With Hearts to Hear| ✔

|43|

The wedding came in a blink of an eye, the week absolutely insane. The mehendi had been a small affair just Rachel, Ai, Leandra, and Rachel's mother. It was not very traditional, but it was everything Rachel had wanted and more.

The girl that she had found to do her henna was a friendly girl, and was actually one of Killian's pack members! She had done a beautiful job of painting the intricate designs on Rachel's hands all the way up to nearly her elbows, and her feet too.

For the Haldi, Rachel's mother had arranged the whole thing for them. Somehow she had managed to rent out a beautiful garden, the first yellow budding daffodils perfect for the event. She had also arranged to have a large hedge like arch, decorated fully in yellow flowers and ribbons.

Again, it was a very small affair with just their closest friends and relatives there to be a part of the intimate ceremony. Killian's heart had practically stopped when he saw Rachel in her yellow sari; he had forgotten all about his nerves when he spotted her with Diana in her own little yellow dress.

They laughed and danced, and of course had their families spread the bright yellow turmeric paste over their skins. Killian had been in absolute awe, seeing Rachel so happy and filled with laughter. She was so achingly beautiful.

The event lasted late into the evening, little Diana having gotten so tired she had fallen asleep in Anita's arms a while ago. Then the two parted ways once more ready for the ceremony that would see them officially married the very next day.

***

Killian's breath caught in his chest when he first saw her walking towards him as he waited just outside the ornate mandap that had been set up in Rachel's mother's garden.

His mother in law to be, had gone all out for the ceremony. The four posts that held up; the structure draped with light, sheer pink curtains, and embossed with red roses. In glass vases around the raised platforms sat lit red candles which extended down on both sides of the aisle; even in the afternoon sun, where extra light was not required, it was a gorgeous touch.

His bride was so beautiful she could rival all the wonders this world had to offer; he was sure that for a moment he had forgotten how to breathe. His eyes pricked with tears, throat closing; every moment that had thought or dreamt this moment paled in comparison to the reality before him.

Rachel's mother had helped her to get ready; her mother had put on her golden bangles on her wrists, elaborate earrings that hung almost to her collarbones, a jewelled headband, and her favourite the jewel studded nath. The stones on the nose ring complimented not only the rest of her jewellery but also the dark stones on her engagement ring on her finger, and it was connected to a long golden chain that was pinned into her hair under her sheer red veil.

The red lehenga was heavy, but its royal, gilded fabric commanded every eye to her as she walked down the aisle to Killian. She cared very little for the attention of others, not when the most important person in her world was staring at her as if she were some kind of heaven sent creature.

He had worn the traditional grooms wear for a Hindu wedding, opting for a gold patterned sherwani with a dark cream churidar and a red scarf draped around his neck. He had tied his hair up neatly in a bun, forgoing the turban out of the desire to not look silly in front of Rachel's mother knowing that as much as he had practised he had not been able to master wrapping it properly.

Rachel could not take her eyes off him.

Perhaps if she had, she may have noticed the way his cousin and groomsman, Sebastian, was watching her best friend with a decided interest; she may have noticed the Alpha's Killian had told her about, though she had never officially met them; she may have even noticed both their mothers teary eyed watching their children, so clearly in love with one another.