Page 24 of The Wolf's Bullied Mate
“Do you want roses or lilies for your flower arrangements?” The outspoken but kind luna Aria asked me, pointing to various flower bouquets in a catalog.
She and her mate—Ryder Howell, the Alpha of Moondust Hollow—were beyond excited about my upcoming wedding to Oliver. Both alphas had approved my transfer to Moondust Hollow within a few days, and I was now sitting with luna Aria as she showed me different décor for the ceremony that would soon take place.
“Lilies,” I mumbled, feeling overwhelmed by how quickly things were moving. Not that I hadn’t expected all of this bustling preparation once the agent had taken Ray and me away from Lone Bite, but it was still a lot to process.
A part of me couldn’t believe I would soon be married to my high school bully. Why would Oliver, out of all the people, want to be my husband? His words from the first day still echoed in my head.
“I won’t touch you until you’re ready,” he had said in his alluring voice.
Did he not understand what an arranged marriage was? That our relationship would only be contractual—that we would live together and create a family, but not… fall in love?
Maybe he meant for us to have purely a sexual relationship, fulfilling each other’s physical needs so neither of us would have to seek sex outside of marriage.
That idea didn’t sit right with me, though, and I didn’t know why. I also had the nagging feeling a purely sexual relationship wasn’t what Oliver wanted from me anyway.
“I’ll give you all the time you need to accept me,” he had said.
If he only wanted sex from me, why wouldn’t he just say so?
That line of thought brought me to another question: why was Oliver being nothing but kind to me?
“What about the tablecloth? What color would you like?” Aria continued excitedly, pointing at the pictures as I tried my best to follow her questions. However, my thoughts continued to distract me.
It was as if Oliver had reverted back to his original self—the close friend he had been before he had started bullying me. When I would do nothing but isolate myself and read books, he would take my hand and lead me to talk with other people. Back then, Oliver had been my courage, my sun whose rays had helped me to take in more of the world.
It was as if he wanted to become that light for me again.
At the same time, though, things were clearly different between us. He teased me, much like he had been doing through text messages. He flirted with me. His eyes followed me around like he wanted me. Sometimes, I found it hard to breathe when I was near him. He had this magnetic, masculine pull to him that he hadn’t possessed as a teenager. When I gazed into his eyes, I felt as if I could lose my heart and soul to this man.
The experience was equal parts terrifying and exciting.
“I think I’d like green,” I told luna Aria, pointing to a table covered in a green cloth in one of the pictures.
“An excellent choice!” she exclaimed. Then she went on to tell me about all the advantages of choosing green as the primary color—next to white, of course.
I half listened to her, half thought about Oliver.
Truth be told, I found my attraction to Oliver somewhat troubling. I wished I could better resist the thought of becoming intimate with him. Yet I couldn’t deny the magnetic pull between us, the passion that flared in me whenever I looked into his eyes.
If he said he wanted to sleep with me, would I refuse?
What kind of person would say yes make me? I hadn’t known this version of Oliver for more than a month, and yet I had such strong… desires to have sex with him. I hadn’t been intimate with a man since Jeffrey. Was I really touch-starved enough to consider sleeping with a man who was practically a stranger?
I continued planning the wedding with luna Aria as these thoughts bounced around in my head. Deep down, my desire for Oliver didn’t feel wrong. Was the fact that I wanted him really a problem?
***
The next few days passed by in a flash. I soon found myself standing in front of the altar, luna Aria, conducting the marriage ceremony in the name of the Moon Goddess.
“May the Moon Goddess bless the union of those two souls who wish to become connected with her blessing.” Aria had a bright smile on her face as if she really enjoyed leading the wedding ceremony.
That observation may well have been the case, as she had seemed to enjoy organizing the whole event with my minimal input. My contribution had been minimal,, not because Aria hadn’t wanted to hear my personal preferences but because I had simply decided to rely on her opinion for most matters. One example was the matter of my dress; I knew nothing about wedding fashion, but the dress Aria had chosen fit me perfectly and made me feel beautiful.
If the way Oliver gazed at me as the luna led the ceremony was any indication, he shared my sentiment.
I blushed under his watchful gaze. A small smile appeared on his lips, just the corners of his mouth lifting up, and his eyestwinkled with happiness. His blue eyes looked so mesmerizing when he smiled.
“You may now kiss the bride,” Aria said.
