At this point, there is no going back because the wedding is happening today. I am a nervous wreck. A lot of brides have said that they feel nerves and butterflies and all that stuff on their wedding days and I never thought I would be one of them because marriage was not looking my way. But today, I can't seem to keep my balance. It was happening too fast, even though it was a sham. The nerves I feel whenever I sneak out of the house is nothing compared to what's wracking through my body.
"There she is, the bride of an Alpha."
I felt disgusted hearing those words from my fathers. It sounded more like mockery than pride. Besides, he couldn't care less who I was getting married to as long as it means he's finally getting rid of me. He knows it, I know it, so it's best if he just cut to the chase and quit the pretense.
In a heartbeat, he closed the short distance between us and laid his right hand on my shoulder. His presence makes me anxious so it did everything to heighten my already strained nerves. I looked him square in the face albeit with freight because there is the assurance that I wouldn't last more than a day here after all so there was no reason to fear him anymore.
"I'm glad you're going to be a bride and in just a few minutes you'll be wedded. However, there's just one small problem."
He leaned in closer, his wrinkled face too close for comfort.
"I would really appreciate it, if you stayed far away from this villa, this pack. Especially your brothers and I." He sneered.
I on the other hand was fighting the urge to roll my eyes because I was not planning to come back here, ever. It's the whole point of my failed plans to flee. I looked deep into his eyes. He had lost the feigned regard he managed to save me all these years. Instead, he had a dead cold look in his eyes. I wondered how long he had held back these words. The hand on my shoulder suddenly felt very heavy like it was trying to pull me down, so hard that I felt sore.
"We wouldn't want your bad luck rubbing off on the rest of us. Now listen to what you're going to do and how you are going to live from now henceforth. You are going to be a good wife. Do you know what that means? Let me tell you. It means that you don't speak when not spoken to, don't run around, be submissive and upright, and most importantly, don't do something that makes him angry. He will leave you if you do. I'm not certain if the joy you share will last forever. No matter what, make sure you don't come back."
Finally, he let out everything that he had been holding back, his red face went back to it's normal pale color and he let go of me. I rubbed my sore shoulder in order to get rid of the pain. I tried my best not to cry, but I seemingly had no control as the waterworks made their way down my cheeks in reckless abandon. I don't know why this got to me because it's not unusual that my so-called father reminds me of how unwanted I am to him. My beauty entourage left the room the moment he walked in. In any case, we were done glamming me up. I just had to get into my dress and shoes. I watched his back as he retreated from my room and asked the hair stylist and make up artist to come in and continue with their business.
"Make sure she's the most beautiful bride, hopefully she will have the most beautiful marriage." He told them.
There was a long line of motorcades outside the house, waiting for me. Hilda said it was not necessary to cover my face with the veil but I insisted on it because I wasn't sure my tear ducts were not going to betray me. The make-up artists had done their best in covering up my swollen eyes after my fathers visit. We were just about to leave when a different car drove in at full speed, blocking the path leading to the entrance.
"Wait!"
I heard a familiar voice say. A familiar figure got out of the car, walked right to my window, and proceeded to knock on the glass.
"Wind down." I tell them. It took the driver ten seconds to do my bidding. I almost thought he was going to ignore me. Of course, I had no command over them.
"Hey there, sister."
My older brother Jason, leaned on the car, looking inside and staring at me in anger.
"Now what kind of a sister decides not to invite her beloved brother to her wedding until the wedding day?"
He asks me, but I have no answer for him. It certainly wasn't my father who called him, since he wants me to disappear from their lives. Was it preharps him?
"It was beyond my power to decide who was invited or not." I told him.
"What's the use of a phone if you don't use it?" And who are all these people with you? I barely know any of them."
Jason sighed in frustration. He forced the door open and pulled me out of the car.
"I'm taking you there myself, I can't possibly leave my sister to a bunch of strangers now can I?"
The others tried to follow in, but the brother turned around and growled angrily at them. He didn't seem pleased and he didn't want anyone to go after us. There was no stopping him now so it was best to let him do whatever he wanted.
He opened the backseat door and shoved me in, right next to me is his wife and mate Lucia who is heavily pregnant. That baby can pop any day now. Unlike me, they both fell in love with each other at the tender age of eight, and when they turned sixteen it was revealed that they were mates. Ever since, the love between these two grew stronger with each passing day. I envied them. His wife looked at me with a frown, she drank some water in anger. However, there were other things to worry about at the moment.
Lucia looked through the back window and saw my father's men running towards his car.
"Step on it." She yelled. My brother didn't hesitate, like the professional speed driver he is, he immediately stepped on the gas and zoomed off with full speed, while the rest behind tried to chase after us, but of course, it was futile.
When we had gotten to a reasonable distance, Jason started to slow down. Lucia took my hands in hers and patted my hair with her left hand.
"Tell me, what's going on? You never wanted to get married. Why the sudden change of mind and hastily too?" She asked me.
For as long as I've known Lucia, she has always put me second since her husband was first, the three of us used to play together when we were little, in fact, she was only three years older than me, so she was my only friend and like a big sister to me. I could see my brother staring at me through the mirror. His fists were tightly clenched to the steering wheel. I appreciate their love for me, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I have to take it.
"Brother."
I called out, but he responded with a groan.
"Do you remember the secret I told you about, about the man I slept with that day. Well, he's come to ask for my hand in marriage."
Jason suddenly steps on the brake and the car comes to a hard stop with a screech. Only one thing could be said right now. Jason was angry.