The Wolf's Bride

Chapter 4

Had I been any smarter I might've eaten more, might've tried to put on enough weight to look repulsive to anyone, or at least enough weight that I couldn't be taken away against my will.

But somehow, I ended up losing precious weight, because my wedding dress that had been picked up by my parents before I had even met my husband was almost loose on my body and had to be modified three hours before the wedding itself.

Once again, makeup was applied to my face heavy enough to cover whatever I was or tried to be, and especially, the dark heavy circles I had under my eyes after too many nights of sleepless hours, and too little rest. Whatever sleep I had managed to get when my body couldn't possibly stay awake any longer was fitful and full of nightmares. Full of wolves taking the flesh off my bones, taking away my dignity, my clothes and innocence.

None of those wolves in human bodies had faces, none of them aside from Alaric, the brute that was going to ensure that I would have not a happy day in my life.

The corset under my white, impeccable dress was once again too tight, maybe to trick my husband into believing my hips were wider by making my waist appear smaller. Not that it mattered if I had or didn't have hips for childrearing. No, it didn't really matter. Nor did I expect my soon-to-be husband to care for it, or for me.

The pins in my hair, meant to hold the hairdo up for as long as possible, dug into my scalp hurtfully. As did the too high heels my feet had been forced into.

My look was akin to a doll. Meant not to think or act, but just to look pretty.

"My daughter is finally getting married!" I heard my mother tell one of her many friends when they entered the room I was being dressed in, or caged in, there wasn't much of a difference.

Her smile dropped significantly when she saw me and she soon ushered her friend out, with the excuse of wanting some special mother-daughter time before the big event. It was too late to tell the maids to stay with me, because my mom was already closing the door behind them when I turned away from the mirror.

"So you've remembered I exist. Strange. You haven't come to my rooms at all this week." I flatly said, not in the mood for any sweet talking.

"Preparing a wedding is not an easy feat, especially when the groom and his side of the family have so little interest and such bad taste. I basically had to organize everything."

I only gave her a single mindless nod, my brain too tired to even bother making sense of her words.

"And how is Elia? I haven't seen her either. Is se upset with me for getting married before her?"

God, did I get so sour in only one week? Was I always like this?

My mother didn't answer, but she kept on rambling about the wedding, about the groom, about the opportunity they were getting thanks to me. As if I had a choice in the matter, as if it wasn't all them, acting for their own benefit that brought this opportunity around.

"... you are not to disobey him in any way. Your father told me not to speak of it around you, so that you wouldn't be scared. Alekin is not just a werewolf. He is the leader of his community, and he is a strong man. Don't mess with him, darling!"

"I believe you meant to say 'the Alpha of his pack'. You know so little about him and his species' way of life, yet for a business opportunity, you had no problem throwing me to the wolves." Literally.

At the very least, she had the common sense to look hurt, and ashamed. As she should. And now I knew my groom's name.

*****

It wasn't three hours later that I was walking down an aisle towards him. All the make up made it impossible for anyone to read my expression, and the pins in my hair pulled at my scalp so hard I couldn't even scowl. My hand was looped through my father's arm. He had even put his other hand on mine, maybe to make it look like he was really going to miss his daughter. But I knew it for what it was, if only because my fingers had turned white from how tight his grip was. Not that I could've run away even without that.