Chapter 200: The Proposal
Aurora’s POV
I stood there, shocked at first, and then completely confused. Oliver had told me that we were attending a birthday party for a business partner, but it was clear now that he had lied to me.
Because standing right there inside the beautiful restaurant was Clara, smiling brighter than I’d ever seen her; Alpha Knox, who grinned like he was keeping a massive secret; and Oliver’s mother, Lady Hailee, her eyes soft and full of emotion. There were also a few other people around who seemed to be waiters.
I still hadn’t fully processed what was going on. I turned around to look at Oliver with one of my eyebrows raised, and he just laughed softly at my expression.
"What’s going on?" I asked myself under my breath.
Oliver walked right beside me, placing his large hand lightly on my back. His touch was warm, but something about him felt different tonight. He wasn’t his usual relaxed self. He seemed incredibly tense, almost nervous.
"He’s up to something," my wolf purred inside my mind, her tail wagging with a sudden burst of excitement. "But it’s a good something, Aurora. Relax."
"Go on in," he gestured gently.
I began walking down the red carpet, which was beautifully decorated with fresh flower petals, heading toward the small group waiting for us. Just as we got close to where they stood, they stepped aside. Behind them was a table at the very center of the room. It wasn’t like any ordinary table; it was stunningly decorated just for us.
Oliver didn’t answer my questions right away. Instead, he took my hand, his thumb brushing over my skin as he led me toward the center of the room.
"Sit down," he said, his deep voice filled with excitement.
I sat down slowly, my stomach twisting with a mix of nerves and pure excitement. Something huge was happening, and everyone else in the room seemed to be in on it.
Oliver stayed standing. He looked down at me for a long, quiet moment, his dark eyes filled with an intensity I couldn’t quite describe. Then, he took a deep breath to steady himself.
"Aurora," he said, his voice steady but incredibly soft. "I’ve been thinking about this moment for a very long time. I wanted it to be perfect because you deserve nothing less."
I blinked up at him, confused, but my chest tightened with sudden emotion. His voice sounded so serious and so full of deep feeling.
"I told you we were coming to a birthday party," he continued, giving me a small, apologetic smile. "But that was a lie. I wanted to surprise you. I wanted tonight to be entirely about us."
My heart was racing fiercely now. I could barely breathe as I watched him reach into his suit pocket and pull out a small velvet box.
"Oliver..." I whispered, my hand flying up to cover my mouth as hot tears pricked my eyes.
He dropped down to one knee right in front of me. The world around us seemed to disappear into nothing. It was just him, looking up at me with so much raw love that it felt like my heart might actually burst.
Inside me, my wolf was pacing with absolute joy, howling happily at the bond. "Look at our Alpha! Look at our mate!" she chanted, her spirit practically leaping inside my chest.
"When our relationship first started, it began as something purely physical," he said, taking another deep breath before continuing. "I had no thoughts of actually doing anything more with you back then, so I never could have imagined that I would be here, kneeling in front of you today."
He paused, looking deeply into my eyes. "Being with you has been a roller coaster of emotions, from pure happiness, to sadness, to anger. We have been on the verge of separating so many times, but we stayed strong through it all."
"Aurora," he said, his voice shaking slightly with emotion. "You’ve changed my life in ways I never thought were possible. You’ve brought me real love, true happiness, and now, the greatest gift of all—our baby." His eyes flickered down to my flat belly for a brief second, and his hand reached out to brush my knee gently. "I don’t want to just be a part of your life anymore. I want to be your partner, your husband, your forever."
Tears streamed freely down my face, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t move as he clicked the velvet box open to reveal a breathtaking ring.
"Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice filled with hope, love, and a tiny hint of fear.
Never in a million years would I have imagined that Oliver would want to marry me. I knew he loved me, but marriage was another thing entirely. I had done some very bad things to him in the past because of the misunderstandings I had. I had deceived him, and I had lied to him, but still, he loved me and completely forgave me.
Even though he was my fated mate, he wasn’t obligated to love me this deeply, but he did. I knew I could never find anyone else in the world who would do that for me.
"Say yes! Say yes right now!" my wolf screamed in my head, scratching at the surface, desperate to claim him completely. "He loves us! Say yes!"
There was only one possible answer to his question.
"Yes," I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. Then, pulling myself together, I said it louder with every single bit of my heart: "Yes, Oliver! I’ll marry you!"
The entire room suddenly exploded with loud cheers and clapping. Clara squealed so loudly that I couldn’t help but laugh through my tears. Alpha Knox slapped the table and cheered happily, while Oliver’s mother dabbed at the corners of her eyes, her proud smile lighting up the room.
Oliver slipped the beautiful ring onto my trembling finger and then stood up, pulling me tightly into his muscular arms. I held onto him with all my strength, crying softly against his chest as pure joy overwhelmed me.
"You’ve made me the happiest man alive," he whispered against my hair, his voice thick with emotion.
I pulled back just enough to look into his beautiful eyes. "And you’ve made me the happiest woman."
He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to my forehead, his hand moving gently down to rest over my belly. "We’re going to do this together," he said softly, his touch warm and steady.
"Always," I whispered, resting my hand right on top of his.
Oliver’s mom approached us first. She wrapped her arms around both of us, whispering sweet blessings into our ears. She was such a kind, loving woman, and I truly felt like I didn’t deserve her.
Clara was next, rushing over with excitement. I was completely sure that if I wasn’t pregnant, she would have jumped right onto me.
"I’m so incredibly happy that you’ve finally gotten the happiness you’ve always wanted," she smiled warmly as she hugged me tightly.
After she stepped back, she gave way and Alpha Knox approached me. I knew that he still had some deep reservations about me since I had poisoned Oliver, and I still hadn’t had the proper chance to talk things out with him.
"Congratulations, Aurora," Knox said, looking at me seriously. "Despite what happened in the past, I choose to forgive you, because you are my friend’s happiness. It will be my duty to protect you and your child from now on, so you can rest assured that no harm will ever come to you."
Hearing his words almost brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes. I reached out and pulled him in for a sincere hug.
"Thank you," I said softly as we pulled back.
"I know I haven’t given you a good reason to trust me yet," I continued, looking him in the eye. "But from now on, I will stand by your friend’s side as his wife and his Luna, and I will support him no matter what."
Knox smiled at me and nodded his head in respect. "That’s all I want to hear," he said, and then he turned and walked away to give us space.
I looked back at Oliver, who had been quietly listening to our conversation with a proud look on his face. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him as close to me as possible. I closed my eyes and rested my head securely against his broad chest, listening to the steady, calming beat of his heart.
It was the most peaceful sound in the world.
"I’m not done with the surprises just yet," Oliver murmured suddenly, and I raised my head to look at him in total confusion.
"What other good news could there possibly be?" I asked him, pulling back slightly.
He simply gestured toward a dark, quiet corner of the room. Moving out into the light, in a wheelchair being pushed gently by Clara, was my brother James. He was completely awake, smiling at me from ear to ear.
I couldn’t move a single muscle in my body. My face went totally expressionless as shock took over. I simply couldn’t believe what was right before my eyes.
My brother, whom I hadn’t seen with his eyes open in so many long years, was right in front of me. He was reaching out, stretching his arms wide open for me.
My knees instantly became weak, and my legs completely gave way. I was about to hit the hard floor, but Oliver’s strong arms caught me before I could fall.
James quickly wheeled himself forward toward me. His hands were warm as they took mine. I placed my shaking hand over his, and then moved it up to touch his face, making sure he was real.
"Are my eyes deceiving me?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"No, Aurora, they are not. I’m awake now," he replied softly.
Hearing his actual voice was the final straw that broke my control. I started to cry like a little baby as I fell forward into his arms, wrapping myself around him.
I had always believed deep down that my brother would wake up one day, but having it happen right at that moment was too much for my heart to take.
"It’s alright now. Everything’s going to be fine now," James said gently, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from my cheeks.
I pulled away from him after a long moment and went straight back into Oliver’s arms, hugging him fiercely. I knew deep down that James wouldn’t be awake, alive, and healthy today if it wasn’t for Oliver’s help.
"How long has it been since he woke up?" I asked Oliver, looking up at him.
"A few days, actually," he replied with a smirk.
"And you didn’t think to tell me?" I gasped.
"Now where’s the fun in that? I wouldn’t have gotten to see this amazing reaction if I had," he teased. He reached out, gently stroking the skin under my eye where the tears had fallen. I playfully punched his chest, and he let out a deep, happy laugh.
"All that matters now is that we’re all together, and we’re finally happy," Oliver said seriously, pulling me in and hugging me tightly against him.
As I stood there wrapped securely in his arms, surrounded by the people we loved most in the world, I felt my wolf settle deeply within me, purring with content. I felt like my heart might burst with pure happiness—a happiness that I knew would last us a lifetime.
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