27. Lucy

Lucy had just finished putting the babies in their bassinets when she heard a loud knock on the door. A few minutes later, Sophia led Micah into the room.

"Micah, what are you doing here?" she gasped.

"I came to find you," he said.

"How did you find me? Gavin said that if you did, he would kill me and the babies," Lucy said, the panic rising through her body.

"I'm so sorry for everything that he put you through," Micah said. "I can promise you that he's been dealt with and he will never bother you again."

She sat down on the couch heavily, trying to wrap her mind around what Micah had just said. He walked over to the bassinets and looked at the babies sleeping peacefully.

"They're beautiful."

"Meet Gracie and Alex. The shaman said that Gracie is a wolf shifter and Alex is a bear shifter. They both have great futures ahead of them," Lucy said.

"Of course, they do with a mother as strong, smart, and wonderful as you," Micah said.

Lucy shot a shaky smile at him and wrung her hands together. Is he here to take the babies from me?

Micah sat on the couch next to her. He reached for her hands and kissed them.

"When you were in the hospital and told me that you loved me, I didn't tell you how I felt. I just said that we would talk about it later. At the moment, I thought that we had time," he said. "I wanted to wait until you were out of the hospital before I talked to you."

Lucy looked at him, with a sinking heart. He hadn't wanted to tell me that he wanted the babies but not me while I was hurt.

"The truth is that I had already figured out that I was in love with you and that you were my fated mate. I had planned on asking you to go through the mating ceremony with me the day that you were kidnapped."

Lucy stared at him in disbelief.

"I didn't want to say anything in the hospital. I didn't want you to think that I was just asking you out of pity. I wanted you to know that I truly loved you," Micah said.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. Lucy stared at it, hope building inside of her.

"We started this adventure as strangers. You needed a job and I wanted a child. We became friends, and then lovers. I want to continue our adventure together, as mates," Micah said.

He opened the box to reveal a gold band with a diamond on it.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Lucy, will you go through the mating ceremony with me?"

Lucy smiled and hugged him tightly. "Yes."

Her family had been watching by the door. They all clapped and Matthew said, "Thank heavens. She was going to drive us insane because she missed you so much."

The next day, Lucy and Micah returned to his mansion. The house was crowded with people who wanted to hold the babies.

"They're being passed around like a joint at a Willie Nelson or Snoop Dogg concert," Micah said.

"You were worried about me spoiling them?" Lucy asked. "I don't think I'm going to have the chance."

A month later, Lucy's family joined them at Micah's mansion. Sophia, Odessa, Jade, Vera, Michelle, Rose, and Flora were all crowded into Lucy's old suite.

Flora curled Lucy's hair and pulled it back into a diamond-studded clip that made the curls cascade down her back. Then, Flora carefully applied just a little bit of makeup to Lucy's face. They watched as Sophia helped Lucy into a cobalt blue tunic with gold embroidered designs all over it. Flora then put a wreath of carnations on top of Lucy's head. She wore the sapphire necklace that Rose had given her, as well as the sapphire earrings and bracelet that Micah had gifted her with.

Everything seemed so surreal to Lucy. A year ago, she had been determined that she was going to marry Leo, become a famous author, and raise babies. Looking back, she was almost embarrassed by what she had thought was love. What she felt for Leo was nothing more than a schoolgirl crush.

Now, she had Micah who was everything that Leo was not. Not only was Micah sexy as hell, but he was a kind, generous, loving man. He was the epitome of every woman's idea of who Prince Charming should be.

The ceremonial hall was packed. Everyone that Lucy had met in the human world plus tons of people she didn't know were crammed into the large cave. Sophia, William, and Allan took their spots in the front row, with a baby on each of her brother's knees. Odessa was her maid of honor. She walked down the aisle first with Conner.

The crowd stood as Lucy walked down the aisle on her father's arm. She only had eyes for the man waiting for her at the altar. Everyone else in the room disappeared.

Matthew placed Lucy's hand in Micah's, kissed her on the cheek, and took his seat next to Sophia.

"Friends and family. We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman together. Life brought them together through amazing odds, proving that they are, indeed, fated mates. They have written their own vows. Micah."

"From the very first moment that I met you, I knew that there was something special about you. We started our journey together as strangers and then friends. Then, before I knew what happened, you became a part of me – a part of my soul. You are a part of every breath I take and every heartbeat I have. When I thought I lost you, a part of me died. I promise that I will love you and protect you for the rest of our lives."

"Lucy?"

"You stole my heart. From the moment we met, you captivated me. You are every woman's dream of Prince Charming. You are sweet, funny, strong, loving, considerate, and not to mention devilishly handsome. You showed me what true love was. I tried to fight it because I never dreamed that you would love me back. Yet in my heart and soul, I knew that you completed me and made me whole. I will love you and cherish you for the rest of our lives."

"Micah, do you promise to forsake all others and love, honor, and cherish Lucy, through richer and poorer, sickness and health, good times and bad?"

"I do."

His deep voice sent a tremble of pure ecstasy through Lucy as she looked at the man who owned her heart.

"Lucy, do you promise to forsake all others and love, honor, and cherish Micah, through richer and poorer, sickness and health, good times and bad?"

"I do," Lucy said, and meant it with every fiber of her being.

"Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you mates. Friends and family, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman."

Lucy looked at Micah, who stared deeply into her eyes. He put a hand on both sides of her face and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss spoke of a deep love for her and a passion that promised to burn for all time.