by Hawke Oakley
I hadn’t considered that before. I pressed a finger to my temple in thought. “Hmm… Maybe.”
“Hey,” Lorenzo said suddenly, “what if we added your parents’ names onto our baby’s name?”
“How so?”
“Well, if if the baby is a girl… Charlotte Kali Drakinus. She can use whichever name she prefers.”
“Huh. Interesting,” I said. “And for a boy, Robert-Eka?”
Lorenzo frowned comically. “I thought we vetoed Robert.”
I grinned. “We did. But yeah, I like that idea. Now we just have to think of a boy’s name before the baby’s due. One that isn’t Robert.” As I said that, the baby kicked me. “Ow!”
With a groan, I rolled onto my side. Getting comfortable in any position was getting more difficult by the day, with how much my belly had swollen. Lorenzo knitted his brows in sympathy and rubbed my belly.
“Not much longer now. Less than three months to go before you’re free of this,” he soothed.
“I know,” I said with a sigh. “But also, that’s when the real challenge starts. I mean, I’m obviously looking forward to meeting our baby, but not the sleepless nights and everything else...”
“At least babysitting Noah gave me a taste of what we’re in for,” Lorenzo said with a smile.
“Good.” Mischievously, I added, “And if our baby’s ever being too annoying, I’m hoping we can leave it with uncle Dante and Gabriel and they can return the favor.”
Lorenzo scoffed. “They better return the favor after all the diapers I’ve changed at this point!”
I chuckled and curled into the space between his arm and chest. The gravity of the upcoming events were exciting, but also tiring. Sometimes I just wanted a moment alone to rest against Lorenzo while he held me.
“The wedding is coming up fast, huh?” I said. “The second wedding, I mean.”
Lorenzo stroked my hair. “Yes. We’ve already made preparations for your family and the travel is all booked. All we can do now is wait. Are you ready?”
“Hm… For some reason, I’m more nervous about this one than the first,” I admitted.
Lorenzo smiled. “I think it’s because you were anxious for the first one to be over, but you’re actually emotionally invested in this one.”
“Maybe.” I paused, then said, “Hey. I’m sorry I dragged you into this big mess.”
He glanced at me, baffled. “Sorry for what?”
Embarrassed, I avoided his gaze. “You know… Everything. The fake relationship thing. I know it was a big mistake. And I was damn lucky to find you and not some weird serial killer when I posted that ad online.”
“Well, was it really a mistake?” Lorenzo asked as he stroked my cheek. “After all, I met my fated mate and we’re having a child together. I’ve never been happier in my life.”
I blushed so hard my temperature must have shot up a few dozen degrees. “Good. And, um… Me too.”
A soft smile crossed Lorenzo’s lips. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss against my mouth. “I love you, Raja, and I can’t wait to marry you again.”
My heart practically turned into a butterfly and fluttered out of my ribs. “I love you, too.”
17
Lorenzo
Despite the fact that I was a tall, powerful adult man and she was a tiny older woman, Kali nearly knocked me over with the force of her running-jump hug.
“There you are! Oh, the two of you look amazing!” she cried with tears in her eyes.
Eka, Kali and Koto had landed at the nearest city airport a few hours prior. I offered to help pick them up but Dante bullied me into staying, claiming I needed to get ready for my damn wedding. None of them looked particularly harried by the dragon-flight journey, but I was glad it was a short trip.
“Dude, I can’t believe how big you are,” Koto commented, gesturing to Raja’s belly. Raja blushed and swatted his hand away.
“It’s rude to point at a pregnant guy,” Raja growled.
“Sorry!”
While they were playfully arguing, I took the opportunity to check out my mate. His shiny black hair was swept neatly to the side. He wore a handsome, form-fitting suit that was custom tailored because of his pregnancy. Around his neck was the golden leopard fang necklace that Eka had placed on him during the first wedding ceremony. Everything about him was stunning.
Eka walked over to Raja, emitting the same powerful aura he always did. He handed Kali his cane as he embraced his son.
“It’s good to you see well, both of you,” Eka said. He eyed the golden necklace around Raja’s neck and smiled. “You’re wearing it.”
“Of course I am!” Raja cried, his hands flying to the necklace.
“So, since this is the second wedding, should I take it off and put it back on?” Eka teased.
“No, I want to wear it!”
We laughed at Raja’s whining as he kept his fingers tightened around the necklace posessively.
The wedding was to be held at the Sky Cafe, a favorite spot for my family. We reserved the deck area, which was wide and open to the sky, as the name implied. The tables were cleared away and it’s doors were closed to regular business for the day.
The warmth of the late afternoon sun was tempered by the cool wind, creating the perfect weather for a wedding. A few lazy sun-stained clouds dotted the skyline, and the air smelled of pleasantly burning incense.
Eka and my father, Anton, stood at the head of the platform. Meanwhile, Koto and Kali were still milling about, dragging Raja along with them as they talked to everyone and gazed over Cinderhollow from the deck. As they hustled, it was clear to see the family resemblance between them.
Other people began pooling into the sitting area - family and friends, mostly. The Sky Cafe staff asked if they could watch the ceremony, since they had known our family for so long, and we happily agreed to let them. But as more and more people began to show up, I watched Raja’s expression become increasingly nervous. This was a far cry from his first small village wedding.
I caught up to him and put my arm around his waist. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just a little nervous,” he admitted.
I kissed the top of his head. “Don’t be. You’ve already been married to me once before, remember?”
He glanced at the crowd and hissed, “I know, but that was different. There’s like a million people here!”
“There is not a million. Maybe a hundred or two.”
Raja frowned. “That’s just semantics.”
I sighed and pulled him close for another kiss. “You’ll be fine. I’m right here, okay?”
He leaned his forehead against my chest. “I know…”
“Hey, is everything good?”
We turned to find Gabriel behind us, holding Noah in his arms. Beside him were Dante and Ryu, who didn’t look at all tired from their journey to pick up Raja’s parents. In fact, all three of them were brimming with excitement.
“Yeah, I’m fine, just a little nervous from the crowd,” Raja told Gabriel.
“Don’t you worry. You’ll be just fine,” Gabriel promised. “Hey, you’re already married to Lorenzo! You’ve done this before, you have it in the bag. Hell, I haven’t even been married once.”
“You never asked!” Dante exclaimed.
“You two aren’t married?” Raja asked, eyes widening in surprise.
“Nope,” Gabriel said with a smile. “We just never thought it was necessary, you know? It was our personal preference.”
“Huh…” Raja murmured. “If I told my mom I was getting mated to an alpha and having a baby without getting married, she’d probably kill me.”
Gabriel grinned and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad she’s your mom and not mine, then.”
“Man, you guys are lucky to even have a mate,” Ryu said, pouting. “All of my friends are finding them before me! No offense, Lorenzo, but I definitely thought you’d be the last out of all of us to find an omega.”
I quirked a bro
w. “Gee, thanks.”
“Ryu, I know we don’t know each other that well, but you seem like a nice alpha. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble getting a mate if you put in the effort,” Raja said. “Plus, you’re pretty hot. No offense.”
Ryu laughed. “None taken. Why would I?”
I curled my arm around Raja’s waist and pulled him closer. “It’s my wedding day and Ryu is showing up and begging for compliments from my cute omega,” I complained playfully.
Raja rolled his eyes. “Lorenzo, of course I think you’re hotter. I’m having your baby, also, if you haven’t noticed this.” He gestured to his belly, which was swollen but fit nicely into his specially tailored suit.
“Oh, I know, I’m just teasing,” I promised.
I noticed now that Eka and Kali were waiting by the raised platform. Koto had taken his seat and stopped fussing. The stream of people had ended, and I assumed everyone was waiting for us.
“Well, Raja… Shall we go get married? Again?” I asked.
He linked his arm with mine. “Yes.”
Dante, Gabriel and Ryu assumed their seats close to the front row. All eyes were on us. Slowly, we made our way up the aisle. I’d walked on this same wooden deck hundreds of times, but never had it felt so grand.
Raja’s hand tightened on my arm. With all these people watching us, I didn’t blame him for being nervous. I had to remember that he originated from a small village, and that he’d only began seeing the outside world very recently. This was all so new to him. I was struck by how brave my mate was, and it made me love him that much more.
“It’s okay. You’re doing great,” I soothed him under my breath.
We reached the end of the aisle where our parents waited. A surge of familiarity ran through me. Eka and Kali stood in the same positions with the same proud expressions they did the first time. Now, my alpha-father stood alongside them. I knew he must have been sad to miss my first wedding, but he understood that I couldn’t have told him about it given the circumstances at the time. Nonetheless, I was excited for him to experience at least one wedding ceremony.
We paused in front of them, standing together as one. The entire deck was silent in waiting. Only the breeze in the soft wind chimes created a sound.
“Raja, my son,” Eka began, lowering his voice so the crowd couldn’t hear. “You are nervous this time, are you not?”
“Yes,” Raja admitted. His grip on my arm was still tight from anxiety.
A wise smile crossed Eka’s face. “Then that is how I know this ceremony is truly meaningful for you.”
Raja’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
“The first time, you were calm and calculated, because at the time, it did not mean much to you. But now, I can see the genuineness in your eyes,” Eka said.
Raja blushed, probably embarrassed that his father read his emotions so precisely. “The first ceremony was meaningful to me, though. At least, it is now.”
Eka chuckled softly. “I know. Now, let us begin.”
He walked to the edge of the platform to address the crowd. “I would like to thank the people of Cinderhollow for welcoming us with open arms. You have been nothing but kind, and for that, we greatly appreciate it.” He turned to us. “This is the second wedding ceremony for my son, Raja Kesuma, and his alpha mate - the Silver Beast - Lorenzo Drakinus. The circumstances of their meeting took them on an amazing adventure that neither of them will forget soon… And the adversity they experienced will serve to guide them together in the future, as a couple.”
He paused and gave way for my father to speak. My throat tightened as he smiled at us before beginning. “As a father, I’m grateful to be able to witness my son’s wedding ceremony. I’m happy to see him with his mate, who he loves, and who loves him in return.”
Raja smiled up at me. I stroked his hand.
Anton continued. “Lorenzo, will you love and protect this omega?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Raja, will you love and nurture this alpha?”
“Yes, I will,” Raja said proudly.
Clearly bursting with happiness, Anton smiled. “Then, I declare you married mates. Lorenzo, you may now kiss the omega.”
This time, it was my turn.
I slipped my arms around Raja, dipped him and kissed him passionately. The crowd exploded into cheering and clapping. Raja didn't even seem to notice them anymore - he was too busy kissing me back. When we broke apart, our eyes met, and electricity seemed to dance between our gaze.
“You’re so handsome,” I murmured.
A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. “You’re handsomer.” Suddenly, Raja’s stomach growled. His face turned red. “Oh. Please tell me you didn’t hear that.”
“Unfortunately, I did. Hungry?” I asked.
He bit his lip and gazed longingly in the direction of the untouched wedding cake. “I think the baby has a sweet tooth…”
I laughed. “Oh, sure, blame it on the baby.”
The rest of the evening was casual and fun. The first thing we did was get Raja an enormous slice of cake - the very first one to be cut. His embarrassment about the baby craving wedding cake was quickly forgotten as he took the first bite into the sweet icing.
“Ugh, it’s so good,” he said blissfully.
As he ate, our friends joined us around the table, all with their own slice of cake and an extra for Noah. Gabriel, holding his son, took the spot next to me as Dante sat on Raja’s other side.
“Damn, that big slice really does looks amazing,” Dante said, glancing at Raja’s plate.
“Back off, wolf,” Raja growled. “This is my wedding cake.”
Gabriel laughed at his mate. “I wouldn’t get any closer if I were you. Cats have claws, remember?”
“Tell that to Lorenzo, not me. He’s the one who’s gonna be sleeping with this cat,” Dante said, then avoided the strike of Raja mockingly trying to stab him with a cake-coated fork.
“Anyway, I’m really happy for you two,” Gabriel said. “It’s not every day you meet your fated mate, you know?”
Raja and I exchanged glances.
“You know,” Raja began, “it’s funny. When my father mentioned his vision about us being fated mates, I didn’t believe him at all. Not to be rude, but I thought he lost his marbles. Everything you hear about fated mates - it’s all about this instant feeling, right? And I didn’t have that towards Lorenzo. I mean, there was a spark of something, but it wasn’t that intense magnet pull I thought it would be.”
“Actually, I felt the same way,” I admitted. “There was a constant feeling of something, yes, but it wasn’t the pull you’re describing. At least not in the beginning.”
“You know what? I was the same way!” Gabriel exclaimed. “In fact, where I’m originally from, the concept of fated mates was considered taboo. So I never had that insane magnetic feeling towards Dante even when I was deeply in love with him.”
“Huh. I did actually have that feeling towards you, Gabe,” Dante said. “That’s why I knew I had to save you when you were in trouble. Deep down, I knew we were fated. Weird how it’s different for all of us. How do you guys feel now?”
“Now, I know without a doubt Raja is my fated mate,” I said firmly. “I can’t imagine my life without him, and I don’t want to.”
Raja blushed and slipped his hand into mine. “I feel the same way about you.”
Ryu, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, said, “Interesting… It seems like there are many ways for a couple to experience being fated mates - not just the instant-magic one we were led to believe.”
“I agree,” Gabriel said. “Love isn’t always a one-size-fits-all experience. I know that now. So it makes sense to me that realizing you’re fated mates with someone doesn’t always happen the same way.”
“Gods, you’re so sexy when you’re smart,” Dante said with a sigh.
As Dante leaned in to kiss his mate, Noah picked up a handful of cake from his plate and
threw it in Dante’s face.
“Well, thanks for your opinion, son,” Dante said.
As we laughed at Dante’s expense, Raja’s family gathered at the side of the table.
“What’s up?” Raja asked.
Kali smiled and said, “Raja, we’ve been talking and we decided we wanted to stay in Cinderhollow until the baby is born.”
“Really? That’s great!” Raja cried.
They had originally planned to return to Pardus clan after the wedding, but this was more exciting for everyone involved.
Eka said, “Your mother and I wouldn’t be able to sleep back in the village not knowing what our grandchild looked like.”
Tears lined Raja’s eyes. “Of course. I want my baby to meet its grandparents!”
“So, you gonna name the baby after me or what?” Koto asked with a wink.
Raja sighed, reached down to his plate, and copied Noah by throwing cake in his cousin’s face.
18
Raja
It was supposed to be a Wednesday. That was when the doctor, Dr. Lynden, estimated my due date would be. But the date passed, and the baby didn’t come.
And it didn’t come for another day, or the day after that.
My belly was swollen beyond belief. Every day I grew increasingly irritable and uncomfortable, and was at a point where Lorenzo had to do everything for me because I was in too much discomfort to even move. Frankly, I was ready for this baby to get out of me already, but clearly that wasn’t happening. It seemed content to linger in my belly for as long as possible.
“Lorenzo, I’m sick of this,” I complained.
“What, the pickles?” he asked, eyeing the half-eaten jar sitting on the coffee table in front of me.
“No - the baby! Why won’t it be born already? Dr. Lynden said it was supposed to be on Wednesday and it’s already Saturday and it’s still in me.” I groaned again and slumped back into the couch. “This sucks.”
He stroked my belly sympathetically. The baby kicked Lorenzo’s hand, but he didn’t stop.