Page 32 of Falling for the Grumpy Orc (Monsters of Saltford Bay #1)
Epilogue
Gerralt
The Saltwater Lodge has never looked more beautiful than today.
White chairs line the back lawn in neat rows, facing the ocean.
An archway of twisted driftwood and wildflowers stands proudly at the end of the aisle, framing the endless blue of the sea beyond.
Fairy lights twine through the branches of surrounding trees, ready to illuminate the coming evening celebration.
I adjust my tie for what must be the hundredth time as I stand at the altar.
The damn thing feels like it's choking me.
Around me, the seats are filled with familiar faces from Saltford Bay.
Mrs. Primrose sits in the front row, her wings catching the sunlight in iridescent flashes.
Bernice sits beside her, dabbing occasionally at her eyes, though she'll deny crying later.
Even Patricia looks relaxed and happy, seated beside Silvia, Cassidy's friend from Portland who arrived three days ago and hasn't stopped taking pictures of everything since.
Patricia catches my eye and gives me a small nod of approval that still feels surreal after the rocky start to our relationship.
Sheriff Adrian Wolfsbane stands beside me, my best man, looking uncomfortable in his tuxedo but wearing it with the kind of confidence only an alpha werewolf can manage.
"You smell nervous," he murmurs, low enough that only I can hear.
"Cassidy is already my mate," I grunt, tugging at my collar again. "But this human wedding is important for her and I want it to be perfect."
The sheriff grins, flashing sharp canines. "Speaking of new beginnings, how's the new tenant settling in at your cottage?"
"The elf doctor?" I shrug. "Keeps to himself. He paid six months' rent up front, in cash. Barely seen him since."
Adrian's brow furrows. "Still trying to figure that one out. Why would an elf doctor with his credentials choose Saltford Bay of all places? He could be making ten times the money at any prestigious hospital."
"Not our business," I say, though I've wondered the same. "The town needed a doctor since Old Doc Wells retired last year. Folks are getting tired having to drive over an hour for every fever their kids get. "
I'd only briefly interacted with Dr. Lorian Reizenheart when he replied to my ad in the local newspaper. Tall, even for an elf, with blue eyes that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. Polite but distant. The kind of man running from something.
"Still," Adrian persists. "Something about this seems off."
The string quartet begins to play, and our conversation ceases immediately. My heart pounds against my ribs as everyone rises, turning toward the back of the aisle.
First comes a tiny pixie child, Mrs. Primrose's grandniece, fluttering down the aisle on iridescent wings.
She scatters rose petals from a basket clutched in her small hands, her movements creating miniature whirlwinds of pink and white that dance in the air longer than normal petals would.
She giggles with delight at the magic of it all, her silver-dusted hair catching the sunlight as she twirls between the rows of seated guests.
Then I see her , and the world stops spinning.
Cassidy steps onto the white runner, her arm linked through Mr. Pierce's, the elderly goblin beaming with pride at being asked to give her away. But I barely register him, because all I can see is her.
Her dress is simple but stunning, ivory lace falling in soft waves to brush the grass. Her auburn hair is loosely braided with tiny wildflowers woven throughout, framing her face like a halo.
But it's her eyes that capture me completely. They lock with mine across the distance, bright with unshed tears and a joy so pure it steals my breath away.
As she walks toward me, slow and steady, her free hand drifts briefly to rest against her stomach, a gesture so natural, so quick, that I doubt anyone else notices its significance.
Heat floods my chest, primal and fierce.
Only we know about the tiny life growing there, our secret for just a little longer.
My child. My mate. My family.
Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to love until my dying day.
When she finally reaches me, Mr. Pierce places her hand in mine with ceremonial solemnity. Her fingers tremble slightly as they curl around mine, but her smile is steady.
"Hi," she whispers.
"Hi, Princess," I whisper back. "You're breathtaking."
A blush spreads across her cheeks, just like that first day in my workshop when she stood defiantly on my doorstep with plans for her run-down lodge and determination blazing in her eyes.
The officiant begins speaking, but the words wash over me like distant waves.
All I can focus on is Cassidy's hand in mine, the subtle scent that's changed just enough that my orc senses detected our child growing within her weeks ago, the future spreading out before us like the endless ocean behind the altar.
As we exchange our vows, I think about the journey that brought us here.
And I know, with absolute certainty, that I will spend every day of the rest of my life showing her that her faith in me, in us, is worth it.
When the officiant finally pronounces us husband and wife, I pull Cassidy into my arms, mindful of my strength but unable to hold back entirely. My lips find hers in a kiss that seals our promise, that speaks of the future waiting for our little family.
The guests erupt in applause and cheers as we turn to face them, hands clasped tightly together. Cassidy's other hand rests briefly against her stomach again, a gesture so natural that no one would question it.
I lean down to whisper in her ear. "Ready for our next adventure, Mrs. Banesman?"
She looks up at me, those hazel eyes sparkling with mischief and love and everything I never thought I deserved. "With you? Always."
We walk back down the aisle together, toward the lodge that brought us together, that will shelter our family, that stands as a testament to what can be built from broken pieces when you refuse to give up.
The future stretches before us, bright with promise. And for the first time in my life, I can't wait to see what comes next.
The End