Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Elara

The pictures came out so perfectly after the fuss they caused. I can’t believe it! We looked to be madly in love. Zuriel has left in a hurry and didn’t say goodbye to me. He only talked to my mother and father.

The statement about the video and pictures was the first to be released the following morning. It said I was with my fiancé in those pictures, and some perverted news reporter took and posted the pictures.

People were doubtful at first, but they managed to convince them. They talked about how disappointed and hurt I was that those pictures came out. They made me a victim. Everyone only ever had encouraging words to give to me under the comments. But some were trolling and doubting me. However, there were only a few.

The engagement pictures were posted as well, and it was all the pack could talk about. Zuriel was praised for his good looks, and people said we made the hottest couple.

I am sitting in the garden, eating breakfast when I hear a squeal. I turn and notice my best friend, Solena. She pulls out a chair and smiles. She is out of breath and gulps down my juice.

‘I saw the pictures! They are so cute!’ she screams. She’s showing them to me on her phone.

‘I was there,’ I sighed, eating my bagel.

The air in the garden is fresh and lovely. It makes me calm. Nonetheless, my mind keeps drifting to Zuriel. Has he seen the pictures? Does he like them, or maybe he’s appalled by them? I close my eyes when memories of him come into my head. We were so close, and his body made sensual images roam my mind.

Solena is saying something, but I don’t even hear her. My mother joins us in the garden with a smile on her lips. She kisses my temple.

‘Good morning, my Princess,’ she smiled.

‘Morning, Mom,’

‘Morning, Sol,’ Mom greets my best friend who’s busy stuffing pancakes in her mouth most ungracefully.

‘Morning, aunt,’ she answers with a full mouth.

‘I thought you left already,’ Mom says.

‘Left? To where?’

‘Didn’t Zuriel communicate with you?’

‘Mom, Zuriel isn’t ecstatic about this wedding. He wouldn’t communicate with me about anything,’ I roll my eyes, shrugging my shoulders.

‘Oh, honey. Zuriel is the perfect match for you, and I know you will be happy together.’ her eyes shine, and I want to believe her, but I can’t.

‘You and Zuriel should go on a date… To know each other better. We need people to see you together,’ She explains, and Solena nods in agreement.

‘That’s a brilliant idea, Aunty. A few are speculating the engagement isn’t real because they have not seen them together and that it is only for the show to fix her reputation,’ Solena says.

Well, looks like I’ll be going on a date with my fiancé. My eyes wander to my engagement finger, and my mom notices. She sees everything.

‘Zuriel will get you a ring while you’re on it, baby,’ she says.

Zuriel

It has been a day since the engagement was announced, and it’s all everyone can talk about.

Bruce, my company president, who claims to be my friend, walks into my office, carrying a magazine with a grin on his face.

‘Boss, why didn’t you tell me you’re engaged to Princess Elara!’ he beams, putting the magazines on my task. We were on the front page of each one. I hated the attention this was receiving. It might get my father’s attention. That is why I didn’t want to take pictures, but Mom assured me they couldn’t get that far.

‘What do you want?’ I ask. Bruce and I went to high school. He befriended me even though I told him I didn’t want a friend. He was always there, no matter how much I pushed him away, so I let him be. We were roommates in college, and I hired him after graduation because he was the best candidate for the job.

‘I didn’t know you were in a relationship with Elara Silvius. Heck, you avoided her like the plague when you secretly wanted her,’ he gives me a boyish smile that makes me cringe.

‘It’s an arranged marriage. I don’t want her,’ I inform him nonchalantly. He gasps and takes a seat.

‘So you don’t want to wed her?’ he asks.

‘I have to because of my mother,’ I had to agree to marry the little princess because my real identity had been revealed to the pack council. I’m a proteus. A hybrid in simple terms.

A Proteus is a shapeshifter that can change into two forms. They existed in the Middle Ages when cross-mating was allowed. It was abolished and considered a taboo now because most offspring of cross-mating went on a rampage and caused mayhem.

The council doubts my loyalty to the pack, and they are scared that I might go on a rampage one of these days like in the tales. According to them, marrying the little princess solidified my loyalty to the pack, but they didn’t need to worry about that. My allegiance has always been and will always be with this pack, and since she’s a white wolf, she can help me tame my inner beasts and avoid any havoc in the future. I could argue that it would never happen. I could never go ballistic because I know how to tame my dragon and wolf, but Mom thinks it’s for the best. Just to keep them calm, I agreed to marry little Elara. Plus, this will help fix her reputation after her sensual images.

‘Well, she loves you, and you will love her too. Love develops,’ I groan at Bruce’s words. He Is such a cringe romantic. No wonder I don’t like him around me.

‘How’s the latest version going?’ I change the topic. My company manufactures and designs sports cars.

‘It’s going well… Bids are going higher every day!’ he announces, and I nod.

‘How much,’

‘The Denventure race company added ten million to their bid yesterday,’ he informs me.

My phone rings, and I answer it.

‘What, mother?’

‘Rude much?’ she retorts.

‘I’m working,’ I sigh. She knows how much I hate to be disturbed at work.

‘I’m calling to remind you that you should take Elara shopping. I want you to get to know each other better and for people to see you together,’ she tells me. I completely forgot she told me to take her shopping.

‘She needs a ring, not just any ring, Zuriel. A ring worth our family name and status,’ she emphasizes.

‘I know. Goodbye,’

‘Don’t be late, she’s waiting-‘ I end the call, or she won’t stop talking. I stand up.

‘Bruce, make sure the Denventure race up their offer, or Tolara will,’ I say, and leave the office. As I leave, my employees are congratulating me on my engagement. I enter the elevator when one of the women I fucked, Ruth, enters. Ruth is mad at me.

‘You’re marrying someone else, how could you?!’ she cries. I don’t have time for this. Why do they always get attached when I make it clear it should only be about sex?

‘You said you don’t want marriage. You only care to fuck!’

‘Well, she changed my mind,’ I tell her coldly.

‘Your Fiance is not even that beautiful! Zuriel, please don’t do this,’

‘She’s the most the most beautiful girl in the world to me,’ I didn’t lie about my statement. Elara is the most beautiful. She is flawless. I like her smile, and I enjoy how her cheeks get red when our gaze meets.

I reach the ground floor and I’m about to go out when she blocks my path. ‘ Zuriel, let’s not end our relationship because of this, please,’

Without saying another word to her. I push her out of the way and leave.