Scout: Devil's Rose #11

Chapter 31: Major Owens

I figured out what is happening about five seconds after Alpha asked me to dress up. He's too excited to lie well about anything. I can guarantee that I'm about to get married to Violet. I bet my life on it.

I got on my motorcycle because I will not be getting to my wedding in or on anything other vehicle besides the one I've dedicated my life to riding. Now, I dedicate my life to riding to get back to my wife.

I can feel the nerves throughout my body, butterflies fluttering in my stomach, making me feel slightly nauseated. I take deep breaths and let myself focus on what I can handle.

I can handle the road ahead of me, and my motorcycle beneath me. I can handle doing everything I can to make this moment beautiful for Violet and me.

I follow Alpha, who's on his motorcycle ahead of me, through the hills in the forest, and I can tell that we're heading in the direction of Reaper's house. Well damn, he usually doesn't invite many people there.

Over the years with Fiona and Delilah, his daughter, he's most certainly gotten better at opening up his home to others, but it's usually other official members that host. This is a special occasion though.

I can see cars parked in Fiona and Reaper's driveway, a trail of flower petals leading into their backyard. Alpha takes a look behind him to make sure that I'm following behind him.

With each step I take, my heart pounds faster. I just want to see her. I just want to be her husband. That can't be too much to ask. I never thought too much about getting married. It never was something I felt like I had to do.

I only wanted to do it if it felt right, and this, marrying Violet, nothing has ever felt this right. Everything in my life has led me up to this moment.

And as much as I've been tortured by all the horrible moments in my life, as much as I've been ruined by some of the things that I've seen and had to do, I would do it again to have even a chance of being with Violet.

I would go through hell to be with her. And maybe I shouldn't think like that or that's not healthy. Maybe I shouldn't feel that way about a woman I haven't known long. Maybe I'm losing my mind, and I'm just completely obsessed with who she is.

I just don't know if I care.

A soft instrumental version of Hozier's Wasteland, Baby plays in the background as I fully arrive in Reaper and Fiona's backyard, string lights lighting the area and a path of flowers leading me up the aisle.

Violet stands in a beautiful and flowing white dress, a boutique of wildflowers in her hands. I recognize those flowers, almost as if they came from Oakwood Meadow which is highly illegal to have may I add.

I fucking love this woman.

She presses a soft kiss to my cheek as I get to her, and I feel as if I'm about to have a heart attack. Alpha steps in at the top of the aisle, a piece of paper in hand.

"Violet, I don't have vows," I tell her honestly before Alpha can say anything.

"Don't worry about it. Neither do I. Alpha has us covered," she speaks knowingly, telling me there's nothing that I need to worry about.

"I think I speak for everyone here," Alpha begins, "that we would one day see the two of the married, not knowing it would be so soon. However, a timeline in love doesn't matter. It's good to take advantage of every moment that you have to be with the person you love and live a beautiful life together.

"The Good Place, Violet and Scout's favorite show, teaches us how love changes us, and shows us how to be better people. We all are waves at our peak, and when it's time, we will crash back into the ocean where we came from.

"But before all of that happens, we have life. We have love. And when you know, you know. It is my absolute pleasure to unite Violet and Scout in a happy, enduring, and beautiful marriage."

Fuck, I think I'm about to cry.

Harper, who stands behind Violet, offers her one ring, while Clara who is also behind her, offers her another. One from me and one for her, obviously.

Violet hands me her ring, so I've got something to put on her finger. It's simple, an emerald which is her birthstone.

"My vows come from my favorite book," Violet says, and I know exactly where she is leading with this. The Midnight Library.

"The book, The Midnight Library, has inspired me to live a life of freedom and joy. In Matt Haig's paraphrased words, we only need to be one person and feel one existence. We don't have to do everything to be everything because we already contain multitudes being alive.

"Finding you, Scout, I know exactly who I need to be, the person that belongs with you. I will forever be grateful that my existence is with you, and that the many multitudes that I am are someone you love as I will love all the multitudes of you. I love you," Violet concludes.

And I'm definitely crying as she slips my ring onto my finger.

"Well, shit. In the five seconds I have to think about this, I don't think I can top that. However, I will try," and I'm already kicking myself that those words are the start of my vows.

"There's a part in Invisible Cities where a voice becomes the character's guiding light, a hope as cities seem to collapse. While pain endures, there is a voice that makes the world feel alive again.

"While it's extreme, I think we all have our moments where our worlds feel like they are going to collapse. Your voice, Violet, is one I search for, and will always search for, as I live my life through ups and downs.

"You make my world feel alive. I want to spend the rest of my life living in a beautiful and alive city with you."

My vows fucking sucked, but I think I got the point across. The tears in Violet's eyes are a sign of that. I put the ring on her finger, watching it glint in the orange sunset.

"By the power invested in me from a website that I don't remember the name of, I pronounce husband and wife," Alpha doesn't even get to finish what he was going to say before my lips land on my wife's.

I hear chuckling from the crowd, but I couldn't give one fuck. Violet smiles against my lips before pulling away and eyeing the sparkling ring on her finger.

We walk down the aisle, just having realized that there's actually a photographer here, a local Westmoor photographer.

We smile at her, giving her a kiss at the end of the aisle, and we head inside Reaper and Fiona's house to get a moment to ourselves.

"I'm sorry for my shit vows. I'll rewrite better ones for you," I say immediately, playing with the strap of her dress as we stand close together in a locked bathroom, hiding from everyone.

"Oh same," she admits with a bright pink blush on her face, "I came up with them on the spot."

"Spontaneous, that doesn't surprise me."

She laughs, kissing me again.

"Thank you for marrying me, Major."

"Thank you for marrying me, Violet."

"We have to sign the actual marriage license though. Alpha has it."

"Of course, and then we get drunk."

"Pictures, then we get drunk," she clarifies.

"Are you ready to go back out there?"

"I want another minute with you," she asserts, running her hands over my dress shirt.

"You can have all my minutes," I say, not wanting her to feel bad for wanting more time to ourselves even though we will have our entire lives together. And probably pictures for the next hour.

"We're crazy for doing this."

"We're in love, my love. Doesn't matter."

"I haven't even told my parents about you."

"That might be a problem."