EMILY’S POV.
(Hours Earlier)
*
It felt like boiling blood rushing through my veins, and I flew at John, holding his collars tightly, as angry tears formed in my eyes.
“Miss!” The maids called, as they ran towards us, after hearing me scream. They stumbled on the strange scene, and stopped in their tracks.
“You…” It felt like my chest was going to explode with all the emotions I felt in there. My lips tightened, and so did my fingers around his collar, as he grinned.
“What?”
I released a hand, and whacked him hard on the face. The maids gasped.
Before he could raise his head, I whacked him hard again. Still unsatisfied, I raised my hand to whack him a third time, but he held it.
“Spilt milk, cracked egg… what will you fix by hitting me?” He asked venomously.
“Do you think that petty thing would get me married to you?” My voice shook deeply with the rage coursing through my veins. It felt like a monster was going to rise within me. I wanted to keep on hitting and hitting him till he could move no more.
My breath came out shaky, and forced, as I tried to hold myself back.
“Petty? Do your research. Those petty papers will bind us more securely than a mate bond.” He said, with anger in his eyes, and I tried to hit him again, but he slapped my hand hard. I staggered backwards, and looked at him with flashing eyes.
Again, I flew at him, but he pushed me, and I fell to the floor. The maids immediately rushed to me, bending, and looking at me in shock, worry, and concern.
“Don’t make me the bad guy, Emily. Keep your anger under control.” He said, and I could feel my claws rising. In that moment, I wanted to dig them into his face, and drag them down. I wanted to leave a ghastly scar on his face.
“You… I was the one at fault, John.” I said, with silent rage washing at the river of hurt in my voice. “I saw you clearly for what you are, but gave a second chance. You just threw everything away. I hate you.” I spat, wishing my words could burn deep into his soul, and wound him beyond repair.
“Our wedding will be very soon. I told the family already.” He said, and left. I stayed on the floor, as my tears crashed down my cheeks. Words couldn’t express the rage that consumed me, and I hit the floor hard and continuously, while the maids tried to stop me.
After a while of staying there, I got to my feet, and stormed over to Alpha Raymond’s mansion. They were all at the dining table, sitting without plates on the table. Instead, there were fruits.
With my hair flying behind me, I made my way over to them.
“John drugged me.” I said, immediately, but they didn’t say a thing.
“How did you let him drug you?” Lady Mira asked, and just that sentence alone, sent a spear into my chest.
They weren’t going to help me.
I looked at Lady Genevieve, who didn’t say a word.
“How… how was I to know he drugged me?”
“It’s already too late. He informed the press.” Alpha Raymond said.
“What? I didn’t sign that willingly!” I shouted, unable to hide my hurt, rage, and disappointment.
“He has become the only man for you, Emily. Any other man you think of getting married to will die.” Lady Genevieve said, and my tears dropped directly to the floor.
“A lost battle is a lost battle. Trying to fight will only make it hurt. The harder you fight, the more hurt you become when you finally end up losing.” Alpha Will said, and I couldn’t help my tears. Without a sound, they wet my clothes, and it felt like my heart was being crushed, and pounded like ground beef.
Slowly, I turned, and walked away. Back at school, in history classes, we had been taught of the intense history of werewolves, and the cruel Alpha Marriages was one of them. Whoever their hearts turned to love, apart from their partners was bound to be crushed by that love.
About an hour later, I heard the maids talking about it, while sitting among the flowers in the garden, with my knees to my chest.
“Everyone’s talking about the news of them getting married. They don’t know what really happened.”
“Gosh, I was shocked. Alpha John is cruel.”
“We should return his card. I don’t want his money.”
“So do I.”
“What would happen to Alpha Lucas? If you ask me, I’d say he likes Miss.”
When I heard Lucas’ name, I rose and left the garden. It hurt to hear his name. I didn’t even know how to break it to him. Already, I was broken, and seeing his face would only make it worse.
How would he feel? Even though he didn’t love me, I knew we felt a kind of attraction for each other. I felt it each time we were together, and I wasn’t alone in feeling it.
When I finally saw him, I recalled Alpha Will’s words. A lost battle was a lost battle. Fighting would only make it worse.
I couldn’t answer Lucas properly, nor could I defend myself because if I told him what happened, John could find my knife sticking out of his chest. That was how enraged I was. If I told him what happened, I could be the main headline on the news the next day explaining how I was drugged.
I didn’t want to remember it.
Did he just turn my three years with him into forever? Instead of going into my room like I intended to, I left Lucas standing there because I couldn’t explain. I could only say the facts that happened, and I could only apologize.
Whatever we had couldn’t bloom, it couldn’t live, it couldn’t flourish.
The next few days were horrible. I stayed in my room, and only Sadie was able to force me food.
John came by a few times, but I refused to speak to him. It was everywhere—the news. Dahlia had called several times, but I hadn’t picked. I had only sent her a message telling her I was fine.
I didn’t want to talk to anyone, or do anything.
Each night, I dreamed of Lucas, and everything we’d done, and how I’d felt each time I was with him.
I wanted to see him badly, but it was quite impossible. I didn’t even know if he was in the house or not.
From my room, I watched the season change as we drew closer to the end of February. January had been a complete waste. A wasted month that started with the happiest memory.
It was a week to the wedding that I finally came out of my room to start my own preparations for the wedding.
“Have you… seen Lucas?” I asked Sadie, after putting on the magnificent wedding dress made for me.
It was a snowy white dress, soft and fluffy, with silver stones etched into every part of it. The corset was tight, and the skirt full, and layered till it was all blown up like the dresses Disney princesses wore. It was a thing of beauty, but to me, it was the ugliest thing I had ever worn.
Sadie’s eyes lingered on my dress before she finally looked at me.
“He went on a trip, but will be back for your wedding.”
“Smile, miss.” The photographer said, and I pulled up a little smile. It was enough if I looked graceful in the photos. I didn’t need to look happy. John came shortly, and we took the photos together, changing outfits.
Even when the photographers asked me to look into his eyes, I refused. A graceful smile was all I could give.
Each time he touched me, it felt like a wave of anger rose in my body, filling up at my hand. The urge to slap him was powerful.
We did everything except kiss and stare into each other’s eyes, and after that, I retreated into my room, where I stayed till the week whizzed past me.
And finally the D-Day came.