Chapter 87 - Unscentable

Brad stood watching Piper, as she walked down the aisle towards him. She
was wearing the dress she had designed for herself, for her Luna Ceremony
all those years ago, had not changed it one bit but had made it from scratch,
still hadn't spoken about why she'd ruined the other and kept it, had simply
told him 'I needed to'.

Piper was beautiful as she walked towards him, all those layers of her dress
swayed as she walked towards him. He really loved seeing her in it. Was
happy she'd chosen to wear it. He'd been hoping deep down she would. Piper
was carrying a cascade bouquet of blue orchids and white roses. Annabella’s
Mate Lincoln, Piper’s great-grandfather, was escorting her down the aisle
towards him.

Brad stood waiting for her, smiling right at her. He was wearing his pack suit, it
was a black Armani suit with a royal blue silk vest and a crisp white dress shirt
and a gold tie and gold handkerchief in his suit pocket. His whole unit were
lined up behind him, all dressed the same.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and Piper was smiling right at him. He
would never tire of her smiling like that at him. Still amazed him that he had
managed to find her, and claim her, have her accept him and claim him back.

Today her long hair was curled and twisted back, a few loose strands framing
her lovely face, the rest was all gathered at the back by a sapphire hair vine
which allowed her hair to fall down her back neatly in curling cascades. He’d
had that hair vine made for her, with real sapphires. She was also wearing the
sapphire drop earrings he’d bought for her along with the matching sapphire
tennis bracelets. Something of pack colour on her, today.

That dress hugged her in all the right places, cinched in at the waist and
hugged her hips perfectly and as much as he wanted to rip if off her, when he
got her alone, he would be careful not to, wanted this one to stay intact,
remain in their walk-in for memories of this day. Would likely ask her to wear it
just for him on occasion.

Half of the ballroom here at the Melody Event Centre in Portland. A place
Piper had used for bridal shows before. Was filled with humans that knew her
and the other half were pack members and affiliated packs, Alpha’s and their
Luna’s, along with their Alpha Units.
This today was their human world wedding, and though it had taken a full four
months to organize after their engagement party, much too long for his liking,
Piper didn’t want to rush it. The day was finally here. The human press was all
over it, it was the event of the season due to who she was, who he was in the
human world, and half the guests were high profile as well. Even the wolfen
guests that were here, had high human world profiles just like he did.

West and T.J. had come and congratulated him before everything had gotten
started, though they both knew he’d claimed her months ago, this was the first
time she would be meeting them officially. She had a long night of
introductions ahead of her, he’d not pushed her to do that yet, just the
introducing her if there was a need for an Alpha to come to their pack for
something, still giving her time to adjust. But today was a little different. She
had just smiled up at him, didn’t seem to mind that at all when he’d told her
how it would likely have to go after the ceremony. With all their allied pack
Alpha’s here.

Brad only cared that she was happy with him, happy to let him do this for her,
and she had, other than choosing the venue and booking it, she’d allowed him
to pay for everything hadn’t even argued with him at all. Surprised him, but it
was a good thing, she was finally learning to lean on him a little, not be so
very independent and insisting on doing things all by herself. Told him it was
hard to accept help, when she was so used to doing everything herself all the
time, for so very long. Accounted for why she was so very stubborn.

Annabella herself was standing up here with him, the officiant to perform their
human wedding ceremony, and though they were using standard human
vows, he didn’t care, he was just too darn happy that the day was finally here.

They had already held the Luna Ceremony inside their pack, and everyone, it
seemed, had been excited about Piper taking her place as the Luna. She was
still learning from Lilly, but was happy it seemed to do so, and a pretty quick
study from what he’d heard. Had already remodelled the Luna’s office, it
looked very cold to him, but she’d just told him she didn’t need anything
unnecessary in there. He was still working on that part of her. Never really
wanted anything at all.

Looked at him curiously when he bought her something, asked why she
needed it more often than not. Or would shake her head at him and tell him he
didn’t need to buy her anything. Brad was determined to get her there, to the
point where she could just accept a gift because it was something he wanted
to do for her. Wasn’t quite there yet, but he was working on it. It was still going
to take some time.

Brad took her hands when Lincoln handed her over to him, leaned right down
and kissed her, he hadn’t seen her for several hours and ached to kiss her.

Got hollered at “Not yet, Bradley son.”

Brad had laughed and so had Piper, and most of their guests. He just hadn’t
been able to help himself. Spent the whole time Annabella was performing the
ceremony, mind-linking to her to hurry up, and get to the part where he could
kiss her already. Annabella and her Mate Lincoln were officially members of
his Pack now. Had moved down and joined his pack at Izzy and Eddie’s
wedding. Had a suite on the top floor, but down near his dad, was an elder
and so, given the privilege of being on the top floor of the pack-house.

Finally, the woman got to the part “I now pronounce you husband and wife…”
but then there was the longest pause ever, saw Piper smile and then laugh,
his eyes moved to Annabella, and he saw that she was fully amused.

Half his guests started laughing as they realised, she was making him wait on
purpose. “You may kiss your bride,” she stated finally, and Brad practically
yanked Piper off her feet and hard up against him, kissed the hell out of her.

His wolfen guests were all clapping and laughing, personal displays of
affection rife throughout their world, and he was not going to tone it down for
the human guests. Nope, they could all get an eye full of how much he loved
her. A part of him wanted them to see it. But mostly he was just kissing her,
because he loved kissing her, the feel of her body pressing up against his, the
way she responded to him. The way she kissed him back, would never get
tired of it.

Growled at her all softly as his lips left hers, saw her smile up at him as she
murmured “Don’t squish me so hard.”

“I like Squishing you.” Brad hugged her even tighter.

“The baby might not like it so much.” Piper laughed softly.

Brad’s eyes shot to hers, heard the hush of the wolfen guests, they’d all heard
her words “Really?” He gasped as he released her to look down at her, his
head tilted as Benson actively sensed out for a tiny heartbeat and it was right
there.

“Yes.” Piper smiled up at him.

Heard his father actually “Whoop.” with joy.

Brad’s hand touched her face so very gently and then he kissed her once
more, softly, tenderly this time, felt her lean into him the way he loved so very
much, and just stood there and let him kiss her long and slow, uncaring who
was watching them, she never pulled away from him kissing her. just always
let him kiss her for as long as he liked.

Brad had not been expecting this, they weren’t trying to have a pup. He had
brought it up only once and she’d sighed a little sadly and said quietly “What if
it’s just like me?” had shaken her head and he’d gotten the feeling that
Brandon was going to be their only child. Had let it go. If Brandon was their
only child, he could live with that as long as she was in his life, his Mate
always. One child was enough.

He knew she was worried about having more and why, so it was her choice,
as far as he was concerned, if they were to have any more children. He had
not brought it up again after that and neither had she, for that matter. Thought
the decision had done, and the subject closed.

Now, to hear those words, to hear his own unborn pup’s heartbeat, was
amazing, he would get to experience all the firsts that he had missed with
Brandon. Watch his child come into the world and be able to hold it when it
was so very tiny. It filled him and Benson with joy to know their family would
grow. To see her so happy about it, that she wanted to have this pup with him,
wanted to grow their family a little more. She was amazing.

The marriage certificate was all signed, and Brad made her sign as Piper
Harper Drake. She’d laughed up at him, but done so. It was going to be
forever immortalized and he would have it framed and hung in his Alpha’s
office for all to see, likely get a copy for her office too.

Then the party was on. Food, drinks, music and dancing. There were lots of
congratulations from his allied pack, Alpha’s on both obtaining his Luna and
about his new pup. They were all happy to meet Brandon as well, the boy got
a lot of ‘so this is the young man my son or daughter will be dealing with’.
Also got a few, ‘Hmm, see he’s going to be heart breaker with those eyes of
yours, Bradley.’

To Brad’s surprise, the boy told most of them, he was going to wait for his
Mate. Shocked quite a few. Some just laughed and murmured, we’ll see. But
most smiled down at him and stated quietly “that’s a good Alpha thing to do,”
which made Brandon smile really big.

Brad thought it was more to do with what had happened to his mother, than
anything else. A decision he and Aspen had likely made after understanding
what had happened. Let it go. He was allowed to do what he wanted; some
wolves did wait for their mates, regardless of how long it took. He knew one or
two that had.

Brandon was happy to be getting a brother or sister, it seemed, though he’d

not been as excited as everyone else, and when Brad sat with him later that
night and asked him why. Found out that he already knew, Piper had told him
a week ago and sworn him to secrecy, they were still so very close, their bond
likely always would be. That would be a good thing for their pack too.

Brad got to watch Piper mingle and interact with her own crowd, she was
smiling and laughing with the humans she knew. Other designers and a
couple of photographers, there were he noted a few models, ones she always
used, had a good rapport with them he saw along with a few of her
employees. She’d insisted that he let her mingle on her own if she wanted to.

Pointed a finger right at him and said, “I’m not going to be attached to your hip
all night. Not this time.”

He’d laughed after a moment of frowning down at her, realized she was
actually serious. Just nodded and said “Alright.” Was actually letting her walk
about among her human world friends, but he was keeping an eye on her.

Brad was glad to see her so happy, danced with her and held her up close to
his body the whole time. Not so tight like he normally would, didn’t want to
squish their pup. He’d watched her over the past few months come right out of
her shell, was no longer standoffish at all. Had really allowed herself to open
up to him and was enjoying being in the pack again.

Harper was out all the time, enjoyed being on the pack run. Both Benson and
Harper had led them all since she’d been out, though the one just past she’d
not, couldn’t was already pregnant he realized now. Piper had played it off as
she was really tired from getting the new store underway, and had opted to go
to bed early. He’d worried something was wrong.

Made her see the pack doctor and he’d obviously known already, because
he’d stated she just looked tired. Was likely to be worn out from her Luna
duties and setting up a new business, he even looked at Brad and murmured
that he, the Alpha, could be exhausting her himself. Brad had not gotten his
meaning at the time but now he saw it. Had obviously been hinting at that she
was pregnant, but he’d not picked up on it at all.

Aspen was completely settled into pack life; no more aggression had come
from him since being initiated into the pack. Being a part of the pack had
settled him, had not emerged as of yet either, seemed happy just being a
boys wolf for now.

Pack life suited his family and that made him happy.

Was watching her while talking to some of his allied Alpha’s. Timothy was
even there. She’d relented and allowed the man to come on the proviso that if
he so much as made Harper even the tiniest bit cranky, he was going on the
shaming post.

Brad had laughed at her but agreed to it. Explaining it to Timothy had caused
the man to mutter a lot, and stated he’d apologized. Wasn’t that enough?
When was his cousin going to forgive him? Brad personally didn’t think it
would ever happen, not fully. The man had threatened to take her child away
from her on more than one occasion after all.

Everything was finally going right and not just for him, but for Piper too. They
were happy and it showed. Everyone could see it. Though she still tormented
him about her name in his office. He’d not found it yet, stubborn woman
wouldn’t tell him where it was. Just smiled at him, sometimes laughed outright.

Told him he was never going to find it, it was so very tiny. She also told him
she’d put it there right before she’d turned 19, so fully believed he’d never find
it.

Had sat right in his Alpha chair once and told him, with a fully amused smile
on her face as she’d leaned her elbows on his desk “You’ll have to get down
on your knees, before I tell you. Will you do that?” she’d been all tease at that
moment.
But a part of Brad also knew she meant it. He would have to get down on his
knees and ask her, wasn’t ready to do that. She’d laughed right at him tapped
his desk and said with a smirk ‘on your knees right here, while I sit in your
chair.’ his whole unit had laughed, as much as she had, it annoyed him to no
end. he'd got the feeling they all knew where it was and was in on her little
tormenting.

He’d stared right at her and she’d smiled right back, after a full minute she’d
gotten up out of his chair and hugged him, stated “When you’re ready, Alpha
baby.” looked right at his unit and winked at them all, then walked out of his
office with a bounce in her step. Everyone had burst out laughing at her
words, except for him. Damned woman was going to drive him insane.

Brad pulled Piper away from her guests and out on to the dance floor once
more, loved dancing with her, loved that she could still fall asleep in his arms
while they swayed gently to music, that being so close to him relaxed her so
quickly, or filled her with desire.

Breathed her in as he stood there, the only person in the entire room to be
able to scent her was him. Loved that she was no longer unscentable to him,
really loved that he was the only one to know what she really scented like. It
was his favorite thing about her.

The end