Epilogue: Dog and Pony Show

Genre: Supernatural/Drama

Characters: Kaya, Caleb, Connor, Charlie, Dominick, Kaeleigh, Joseph, Joey, Eli, Chandria, Vaughn, Lobo, Sophie, Karri, Amanda, Ulrick, Isabella, Luther, Giselle, Eoghan, Emmett, Finn, Rosette, Emily, Jerrod, Alex, Minister Raul Quintana
Word Count: 4,291
Rating: R
Type: Series
Summary: Kaya and Caleb get married!
Warnings: Language, suggestive material, violence, strong sexual content, adult content, adult situations, nudity.

Caleb stood beside the door, gripping the box tighter in his hands as he watched his mate quietly going about her day. “What are you doing, Caleb?” Kaya asked, sensing his presence as she pulled another pair of shoes from a box and placed them beside the others.

“Enjoying the view,” he responded as she bent forward on her hands and knees, giving him a better glimpse of her ass. He shot her a cocky smile and she tossed her hair over her shoulder with a satisfied smirk of her own.

“Well, Sir, it’s much better from the front, this I assure you.”

“Mmm well that all depends on what I’m looking at.” With quick steps he moved towards her, lovingly kissing her cheek before handing her the beautifully wrapped gift box.

“What’s this?” She asked toying with the ribbon allowing it to slip through her fingers lightly.

“Hmm. Why don’t you open it and find out?” He got himself comfy on the seat behind her and watched her intently as she sank to the floor and began undoing the ties.

Anxiously, Kaya tore open the package, tossing the paper to the floor beside her. Pulling open the top, she glanced up at Caleb and the smile on his face as she pushed the tissue paper aside to reveal, “A tiara?” she asked in confusion as she lifted the item up for closer inspection. “You’re taking this ‘royalty’ thing a little far, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know. You’ll always be my Queen,” he smiled at Kaya’s eyeroll and stole a quick kiss. “I saw it in some of Mom’s belongings and I thought it would look great on you.”

“A stolen tiara. You gifted me a stolen tiara,” she replied, still twirling the object in her hand. Caleb noted the disappointment on her face. Clearly she was looking for something else that wasn’t there. He smirked. With a comforting hand, he caressed her cheek as he dipped his head for another kiss.

Moving from his seat, he pulled her to her feet and dropped to one knee, never once taking his eyes off of hers. “Now I didn’t want to make such a big speech or tell you things you probably already know. But still, I had an idea about how I wanted to ask and it never seemed right so I figured I’d just be upfront about it. Kaya, I love you. I’ve loved you before I ever laid eyes on you. And I have lived every second of every day waiting for this moment and the chance to ask. Baby, will you marry me?”

The sound of a beating heart grew louder with every breath she took and finally Kaya looked towards the doorway and into the many pairs of eyes watching them. They knew. The entire pack was standing outside her bedroom as Caleb professed his undying love for her and waited for her response. She smiled to herself and looked down at the ring and the anxious look on his face. It had become a well-practiced art; hiding her thoughts from her mate. And with the best poker face she could muster, Kaya shook her head no.

The smile that once donned her lover’s lips had started to fade and a deep look of despair had replaced it. Kaya giggled and dropped to her knees in front of him. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Yes, Caleb, of course I’ll marry you.” 

An echo of applause and whistles erupted outside the bedroom door and Kaya laughed against Caleb’s lips as she looked up again to see the pack dispersing, closing the door as they did. “Clever little wolf, aren’t you?”

“How do you mean?”

“The tiara. Is that my something borrowed?”

The smirk on Caleb’s face became a full-blown grin and he nodded his head. “It’s a three-for-one, actually. It’s your blue, old and borrowed. Now I’m no expert on fashion, I know, and you may not even want to use it but, Mom said she wore it the day she and Dad married so I thought…”

“It’s perfect, Caleb!” she smiled as she continued hanging from around his neck. “You’re perfect.”

Three Weeks Later…

Kaya stood at the border of the walkway peering down the aisle at her husband-to-be. The wedding march started and, with a deep breath, she began her walk forward. Suddenly and without warning she stopped. A vicious snarl rumbled nearby. Desperately, her eyes searched the gathered crowd looking for the source. Then, from behind the altar the shape of an unfamiliar figure began to approach.

It jogged slowly at first but as it spotted its target, it quickly gained speed. Kaya tried to call out for the attendees to look out but her voice caught in her throat. She watched as a large, black wolf tackled Caleb to the ground. He screamed as it caught him unaware and within seconds had his throat locked under its powerful jaws. With one violent shake, blood gushed from her mate’s neck and the screaming stopped.

In panic, she jolted awake. Breathing heavily, Kaya looked around to find herself in her own bed, her covers and pillows tossed to the floor. The bedroom door opened and in stepped Amanda beaming with happiness until she saw the look on her Luna’s face.

“Another bad dream?” she asked and watched Kaya’s head nod. “Don’t worry about it, Luna, it’s probably just wedding day jitters. You’re going to make a beautiful bride,” Amanda nearly sang as she placed Kaya’s dress on the door for later. “Alright, come on, get up out of that bed! There’s a ton of stuff to do and not really a lot of time. Mom and the others are busy cooking up a storm while Connor and the crew are all preparing the grounds for the ceremony. I’m supposed to be the one to wrangle you.”

“I need wrangling?” Kaya asked, crooking her eyebrow in the blonde’s direction.

“You bet your tush you do! It’s going to be so much fun! Oh, also, Chandria wants to have breakfast with you before the day begins! She’s waiting for you on the lanai. Now up, Luna! We need to get you picture ready.”

Kaya half listened as Amanda rattled off a list of events and threw her legs to the side of the bed. “Where are the kids?”

“Frustrating your band,” she laughed. “They’ve been trying to get everything ready meanwhile they have three rambunctious toddlers zipping in and out of the way. It’s really kinda funny. I think they’re just excited though. All morning Kaeleigh has been asking when she gets to put on the dress.” Kaya smiled hearing that and turned to look at her dress hanging on the door with the same question in mind. “Breakfast, Luna. Now.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Kaya moaned and started towards the bathroom to get ready. 

As promised, Chandria sat out on the porch taking in the fresh morning air and sunlight as if she was new to the world. There was a dining table set up for her filled to the brim with every breakfast food imaginable and a drink bar of coffee, tea and orange juice. “Good morning,” she spoke before turning around. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

“Of course, Chandria,” Kaya smiled as she took a seat at the table.

Chandria returned the smile and joined her. “I know you’re probably curious as to why I asked to speak with you in private and I don’t like to beat around the bush.” Kaya remained silent as she waited for the woman to continue. Since her return, they’d not spoken much. Chandria busied herself with getting readjusted to life with her family and Kaya tried to stay out of the way. “I wanted to apologize to you on behalf of my family for what has been done to yours.”

The First Witch looked down at her hands and straightened the cloth napkin beneath them as she took in a deep breath. “Kaelani and I were friends. In fact, it was I who helped train her when she first took interest in her craft. What happened was absolutely tragic and I wish I’d have done more to stop those events from ever taking place. I’ve spoken with your father as well and offered him my deepest sympathies. I truly wish things had been done differently then. I know I can never make up for what was done but I do hope you and I can work to improve our relationship, especially since you’ll be family soon…in the legal sense,” Chandria offered Kaya a smile.

“I’d like that very much, Chandria.”

“Good! If there is ever anything you want to know about your mother, please just ask. The stories I could tell,” the elder woman laughed.

“Well, actually, I would. What was she like?” Kaya asked. “Was she as unsure about her leadership position as I’ve read in her diaries?”

“Oh where do I begin?” The two had breakfast and continued their talk, getting to know one another. Chandria shared stories of Kaelani and Kaya did the same about her time with ‘Rafe,’ Chandria’s little creation, and how she broke the magic on Caleb. 

After breakfast, Kaya went for a walk through the garden. She had been warned away from taking a peek at the venue; her pack wanted it to be a surprise. Kaya felt so blissful. She stopped and closed her eyes so that she could focus just on nature, tuning out the bustle of her pack mates preparing the grounds for the upcoming nuptials.

It was a sunlit day of late spring, and the sky held a soft blue glow. The lazy wind pushed against the fresh cut grass like a child sending dandelion seeds on their way. Above the white wisps trail of clouds, the sun brought a welcoming warmth that covered her like a familiar blanket. It was the perfect day for a wedding.

Spring had definitely arrived. And with it, the many wonderful smells of the earth. Inside the flower garden, Kaya ran her hands over the newly blossomed rose bushes. A few had sealed blooms and she knelt beside them for closer inspection. 

The flower that had been a tight bud only days ago had begun to open and already a deeper blush of red began to emerge. Kaya stretched out her fingers to touch the silky red petals, they were cooler than she’d expected, smoother too. She tried to will it to open faster, to see the beauty she knew was inside. But nature had its way, its timing, and she wasn’t ready yet. A few more days of warmth and it would bloom, she just had to wait.

“There you are!” she heard Amanda’s cry from behind her. “We have a schedule to keep, Luna. You can’t go running off like this. Not today of all days,” she scolded in her chirpy voice. “It’s time for hair and makeup.”

“Mandy?” She was curious how the blonde stayed so cheerful no matter the time of day. That kind of energy was exhausting but Amanda always had a smile.

“Yes, Kaya?”

“Nothing. Let’s get a move on,” she smiled and nodded her head following behind her.

Over the next couple of hours Kaya was primped, plumped, pressed and pushed into a corset two sizes too small. Her hair was combed, tugged and tightened into a bun atop her head and her nails and makeup were done to perfection. As Amanda put on the finishing touches and did a once over there was a knock on the door.

Kaya turned happily towards the distraction and greeted her dad as he stepped inside the room. “Wow, Kaya, you look absolutely gorgeous,” he said, seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time.

“Daddy!” Kaya threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“Luna, we’re not done,” Amanda exclaimed excitedly.

“Mandy, I’d like a little privacy now, please?” The young wolf looked from her to Lobo and back before nodding and excusing herself from the room. “Daddy, how was the trip?”

“Longer than I remembered but well worth it. I’d have driven to the moon if I had to in order to walk my little girl down the aisle,” he answered with a smile, brandishing a single red rose from behind his back. “This is for you.” Taking a seat on the couch beside her, he watched as she played with the petals, her attention elsewhere. “Something on your mind?”

“Always. But, in particular, you. Chandria told me the two of you spoke.” Lobo nodded. “How’d that go?”

“Well, let’s just say we’re working on a new beginning for our families.”

“That good?”

“It’s a start.”

Kaya watched her father for a moment, enjoying the comfort of his presence as she got her thoughts together. “Daddy, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you about Caleb. I just…couldn’t help myself.”

“I know. It was your wolf’s yearning. That temptation is hard to resist, Kaya, and I’ve never blamed you for following your heart. I was only hurt by the discoveries it led to and what they did to you. But, that’s all in the past now. You have your mate and three amazing little pups and seem to be doing well.”

“I am. I just worry about you.”

“I don’t want you to concern yourself over me, Sweetheart. The loss I feel I’ve been dealing with for years now and I know how to keep it from consuming me. I promise you, I’m fine. It used to be that my one saving grace was you; now it’s you and my three grandbabies. I couldn’t be happier seeing you so happy and being able to share in it.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Baby Girl. Now, get yourself together. We have a wedding to put on. I’ll see you out there.” Lobo gave his daughter a quick kiss and shut the door upon his exit. Amanda returned and continued getting her Luna ready. Finally, Kaya took one last look at herself in the mirror and started after him.

Kaya held the bouquet ready for the ceremony her hands damp with sweat. She was nervous. Incredibly so. Her heart ran with legs like a runner. Her eyebrows frowned in worry and impatience as she thought about how her life would change. Would it change? She glanced at the bouquet.

The flowers entwined between her fingers holding fast in her hand. The roses were Caleb’s choice. Kaya selected lilies for the bridesmaids and would have had them in her bouquet but when the florist tempered them in the cardinal red dye Kaya had picked as her color it didn’t take. It doesn’t suck as a backup Caleb’s words echoed in her head.

As she entered the clearing the tiny lights reflected from the crimson bouquet which made her look dazzling in the glow of the sun. Her face shone with excitement as she saw her mate standing at the altar looking lovingly at her with a radiant smile on his face. “Are you ready?” Lobo asked, taking her by the arm.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied. Kaya stood at the border of the walkway peering down the aisle at her husband-to-be. The wedding march started and, with a deep breath, she began her walk forward. Closing her eyes briefly, she attempted to rid herself of the nightmare she’d been having periodically over the last three weeks and continued down the aisle.

“Dearly beloved, we meet here today to witness a sacred ceremony: the union of Kaya and Caleb. With great reverence, we come together to celebrate the love and devotion shared by these two children of the Moon Goddess that stand before us. We are especially blessed to be joined today by family and friends. The Bride and Groom are honored you could be here to participate in this important occasion. Who gives this bride?”

“I do,” Lobo said, moving closer with Kaya toward the altar. With a swift kiss to her cheek, Lobo released his daughter’s arm and watched her step up to Caleb’s side. 

“If anyone has cause to object to the forming of this union, speak now or forever hold your peace.” The minister waited a moment of silence before proceeding. “Under the eyes of God, Caleb, do you take Kaya to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to support her completely and love her unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” he said, staring intensely into her blue eyes.

“Kaya, under the eyes of God, do you take Caleb to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to support him completely and love him unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?

“I do.”

“It’s now time to exchange the rings. The circle formed by each ring is a symbol of your love and eternal commitment to each other. May these rings remind you always of these sacred promises you’ve made to each other today in the company of your family and friends. Caleb, you will go first. Please repeat after me as you place the ring on the hand of your beloved.”

Dazedly, Caleb continued looking into Kaya’s eyes, utterly enchanted by her radiance. Losing all sense of consciousness, he imagined the start of their lives together. She was his dream come true and he never thought he’d make it to this moment. “Caleb?” the minister said again and waited. There was light giggling from the audience and Kaya nudged him with a playful smile as the Alpha finally zoned back in, shaking his head as he woke from reverie. 

“Sorry about that,” he said, smiling again at Kaya only this time, breaking free from the mesmerizing trance of his mate. “With this ring I, Caleb Joseph Trent, marry thee, Kaya Danielle Villalobos and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows.” Caleb slipped the ring onto Kaya’s hand, staring into her eyes the entire time. 

Kaya received her ring from Sophie and repeated the same vows to Caleb. “And now by the power vested in me  it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.” Eagerly, Caleb pulled Kaya against him and dipped her as he pressed his mouth against hers. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I officially present to you Mr. and Mrs. Caleb and Kaya Trent!”

The audience stood and clapped as the newlyweds turned to face them for the first time as husband and wife. Caleb led her down the stairs and towards the aisle, searching her eyes as he moved. The sheer, unadulterated delight he found there warmed him and made the smile on his face grow wider. “I love you, Mrs. Trent.”

“I love you too, Mr. Trent.” They came to a stop just at the back of the audience and watched as Connor rushed the stage. Everything was moving so fast and it all felt so surreal.

“Alright, folks! How’s everyone doing tonight? While our lovely, newlywed Luna is getting change, I thought we’d warm up the band, get everyone on their feet and get this party started off right. Are you ready to crank this up?” Connor asked, stepping up to the microphone. Cheers erupted over the crowd and he waved his arms along with them. He, Eli and Caleb played a few songs as Kaya changed gowns. Seeing his wife returning, he motioned to Connor who returned to the microphone. “I hope everyone is enjoying themselves so far. Now I’m gonna hand this off to my band mate and best friend, your lovely Luna and mine, Kaya!” Kaya moved in behind Connor and he gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek before walking towards his keyboard. 

“Good evening, everyone. First of all, I want to thank you all for coming out to share in our special day…even you, Luther.” A few people turned towards the Alpha and joined him in laughter before Kaya continued. “As most of you already know, Night Shift is preparing its farewell tour across the world. It was a band that Connor and I started in 1990 as ‘Moonstruck’ but had its ‘official’ debut in 1998 when we remarketed ourselves. It’s been a long and exciting journey but with the changing dynamics of our pack, it’s becoming difficult to maintain both a personal and professional life. So it’s with a heavy heart that we begin our goodbye to the music world right here with all of you to share in our love, our art, our passion. We hope you enjoy.”

Connor gave Kaya a nod as she looked over at him. There was a sadness in her eyes that he couldn’t help but notice and it pulled at his heartstrings. “You got this, Baby K,” he smiled, and motioned to Eli to count them down.

Eli tapped his drumsticks and the sound of Kaya’s guitar pierced the quiet in the audience followed closely by the rest of the band. The gathered crowd swayed as the band played a few new songs from their latest album, listening to the emotion in the words and the melody of rhythm. The music began to wane and Kaya closed out the performance with a cover of “Arise” by Flyleaf. “Arise and be all that you dreamed, all that you dreamed. Thank you! Please help yourselves to drinks and refreshment.”

Kaya stepped off the stage and before she could get too far, felt fingers entwine with hers and her body being pulled against her husband’s solid form. “Are you ok?” he asked, watching her eyes for any change of emotion.

“I couldn’t be better,” she smiled sincerely.

“Well, I could,” he replied before leaning into her and taking her mouth with his. He kissed her with all the desire burning through him. His lips were demanding, melting her with the utmost force as he took her tongue captive. The kiss was soon building to an all-consuming fire, filling her thoughts and senses with what was to come later that night. 

“Better?” Kaya asked once Caleb allowed her to come up for air.

“For now.”

“Good. I think it’s time for the cake cutting. Well, either that or Amanda is practicing to become a 3^rd base coach,” she laughed, watching the anxious blonde frantically making hand signals for the newlyweds to join her and the others at the refreshments table.

The couple performed their reception duties. After the cutting of the cake, they had their first dance, the bride’s dance with her father, groom’s dance with his mother, listened to toasts and watched their guests shake their tails on the dance floor. Or, in some cases, make complete fools of themselves trying—but having fun doing it. 

“Have I told you how radiant you look in white?” Caleb asked. He and Kaya were once again twirling around the dance floor as the night slowly died down.

“Mmm, I don’t think so,” she said with a smile.

“Well, allow me to remedy that. Kaya, my sweet, beautiful, amazing, talented and loving wife,” he started, kissing her between each word. “You are an absolute vision in white. I watched you walk down that aisle towards me and all I could think was ‘where are her wings?’ It took everything in me to keep from charging down the aisle and fucking you right there in front of everyone.”

“Aww, Caleb. And you say you never have the right words,” she kissed him lovingly, pulling him into her as his tongue slipped into her mouth. He deepened the kiss by placing his hand on her back and pressing her into his body. Spinning her around, he guided her towards a lesser crowded part of the dance floor to afford slightly more privacy. Kaya sank her hands into his hair and moaned into his mouth as he tried to keep up the impression they were still dancing.

Caleb growled as an overwhelming hunger rose inside of him. He kissed Kaya with mounting passion, sliding his hand up her side, he quickly and discreetly squeezed her breast. The yearning for intimacy grew and their kiss intensified. He pulled her closer, making her feel the hardness of his arousal throbbing against her. As he fondled her breast she let out a soft moan and he felt her hand glide towards the front of his pants, gripping his cock through the fabric. 

Kaya suggestively moved her body against his and Caleb swore he felt her unzip his pants right there on the crowded dance floor. Quickly, he realized that if he didn’t get her to bed soon, they would leave their guests with a memory to last a lifetime. Leaning forward, Caleb pressed her lips to Kaya’s ear and softly whispered, “What do you say we get out of here?”

Kaya looked over her shoulder at the smiling faces of her friends and family…even Luther and with a contented sigh nodded her head. “I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

Groaning, Caleb scooped her into his arms, rushed down the stairs and through the flowered path. A dozen pair of eyes watched as he placed her on her feet near the top of the aisle and took her by the hand. Kaya gave a wave to her friends and family and a girlish giggle bubbled from her lips as Caleb jerked her forward and together they ran toward the forest, ready to make the most of their wedding night. 

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**Bloopers**

The moment Kaya arrived on location, Caleb went over to her and began flirting and then dip kissed her. He apparently didn’t want to wait for the ceremony.

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**Bonus**

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**Author’s note: Well friends, we’ve finally reached the end of our journey. For a story that took 8 years to complete, I hope it left you with a feeling of satisfaction. I want to thank you all for staying with me and the gang to see it through. Thank you for reading! ~ Daijah **

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Song covered was “Arise” by Flyleaf. Check it out below:

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