The bride to be stared at herself in the full length mirror as her maid of honor fussed over the last minute details.
"You make a beautiful bride Jenny," said Karen Yuletide. "Harry is so lucky to have you."
"I'm the lucky one," replied Jennifer Harper, while checking her shoulder length blonde hair one last time. "But who knows? Someday you and Peter..."
"I still have some reservations about sharing him with other lioness, once I join were society and marry him, that is," admitted Karen, referring to Peter Talbot, the werelion prince of Moon Lake. "I'm getting better at it, but I'll have totally overcome them if I don't want to lose him."
"You won't," said Jenny. "I see the way he looks at you."
"One day at a time," said Karen, "and today's yours. I'll tell them your ready, but will make sure the Wedding March doesn't actually start until you come out of the dressing room."
"Thanks. For everything," said Jenny, before giving Karen a hug.
"This may sound selfish, but I'm expecting you to return the favor when it's my turn down the aisle."
"You better believe it!" said Jenny with a smile. "Can I have a last moment?"
"Sure. I'll be outside," said Karen, as she left the room.
Alone, Jenny turned back to stare at her image in the mirror. "I am Jennifer Harper, soon to be Mrs. Jennifer Jenkins, and there isn't a dang thing in this world that my family, Dieter Wilhelm, or anyone else can do to stop me!"
"You better believe it!" said an inner voice that Jenny recognized as the werevixen fursona from her dreams.
"Right on!" said another voice, as she pictured herself as Plain Jenny, the way she was before moving to Moon Lake and becoming a were, standing next to her fursona in dreamland.
"The whole town is behind you, and so are we. Go claim your man!" the other two aspects of her personality seemed to say in unison.
"DEFINITELY!" said Jennifer Harper with total confidence, as she grabbed her bouquet and left the dressing room.
But outside the door, she was surprised to see not one, but two gentlemen standing there waiting for her.
"Guess we had the same idea," realized Henry Jenkins Senior, standing next to William Anderson. Even if her family was here, her father would be doing his best to attempt to stop the wedding, which was why they were having two ceremonies. The official one now, and a second for when the Harpers and the man her father "promised" Jenny to arrived in Moon Lake.
"Which one of us would you like to have walk you down the aisle ma'am?" asked William.
Jenny just smiled at the would be, surrogate father figures now in her life and held out an arm for each of them.
It is a rare event in the history of the world for a wedding to start on time.
The first ceremony in the double Harper-Jenkins nuptials was scheduled for 8 sharp that fateful Halloween morning in 2015, but it was closer to 8:30 when the first notes of The Wedding March began playing on the church organ.
Everyone seated turned and saw the bride to be being escorted down the aisle by a man on each side.
With Moon Lake being a relatively small town, just about everyone knew who Henry Jenkins Senior and William Anderson were, let alone most of the events leading up to this moment; so no one thought the procession odd.
Jenny just smiled and nodded to everyone gathered as the trio walked past their pews.
How many were actually here to witness the happy event and how many were here as part of an extended security presence for the wedding, Jenny wasn't sure. The true test would be later for the second ceremony, but right now that didn't matter in the least.
HER Harry and the ultimate goal lied just ahead, and nothing was going to stop her!
As the blushing bride and her escorts walked past, most turned to look at the altar ahead.
"Someday," Julie Stovall whispered in Eric Anderson's ear.
The engaged were-mer couple had been holding hands since they sat down together after they arrived at the church.
Eric simply smiled at his fiance, kissed Julie tenderly on the cheek, and then broke the hand holding to put that arm around his beloved.
"What do you think?" Alex Ramsey whispered in Nate Anderson's ear.
"It's a nice dress, but we'll both be wearing tuxedos when our time comes," Nate pointed out.
"True," agreed Alex, "although I know what you better be wearing on our honeymoon," Alex whispered in his boyfriend's ear, which made Nate blush.
"Are you worried?" Samantha Twist asked her wife.
"Right now, not really," replied Doctor Frances Twist. "The next ceremony will be the true test of Jenny's will and confidence against her family and that Dieter Wilhelm creep."
"Then why do you have your fingers crossed?" Samantha wondered.
"Huh?" said Frances, before looking down at her hands. With that, she uncrossed her fingers and reached out to take Samantha's hands in hers.
During the walk down the aisle to the altar, all Harry Jenkins could do was just stare at the beautiful sight approaching him.
Something had attracted him to Jenny, back when they were both just normal human beings.
Even before they both wound up joining were society, Harry knew that Jenny was the one that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Now, in part thanks to the life/soul mate bond they now shared as werefoxes, that feeling was even stronger, and about to become reality.
"Close your mouth dude. You're drawing flies," kidded Henry Jenkins Junior as he stood next to his younger brother. The elder of the Jenkins children was leaning on a borrowed cane to attend the wedding as the best man, but it was more for show than necessity to hide the fact of how fast weres healed in public.
Then again, considering the way he felt right now, Henry Junior would also be the first to admit that he wouldn't say no to a nap after everything at the church was over and done with. After all, getting shot is a traumatic experience, no matter who or what you are.
As Henry Senior and William realized they couldn't go much farther, they paused and let Jenny go.
Then the two men bowed toward the bride.
Jenny smiled and graced each with a kiss on the cheek.
After that, they went back to their respective seats as Jenny took the final steps to join Harry.
"Dear, close your mouth. It ain't very attractive," Jenny whispered to Harry.
"Told you," Henry Junior whispered to Harry.
"Do you know how beautiful you are and how much I love you?" Harry asked Jenny.
"I do," whispered Jenny in return.
"You're a little premature for that response, but I appreciate your enthusiasm," whispered the pastor, as he approached the couple.
With most everyone in attendance having good were hearing, there was a crowd of smiles as the pastor said aloud, "DEARLY BELOVED..."
"...so if there is anyone here who can give just cause why this man and this woman should not be joined together in the bond of holy matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," announced the pastor.
With that, the church grew silent.
It was so quiet, just about every were present heard Jenny's sharp intake of breath as she waited anxiously, but there was no forthcoming objection, for the Harper/Wilhelm charted flight was just now landing at the Seattle Airport.
"Now then..." said the pastor, as the ceremony resumed.
"...Therefore, by the power invested in me by the state of Washington and Almighty God, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
With that, Mrs. Jennifer Jenkins leaped into her husband's open arms, but paused only long enough for Harry to lift her wedding veil before the happy couple started eagerly kissing.
The pastor stood to one side and said to the gathered crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you Mister and Mrs. Harold and Jennifer Jenkins."
The assembled audience started cheering and applauding as the organist began to play, but Harry and Jenny just stood on the altar, embraced within each others arms as they continued to kiss.