Chapter 64

#Chapter 64 – Wedding Planning Victor looks out the kitchen window, staring across the back yard, beyond the pool, towards the trees that separate his house from the cottage out back. Winter is starting to take its grip on the landscape, stripping the trees of their brown leaves so that, day by day, a little bit more of the cottage is revealed.

And day by day, Victor finds himself further drawn to this kitchen window, staring out towards the back.

It’s only three weeks until his wedding, Victor knows. But still, he’s having trouble building excitement, seeing it, really, as a reality. The event itself is scheduled to take place between Christmas and New Year, but Victor spends far more of his time thinking about how he will spend his first Christmas with his boys. Christmas morning, unwrapping presents by the tree, Evelyn laughing…

Victor sips his coffee, lost in his thoughts, ignoring the people who bustle behind him. People whom Amelia has hired for what is supposed to be the most important day of his life. They’re here all the time – consulting, measuring, hanging, removing. He hardly notices them anymore.

In the distance, Victor notes the warm yellow lights turning on in Evelyn’s kitchen. He wonders, passingly, if she’s cooking dinner. Or perhaps that man is back – his own Beta, damnit – and she’s entertaining him again…

Victor grits his teeth and pushes the thought from his mind. He notices that the back door swings open and two dark heads run into the yard, chasing the black-and-white blur that is Archie. Victor smiles, pleased to see his sons playing, enjoying the fresh winter air.

Plus, if they’re home, Evelyn certainly can’t be…

Damnit. He brushes a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes, working to clear his mind again, but it’s an effort, to say the least. He can’t keep thinking about that man’s hands on her, the way it ripped his heart –

“Victor,” Amelia comes up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head between his shoulder blades. “What are you doing over here?”

“Nothing,” he murmurs, putting his coffee down on the counter but not turning around.

“Well come with me,” she says, peeking around to his front and giving him a smile. “There’s so much to do, you can help me with –“

“Just because I’m not doing anything doesn’t mean I need you to fill my time,” Victor says, not looking down at her.

Amelia frowns and drops her hands from his waist, putting a hand on his shoulder, obliging him to look at her. “Come on, baby. There’s so much that you need to do, to organize your parts of the wedding.

Come pick out the suits for your groomsmen –“

Victor laughs sardonically, shaking his head. “Amelia, just pick out whatever you like for the groomsmen. I told you that days ago.”

“But,” she bites her lip, looking up into his face, worried that he won’t quite meet her eyes. “Over the summer, you were so excited about all of this…”

“I’m very busy, Amelia,” Victor says, sighing and pulling away from her, heading towards his office.

Amelia follows him, quickening her pace to keep up.

“But Victor – “

He stops at his door, whirling to face her. “Everything is different in our lives now, Amelia. In the summer we were different people. I wasn’t the father of two children, I hadn’t just had a huge upheaval in my Beta force, I hadn’t invested a massive portion of my finances in a school…” Victor shakes his head again, pressing the hell of his hand to his left eye, working to stave off a headache.

Amelia crosses her arms and glares at him. “So what, you don’t have time for me anymore?”

Victor closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I don’t have time to focus my attention on a party, Amelia. Pick whatever fabrics and trinkets you like. You have excellent taste, you don’t need me.”

“It’s not a party, Victor,” Amelia breathes, her words angry and injured. “It’s a sacred ceremony, where we will be forever linked –“

“Party, ceremony, call it whatever you want,” Victor murmurs, turning away and entering his office. “Just don’t bother me with it anymore.”

He sits down at his desk, turning on his computer and flipping through some papers, clearly lost in thought. Amelia leans against the door frame for a moment, considering her next steps. Then she slinks forward, moving behind Victor and putting her hands on his shoulders.

“I’m sorry, baby,” she murmurs, beginning to rub the tense muscles of his shoulders which, somehow, seem to be growing more tense under her touch. “I didn’t think about it that way, didn’t think about all the stresses that you’re under. You’re right, I can handle all of this wedding stuff for the both of us.”

“Thank you,” Victor says, clearing his throat and still not looking at her.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” Amelia says, lowering her head to whisper in his ear, sliding one of her hands forward to caress the muscles of his chest. “Such a big, strong, capable Alpha to take care of me.”

Victor grunts and grows stiff in his chair.

“Maybe there’s something you can help me with though,” she whispers, her voice honied. “I’ve got all of this wedding lingerie to pick through, all sorts of soft and silky things…maybe you can help me pick out something nice to tear to pieces on our wedding night.”

Amelia feels the rumble of a growl growing under her hand. Encouraged, she turns her head and lightly presses her lips to the soft skin just below his ear.

“Amelia!” Victor leaps out of his seat and she jumps back, stumbling and shocked. He whirls on her, growling. “Didn’t I just make it clear that I’m very busy? Please! Leave me to my work! Stop distracting me with all of this nonsense!”

Amelia fumbles back a few more steps, caught between shock and rage. “Fine!” She throws back at him, regaining her composure and stomping for the door. “I’ll plan whatever I want, and you can just deal with it if the entire wedding is pink cupcakes and white feathers!”

“I couldn’t care less, Amelia.” He growls, reseating himself. “Whatever your heart desires.”

She turns at the door once more, staring at him, beginning to wonder if the one thing she truly desires is slipping from her grasp.

“Do you mind,” Victor growls, still not looking at her. “I have a phone call to make.”

With that, Amelia storms from the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Victor sits at his desk for a moment, wondering at himself. He’s ashamed of himself and frustrated for his cruelty towards Amelia but…damnit. He has to admit, at least to himself, the truth: that he’s not busy thinking about his finances, or his depleted Beta force, or the media’s complicated reaction to his newly-revealed fatherhood.

Instead, his mind turns constantly, inevitably, towards long brown curls that fall over slim shoulders. A laugh, surprisingly deep, that has a wicked lilt. Soft pink lips, alternately curled in ferocity and wet with desire…

God damnit.

Victor grits his teeth again, feeling that headache start to pound in his temples. He picks up his phone and dials a number. He waits awhile, longer than usual, while it rings.

“Hi,” he says when someone finally picks up, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and his thumb. “I know that this is an unscheduled call. But do you have a moment? I need some advice.”

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