The night hung quietly over Vaughn Manor. The sky was a deep velvet black scattered with stars, while inside Alistair's master bedroom, the air was far more silent—but not empty. A deep silence, one full of vibrations, one that held the beating of two hearts now officially bound.
Celeste stood before the large mirror in a delicate white satin nightgown, a personal gift from Alistair himself. The gown skimmed her knees, revealing the flush of nervousness on her skin. Her hair was left loose, and her skin glowed in the soft candlelight.
The bedroom door opened quietly, and Alistair entered, clad in a dark sleeping robe. His gaze immediately fell on his wife—his *wife*.
"Celeste..." he murmured, almost in awe. "You're breathtaking tonight. But not because of the gown. Because you're mine now. *Completely*."
Celeste turned slowly, her soft voice trembling. "I'm nervous."
Alistair approached with measured steps, not wanting to startle or rush her. He stopped just behind Celeste and watched their reflections in the mirror. His hands lifted, warm against her shoulders.
"You don't have to be afraid of me. Tonight isn't about demands. It's about us. You and me... starting a new life, together."
Celeste nodded slowly, unable to hide the pulse fluttering at her temples. But as Alistair's fingers laced through hers, guiding her to the large bed strewn with white rose petals, her fear began to fade.
They sat facing each other, eyes locked. No words.
Just their breaths, falling into sync.
"You know," Alistair said, brushing his thumb along her cheek, "I could buy the world if you asked. But if tomorrow morning, all I have is you beside me and the world hating me... I'd still feel like I've won."
Celeste smiled faintly, warmth blooming in her chest. "I have nothing to give you but myself."
"And that's the only thing I've ever wanted."
Alistair leaned in slowly, pressing a kiss to Celeste's forehead, then her temple, then the tip of her nose. Kisses that weren't just desire—but healing for the wounds of their past. Each one whispered: *I'm here. I'm not leaving.*
When Celeste returned the embrace with trembling but certain hands, Alistair murmured, "Tell me... are you truly ready?"
Celeste nodded.
"Yes. Because now... I love you."
And so the night welcomed two souls finally united—not just as partners in the eyes of the law, but as two hearts that had found their home.
---
Alistair studied Celeste's face, half-hidden in the shadows of the night. In her eyes, he still saw traces of hesitation, but alongside it, a slow-growing courage. He drew closer, near enough that their breaths mingled.
"Celeste..." His whisper flowed like a midnight melody. "You don't have to be perfect for me. All I need is you, no longer wanting to run."
Celeste inhaled deeply before whispering back, "I've... been alone for too long. But tonight, I want to stop feeling alone. I want to know... what it's like to be *yours*."
Alistair smirked faintly. "You want to know what it's like to belong to a Vaughn?"
He brought her hand to his chest, where his heart beat slow but sure. "Listen to this. It only beats for you now. You're the only one who can make me this nervous."
Celeste held his gaze, then lowered her head slightly. "You scare me. But not because you're terrifying. Because this... feels too beautiful to be real."
She lifted her chin, letting him see her fully.
"I'm ready. But on one condition."
"What is it?" Alistair asked, holding his breath.
"You have to be the only one who can make me feel loved like this. *Never* stop."
Alistair grinned, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders. He kissed the back of her hand, then drew her slowly into his arms.
"Forever, Celeste Vaughn."
He held her small frame tightly, as if convincing his own soul that this was real. Slowly, their lips met in a long, warm kiss. No haste. No painful urgency.
The satin gown slipped from Celeste's shoulders, and she no longer trembled from fear—but from the thrill of a love so new, so deep. They came together not just in passion, but in the trust they'd painstakingly built.
No vows were spoken aloud that night, because their love needed no oaths.
All they had were two hands clasped in the dark, two hearts beating as one, and the night that witnessed the beginning of their new life as husband and wife.