My Mate’s Babies
Epilogue

[Sophia's P.O.V]

"Are you sure you want this?"

"Yes," I replied confidently. This was probably going to be the most important decision of my life, but I was more than sure that it was the right one.

"Okay, only if you're sure," Alex said with a faint smile.

"Yes...I am, trust me." Alex didn't reply as he placed a light, feather-like kiss on my forehead.

"I love you Sophia."

"I love you too Alex, I love you too. This is just my way of saying thank you to you for everything," I smiled, pressing my lips to his cheek.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

I nodded my head, even though my heart was racing and my hands quivering. "Where's Mark?"

"He'll be here soon enough, don't worry, he won't miss this. He just had to deal with some press who were threatening to sue when Nicholas nearly assaulted them." "He can't miss this," I stated.

"He won't...calm down."

"Okay, I believe you."

"Good, now, for the tenth time, are you ready?" he asked with now a huge smile on his face.

"Yes," I breathed.

"Good, I was growing old in anticipation. And I'm hungry as well. I just want this to finish already so I can have some food."

"Alex! This is one of the most important days of my life and all you can think about it food!" I exclaimed, pushing his chest lightly with a roll of my eyes.

"Calm down woman! I'm joking, but I made you forget about your nerves, didn't I?" he smirked slightly.

"Whatever."

"You know I'm right," he grinned mischievously.

"I hate you."

"Love you too."

I stuck my tongue out at him, causing him to simply grin at me.

"Okay, and you're up in...three...two...one," she said with a small wink as she entered the room, listening closely to her headset. "Good luck," she mouthed with a huge grin and two thumbs up.

And just like that all the nerves were back. I wanted this wholeheartedly; however, there was this great sense of anxiety there, which was completely inexplicable. The sound of my heart thumping could be heard even by my own ears. My palms began to sweat while butterflies invaded my stomach. Taking in a huge breath, I hooked my arms into the crook of Alex's before exiting the room.

"Hey, don't worry, calm down, okay. You look beautiful," Alex whispered and immediately, my nerves calmed, and my body, which was previously stiffened, relaxed a little. But there were so many scenarios running through my head, not allowing me to fully relax. What if I fell over? What if I said something wrong? What if it started raining heavily?

I checked my reflection in the mirror quickly, taking in long white dress, which had a intricate hand-beaded lace framing a sweetheart neckline and dropped waistline. The full pleated skirt with matching beaded lace featured a draped sash waistline that captivatingly trails to the back, adding a majestic touch to the chapel length train. The top half of the dress pronounced my curves but the pleated skirt was slight puffy. My light brown hair cascaded down my back in loose curles while two pieces of hair were clipped back in a braid on either side.

Turning around to look into his eyes, I nodded before walking outside the small building, to the aisle. The sound of sweet violins and the piano hummed in the quiet forest as everyone stood up, ready for my entrance. Turning to Alex, I returned his smile before looking straight into his eyes. He looked as sexy as he normally did, yet today, he had a different spark in his eyes. Wearing a dark grey suit, he looked even more dashing right now. It took everything in me not to start crying, however, I remembered Emma's threat. "Don't you dare cry," she had told me sternly, however couldn't keep the smile off of her face. "I spent more than two hours just your face and make, and don't you dare let my work and efforts go to waste."

With every step I took, I couldn't help the whirlwind of emotions running through my head this moment. It was all too confusing, yet the one that stood out the most was love. Love for this man standing at the altar, which was made with simple twigs and flowers twined together. A huge grin was on his lips and only pure love was gleaming in his eyes along with some unshed tears, reflecting mine.

However, as we got closer to the altar, I noticed Alex sniffing the air before stiffening. He seemed to grow a lot more tense and was discreetly searching around for something... or maybe someone. I was growing curious, however, I couldn't pry my eyes away from my beautiful husband-to-be.

Thousands of bloomed orchids hung above our head, making it an even more beautiful spring. The guests' seats were brilliantly carved with huge logs, pronouncing the natural beauty of this forest. And behind the alter, the most stunning waterfall could be seen: where he had proposed to me exactly three months ago.

Once we reached the alter, Alex placed my hand on his, sparks immediately flying. Emma took my bouquet, before walking back to her place; however, I noticed that her posture was stiff while her eyes were locked with someone else's. Looking back into his grey eyes, all I could see was love... love for me. As the pack's minister started the ceremony, I couldn't help but get lost into his eyes.

"You look...stunning," he whispered, making me smile.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony-" I droned out what he was saying; only concentrating on this amazing man in front of me. He was the definition of amazing. Although we hadn't had a smooth past, I knew- and my heart was agreeing with me on this- that we were going to have a very smooth future laying ahead of us.

"Who will give away this bride today?" the minister asked, and instantly, Alex walked to us before placing my hand on my soon husband-to-be's smooth yet warm and calloused hand, sparks immediately flying between us.

The minister began saying the vows, me repeating after him. "I, Sophia Campbell, take thee Chase Carter, to my wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part," I said, placing the ring into my mate's finger. If the mark hadn't made it obvious that he was mine, then this make it to everyone.

Placing my ring into my finger, he started, repeating the minister as well, "I, Chase Carter, take thee Sophia Campbell to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part."

"Sophia, I promise to encourage your compassion,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I promise to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I promise to help shoulder our challenges,
For there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.
I promise to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.
I promise to you perfect love and perfect trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
In your eyes, I have found my home.
In your heart, I have found my love.
In your soul, I have found my mate.
With you, I am whole, full, alive.
You make me laugh. You let me cry.
You are my breath, my every heartbeat.
I am yours.
You are mine.
Of this we are certain.
You are lodged in my heart.
The small key is lost.
You must stay there forever.
This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things.
I love you Sophia and I always will," he said with love gleaming in his eyes with honesty. His eyes had never felt mine, even as now they started to water. A flood of tears washed down my flushed cheeks as I tried to control it to no avail. It was perfect...everything that he said was absolutely perfect. I loved this man more than anything in the world.

"Chase, you are my home, my one safe place. I fell in love with you for so many reasons, the way your eyes smile when you are happy or cheeky, your commitment to our children and those you love, your eternal optimism, your intelligence, strength and your outlook on life. Chase, you, more than anyone, know my vulnerabilities, insecurities, frailties, and failings, yet you never take advantage, and love me all the more. You inspire, challenge, support and nurture me. You believe in me when my own belief wavers and I am beset with self-doubt. You find in me qualities that I did not trust or believe were there. Your love is unconditional, without reservation, constant, yet demanding, forthright and bold.

"What can I say to you that I haven't already said and what can I give you that I haven't already given? Everything that is the essence of me belonged to you long before this. And it shall be yours, long after this, and for always.

"Let me be the shoulder you lean on, the rock on which you rest. With you I will walk the path we have chosen and together we will dream. We may stumble and we may falter, but we will always be there for each other.

"Today, Chase I join my life to yours. The decision to commit to share my life with you is one I make joyfully, easily and with full confidence in our love; secure in the knowledge that you are my best friend, confidant, partner in life, and my one true love. Time may pass, fortune may smile, trials may come; but no matter what we may encounter, I know we do it together, stronger for loving each. And although our past together hasn't been the easiest, I know that it has made our relationship, our bond, our connection stronger than ever. I love you Chase Carter and I always will," I said with a smile a single tear dripped from my eyes, which showed nothing but sincerity. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he smiled a warm and loving smile at me.

"I now pronounce you Mr and Mrs Carter. Chase, you may kiss your bride," the minister said, with tears in his eyes.

As soon as those words left his mouth, Chase swooped me into a passionate kiss that left me breathless. He put in all his emotions, his love in it. He said everything to me in that kiss. With a small smile on my lips, I kissed him with the same passion as the guests whooped and cheered.

All the memories of our past ran through my mind: seeing him for the first time, making love to him for the first time, him leaving me for Nicole, me running away, me meeting Daniel, Emma, Claire, Christy, Alex, Mark, Connor and Amy, then me giving birth, me meeting Chase and Ryan at my concert, me finding out mom was ill, Chase meeting the twins for the first time, then Chase and Ryan making everything up to me, becoming a proper family with my parents and brother, then mom's death, Chase being there every step of the way with me, then Chase nearly dying after he got shot near his heart with a silver bullet because he was saving me, Nicole killing herself and her baby after shooting Chase, then him gaining consciousness after three weeks in coma, me realising how much I truly love him, Becca giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, Sophia, and finally dad losing his life.

All those things made me who I am today...made us who we are today. And although we have gone through so many ordeals in the past, some which have nearly broken us completely, I can honestly say that it has made mine and Chase's relationship a lot stronger. I learnt so many things in the past two years, holding onto the past hurts even more and sometimes, you just have to let go and forgive. I didn't want to trust Chase after he had hurt me, I was too scared. But now, I'm glad that I took that risk, because if I hadn't, I'd be lonely and still heartbroken today, yet now, I'm getting married with the love of my life just because I decided to take a chance.

None of us are perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. But we have to let go and forgive them because holding onto the past pains you even more. And my life today, shows exactly what you can get when you take a risk.

In a way, I'm glad that everything has happened, because if it hadn't, I wouldn't have met these wonderful people in my life today. I wouldn't have had the amazing career that I do. And finally, I wouldn't have realised how much Chase truly loved me. He loved me so much that he could take a bullet for me...literally.

We finally pulled away from the kiss, panting hard while wolf-whistles were all could be heard. We both leaned our foreheads against each other, doing nothing but relishing this happy moment.

"I've wanted to do since the second you came out here," he whispered against my lips. "God, I love you so much Mrs Sophia Carter."

"As I love you Mr Chase Carter," I said back.

When we finally pulled away to look at the guests, I noticed how every single one of them had tears in their eyes but a huge grin on their faces. Emma and Alex were gazing into each other's eyes with nothing but love in them, which made me smirk at them, knowing exactly what those looks were about.

Ryan, who was Chase's best man, was staring at Becca, who one of my bridesmaid (Christy, Daniel's mate, being the other and Emma being my maid of honour), with so much love and care. Daniel, who was Chase's groomsmen, was also staring at Christy like she was the only woman in the world. Daniel had finally approved of Chase after a very long interrogation and now they were even allies.

The twins, who were now all grown up and nearly seven years old were wrinkling their noses in fake disgust, but even they couldn't help but let a small smile slip on their face.

This was perfect. My whole life was now perfect.

Maybe in the end, everything does happen for the best.