Hell Upside Down

Chapter 33

Chapter 23 - "I do"

Point of view Alena Underwood

My own father which I had no memory of was standing in front of me when I was about to walk down the aisle. The world was about to collapse and I was about to burn this man to the ground to try to steal my moment. 

Uncle Jay finally spit at this man's foot. "I'm glad you were able to use your teleportation skills for once Ezra." 

I knew barely nothing about my father. I knew he was a supernatural being like us but that was about it. With Uncle Jay's words, I figured my dad was part of the Outcast.  I could feel my Uncle tense up. He was probably nervous that my dad was going to steal this moment from him. He had always talked about walking me down the aisle. 

Ezra held his hands into the air. It still surprised me to see so much of me into him or vice versa. Some of our traits were identical. We took a few seconds observing each other before he spoke again. 

"I didn't mean to intrude like this but I couldn't miss this. I don't want to bother you, I will just sit in the back." He said while trying to walk away with a striking calmness in his gaze.

He turned around, ready to leave again. As much as I hated this stranger, I had thought about this day for so long. 

"Wait!" I screamed to alarm my father. Ezra stopped and turned around. 

He took his hat off and bowed. "I know you have questions sweat-heart. I will be there when you will need those answers." 

He left the room without any other words. I was left in such a state of confusion that I couldn't think straight. 

"Always hated the man." Uncle Jay spoke making me giggle a bit. I grew up around him always being so polite and kind to others. Seeing him flustered was unfamiliar to me but quite amusing. 

Uncle Jay was never this serious. Sometimes, he even seemed out of place in this environment as a human. Even though he grew up around our kind his whole life, I sometimes forgot that he was more fragile than I was. It didn't seem like it when he had spent his whole life protecting me and my mother from Ezra. "But the Universe had to pick him for my sister." He threw his hands in the air in a theatrical way. "I'm hoping your guy isn't like that." 

My guy, as Uncle Jay said, is much worst and a lot more dangerous than someone that can disappear and appear with a blink of an eye. Ash gets into your nightmares, reads your fears, and lit things on fire when he gets upsets. 

Enough of that, it was time to complete the bond. It was time for me and Ash to start the rest of our lives together. 

*** 

I got out of the room where I had met my father. I entered a long corridor where the windows were colored and showed the story of our creation but also showed the process of the ceremony of marriage. This tradition had been going on for centuries. I admired the different painting on the fine glass. It links two parts of a soul which had been roaming the earth alone, back together.  

We arrived in front of the two massive wooden doors that would open to the ceremony. I took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. The ceiling had a painting of the sky fulled of stars. It reminded me of that night were Ash brought me up to the roof of the Shadow dorm. 

That night, he made me feel special even though we were both Outcast in this society. I smiled before putting my head back down. I wanted this so badly. 

Uncle Jay looked at me with his dark eyes. He didn't have to ask if I was okay or if I really wanted to do this. Uncle Jay knew had to read my expressions. He always could tell when something was wrong, or when I lied. Our years living together near the beach brought us close. He was my sanctuary for so many years. It was time to take that burden off of his shoulder. 

Right when the doors started opening, he squeezed my arm a bit to remind me that he would always be there for me. The guitars started playing music, the doors open all the way enough to see the whole chapel was fulled with people. There was whole sections dedicated for the Shadow Cast. They came to support me on this special day. There were also so many adults that came in from all around the world. They had learned about the prophecy, and were here to see its completion. 

Uncle Jay walked me down the aisle where rose petals were placed on the ground. Once I got close enough, I locked eyes with Ash. He looked so damn handsome in his black suit and bow. His hair was neat, and he had shaved as well. The emotions were so grand of this day. Once I got close enough and Uncle Jay was dismissed off his duties, he went to sit down in the front row right next to Lilith.  

Here I was, standing in front of the man that the Universe had chosen for me. I loved him so much that a tear rolled down my eye. Ash wanted to make it stop, I could feel it in his bone but he didn't move. So he cried too, one single tear rolling down his cheek. A happy tear, a love tear. 

The guide, as we called him, was the man that was here to complete the bond. He was an old man with crystal eyes and long blond white hair. He made a speech welcoming the community to this grand event. The guide talked about love, the challenges ahead, and warned us about the consequences of separating once this ceremony is complete. 

The guide looked at me and open his hands towards me. 

"The couple has written their own vows to express their love to one another. The groom will go first."

It was funny because here we were. I was in a white dress, Ash was in a suit and we had never told each other we were in love with each other. Couldn't find a better place than a Chapel full of people to announce it to each other. Ash and I liked to do things our way. 

Ash cleared his throat and with his right hand, grabbed a little piece of a paper from his suit pocket. While he took a few seconds to start reading, I stared at his right hand. Something looked different. He had added something to the ink on his body. A new tattoo, I wondered. 

When I finally saw it, I almost chocked on my own spit. On the top of his right hand, my name was written in a small delicate style. Alena was written on his body, forever. 

Ash started reading his vow: "Alena came into my life like a wrecking ball. She was a new addition to the Shadow Cast. A new person who took care of me in my cell. I wasn't very happy with her at the beginning. She's annoying sometimes, and likes to get into your business. However, I'd never change it for the world. She's annoying because there isn't a minute where Alena isn't my mind. She gets into your business because she makes me better. She's the other part of my soul, she's mine. I'll love her everyday of my life."   

The guide then turned towards me. I had written a few things the night before but I didn't like what I had written. It wasn't poetic, it wasn't pretty. I decided not to read the paper and just started talking. 

"Ash made me fall in love with the Chaos of the world. He turned Hell upside down. He's beautiful, caring, and protects me. I'll be there for him in the sunny days, in the rainy days. You'll never have to roam this earth alone again. I'll love him everyday of my life."

At this point, tears were already rolling down my face from all the emotions. That's when Ashton pressed his fingers against my hand to reassure me. The simple touch of his skin made everything okay. The ceremony continued. 

"Alena Westwood would you take Ashton Rex as your partner for life? Will you love him, and stand by his side no matter what?" 

I took a second before saying those two little words. I turned towards Ash. I could feel my heart beat so fast. 

"I do." I say with conviction while staring into his beautiful hazel eyes. 

The guide then turned towards Ash. He seemed nervous for a bit. As if something was on his mind. Would he bail now? Would he want to cause Chaos now? 

"Ashton Rex would take Alena Westwood as your partner for life? Will you love her, and stand by her her side no matter what?" 

I stared at Ash, trying to read his mind. He didn't look at me for a few seconds. As if something was about to happen, I had just handed him my heart, and I was now afraid he would drop it and shatter it. I glared at Uncle Jay who gave me an awkward smile. Then, I looked up at Ash, that's when I knew what he was going to do next.