165

Sophia’s POV

I had been pacing the living room for a solid ten minutes before I finally worked up the courage to tell Jenny. The words stuck in my throat, not because I wasn’t excited, but because it felt so surreal. Me, getting married? To Ian? How had life changed this much in just a few months?

Jenny was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone and humming softly. She hadn’t noticed my nervous energy yet, or if she had, she was pretending not to. Finally, I took a deep breath and just blurted it out.

“I’m getting married.”

Her head snapped up so fast I thought she might have hurt her neck. “What?” she exclaimed, her phone slipping from her hand and landing on the cushion next to her. “Say that again. I must’ve misheard.”

I smiled, feeling a little rush of excitement as I said it again, this time slower. “I’m getting married. Ian asked me to marry him.”

Jenny leaped off the couch and practically tackled me in a hug. “Oh my God, Sophia! Are you serious? You’re really getting married? To Ian?” Her voice was so high-pitched I thought she might shatter a window.

Laughing, I hugged her back. “Yes, I’m serious! It’s happening.”

She pulled back, her hands gripping my shoulders as she looked at me with wide eyes. “Oh my God, this is insane! I mean, I knew you two were serious, but marriage? When did this happen? How did he propose? You have to tell me everything!”

I bit my lip, trying to figure out how to explain the whole situation without making it sound as rushed as it was. “It wasn’t exactly a traditional proposal,” I admitted. “The council kind of… suggested it.”

Jenny’s excited expression faltered for a second, but then she shook her head. “Wait, wait. The council suggested it? As in the vampire council? Are they, like, forcing you into it or something? Because if they are—”

“No, no, nothing like that,” I interrupted, holding up my hands. “They just think it would help stabilize the realm if we were married. But it’s not like they’re making us do it. Ian and I talked, and we both want this. I mean, I love him, Jenny. And we’re having a baby. It just feels right.”

Her face softened, and she let out a little squeal before hugging me again. “Okay, as long as it’s what you want. And if it is, then I’m so freaking excited! You’re going to be Mrs. Vampire King!” She pulled back again, her eyes shining. “This is so huge, Sophia! Have you thought about wedding dresses? The venue? Oh my God, there’s so much to plan!”

I laughed at her enthusiasm, the weight of everything easing a bit now that I had shared the news. “We haven’t really gotten that far yet. Honestly, it’s all happening so fast. But now that you mention it, I guess I should start thinking about all that.”

Jenny flopped back onto the couch, pulling me down beside her. “Okay, first things first. Dress. What kind of dress are you thinking? Do you want something traditional or, like, something more modern? Because I’ve been dying to help you pick a wedding dress since we were kids.”

I smiled, sinking into the cushions. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. I mean, it’s not like I ever planned on getting married to a vampire king.” The words still sounded strange coming out of my mouth.

Jenny grinned. “Well, now you have to think about it. Are you imagining something flowy and romantic, or sleek and sophisticated?”

“Maybe something in between?” I said, imagining what a wedding to Ian might look like. “I want it to feel special, but not too over-the-top. Something simple but elegant.”

Jenny nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, that sounds like you. Something classy, maybe with a lace bodice or something. What about the color? Are you going for traditional white, or would you want to do something different?”

I shrugged. “I think I’ll stick with white. I know it’s traditional, but it just feels… right, you know? Though I could maybe see myself doing something with a little more of a modern twist. Maybe some subtle detailing or embroidery.”

“Ooh, I like that,” Jenny said, her eyes lighting up. “Like a white dress with some silver or gold accents? That would look amazing on you. And you know Ian would love it. He’s got that whole ‘old-world regal’ vibe going on.”

I laughed, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, he’d probably like something classic but with a little flair.”

“Okay, so we’ve got a dress idea,” Jenny said, ticking off an imaginary checklist. “What about the venue? Are you guys going to get married in the vampire realm or here in the human world? Or both?”

That question made me pause. The idea of getting married in the vampire realm felt… complicated. It was Ian’s world, and I was slowly starting to feel more comfortable there, but it still felt a bit intimidating. “I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. “The council probably expects us to do something big in the realm, but I don’t know if I want that. Maybe we could do something smaller here and then have some kind of ceremony there afterward.”

Jenny raised an eyebrow. “A vampire royal wedding in the human world? That sounds… risky. But kind of badass.”

I grinned. “Yeah, it does sound a little crazy. But we’ll figure it out. I just want something that feels right for both of us.”

“I get that,” Jenny said, her expression softening. “This is your day. It has to feel like you.”

We sat there for a while, talking about dresses, flowers, and venues. Every time Jenny brought up something new, I felt a little more overwhelmed but also a little more excited. This was actually happening. I was going to marry Ian. It was hard to wrap my head around sometimes, but the more we talked about it, the more real it felt.

“Oh! What about bridesmaids?” Jenny asked, sitting up suddenly. “Are you going to have any? Please tell me I get to be your maid of honor.”

I laughed, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Of course, you’re my maid of honor. Who else would I pick?”

Jenny let out another squeal, bouncing in her seat. “Yes! I am going to throw you the best bachelorette party ever. And I promise not to let anyone get too wild. Well, except maybe Jacob.”

I rolled my eyes. “Good luck with that.”

Jenny smirked. “I’ll do my best. But seriously, Soph, I’m so happy for you. You deserve this. After everything you’ve been through with Ian and the council and… well, everything. You deserve to be happy.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I felt a lump form in my throat. “Thanks, Jenny. I really needed to hear that.”

She gave me a warm smile, leaning over to rest her head on my shoulder. “You’re going to be an amazing queen, you know that?”

I snorted. “I still can’t believe that’s actually happening.”

“Well, believe it,” she said, sitting up straight again. “You’re going to be a queen, a wife, and a mom. Talk about a glow-up.”

We both laughed, the weight of everything lightened for a moment. It felt good to share this with her, to feel a sense of normalcy in the midst of all the chaos that had been our lives lately.

As the conversation drifted back to wedding details, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of calm settle over me. Yes, things were complicated. Yes, the realm was still unstable, and we had a lot of challenges ahead. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like things were falling into place.

I was going to marry the man I loved, and no matter what else happened, that was something worth celebrating.