Page 115 of Midnight Sanctuary

“No!” Elle had exclaimed. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”

I’d just grinned through my tears. “Honestly, we’ve had our fair share of bad luck so far. I think we’ve reached our quota.” Then I’d turned to Polly. “Actually, would you mind getting him for me? I want to see him.”

Because the truth is, he has become what Ziva was to me: my strength, my support, the person I could lean on for anything.

Except that it’s been a few minutes since Polly left to fetch him and still there’s been no sign of either one of them.

“Should I go look?” Elle asks.

I shake my head. “They’ll be here, don’t worry. Can you pass me the mirror, please?”

She hands it over and I take a look at my restored appearance. Elle helped me redo my makeup after the crying spell had passed. Now, I look like a bride again, albeit a tired one. All I need is to see my groom and I’ll summon up the strength to walk down that aisle and meet my new future with a smile.

I wish Ziva was here. But the sadness I associated with her absence doesn’t sting anymore. It feels a lot like healing.

The door opens and Polly walks in. I wait for Uri to appear behind her but she’s alone.

“Polly?”

She looks off. Paler than usual, chewing at her lip nonstop. “Sorry, Lys. He was right behind me but then Dr. Grigory interrupted us.”

“Oh.” That familiar, fearful pulse picks up in my temples. “Do you know why?”

“He just said that he needed to talk to Uri urgently. And in private.”

Elle and I exchange a glance. “What do you think that’s about?” she asks nervously.

I shrug. “It’s probably something unrelated. I mean, if it was about the babies, I’d be a part of the conversation, too, right?”

This time, it’s Polly and Elle who exchange a glance. I shudder inwardly. Is this about Dr. Grigory trying to convince Uri to convince me to deliver the babies immediately? Because if it is, I’m willing to go to battle once again to defend what I know is the right choice.

Polly clears her throat and sits down on the chair next to my bed. “You look nice.”

“Thanks,” I say with a tight smile. “How does the chapel look?”

“Oh, you’re gonna love it. It looks so—”

BOOM!

I put my hands on my belly protectively as the door bangs open and Uri appears. All three of us turn to him with wide eyes.

“Dammit, Uri!” Polly snaps. “What the hell?”

He doesn’t bother replying. His eyes are trained on me and the darkness in them is chilling.Something has gone very wrong.He’s looking at me the way he used to look at me. He’s looking at me as though I’m a stranger. A devil. A thief dangling on his fence.

He snaps his fingers at Polly and Elle. “Get out,” he snarls. “Now. I need to speak to Alyssa.”

Elle turns to me, trepidation written all over her face. “Alyssa—”

“Go, Elle,” I say firmly. “It’s fine.”

She hesitates for a moment but Polly grabs her hand and tows her out of the room. Uri is pacing in front of my bed but the moment we’re alone, he stops. He glances up at me like it hurts him to even look in my direction.

“Uri, you’re scaring me,” I say with a hitch in my voice. “What’s going on?”

“How about you tellme?” he hisses.

“How can I tell you anything when I have no idea what the hell is happening? Polly said Dr. Grigory pulled you away to tell you something? What did he tell you?”

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