“Your father will love this one,” Sarah assures me, oblivious to the war waging within me.
“Perhaps,” I say, my thoughts spiraling.
“Let’s go with this one,” I decide, surprising even myself. “It’s perfect.”
“Excellent choice,” she beams, not noticing the way my hands tremble as I move to sign the check when she stops me. “No, Alpha Dane is covering it,” she assures me, and I chew my lip.
I’m stuck in the boutique for hours while she fixes the measurements of the dress, but going home without it isn’t an option since Alpha Dane is speeding the wedding up to this weekend. He wants a prompt wedding now that I’ve agreed so I can’t try to back out, leaving me little hope of my father finding me a way out of this mess.
When I do leave, though, I can’t bring myself to head straight home. Instead, I weave through the thrumming city streets, my freshly acquired wedding dress, a silken promise of a future I’m not sure I want. The cacophony of honking cars and chattering pedestrians is a welcome distraction until I barge into someone by accident.
“What do you think you’re doing?” a voice growls from behind.
My heart stutters to a stop as I whirl around. The world narrows to those silver eyes, burning into me with an intensity that leaves me breathless. Zayn.
“Zayn,” I gasp.
“Running into you isn’t exactly what I had planned, but it’s fitting,” he says. His tone is a sharp blade that cuts deeply. His black hair frames his face, and he has equally dark eyes, reflecting Zarek is just below the surface.
“Cleo.” His voice is deep and rough, sending shivers down my spine.
“Following me now?” My attempt at levity falls flat between us, the air charged with something dangerous. He stepscloser to me and reaches out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. My skin tingles at his touch, and my heart races even faster.
His closeness is intoxicating, and for a fleeting moment, I forget about everything else – the arranged marriage, the pressure from my pack, everything except him.
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d just talk to me, but no. I wasn’t following you until I spotted you going into that store.” He steps closer, and I’m acutely aware of the solid mass of him, a wall of muscle and his raw Alpha power.
Then reality comes crashing back, and I take a step back from him, cursing myself for being so weak. “I should go,” I say quickly. “I have somewhere to be.”
“You’re marrying him, Cleo? Really?”
“Zayn, it’s not that simple—” I start, and the words tangle on my tongue.
“Make it simple for me, then.” His voice is a low rumble, and I can almost feel the vibration of his wolf beneath his skin.
“Please, I can’t do this here,” I plead, glancing around at the curious eyes starting to take interest in our heated exchange.
“Then when, Cleo? When will you stop running from what we are? I told you we are mates, yet you agree to marry someone else?”
“Being mates doesn’t mean we can just… ignore reality. There are consequences, alliances, expectations. Besides, nothing is even confirmed until I get my wolf tonight.” My voice trails off, the enormity of it all pressing down on me.
“Damn the alliances! Damn what everyone else expects!”
“Zayn, you know I can’t—”
“Can’t or won’t?” he challenges, stepping even closer, the heat of his body mingling with mine.
“Both!” The word explodes from me, a confession and a condemnation. The tension coils between us, a live wire ready to spark into flame.
“Tell me why. Give me a reason that’s worth more than this,” he whispers, his breath hot against my skin.
“Because if I don’t, everything falls apart. My father, the pack, it’ll be war, Zayn.” The weight of my decision presses upon me, a suffocating shroud.
“A war will start if you walk down that fucking aisle, Cleo,” he warns me, and tears burn my eyes at his words. No matter what, I am disappointing someone.
“I have no choice. You don’t understand,” I say, my voice barely above a murmur.
“Then let me fight for you, for us.”
