Page 25 of The Wolf's Bullied Mate
I blinked once, then twice. Of course kissing was part of the ceremony. I had almost forgotten.
I was beginning to panic, but then Oliver put a hand in my hair, gently blocking my view of the crowd of guests whom I didn’t know. He leaned in close, and when he was a breath away from my lips, he whispered, “Don’t be afraid, Pauline.”
I looked from his lips back into his eyes. There was desire there but also so much caring and consideration; it melted my heart. This man didn’t want to hurt me. He didn’t want me to feel like I was being pressured into anything.
That understanding was why I leaned in and kissed him before he could place his lips on mine.
It was a featherlight kiss, just a brush of lips, but my mouth lingered on his until he kissed me back, more firmly. Our lips moved against each other. Oliver’s tongue darted out and licked my bottom lip. Did I dare?
I did dare.
I opened my mouth and felt his tongue slip inside. He kissed me gently as if I were something precious he didn’t want to break. The desire in his eyes deepened. I returned the kiss with the same passion he had inflamed in me.
Someone in the crowd hooted, and the moment shattered for me. I pulled away from Oliver.
Oliver turned his head and glared at the crowd.
“Now, now,” luna Aria laughed. “You will have plenty of time to become more deeply acquainted,” she whispered conspiringly, only for our ears to hear.
I blushed even more deeply, and Oliver glared at her instead.
The wedding celebration took place by the lake from which Fairlake took its name. It had been customary to hold important events at the grassy field near the lake and the beach for as long as I could remember. I’d been to Moondust Hollow weddings before as a child and a teenager. The sight of the lake felt nostalgic to me.
Throughout the night, we ate great food, talked to many people, and danced to the sounds of a small local band’s music. Oliver and I enjoyed being together. The community welcomed me as his wife, which felt so strange after how I had been treated in Lone Bite. Still, I had no proof that all these people wouldn’t one day turn on me. For now, though, everyone was happy with me as a new addition to the pack, and they were happy with Oliver for finding a partner.
I would have to enjoy the peace while it lasted.
Peace was such a fragile thing, after all. Not even half an hour after I had found comfort at Oliver’s side, the agent, Mrs. Ellen, approached us.
“The marriage is almost finalized,” she pushed her heavy glasses up her nose.
“Almost?” Oliver arched his eyebrows. “Are there any more papers to sign?”
“Papers? No,” Mrs. Ellen shook her head. “Both alphas agreed to Mrs. Norton’s transfer,” she called me by my new surname, “as well as that of the child, Ray. I’m only here to remind you about the confirmation you have to give our company.”
“Confirmation?” Oliver asked.
We looked at each other, puzzled, and neither of us was sure what the woman meant.
Mrs. Ellen coughed into her hand. She took out her tablet and pushed it towards us. “Point 17.1.”
Oliver scrolled down to the paragraph she mentioned. The text was much smaller here, and I realized I must have skipped over reading it before we signed the marriage agreement.
“The involved parties must consummate their marriage on the wedding night. Only then will the agency consider the connection finalized,” Oliver said.
Consummate? That didn’t mean what I thought it did, right? I looked over at Oliver, who met my gaze with an unsure look of his own.
“Why do you care if my wife and I have sex tonight? Do you want to force us to mate?” He glared at the agent.
Mrs. Ellen stepped from foot to foot. “This may not be law in Moondust Hollow, but it is in most other packs. A marriage is not considered valid unless consummated. You don’t have to mate, but you do have to engage in intimacy.”
Oliver seemed to want to tell her off, so I gently put a hand on his arm. He froze, then he looked at me.
“Don’t,” I said in a soft, calming tone.
He took a deep breath and then released it. “You want me to let this go?” He whispered.
I nodded.
