Chapter 344

Judy’s POV

“Gavin, you came!” I nearly squealed as I wrapped my arms around him; 8 days without my mate had been brutal. I had missed him so much it was painful. Tears sprang to my eyes, and I had nothing to blame other than these damn pregnancy hormones; they had been so bad today… worst than they’ve ever been, and I’m assuming it was because I finally popped.

Gavin held me, his face buried in my neck, sending waves of warmth through my body with each breath he took.

“Did you think I would miss this?” He asked, pulling back slightly to look down at me.

“I thought you were going to be too busy to return,” I admitted. “I know Chester wanted you as his best man, but you’ve been so busy tending to Levi’s territory, I didn’t think you’d come back this soon. You were scheduled to come back next week.”

He pressed his lips to my forehead.

“I wanted to surprise you,” he admitted. “I would never miss this, plus no man is allowed to walk with my mate down the aisle other than me…”

I blinked up at him, a smile threatening my lips, but I wanted to tell him that Lukas was harmless. However, Lukas beat me to it. He had his hands held up, and he took a step away.

“I swear, I didn’t mean anything by it. They asked me to be a stand-in because they didn’t think you were coming, Alpha. I would never try to get with your mate. I don’t have a death wish,” Lukas explained, a slight tremor in his voice.

Despite Lukas having Lycan blood because of his uncle, Mica, he still cowers under the scrutiny of Gavin.

Gavin glanced at Lukas, a frown marring his lips, though he didn’t look threatening, and his eyes almost glinted with amusement.

“Go find your seat, Lukas. We will talk later,” Gavin said, his eyes narrowed.

Lukas’ face paled, and he swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving from the notion.

“Y…yes, Alpha,” Lukas said; he didn’t bother looking at me as he walked to his seat on the other side of the wall we stood behind.

I sighed; I was hoping to become friends with him again after Gavin scared him off the first time.

Looking up at Gavin, I folded my arms across my chest.

“I never yelled at you for scaring him off the first time,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “How could you do that? He was my friend… nothing more.”

“I don’t like other men sniffing around what’s mine,” he told me, his brows raised. “Is that a problem that I’m protective?”

“It’s a problem when it interferes with my friendships,” I told him. “Even before you knew I was your mate, you still scared him away…”

“Because even then, I knew you were mine,” he told me with a slight shrug.

My cheeks flushed at his admittance, and I nibbled on my lower lip.

“Careful… keep biting that lip and we won’t make it down that aisle,” Gavin said, his eyes fixed on my lips and his eyes dark with desire.

I released my lip from my teeth, my mouth falling open. I slapped his arm, snapping him back to the present moment.

“Gavin!” I scolded, but I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me.

He shrugged, and then he bent and kissed me lightly on the lips.

“I’m just saying,” he murmured against my mouth.

I kissed him softly on the lips before I pulled back.

“Lukas helped me a lot in college,” I told him. “If it weren’t for our study sessions, I don’t know if I would have been able to get through finals…”

His eyes narrowed for a moment.

“He means a lot to you.”

It wasn’t a question, but is still nodded, feeling tears well up in the corners of my eyes. I hated these hormones; they were making me cry way too much.

I felt Gavin’s warm touch on my cheek as he wiped away a stray tear that I didn’t know had fallen. I looked up at him and noticed that he was staring down at my belly, which made my cheeks flame hotter.

“You’ve rounded,” he whispered, his hands flying to my stomach.

I nodded, unable to hide the smile on my lips.

“I did,” I told him.

Now both of his hands were on my belly, and I felt the warmth of his touch coursing through me. His eyes had softened drastically, and he looked like he was about to cry himself. It would have been comical if I weren’t such a hormonal mess.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his eyes meeting mine.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was interrupted by Irene.

“Dad! You made it,” Irene said, a smile on her face. “We are about to get started. I’m assuming you’re still taking Judy down the aisle?”

Gavin finally pulled his eyes away from me to look at his daughter, and he nodded.

“You’ve assumed correctly,” he said, his arm wrapping around my waist.

“You knew he’d be here, didn’t you?” I asked Irene, who only smiled wider.

“Of course,” she said with a wink. “He might be busy, but he’d never miss this, and he’s never going to be too busy for his mate. I knew the second he found out that Lukas was here, he’d come right away.”

My eyes grew wide as I stared up at him.

“That’s why you came back??” I asked, almost hurt. “To make sure Lukas stayed away from me?”

“That is not why I came back,” Gavin corrected. “I was always planning on being here… it was just a happy coincidence.”

His words made Irene laugh, but she stood when another person joined us. I smiled when I watched her get wrapped up in a warm embrace from behind, and I watched her melt completely and utterly.

Gavin rolled his eyes, but he didn’t stop it from happening.

“Are you behaving?” A low murmur spoke, sending vibrations through Irene’s body, I assumed because she trembled as her cheeks flushed.

“Always,” she teased, leaning her head to the side to give him better access to the nape of her neck. He planted a kiss right on the spot he plans to mark her once this wedding stuff is done, or so he’s told me.

“You’re looking quite dashing, Chuck,” I told Irene’s mate, who glanced up at me and smiled.

“I hate suits, but I’d do and wear just about anything for this beauty in my arms,” Chuck said, winking, making me laugh.

“She’s lucky to have you,” I told him.

“Okay, we need to get the show on the road before Nan makes a run for it,” Irene said, pulling herself from Chuck’s embrace.

“Is that a possibility?” Gavin asked, raising his brows.

I turned to look at him while Irene and Chuck disappeared to find the bride.

“She had some cold feet this morning,” I told him. “But I don’t think she’d run away from her wedding. She loves Chester more than anything, and I know they are going to make this work.”

He nodded as he bent to kiss me lightly on the lips, not wanting to mess up my makeup any more than it already was messed up thanks to these damn pregnancy hormones.

“Okay, everybody, we are ready! It’s go time!”

Irene rushed back with Nan, and in tow, the nervous look on her face made me laugh. I looked up at Gavin, leaning into him. I wondered what our wedding would be like if we ever were to get married. Gavin had never brought up marriage before; he brought up making me his Luna… but never marriage.

He was married once a long time ago to Irene’s mother, and I dind’t think he’d want to get married again. The thought made me a little sad because I always imagined that I would marry my mate… but I suppose it didn’t matter. We had already marked each other, and in the werewolf world, that was stronger than marriage.

Then again, Ethan and I had marked each other when we were teens, and things didn’t work out the way I wanted.

“I’m so nervous,” Nan admitted as she stood behind me in the lineup.

I smiled over my shoulder at her.

“You are gorgeous, and you’re marrying your mate. You shouldn’t be nervous at all,” I assured her. “Plus, you have a group of friends who would do anything for you and stand by your side until the end. So, if Chester fucks up, I’ll kick his ass.”

This made Nan smile through her tears.

“Thanks, Judy,” she breathed.

I wrapped an arm through Gavin’s as the music started, and then one by one, we each walked down the aisle. It was a small wedding party.

First it was Irene and Chuck, then Gavin and me… followed by Nan, who wanted to walk herself down the aisle despite my father's refusal to walk with her. Nan didn’t have a father to give her away, and she’s always been independent, so she decided to give herself away, which, honestly, spoke volumes, and it was inspiring.

As I walked down the aisle, I noted all the familiar faces who had gathered to witness this occasion. I smiled when my eyes found my mother, who was holding Emalyn in her arms; my heart swelled at the sight, and I thought of her holding my baby as well.

When we reached the end of the aisle, Gavin kissed my temple.

“Let’s talk after,” he whispered, and I nodded before parting ways.

I smiled at Chester as I walked by him to stand beside Irene. He looked just as nervous as Nan did.

The second the wedding music grew louder, and Nan made herself known, everybody stood and was in complete awe of her beauty, especially Chester, whose worries immediately melted off his face, and now all that was placed in his eyes was love and admiration for the woman he was about to marry.

The worries seemed to be gone from Nans’ face as well as she locked eyes with her mate, a smile radiantly lighting from her features.

I knew at that moment that everything was going to be okay.

I looked at Gavin, who wasn’t looking at Chester or Nan… his eyes were only on me.