Page 17 of Brutal Alpha Beast
“What are you talking about? I’m cool.”
I shrug and relax my facial muscles, but her expression tells me that she realizes I’m definitelynot.
She looks at my empty champagne cup. “Look, I know you’ve just done the ritual, but if you want to call it off….”
“We’re not calling it off,” I say, readjusting myself. “I’m fine, I am. I don’t even care that much. I’m just a little shocked, is all. I didn’t expect the groom to be him.”
Monroe nods. “Me either. It must mean they’re serious about this alliance, though. The Alpha marrying a witch is a big deal, no?”
“I guess.”
I’m watching him again, smiling, lifting young shifter cubs into his arms. He can be so open and friendly, well, seemingly, he can be with everyone but me.
Another thing that I’ve noticed during this ceremony, is the way a lot of she-wolves from his pack have been eyeing me. They hate me.
It’s more than just your typical shifter who hates witches kind of hate. It’s a 'you stole one of our finest bachelors away from us' type of hate.
I want to tell them that I don’t exactly want him to be with me either—but politically speaking, that would be a terrible idea. I have to be his wife, whether I like it or not.
Penelope approaches, dressed in a pale pink silk dress, her gray hair flowing down the back of her neck.
I force a smile.
“How are you doing dear?” She asks me.
“Great,” I say. “No problems, I think everything is going very well.”
Do I detect suspicion crawling across Penelope’s face? Because she’s our coven leader, I always expect her to know everything that’s going on. I expect her to know when I’m hiding something—but in this case, I’m not sure.
It’s normal for someone to feel at least a little uncomfortable at an arranged wedding with an enemy race. Feeling those sparks, though? Definitely not normal.
“Yes,” she notes, raising an eyebrow. “Although, why is it that you’re standing here at the corner of the room?”
I realize that I’m quite literally backed against the furthest wall I could find. The party, the tables and chairs, the buffets of food are all to the left, and I found a quiet, isolated little grove to the right.
I clear my throat and straighten out my dress. “Just taking a breather,” I say.
Penelope nods slowly. “Are you ready for the next part?”
There’s more?
I should have listened when the shifter wedding planner walked me through how this was going to go. But my head has been a complete mess the past few days.
All I could think about was how my interaction with Ellis was going to go. I knew that as the Alpha of the pack, he would be here, and he’d likely be heavily involved—I assumed I’d have to exchange a word with him or two.
Do I look him in the eye? Do I smile?
I had it all perfectly planned. And then, as I walk down the altar, everything is turned upside down.
There’s no longer a plan. Just pure, and utter chaos.
“I’m ready for the next part,” I say. “And the next part is...”
“Speeches,” Monroe butts in.
I raise my eyebrow, and she shrugs. “I was there when the shifter planner went through everything. I was curious about how it was going to go.
“Of course,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “Speeches. I’ll just go sit by my husband, then.”
