Heart of Stone (Part III)

Epilogue

Song: "Turning Pages" by Sleeping at Last

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Walking down the rows of roses with her closest friends and family on one side and lycans and werewolves they had formed alliances with on the other, Aubree couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face. She could smell the salt building in the corners of her father's eyes, her arm looped around his as she clasped her red and white bouquet of roses, carnations, and baby's breath before her.

A long white runner covered the path down to the altar where Stone waited with Alistair and Gavin and the fountain further behind them. Brook had passed her bouquet of white to Gwen, ready to fluff Aubree's train and take her bouquet when she reached Stone's side.

Stone stood there, still as could be, struggling to swallow the lump in his throat as he watched her slow approach with his heart drumming as quickly as her own.

Her mother was sobbing, having come around in the eleven months that passed since meeting Stone and getting to know him more over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Aubree's twenty-fifth birthday, and Mother's Day—the last time they saw each other before Aubree and Stone tied the knot. Her parents were still oblivious to the truth and they would try to keep it that way as long as possible.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from those deep blues staring back at her and only turned away to kiss her father's cheek as he gave her away.

Her shimmering lace train was fluffed, bouquet taken, and her hands placed in Stone's before she could gaze into those blues again. He lifted her knuckles to his lips, his eyes staring into her soul, before lowering them between them as the officiant began the ceremony.

Stone pressed against her mental barriers, but she kept them locked up tight. She needed to stay focused to keep herself from blubbering like a baby and smearing her makeup everywhere—even though it was supposed to be waterproof, she didn't trust it.

She had asked them all to stay out of her mind until they had said their "I dos" and she could tell they were all as excited as could be for the pronouncement of becoming husband and wife.

The trick would be to keep themselves from howling even though instinct pushed them to do so.

"The bride and groom have written their own vows," the officiant said, snapping Aubree from her daze in Stone's gaze.

He handed her the cue-card she had written her vows on. Between glances at Stone and the words that blurred before her, she said, "Stone: You walked into my life and threw it upside down. We made a lot of mistakes in the beginning, and yet you asked me to speak my mind, scream at you if I wanted to, and you would listen. Communication is the cement that holds two people together to make their relationship strong, and while we struggled with that at first, we were both committed to each other to make things work. I vow to always stand by your side, to share our deepest thoughts together, to be strong when you can't, and love you forever. Forever sounds like a long time, but I am glad that you are my forever for all time."

She handed her card back to the officiant, who then handed Stone his.

"I don't need it," Stone said before returning his attention back to his bride. "I only wrote it to make you happy, not because I would forget it."

Chuckles erupted from everyone around them, as Aubree grinned and her eyes crinkled.

"Aubree: You brought light back into my life. You are my moon in my darkest night. I am yours for all eternity, even after I breathe my last."

The rings were exchanged as glances were stolen. Heartbeats pounded in anticipation.

When the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, Stone bent down to seal their vows with a lingering kiss.