The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 198

Tristan

"Barely," I admitted. "Athena, you look... I don't have words. You're the most beautiful bride who ever existed."

"You're pretty gorgeous yourself," she said, her eyes roaming over me in my tuxedo. "Very handsome Alpha."

I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her right then, ceremony be damned, but the officiant cleared his throat with an amused smile.

"Shall we begin?" he asked, and there was laughter from the guests.

"Yes," I said firmly, still holding Athena's hands like a lifeline. "Please."

The officiant began the ceremony, his words washing over me in a pleasant murmur.

I knew I should be paying attention, but I couldn't stop staring at Athena. At the way the light from the chandeliers caught in her hair.

At the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. At the way her thumb was rubbing small circles on the back of my hand, probably not even aware she was doing it.

"Marriage is a sacred bond," the officiant was saying. "A commitment made not just between two people, but in the presence of all who love and support them.

Today, Tristan and Athena come before us to declare their love and commitment to each other, to pledge their lives and futures together."

I felt my throat tighten again. We'd already done this—at the courthouse, at the mating ceremony. But somehow, standing here in front of everyone we loved, with Athena glowing and pregnant with our babies, it felt even more profound.

"The couple has written their own vows," the officiant announced. "Tristan, would you like to go first?"

I nodded, taking both of Athena's hands in mine. I'd written my vows weeks ago, had practiced them dozens of times. But now, looking at her face, at the love shining in her eyes, I found myself forgetting every carefully chosen word.

So I spoke from my heart instead.

"Athena," I began, my voice shaking. "I practiced a whole speech. Wrote it down, memorized it, made sure every word was perfect. But now that I'm standing here looking at you, I can't remember any of it."

She laughed softly, tears still streaming down her face.

"So I'm just going to tell you the truth," I continued. "The simple, honest truth. You saved my life."

I saw her eyes widen, more tears spilling over.

"A year and some months ago, I lost someone I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. And I thought that was it for me. I thought I'd spend the rest of my life going through the motions, leading my everyone but never really living. Never really feeling anything but grief and loss."

My voice cracked but I pushed on.

"And then you walked back into my life. Stubborn and strong and so beautiful it hurt to look at you. And slowly, gradually, you brought me back to life. You reminded me what it felt like to laugh, to hope, to love. You showed me that my heart wasn't as broken as I thought, that I could feel joy again."

I squeezed her hands.

"You gave me everything, Athena. A reason to wake up in the morning. A home that feels like home. A future I actually want to live to see. And now, our babies..." my voice broke completely at that, and I had to pause to collect myself. "Our babies, growing inside you. A family I thought I'd never have again."

Athena was sobbing now, but she was smiling too, and I could feel through our bond that these were happy tears.

"I promise you, here in front of everyone we love, that I will spend every single day for the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you've made me," I said, my own tears flowing freely now.

"I promise to love you unconditionally, to support your dreams, to be your partner in everything. I promise to be the best father I can be to our children, to build a life with you that's filled with love and laughter."

I took a shaky breath.

"I promise to never take for granted this second chance given us. To treasure every moment, every kiss, every ordinary day. I promise to love you when it's easy and when it's hard, when we're celebrating and when we're struggling. I promise to choose you, every single day, for the rest of my life."

I reached up to wipe away her tears, my own hands trembling.

"You are my redemption, Athena. My second chance. My home. My everything. And I will love you with every breath I take, in this life and every life after. This I swear to you, before God and everyone who loves us. I am yours, completely and forever."

The room was silent except for the sound of sniffling. Even the officiant had to pause to compose himself, reaching up to wipe at his own eyes.

Athena was crying so hard she could barely see. I could feel through our bond that she was overwhelmed—with love, with joy, with the same sense of gratitude and wonder that I felt.

The officiant handed her a tissue, and she laughed through her tears as she dabbed at her face.

"Okay," she said, her voice shaking. "Okay, I can do this."

She looked up at me, and the love in her eyes was so intense it nearly brought me to my knees.

"Tristan," she began, her voice breaking on my name. "You think you saved me, but you're wrong. We saved each other."

I felt my breath catch.

"I was drowning," she continued, tears streaming down her face. "Trapped in a relationship that was killing my spirit, with someone who wanted to change everything about me. I'd convinced myself that I was weak, that I didn't deserve better, that this was just what love was supposed to be."

Her hands tightened on mine.

"And then you sent me that text message. Five words. 'You're stronger than you think.' And those five words reminded me of who I was. They gave me the courage to walk away, to choose myself, to believe that I deserved more."

My own tears were falling faster now, remembering that moment, that inexplicable urge I'd felt to reach out to her.

"And then, when I was finally free, you showed me what real love looks like," she said, her voice getting stronger even as she cried.

"You showed me that love doesn't make you smaller, it makes you bigger. That love doesn't try to change you, it celebrates you exactly as you are. That love doesn't make you feel weak, it makes you feel powerful."

Authors note: This is for everyone who has had to walk out from a toxic relationship. Who feels love isn't for them. Love is for you.