Then he's here, close enough to touch, and his parents step back to take their seats. For the first time since he appeared, Jonah looks directly at me.
The impact nearly drops me to my knees.
Those eyes, fuck, those eyes. Liquid amber shot through with gold, framed by lashes that belong in a makeup commercial. But it's not just the physical beauty that guts me, it's the vulnerability I see there.
He's terrified. Absolutely terrified. And he's doing this anyway.
My chest does something complicated.
Pastor White clears his throat, the sound echoing through the sudden quiet. "Dearly beloved," he begins, his voice carrying the weight of absolute conviction, "we are gathered here today to witness the holy union of Alexander and Jonah, an omega and alpha brought together by divine providence."
I try to listen, but all I can think about is how Jonah's scent grows stronger with each breath. How his pupils dilate when our eyes meet. How his lips part slightly, like he's forgotten how to breathe.
"Marriage," Pastor White continues, his voice gaining strength, "is not merely a legal contract, but a sacred covenant. A chance for redemption through love, for the purification of the soul through holy union."
A few of my celebrity guests exchange amused glances. I catch Saskia covering a laugh with her program, her shoulders shaking with barely contained mirth.
But Pastor White is just getting started.
"Let us pray that this union might serve as a beacon of righteousness," he proclaims, raising his hands like he's callingdown divine intervention. "That through the love of a pure omega, even the most wayward alpha might find his path to salvation."
Lovely. Apparently I'm the cautionary tale in this particular sermon.
"The alpha," Pastor White continues, his gaze boring into me like a laser, "must learn to cherish and protect his omega, to put aside worldly temptations and embrace his role as spiritual leader of their household."
Spiritual leader. Right. I can barely lead myself to the bathroom some mornings.
"And the omega," his voice softens as he looks at Jonah, "must trust in his alpha's protection, must submit to his guidance while offering the gift of his pure heart."
Jonah's cheeks flush pink at the word 'submit,' but he keeps his gaze steady. Brave little thing.
The sermon goes on for what feels like hours but is probably only minutes. More talk about redemption, about the sacred duty of marriage, about how love can transform even the most hardened sinner. Blah blah blah.
I zone out, focusing instead on Jonah's face. The way his eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks. The small scar near his left temple, barely visible unless you're looking closely. The fullness of his bottom lip.
Stop staring at his mouth, you pervert.
But I can't help it. Everything about him draws me in like gravity. The careful way he breathes. The slight tremor in his hands. The flush that creeps down his neck when he catches me looking.
"Now," Pastor White's voice cuts through my Jonah-induced haze, "we come to the exchange of vows."
Right. Vows. Traditional alpha-omega promises about protection and devotion and all the bullshit we're supposed tobelieve. Fortunately, she kept it short so they were easy to memorize.
I stumble over them without getting too many words wrong. Jonah says his without looking at me.
Bradley produces the rings from his pocket.
"Alexander," Pastor White prompts, "do you take Jonah to be your lawfully wedded omega, to have and to hold, to protect and cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"
The words stick in my throat. This is it. The point of no return.
I look at Jonah, standing there in his white suit. He's watching me with those impossible eyes, waiting for my answer.
"I do." The words come out rougher than intended.
Jonah's breath catches, just slightly. If I weren't watching so closely, I might have missed it.
"Jonah," Pastor White turns to him, "do you take Alexander to be your lawfully wedded alpha, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, for as long as you both shall live?"
