Elara
âSeriously though, Princess, I wonât wish you well because youâre tearing my heart apart. You could have stopped this wedding but didnât because of your selfishness,â she whispers so that only I can hear her. I grab her shoulders and push her away from me harshly.
âHe wants this marriage. He had a chance to stop it, and Iâd take the blame, but he didnât,â Iâm glaring at her.
âI donât believe that. He told me himself that he didnât want this, but heâs doing it to save you from a scandal,â she sneers. I growl and take dangerous steps towards her. Her heart is beating fast in fear of me. She backs away slowly. Iâm so angry at her. However, before I can open my mouth to speak, Zuriel is back, and River smiles at him.
âIâm sorry for that joke, Elara. I can see it didnât sit well with you. I will be the first to admit Iâm bitter about this union, but it is for the best,â River says, smiling at me. I donât smile back, just scowling at her. She goes to Zuriel and holds his arm. I glare at the hand around my husbandâs arm.
âTell her I have a dark sense of humor,â she giggles.
âDonât touch my husband,â I say calmly, yet my voice is commanding. Zuriel looks shocked. I notice a few people staring at us, curious and whispering among themselves. I wear a plastic smile and show her my ring.
âDonât touch him,â I grit my teeth this time. River staggers away from my hubby.
âWhy are you being rude to me?â she croaks and turns away, running as she cries. I roll my eyes. So melodramatic.
I smile and wave at the spectators watching us. They awkwardly smile and look away.
âWhy did you say that to her?â Zuriel asks in a smooth tone.
âShe was clinging to you while people watched. Do you want us to be in the middle of a scandal right after our wedding?â I ask. I donât bother hiding the annoyance in my voice,â And why did you tell your ex-girlfriend you didnât want this marriage?â
He looks confused, but realization dawns, and he sighs.
âShe was crying-â I snap before he finishes speaking,
âDonât tell her personal things simply because she cries. From the looks of it, it will be happening a lot,â
Iâm breathing heavily. Iâm angry at him right now. The tension between us is palpable. Zurielâs jaw clenches.
âListen to me-â
âNo, you listen to me, husband. I gave you a way out. You didnât take it. I wonât let anyone embarrass me or my family,â I growl. We are in the middle of an intense staredown when his mother and mom come to where we are. They are oblivious to the tension swirling around us,
âWhat are you still doing here? You should be in the car on your way to the airport,â
âWhere are we going?â I ask. Zuriel looks away, unimpressed.
âTo your honeymoon, sweetheart,â Mom answers.
âTo the Maldives. We have a resort there, and itâs simply amazing! Youâll be there for a week since this one says no to staying longer than that,â Halsey says, pointing at her son.
Zurielâs eyes cloud. He is mind-linking with his mother. He suddenly carries me bridal style, and I yelp, holding his shoulders. The crowd cheers and howls come from every direction as he walks to the car. I lean into his black shirt and inhale his scent. He puts me in the car. He drives us to a private airport.
Connor
I was roaring and growling in anger when I saw her wedding pictures. My mate was married to another man. The pain in my chest was immensurable. My wolf was wheezing and cursing me. How could Elara do this to me?!
I glared at the phone in my hand. I havenât been using it for the past week, and when I did, I found this.
âYouâre not taking this well at all. I thought you didnât like her,â sneered Patty. I almost charged at her. I was barely holding it together.
âElara Silvius is mine whether I want her or not,â I growl, and she flinches. I feel like Iâm losing my mind right now. I need my mate with me. I want her with me. The thought of her being married to another man killed me inside. Not so long ago, I felt the mate bond betrayal burn through me, but I thought it was her getting vengeance on me. I know that girl. She was not a whore like I wanted the world to think. She was modest and calm with a beautiful soul.
I checked out the man she married. Zuriel Crawford. A billionaire businessman and heir to the Crawford empire. He was impressive, indeed. I smash my phone against the wall in anger.
âI want my mate,â my wolf demands. I was seeing red, and staying in this cottage would make me angrier. I bolt through the door, but Patty follows me, trying to touch me. I turn and push her against the wall with inhuman strength, and she flies into the wall.
I hear her scream as I run into the forest. I donât care about her. I shift into my wolf form and donât stop running. I howl to the moon in anger and jealousy.