“I'm so glad you picked this dress. It's absolutely perfect,” Gerri said.
“Thanks. I didn’t want a wedding dress because … well, let’s face it. He hasn’t popped the question yet.” It wasn’t that she was expecting a ring anytime soon, and she was fine with that. She knew that Kingston would never stray. He would never look outside of their relationship for anything. “But I did want a dress to mark today as a special occasion. Once I saw this one, I knew it was the search was over. This was my dress.”
“Just remember mating is a deeper bond than marriage could ever be. I know that is the human custom of tying yourself to your partner, but the mating … that’s the shifter way. So in shifter terms, you are already married,” Gerri explained.
“I know. It’s just that every girl dreams of her special day.”
It wasn’t that Emmy was sad that she wasn’t walking down the aisle. It wasn’t like that at all for her. Jace had asked Malia to marry him months after they had completed their mating. Malia was certain that Kingston would do the same in time.
Emmy had no problem waiting.
“I fucking love this dress,” Malia sighed, and she helped lift it out of the bag.
“Me too. So damn much,” Emmy said, running her fingers over the fabric. She had lucked out when she found her outfit. It was a V-cut off-the-shoulder dress that slowly turned from purple to black in an ombre design, matching the color of Kingston’s dragon form. It was low cut and showed off just the perfect amount of cleavage while leaving a lot to the imagination. The form-fitting dress hugged her hips perfectly as it flowed to the floor and flared out a bit just below her knees. A four-foot train trailed behind, giving off the perfect vibe that she had been looking for.
“Oh, God! You look absolutely stunning,” Malia gushed when she saw Emmy.
“You think so?” Emmy asked, lifting the train and spinning in a slow circle.
“I do. Here let me get the zipper for you,” Malia offered.
“That’s my job,” Kingston’s voice boomed through the room.
“I’ll see you out there,” Malia said, quickly stepping out.
Emmy tried to cover herself. “You’re not supposed to see me before the ceremony, are you?”
“It’s a coronation, not a wedding, babe. You look stunning.” He kissed the back of her neck. “Are you sure you want this zipper pulled up?” he asked in between kisses.
“You’re insatiable.” She giggled. “Now, be a good beast and zip me up, please.”
“Only for you. My offer still stands. I can have you out of this dress in seconds flat.”
“Mmm. I would love that, but I think we have a bunch of people who have already been waiting quite a while for us.” She laughed. “We don’t want to start an uprising on your first day as king.”
“Fine.” He pouted. “But the second we are done with this ceremony, I’m getting you out of this dress and having my way with you.” He lifted his clasp slowly, closing the fabric together.
“Deal.” Emmy turned to face him. Looking up, she expected to make eye contact with her mate but was surprised to find him on his knees in front of her. “What are you …”
He pulled a small box from his pocket and cracked it open.
“Oh!” she gasped when she saw the large diamond nestled between a circle of dark amethysts.
“You are my mate, my love, my life. Today you are joining yourself with me in my home, in my culture, as is the way with dragons, but you are human. And I want to tie myself to you in every humanly way possible so that you know I am yours as you are mine. Will you have me not only as your mate but as your husband?” he asked.
Emmy’s heart melted. She fought back the tears, not wanting to mess up her makeup. “Yes!” she squealed. “It’s beautiful!” she said as Kingston slid the ring on her finger. Emmy twisted her hand back and forth, watching the diamond and amethysts sparkle in the sunlight.
“Not as beautiful as you.”
His lips closed over hers. They were the perfect combination of warm and soft. He poured so much passion into that kiss that Emmy was ready to rip off her own dress and climb him like a damn tree.
“Mmm. You’re trying to make us even later,” she laughed.
“Maybe, just a bit.”
“Let’s get this over with so I can have my way with you.” She reluctantly pulled out of his arms and headed for the waiting crowd.
Kingston adjusted his long ceremonial robe. “Fine.”
As they made their way through the throngs of attendees, Emmy felt more love than she ever had. Not just from her mate but also from her new friends and family. Everyone had taken time to get to know her, to know who she was and where she came from. They had created connections and worked to form meaningful bonds with it.
Her introverted life was becoming a thing of the past. At the same time, her creativity had been reignited, and her words flowed as freely as ever.
Now, before their friends and family and the Pacific Dragos Clan. Her mate would be crowned king, and she would become his queen in a story so wild, so fantastic, she wasn’t sure that her overactive imagination could have ever done it justice.
The best part of her story … it was just beginning.