Death in the Shadows - 27. Chapter 27: Joyful Joining

Saturday came faster than expected. Hell, this whole day is zooming by! The excitement coursing through Vincent was palpable. He sat on the deck to watch the sunset an hour ago. The blue sky turned a red-orange with a purple hue, signaling it was almost time. He shivered, but not from the January chill.

"You about set?" asked Mason.

Jolting in his seat, Vincent screamed, "Holy hell!" Catching his breath, he growled as his mate tried to keep a straight face. "Mace! Where did you come from?"

"Didn't I tell you? I got shadow powers overnight. Poof!" The alpha squatted, waving his arms all about. "Did I do it? Am I invisible?"

He couldn't stay mad. Mason's act was comical. "That's funny. You're turning into your dad with your jokes."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"Nope, considering you're cuter."

"Aww, thanks babe." Mason sat next to him and put an arm over Vincent's shoulders. "We should get dressed. Meeting starts soon."

"We could just go naked. Makes it easier to go running afterward."

"True, but I want every moment to be perfect. That, and I don't need anyone cat-calling after your sexy ass."

Pinching Mason's thigh, Vincent snickered. "You know I'm yours. Quit being territorial."

"Okay, okay. Still, time to get up."

Begrudgingly, he rose. Going to the bedroom, the suit bag was laid out. He knew Mason's was in the guest bedroom. They planned to go to the meeting separately, as to somewhat meet the tradition of not seeing their spouse until the wedding. Unzipping it and seeing the tuxedo was hard. "The last time I wore a suit was…" he whispered. Taking a deep breath, he held back his tears. "Was the funeral."

He stripped and put on the sleek, black pants. As more clothes were donned, each zip and button clasp echoed in his mind. This is it, isn't it? The final piece of my bonding to Mace.

They decided to keep their names the way they were. When it came time to eventually move, their last names would be swapped. Vincent Wilson. I like it, he thought somberly.

And Mace would be Mason Bolton. Vincent laughed to himself. His name would still rhyme. I think Terik had a hand in that.

Nope, said the familiar, shrill voice. But it's really funny.

H-hey! I didn't know… Do you listen to my thoughts like that?

Only when you think of me. Kind of counts as praying, so be careful, squirt.

Actually, Vincent thought, I… I have a request, Lady Terik.

Kid, I'm way ahead of you.

Choking up, a tear fell and rode his cheek downward. "Thank you," Vincent mumbled. Wiping his eyes with the discarded t-shirt, he finished dressing. Turning to look in the mirror, he smiled. The day before, he and Mason went to the barber. With his sides faded, he kept the top length and tied it back into a short ponytail that bounced just below his crown.

Despite the puffy cheeks and red eyes, he was dapper.

He envisioned his mate in the mirror behind him, dressed the same. Sighing, Vincent fell into the shadows and ran to the campground amphitheater. With the night’s sky finally taking over, the only light shining was the roaring bonfire. As they planned, the place was packed. Every bench was filled, all of the chairs they rented were taken, and some even resorted to bringing their foldable ones from home. The first row was marked for special guests and family, and seeing some faces almost made him cry.

Emerging at the top of the staircase, he saw nearly head turned. He blushed and grinned as the theater erupted. The hollers, yells, whistles, and howls were deafening, much like the night of his dance. Waving his arms in an attempt to hush the crowd, he walked down the steps towards the stage where Dave stood. Before he reached his destination, he was stopped by a hulking silhouette.

“Vincent,” said Lei. The pack’s noise silenced as the alphas faced each other. Standing in a pin-striped navy suit, it was clear the man was moved. “My gods. You… You look impressive.”

The mage closed the gap and hugged his father-by-bond. “Thanks, Dad,” he whispered.”

Lei trembled. “I’ll never get used to that. You’ve made me proud to call you son.”

Their embrace was short as Elaine practically pushed her mate out of the way. “Y-you’re going to wrinkle his suit, Lei.”

Vincent took another step, getting closer to both of them. “It’s okay, Mom. I’m sure the bonfire’s heat will iron it out.”

“Oh,” Elaine blubbed. She tried to say more, but she was unable to hold her emotions back. Crying, she shifted Vincent’s jacket, then straightened his tie. Opening her palm, magic formed. She stuck the short stem of an icy rose with translucent baby’s breath in the breast pocket. “You didn’t get boutonnières.”

“No, we didn’t think about it.”

“Honestly, you two are so alike.” She contradicted herself and hugged Vincent, squeezing the life out of the alpha. “I’m sure everyone else wants to see you before Mason gets here.”

Vincent sighed. “They can wait. I want to be on the stage when he arrives.”

Backing away, she chuckled. “Are you sure? There's some pretty important faces here."

Peering past her, he saw a few of them, but two of them shocked him. "They're here?"

Elaine moved to the side, allowing him to approach the welcome guests. "You guys came? How did you know?"

RJ crossed his arms. "You think you can get away with not inviting your coworker? For shame. Thunder gave me the heads up, and I figured I'd invite this guy."

"Thanks again, Grumpy," said Frank Reardon. "Glad Lei knows what a text message is, or else we wouldn't have known how to find the place. Hope you don't mind a few wedding crashers like us."

Stunned by their appearance, Vincent stammered, "I– Of course not. I'm just surprised to see you guys here."

"Don't let us get in your way," said the ursus. "I'm sure we'll have the chance to meet your mate afterward."

Giving the polar bear a hug, Vincent shook Frank's hand and went to take the stage. Dave stood in front of the fire, wearing a tan suit. "That suit is so dad-like, Dave."

"Gee, thanks. I'll tell Stace since she picked it out."

"I mean, she probably did it on purpose."

The beta raised an eyebrow, then shifted his weight. "True. Mace texted; he's a few minutes out. You ready?"

"More than anything. I can never thank you enough."

"For what?"

"For telling Mace to stop being a pansy and ask me out on a date."

Dave laughed. "I'm sure he would've figured it out on his own at some point. I'm real glad you decided to apply at Greenthumb. No tellin' if you and Mace would've met if you didn't."

The thought was a common occurrence in his mind. What were the chances? Pursing his lips, he had a moment of realization. No, it was guaranteed. Aliz put me on this path. I had to meet Mace. The destinies guided me, and they'll keep doing so until the fight. Until then…

Shaking his head, he stopped the train. Not tonight. It's all about me and Mace.

Hearing a large vehicle pull into the parking lot, all became silent. "He's here!" someone in the higher rows shouted.

Vincent's heart skipped a beat. He was about to watch the man of his dreams walk down the aisle.

A car door closed. This is it.

At the top, the alpha stopped. In the same fashion, the pack broke the sound barrier, but they were hushed in the mage's ears. All Vincent could do was admire Mason.

The lycan was perfect. In an identical suit, his hair was slicked up; spiky in the same style as when they met. The chin strap’s a little thicker, but it's almost the same. Mason had a killer smile as he scanned the crowd.

Then his eyes fell on Vincent. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Mason's eyes shone bright gold. Power rushed to his own in response. Once again, the pack hushed as Mason took the first step.

There was no music. The only sounds he heard were the flames crackling, the occasional murmur, and Mason's shoes hitting wood. As his mate grew closer, Vincent's heart rate matched Mason's pace. Step. Thump. Step. Thump. The rhythm stayed as Elaine stopped the alpha to hug him and insert an identical boutonnière in Mason’s jacket. On the platform, it all came to a climax as Mason took his place. Both men's irises were glowing vibrantly.

"Please be seated, everyone," called out Dave.

The audience obeyed and watched intently.

Straightening his tie, Dave cleared his throat. "I've wanted to say this for a while now, so excuse my excitement. We gather here today to witness the final step in the bonding of our alpha, Mason Wilson, and mated alpha, Vincent Bolton.

"A word before we begin. I've known Mace for years. Even though I'm a couple years older, I always looked up to him, even before he became our leader. He was always a little demanding, but we know how some alphas can be." Pausing to let everyone get their giggles out, he continued, "He's grown to be a wonderful man to work alongside, and he’ll lead us into a great future. I can say he's my best friend, and I'm honored to stand here to unite him with his destined."

Mason's lips were trembling as he patted the beta's shoulder.

"Then there's Vincent," Dave said, turning to the mage. "I feel equally honored to be the first person to welcome him to Owensville all those months ago. There was something special about him, even when I just hired him to fill shelves at the grocery store. He's easily one of the most dedicated workers I've ever seen. When he was a human, he could stock two whole aisles in a single shift. But one night, I see Mace going in Greenthumb, then comes barreling out huffing and snorting up a storm. Turns out my new wonder-hire was destined to be our mated alpha.

"And what a mated alpha he is. The love he's shown for Mace is almost blinding. Even before he agreed to be a part of our community, he was ready to help our pack in any way he could. He's given a few of us some useful advice in finding our mates, current or future."

From the corner of his vision, Vincent saw Dirk's arm move, followed by Ingle smacking the bear on the back of the head. A few people, himself included, caught it and laughed.

"What touches me is Vincent's compassion," Dave continued. "Not just for Owensville, but for our neighboring packs and shifters across the world. So much so, he became an auditor for the Executive Council. Without question, he has a desire to better our world, and it is a privilege to know such a man."

Vincent could barely keep the waterworks at bay. Sniffing, he calmed himself.

"At this time, I invite those who are close to these two to step forward. Let them know you are here to support their marriage."

Several bodies came. Lei and Elaine led the way with Tierney and Morrine close by. Holding Lowe, Caleb and Tasha approached, as well as Dirk and Ingle. Seeing Cyrus and Kaplan caused Vincent to choke up. I didn't even see them earlier. Stacy and Heather walking together made him smile, but behind them, RJ shrugged and joined as well. Rearing them was Remis, Bartlett, and Ashford. Another wave of people were coming; Alaric, Sophie, and the rest of Mason's family rounded the group. Every one of them were either smiling, crying, or both.

"Each of you have come to honor the commitment and bond these two share. Without further ado, let us bow our heads and ask for the Seven’s blessing."

Vincent bowed, but he saw two sets of feet behind Mason. Looking up, he saw Aliz and another woman beside her. She had a wild head of spiky, blonde hair, and she wore a revealing garment similar to the goddess of destiny's. There was a comforting smirk on the lady's face, and it instantly revealed who she was.

Lady… Terik?

The woman merely winked. Couldn't bring 'em here, but they're watching, squirt.

Closing his eyes, the mage struggled to maintain his composure. His parents were here. Both sets. Mom… Dad… I'm glad you made it. I know you'd rather be here in person, but you're here and that's what matters.

"Thank you," Dave muttered.

Looking at the beta briefly, he noticed Aliz and Terik were gone. Swallowing hard, Vincent believed his parents were still in attendance.

"Mason Wilson. Do you take Vincent to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in joy and pain, for as long as you draw breath?"

"I do."

Dave turned to Vincent. "Vincent Bolton. Do you take Mason to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in joy and pain, so long as you draw breath?"

"I do."

"Then by the blessing of the Seven, and the power vested in me by the Owensville County Pack, Executive Council, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I hereby pronounce you husbands. You may kiss your mate."

Vincent barely took a step before Mason claimed his mouth. The applause, roars, and howls fell on deaf ears as their tongues danced. Mason's hands cupped Vincent's cheeks, and love poured from his end of their bond. Reciprocating, he pushed his own stream right back, causing the alpha to growl in his mouth.

When they parted, Mason kept his hold. Tears were streaming down his face, glistening from the orange flames. "I love you, Vinnie. More than anything in the world."

"I love you, Mace. I'm so happy you found me."

They kissed again, then faced their family, friends, and pack.

Dave's voice boomed from behind them, "I present to you, Alphas Mason Wilson and Vincent Bolton."

Together, they left the stage while holding hands. Lei and Elaine were the first to stop them, giving hugs and kisses on their cheeks. Many embraces were had, and even though their meeting was brief, Mason shook RJ’s hand before escorting Vincent up the staircase. The smiles and cheers surrounding them were overwhelming, but he stayed focused on his mate. It’s like we’re walking into the next part of our lives.

At the landing, Mason swept Vincent off his feet. “So, where to first? Alpha Meyer hit me up, and we have five days at his cabin in the Black Forest.”

“That sounds awesome,” Vincent replied, “but I think we should get out of these suits and into something more comfortable for an hour or four.”

Lust was pouring off Mason as he opened the passenger door to his truck. “After you, husband.”

Coming from his mate, the title carried weight. Instead of climbing up, Vincent stood on his toes and kissed his fellow alpha. “Call me that again.”

“Husband,” Mason growled.

“Fuck, that’s hot. Are you going to take your husband home and make him yours?”

“Yes, then again, and again, and again. You might need to take us to Germany in a wheelchair tomorrow evening.”

Shaking off the idea, he allowed Mason to close the door. Once the driver drove away slowly, they both heard the cans clanging on the gravel lot. Vincent rolled his eyes. Of course they did. Sneaky little shits. “So, do shifters have wedding receptions?”

“Yep. but that’s tomorrow. From what Dad told me, everyone’s staying in town, at least for the rest of the weekend. Mom and Stacy’s planned the whole thing; we just need to show up at four.”

“Where at?” asked Vincent.

“My parents’ place, and we’re to come hungry and ready to dance.”

Sounds nice, but first things first. He folded his hand into Mason’s. Not bothering to answer, Vincent watched the man drive the whole way home. I want nothing but him right now.