Betrothed

Chapter 31: Blissful Sorrow

Willow

I could not help but snicker after my mind processed what Brayden had just said. The snickering turned into a hard laugh which then led me to make a weird snorting noise causing me to place my hands over my face. I could feel my cheeks getting warm with a blush presenting itself onto them resulting in a rose coloring. I turned around facing away from Brayden frightened by what his reaction would be as I tried to control myself. Attempting to put my laughing to rest as I slowly calmed down but failing as I let some snickers release from my mouth as I was letting the laughter fade. Okay, no more please. You embarrassed yourself enough.

"Oh, come on, Wills. Do not hide from me! Please, that was beyond adorable. My pun was not that funny," Brayden paused for a short moment only to start interrupting himself with a laugh, "Or was it?" Brayden started cracking himself up at his own pun joke from our entanglement with a near death experience.

I fought through the tears rolling slowly down my cheek from my laughing fit. I turned around to watch Brayden's laughing tornado winding down to a snarled laugh and replied to his question, "It actually was quite punny." I belatedly told Brayden.

Brayden's laughing tornado whirlwind got ramped back up into a frenzy for about a couple minutes it felt like. He finally decided to try and clear his throat which was his way of trying to quit laughing. "You really think so? I think you laugh quite well, Wills." Brayden had fully composed himself before approaching me. He stood in front of my body with a huge smile on his face just staring directly into my eyes. "You are and always will be my beautiful queen. Never doubt that, not even for a second. As my whole happiness starts and ends with you, Wills. I know plenty has arisen and changed up some of the future but as long as we are together, I am happy and will adapt to whatever comes up next as long as I am by your side."

His smile never faded during his speech it only grew and as his smile grew my heart continued to grow with it. How did I end up here at this moment? I had no clue what I did to deserve this beautifully handsome man willing to do anything to make me happy, but I will spend the rest of my days trying to find out while being the best true mate I can be no matter what happens. I felt my cheeks returning to a rose coloring and could not help but smile up at Brayden more as the time passed standing there waiting to respond knowing that nothing, I can say, would top what he had just said moments before.

"Bray Bear?" I asked.

"Yes, my beautiful queen?" Brayden responded.

"I openly adore you along with your kind heart and punny remarks. I know everything is crazy right now. I do not know what to expect as I am sure something will have to be discussed between the packs about our betrothal, but I want you to know more than anything that if I had to choose it would be you. I have a history with you. I have not quite grasped anything about my situation further than what Leyna has already told me back at the Wayland pack territory." I undoubtedly told Brayden the truth about what I was feeling from all the weight on my shoulders.

"Wills, I am glad you feel the same way as I do not know if I could manage to share you, your affection, and your love with Arashnic in the picture all the time. I do not even know what that life looks like. I never envisioned having to share with you. The Moon Goddess' gift to you seems a lot like a curse if you ask me. Would you be able to walk away from Arashnic completely if it came down to it?" Brayden asked as he stood there in front of me shifting his weight between his legs.

I thought I would be able to make that sacrifice of my wolfs unhappiness, the Moon Goddess' unhappiness, and my own for the sake of making this what Brayden and I had pictured all along but the more I stand with that thought in my mind, the more my stomach aches and my heart breaks. I tiled my head downward and sighed. "I am going to be honest that my life would not be as happy as you wish it to be if I lost one of you. You both are my true mates, and it may seem like a curse right now, but the Moon Goddess wished this on me for a purpose. A reason behind it, because of it, and to come from it." I looked back up to meet Brayden's gaze that had made his eyes watery.