you mean to me. You saved me, Brin. You saved me from a world that I wouldn't have been able to live in, too caught up in my own misery to realize the hurt I would bring to others with actions that had never been committed. You came into my life when I was at my lowest. I caught your scent and I was lost. I needed you more than I needed air. Just a whiff of your scent at the hospital filled me with hope. 

It hurt when you rejected not only me, but my entire pack, my family, those first couple of days. I had started slipping back into that hole that I'd just climbed out of. Then there was the night on the swing at the back of the pack house. You agreed to give me a chance and I was elated. The darkness still haunted me, but the more accepting you became, the more you gave into the bond and stopped fighting it, fighting me, that was when it disappeared. When you had vanished to the castle, I went a little crazy until you contacted me. It wasn't what I wanted, but I was just so glad that you knew I was freaking out over your absence. I know how annoying it was to keep the link open 24/7, but you did it for me and I can't even begin to explain how happy that made me.

All in all, Brin, you're the most important person to me, besides Ethan. You are my hero."