Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 153: Finally the Wedding

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and clear. The Royal Gardens had been transformed into a paradise of white silk and blooming flowers (half of them grown by Primrose’s new tail the night before).

It was perfect. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Rajah stood at the altar, looking uncomfortable but incredibly handsome in his formal military dress blues. When he saw Leonora walking down the aisle, the mighty Tiger Warlord actually forgot to inhale. Rurik had to elbow him in the ribs to remind him to breathe.

Vali marched down the aisle with the ring pillow, looking very serious (mostly because Jasper had told him the pillow would explode if he shook it).

Silas fluttered overhead in his little bat form, dropping rose petals. A few landed in Rajah’s hair.

They said their vows under the Great Oak.

"I, Rajah, promise to fight by your side, not in front of you."

"I, Leonora, promise to share my kill, but not my dessert."

They kissed. The crowd cheered. The sun was shining.

Primrose stood in the front row, clapping. Caspian stood on her right, looking regal in blue velvet. Lucien stood on her left, silent and watchful. Cassian was holding Jasper (and Pickles, who was wearing a tiny bow tie).

It was the happy ending they all needed.

---

The party moved to the Grand Pavilion. The sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of purple and orange.

The music started—a lively, upbeat folk song played by a band of bear-kin. The kids were running around under the tables playing tag, except for Arjun.

Arjun was sitting at the Head Table, right between the bride and groom. He was wearing a miniature version of his father’s uniform, complete with a tiny cape. He looked very serious, trying to act like the "Man of the House."

He tugged on Leonora’s silk sleeve.

"Mama Leo?" Arjun whispered.

Leonora turned, her fierce face softening instantly. "Yes, cub?"

Arjun looked around the crowd, scanning the faces of the noble guests. He looked disappointed.

"Where is Ellia?" Arjun asked quietly. "And Lord Bastion? I... I saved a seat for her."

He pointed to an empty chair next to him where he had placed a small bag of candy almonds.

Leonora’s smile faltered for a second, but she smoothed Arjun’s hair gently.

"I’m sorry, Arjun," Leonora explained softly. "Bastion sent a letter. There are... complications at his estate. He couldn’t leave."

Arjun’s ears flattened. "Oh. So Ellia isn’t coming?"

"Not today," Leonora said, kissing his forehead. "But she sent you a gift. It’s in the carriage. Next time, okay?"

Arjun nodded, looking at the empty chair. "Okay. Next time."

Rajah placed a heavy hand on his son’s shoulder. "Don’t pout, soldier. Go eat cake. That’s an order."

Arjun managed a small smile and hopped off his chair to join the other kids.

---

Luna sat at a table near the edge of the pavilion. She hadn’t eaten. She was watching the shadows.

Every waiter who walked by, she flinched. Every guest who laughed too loudly, she jumped.

He’s here, Luna thought. I can feel him.

"May I?"

A hand appeared in front of her.

Luna jumped, nearly knocking over her water glass. She looked up.

It was Real Jax.

He had cleaned up. He was wearing a borrowed suit that was a little too tight in the shoulders. His orange hair was slicked back, but a few rebellious strands fell over his forehead.

He wasn’t smiling his charming, roguish smile. He looked... hesitant. Shy, even.

"I noticed you were sitting alone," Jax said, rubbing the back of his neck. "And since I don’t know anyone here except the people who tied me to a bed... I thought I’d ask the pretty rabbit for a dance."

Luna stared at his hand.

It was Jax’s hand. But it wasn’t him. The man who loved her stew was gone. This was a stranger who shared his face.

And yet... he was trying. He was trying to be kind, despite the nightmare he had woken up to. He was trying to reclaim his life.

"I..." Luna stammered. "I don’t think—"

"Come on," Jax said softly. "Just one song. To prove I don’t have two left feet. Please? For the guy who lost six months of his life?"

Luna looked at his green eyes. They were warm.

"Okay," she whispered.

She took his hand.

They walked onto the dance floor. The music slowed down to a waltz. Jax placed a hand on her waist. It was respectful, not possessive. They began to sway.

For a moment, just a moment, Luna closed her eyes and pretended. She pretended the last six months hadn’t been a lie. She pretended this was her Jax, finally safe.

---

Primrose slipped away from the table. She needed air.

She walked out to the edge of the Royal Gardens, where the noise faded into the hum of crickets. The moonlight hit her tails—White, Silver, Gold, and the new Green one, which was currently curled around her waist like a belt.

"You are hiding," a voice said behind her.

Primrose smiled. She didn’t need to turn around. She knew the sound of those footsteps—heavy, rhythmic, like the tide hitting the shore.

"I’m not hiding," Primrose said, leaning against a stone railing. "I’m strategically retreating. Rurik threatened to spin me next, and I just ate cake. That’s a recipe for disaster."

Caspian stepped up beside her. He looked unfairly good in his deep blue velvet coat. The moonlight caught the sharp angles of his face and the faint, iridescent scales along his jawline.

He placed a hand on the small of her back. His skin was cool, a stark contrast to her natural fox-fire warmth. It was a familiar touch—one that knew exactly how she fit against him.

"You look beautiful," Caspian said quietly. "Even with a flower growing out of your new tail."

Primrose looked back. A small white daisy had popped out of the green fur. She plucked it and tucked it into Caspian’s lapel.

"Lucien talked to me," Primrose said, deciding to rip the bandage off.

Caspian stiffened slightly. "That panther has a loose tongue."

"He said you have something," Primrose turned to face him fully. She reached out and grabbed the lapels of his coat, pulling him down so they were eye-to-eye. "He said you have a ring."

Caspian sighed. He didn’t look away. He didn’t lie.

"He is correct."

"And," Primrose continued, her voice softening, "he said you’re waiting. Because of the war. Because you want the world to be safe first."

Caspian covered her hands with his own. He looked serious—regal and stubborn.

"Primrose, I am a King," Caspian said. "When I make you my Queen, I want to give you a kingdom, not a battlefield. I want our wedding to be a celebration of peace, not a desperate act before we march to our deaths."

He looked pained.

"I have already taken your body," he whispered, his thumb brushing her wrist, acknowledging the nights they had shared. "I have taken your love. But I will not bind your future to mine until I am sure that future exists."

Primrose looked at him. This arrogant, noble, stubborn fish.

"You idiot," she whispered affectionately.

She moved her hand from his coat to his cheek.

"Caspian, look at us. We just fought a Void Dragon. We survived the Jade Valley. There is no ’safe.’ There is only ’now.’"

She stood on her tiptoes.

"I don’t need a Kingdom," Primrose told him fiercely. "I don’t need peace. I need you. I want the ring, Caspian. I don’t care if the world is burning around us. I want to face the fire knowing I’m yours."

Caspian’s eyes widened slightly. The cool, collected mask shattered.

He reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a small box made of blue coral. He didn’t open it. He just held it in his palm, feeling the weight of it.

"You represent the Sun," Caspian murmured. "And I am the Deep Sea. We shouldn’t work. But..."

He closed his hand around the box and gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him.

"I promise you," Caspian swore, his voice low and intense. "Tonight. After this party is over. When we are back at the Daycare, away from the eyes of wolves and tigers... I will ask you. Properly."

"You promise?" Primrose asked.

"I swear on the tides," Caspian vowed.

He leaned down and kissed her. It wasn’t a chaste, public kiss. It was deep, hungry, and full of promises. It was the kiss of a man who was done waiting.

Primrose melted into him, wrapping her tails around his legs. For a second, the war didn’t exist. The Boss didn’t exist. It was just the Fox and the Fish.

---

Then, the music stopped.

It wasn’t a natural end to the song. It cut out abruptly.

Primrose pulled back, breathless. "Did the band take a break?"

Caspian turned toward the pavilion, his eyes narrowing. The air pressure dropped. The water in the nearby fountain stopped flowing.

"No," Caspian said, his voice turning cold. "That is not a break. That is a silence."

Then, a lone violin began to play over the magical speakers.

It wasn’t a jarring scratch. It was a seamless, haunting transition.

The Blue Danube Waltz. But played in a minor key. Distorted. Slow.

In the pavilion, the lights flickered and turned a sickly shade of green.

And then, a voice echoed through the garden. Not from the stage, but from everywhere at once.

"What a lovely party," the voice purred. "I hope you saved a slice for me."

Luna froze in Jax’s arms.

The Encore had begun.