The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 143

7 weeks later

"I've actually already had two. They taste pretty good." Toby told Lucianne as they stood by the table with the trays of cupcakes. He then added, "I'm glad she decided to start a business out of this. Her baking skills are fantastic!"

Hailey made those cupcakes. She was now a probationary kindergarten teacher on weekdays and a baker on weekends. She and the other mavericks still worked for Greg, but they were free to indulge in their hobbies and passions when they didn't have maverick duties. Some even pursued career paths that earned a salary the 'normal' way. Jade opened a cyber café which attracted lots of youngsters, and Hailey baked cupcakes or made pastries to sell to Jade's customers. She offered him a small percentage of her earnings for his space. Some even came in just to buy her baked goods.

Lucianne could see how tempting the cupcakes were but she restrained herself from taking one to leave a visible hole on the perfectly arranged tray. She was so glad that she already had Reida. Lucianne had such severe cupcake cravings when she was carrying her firstborn that she had to have at least five cupcakes a day or her mood would spiral out of control. Xandar even had to make sure that there were bakeries or cake shops in their honeymoon venues for this exact reason. "Is the tie okay?" Toby asked as he adjusted the black necktie again.

Lucianne gently slapped away his hand and hissed, "It was fine, Toby. Stop touching it!"

"Easy for you to say when you're not the one who has to think about looking perfect on your wedding day for your mate. I'm sure Xandar was just as paranoid when you were going to walk down the aisle."

Lucianne could merely heave a frustrated sigh as she readjusted his tie because she did feel some of Xandar's nerves on their wedding day. When Lucianne was satisfied how it looked against his white shirt and light blue tuxedo, she looked Toby dead in the eye and warned, "If you touch it one more time, I'm going to tie your hands behind your back until Ella is right in front of you, do you understand me?"

Toby gave that threat some thought and murmured, "I wonder if we should do that right now, actually."

Lucianne had the sudden urge to punch Toby before she felt a light kiss being pressed on the back of her head which put her violent thoughts to rest. She turned to lock gaze with her husband who was carrying one of their fraternal twins as he asked in concern, "You okay, babe?" After taking little Enora from his arms, she replied loud enough for Toby to hear, "If Toby touches his tie again, we have to break his hands."

Toby then argued, "C'mon, Lucy. It's not like it isn't normal! Xandar, how many times did you mess up your tie when you two got married?"

Xandar admitted with a sheepish smile, "I lost count. Christian was very patient with me, adjusting it over and over again."

Toby turned to Lucianne and said, "Which is what you should be right now, Lucy. You're my best woman...actually, now that I think of it, I can see why no one else I know had a best woman."

Lucianne smirked. "Regretting your decision?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "Nah. It'll be weird to have anyone else fill those shoes."

Toby looked at the girl in Lucianne's arms when he asked, "This is the one that hates everyone, right?"

Lucianne rolled her eyes. "She doesn't hate everyone. She just...doesn't feel comfortable around anyone else yet," she then spoke to her daughter in a hushed whisper, "But you will warm up to them someday, won't you, Enora?"

Enora merely leaned into her chest without offering any response. This younger twin, for some reason, only let her parents hold her. If anyone else took her away, she'd scream and cry until she was safely back in her parent's embrace. It was an indecipherable mystery of why she behaved as such.

Ken was a little hurt when Enora cried in his arms until her face turned red, and he quickly handed his granddaughter back to his daughter to calm the child. What the old man loved about the baby girl was that her features seemed to be following those of her mother, from the hair to the shape of her eyes, nose and lips. But neither Ken nor Janice remember whether Lucianne was shy as a baby. Lucianne didn't know this about herself either. As for Xandar, he didn't recall his parents saying anything about him being picky about who was carrying him as an infant. Not knowing where Enora's behavior came from, they let the mystery remain a mystery.

Toby smiled at little Enora when he asked the happy couple, "Where's the one you two cleverly named after former-Alpha Ken?"

With a guilty smile, Xandar replied, "With Janice and the older Ken."

Lucianne asked, "And Reida?"

"She was with Mrs Parker before Hailey took her. Uh...there," Xandar pointed at the shoreline where Hailey was carefully dipping Reida's feet into the sea water as the little girl chuckled, and the happy father uttered, "Reida seems to be having fun." Lucianne smiled as she told Toby, "The beach was a great idea for a wedding, Toby. The trees, the breeze, the sand and the sound of waves makes this location really private and intimate."

Toby looked around in elation when he admitted, "It didn't need much thinking to decide to have it here, to be honest. This is where Ella and I met after all. I do have to thank His Grace for making sure this place was rogue-free before using it...and also for approving Ella's application to join the Service. She's having fun in their training sessions, by the way. Wakes up excited everyday."

Lucianne's brows furrowed when she asked, "Haven't you thanked Greg like...twice already?"

Toby shrugged. "You adjusted my tie four times so far. I doubt His Grace has the right to complain." His hands were subconsciously reaching for his tie again before Lucianne's hand came to gently slap them away.

When everyone was asked to take their positions, the guests took their seats in the rows of white chairs that each had a blue chiffon ribbon tied to the back. Toby marched down the aisle as he grinned and waved to friends and allies, even the hybrid families that could come. Toby took his place next to his best woman, glanced at his row of groomsmen as he muttered to Lucianne, "I might have just broken the record for the number of groomsmen, Lucy."

"No kidding." Lucianne responded simply after she took a glance.

In that long line stood Xandar, Christian, Tate, Juan, Mannon, Zeke, Raden, Rafael, Joseph, Weaver, Yarrington, Phelton, Desmond, Ivory and Greg. Toby couldn't narrow down any further than that, as he told Ella and Lucianne countless times, despite the fact that neither of them minded the number he had in mind.

When the flower girls and page boys emerged with little baskets of petals, everyone watched the precious sight as some whispered words of encouragement which got even some of the more intimidated children to smile as they scattered the pink petals all over the ground. Michael was one of the last to emerge, and his eyes focused on Lucianne's warm smile to block out the hundreds of other eyes staring at him, walking stiffly to the front with the others. While the children circled around and returned to the seats where their parents were, Michael went up to Lucianne and reached for her hand.

Lucianne's eyes searched for Regina, and found the woman in one of the last rows. The vampire managed a smile, which Lucianne gently returned. Xandar lightly patted Michael on the head before he took Enora from Lucianne so that she could focus on the boy. Michael stood closer to her because he didn't want Xandar to take him away like how he took the baby. Lucianne's thumb stroked the back of his small hand, and the sensation comforted him.

The bridesmaids emerged in a mix of vampires, hybrids, wolves and lycans before Gerella finally came into view. Toby's eyes shone as he sighed in happiness at the sight of his beautiful bride in the white, lace dress that hugged her figure with a bouquet of gardenias in her hands.