CHAPTER 15
AUDREY’S POV
I sat still as Alara took her time styling my hair. For an occasion as such as that which would be taking place today, I was supposed to be happy. But that wasn’t the case. That wasn’t the case because I was getting married to my subject of my worst fear. For a moment, it made me think about Denver.
Denver. When last did I think about him? Suddenly he had come to mind, and I figured I missed him terribly. I wondered if he was going to be here alongside my brother today.
After the drama at the annual ball, my parents had been ordered by the king, to stay behind until after the wedding ceremony was done. My brother and some relatives were expected to show up today at the ceremony, and I was very expectant about seeing Denver. I knew he was gonna laugh in my face and remind me of how I was eating my own words, about not having a weak mate.
“My lady, you look breathe taking.” Alara said, cutting off my thoughts. She grinned widely, and I could see her reflection on the large mirror of the vanity.
“Thank you, Alara.” I nodded stiffly, before standing from my seat and heading towards the bed where my wedding gown was neatly laid.
The gown had been purchased by princess Layla, a few days back. I had blatantly refused to go shopping with her, but she wasn’t deterred. To my surprise, she brought the wedding gown store to my room. She had also brought along the fashion designer, who adjusted the gown to my fitting, after testing out a many gowns from the long rack of gowns. I guess I had been in such a sour mood that day, to not have really paid attention to the details and uniqueness of the dress.
“My lady, you need help?” Alara called after me, and I gave a slight nod.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
She walked up to me and picked the heavy material of the gown, from my bed. Loosening the interlooping lace behind the gown, she bought it to my feet, and I stepped in. It had taken us quite a while to tighten the lace again, and once we were done, I released a tired sigh.
“You should see your reflection my lady. You look stunning.”
It wasn’t like I really cared how I looked today, given I wasn’t getting married to the man I really wanted. But somehow, I still felt the need to look beautiful. Atleast, to let Logan see how beautiful the woman he was never going to have, was.
Slowly, I walked towards the mirror and the moment I looked up at my reflection, a smile graced my face. I truly looked splendid. I took a good look at my dress, and was deeply satisfied at how it hugged my curves at the right places. It was a cream colored satin sleeveless gown, that had a deep but narrow ‘v’ cut from my bosom down to my belly button. It hugged my wide hips snuggly, with quite a number of pleated satin yards overlapping it. I turned to my side, and saw how my smooth back was on display as a result of the interlooping lace.
“Beautiful.” That wasn’t Alara’s voice. I looked up to see Queen Mercedes leaning on the door step.
“Your majesty.” Alara and I bowed immediately.
“What a splendid job you have done with our bride, Alara.” She gave a small smile.
“I’m glad it is to your liking, your majesty.”
“Of course.” She said with a straight face. “I would love a private talk with Audrey for a few minutes. Leave us.” She ordered. With another bow, Alara disappeared from the room.
“You look every part of a beautiful bride.” That was actually a compliment, but her tone gave off ‘unimpressed’.
“Thank you, your majesty.”
“I really do not have much to say, dear. This is just a reminder that my son and your parents are putting their hope in you. You must remain unbonded and unmated to Logan, in order for Sebastian to easily claim you as his mate on the day of Logan’s coronation. The promise of being his Queen is the only thing making your parents give their support. You have to avoid falling in love with Logan, because if you do, your parents would have no other choice than to withdraw their support from us.”
“I would not fail you all.” I sighed, almost getting annoyed. Why did they feel this serious need to lecture me on how to control my feelings?
“What the mate bond is capable of doing is unbelievable. You may be strong and powerful, but not strong enough to resist the mate bond, especially when it has been triggered. You must always give him great distance. The mate bond isn’t just about sex. The bond can be groomed even without you realizing it.” She said, looking at my eyes squarely. “Make sure you do not mess things up. If you do, and your parents withdraw their support from Sebastian, the consequences would be dire.”
Was she threatening me? She didn’t wait for me to give a response, before walking out. Pheew! Just something else to make my day get messier than it already is. I got closer to tbe bed and after a few seconds of struggling inside my heavy gown, I was finally able to sit. I closed my eyes, wishing that this increasingly annoying day would have come to an end when I opened it. Instead, when I opened eyes, it was met to the curious ones of a familiar lady. Layla.
“Do you not feel well?” Came her concerned voice, and I all but shrugged. “Please talk to me.”
Was she being serious at the moment? What exactly did I have to do to show her I was interested in neither a relationship nor friendship with her brother or herself? She seemed to have hooked herself onto my skin like some sort of parasite.
“What do you want me to say to you, princess?” I had definitely lost it now. “That I never wished to marry a man like your brother? Or that today is easily the worst day of my life?” I asked, but she remained quiet. After a while of defeaning silence, she nodded her head and looked at me.
Obviously, she had been communicating with someone else through her mindlink.
“It’s our cue. The hall is filled up with our guest, and we do not want to keep them waiting. Let’s go.”
“Let’s get this over and done with.” I mumbled as I stood up and followed her behind. Just as we stepped out of my room, I saw Alara waiting by the doorway. She stood in line behind me, and followed us to the hall. Once we got to the entrance of the hall, Layla looked back at me and smiled.
“You look so beautiful today.” Without waiting for me to give a response, she walked into the hall as my father walked towards Alara and I.
“You can leave us now.” He whispered to Alara, who gave a nod and walked into the hall. “Shall we?” He asked, offering me his arm, which I accepted. The piano started to play and we both walked into the hall and made our way down the aisle. It seemed like a lot more dignified wolves were present at this wedding, than the annual ball. I could feel a lot of energy and aura in the hall. The closer we got to the end of the aisle, the clearer Logan’s face was. I couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad, and it provoked me to no end. He was the damned reason why I was in this situation in the first place. The best he could do was show his appreciation with a little smile.
Eventually, we got to him and my father handed me over to him. Just before he walked back to seat with the rest of the congregation, he communicated with me through our mindlink.
“In a matter of one month, this would all be over. You would be with the man you truly want, and I would be present to walk you down the aisle again. Happily.” I flashed him a small smile, and he walked back to his seat. The moment I looked up at Logan, I felt my heart stop for a moment. I knew it was as a result of the mate bond, and hated the way it made me feel. My wolf screamed on and on, about how handsome he looked, making me scoff and shutting it out.
“You’re so beautiful.” Logan muttered with a nervous smile. This was the first time I was seeing him since I got news of the council’s approval of our marriage. I knew he had purposely avoided me, obviously knowing how much I didn’t want to see him.
“Of course. That is all you would ever be able to do. Admire me. No matter how close to you I may seem, I would never be yours.” I muttered in response. Just then, the elders of the royal council surrounded us and clasped their hands together. They recited a few chants in honour of the moon goddess, after which they let go of each other’s hands. They all walked back to where they had been seated, except for one of them. He looked to be the oldest of all council elders, and clearly the one who was chosen to officiate the ceremony.
He walked up to the podium above us, and started the joining ceremony.
“Please repeat these vows after me.” He requested, then turned to Logan. “I, Logan Fell,”
“I, Logan Fell.” Logan repeated.
“Takes Audrey Chadwick, my gift of a lifetime from the moon goddess.”
“Takes Audrey Chadwick, my gift of a lifetime from the moon goddess.”
“To love and to be bonded under the grace of the moon goddess.”
“To love and to be bonded under the grace of the moon goddess.”
“Until death do us part.”
“Until death do us part.”
“Now, your turn.” He turned to me. He recited the vows he made Logan say just moments back, and I repeated after him. I had almost bursted out laughing at how ironic it was, for me to say these words when I didn’t even mean them.
“Under the authority of the moon goddess, the witness of the council of elders, and in the presence of the royal moon pack, you’re husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Immediately the elder said that, I looked at Logan, no trace of subtlety or amusement in my eyes.
I hoped he got the message I was trying to pass on to him. He seemed to have gotten it because the next second, he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. He hadn’t even kissed me on my lips, yet the spot on my cheek where he kissed, was literally on burning up. In a sweet way, I hated to admit.
“Thank you.” He whispered to me, making me roll my eyes.
“What for?” I scowled.
“For accepting to marry me.”
“It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. Welcome to your living hell, dearest mate.”