Free Capturing Caroline by Anya Bast Page A

surprised to find all of the items she’d
showed interest in at the shop earlier that day arrive on her
doorstep. Among the pieces of clothing had been a gorgeous, flowing
white dress that Caroline had decided to wear today as her wedding
gown. She had no shoes, but that was okay. She intended to go
barefoot down the aisle and wear her hair long and loose. It was in
keeping with the natural tendencies of the Lycaon, of which she
felt more and more a part.
    Once Paige
finished buttoning her gown correctly, she turned Caroline to face
her. “I know it’s hard to set the future aside, Caroline, but today
I want you to live in the moment. Know happiness today . Know
love. Know the deepest caring from any one person you will ever
have. Wrap yourself in it, absorb every moment, and hold the memory
close.”
    Emotion clogged
her throat. She nodded. “I will.”
    Paige hugged
her. “You know we will always be here for you.”
    “I’m very
grateful for that.”
    “Now,” said
Paige, “let’s get your hair done. The carriage will be here any
minute.”
    “Carriage?”
    Paige grinned
and tipped her head to the side. “What did you think, we were going
to let you shift to dire wolf and run into town? You’re
riding in a carriage to your wedding, woman.” Now, come.” She took
her sister’s hand and led her into the bathroom to finish her
hair.
    After she was
declared presentable, the three women went downstairs and found a
covered carriage drawn by four black horses. They all wore
something over their noses to confuse the scent of dire wolf around
them. Horses didn’t enjoy wolves—not in any form.
    Caroline
clapped her hands together and laughed. “This is incredible.”
    “Came from
Torrent,” Kaitlyn answered.
    They all
climbed into the carriage and rode to a chapel near the town. The
“building” was made from interwoven tree trunks interspersed with
huge clear glass windows that gave the impression there was no
chapel, only the forest.
    S he could never imagine a more beautiful
place to be married .
    Caroline
climbed from the carriage, walked through the open doorway of the
chapel and looked up. The boughs of the trees made up the ceiling,
though something clear—glass?—seemed to seal the places where the
tree limbs didn’t touch. Caroline had no idea how such a place
could even be possible, how it stayed together during a storm, for
example, yet so much about this world seemed magical that she just
accepted it as true. The place was lovely. Small crystals hung from
the tree limbs far above her head, twinkling and catching in the
light.
    The church
teemed with people she didn’t know, all watching her as she
entered. She gawked at everyone. She recognized only her
brothers-in-law, Jessa and Logan and a few people she’d met in the
village. It looked like Torrent’s wedding was the event of the
season. It seemed like everyone in the village had come to
watch.
    She fidgeted,
staring at all the unknown faces. Then, at the front of the chapel,
she found a beloved visage that calmed her instantly. She smiled,
holding Torrent’s gaze. Torrent watched her with pure love on his
face, in a way no one had ever looked at her before. Like she was
everything to him.
    Low, pretty
pipe music began, and Kaitlyn popped a sweet spray of daisies into
her hands.
    “Walk down the
aisle toward him,” her sister whispered, giving her a gentle
nudge.
    She walked
forward; her gaze still riveted on Torrent and no one else. When
she reached him and climbed the few steps up onto the elevated
platform, Torrent went down on one knee.
    “Caroline Susan
Gannet, do you consent to join your life to mine in matehood?”
    “I do.”
    Torrent’s eyes
glistened with tears. “Universe, hear my words and make it so.”
     
    I give you my
breath, blood and bone.
    I pledge to
you my protection.
    I merge my
soul with yours.
    For as long as
I live, I will shield you from harm.
    Foresworn, I
will cherish you.
    Eternally, I
will honor