Chapter 10

Blossom POV

A hush fell over the court. It was obvious that everyone, from the elders to Dean himself, was shocked at my bold words.

I myself would admit I was a little surprised myself. I was dealing with my inner conflicts. Somehow, I had found the courage to speak up and offer what I felt was the only logical solution. Once I had completely formulated it in my mind, I was surprised at how obvious my solution was. Yet, I alone had come up with it. It wasn't my uncle or anyone else telling me what to think or say.

I had drawn upon the anger and impatience I was feeling over having my life constantly manipulated by my uncle. I channeled that negative energy into the confidence required to make the statements I did—to lay out a choice for the powerful alpha werewolf.

Had I just offered a sort of ultimatum to the alpha? This she-werewolf was bold. Somehow I both surprised and pleased him at the same time. Never before had he seen a she-werewolf act in such a manner, but he was thoroughly enjoying it, though he maintained his solemn expression.

Dean marveled at my boldness and my intellect. He had never seen anything like it from a she-werewolf. He waited for the court to grow completely still. A few of the elders were still talking among themselves. They seemed to not entirely realize what was going on. Dean glared at them, shutting them up immediately, before moving on.

"All right, I will do it," he said, after a period of silence. "I will marry you." If he were going to have a partner imposed upon him, he decided, it may as well be me rather than whomever his father would come up with next. His father did not seem to act so much in the best interest of his son but in the best interest of whatever special agenda he was championing.

Dean paused in thought. I seemed to be a suitable and cooperative mate, though admittedly this was the first time we had laid eyes on each other. Although he was not about to show it, he felt attracted to me, despite his display of indifference throughout the process.

He couldn't help but notice my confidence. But as he stood looking at me, he knew there was more to me. Yes, I was bold, but I was so much more. It was this combination of traits that were somehow stirring him deep inside, a feeling he had not had in a very long time. I was quite possibly different from any other woman he had known before, and I appeared to be different in ways that were captivating to him, despite himself.

Yes, I had amazing physical looks, and he found himself immediately attracted to me. That perfectly symmetrical face, my lips slightly parted in a pout he found endearing. And then there was my hair, so thick and lustrous. It cascaded all around me. He could get lost in that hair, he mused. It truly stirred his inner wolf. But I was also strong-willed and independent, he realized, and pure of heart. He could see himself living his life with me at his side. He had not dreamed he would find such a suitable mate. Yet, there I was.

He knew his father would not be pleased with his decision. He was pretty sure he felt Aries' eyes drilling through his back at this very instant. It would be yet another way that Dean had defied him, or so it would seem to Aries who would probably carry around a heavy grudge for the rest of his days.

It was Aries who had come to him, saying he had a carefully devised plan to replace the fallen Eliza. It was a solid plan, one that would ensure a suitable mate, he added. Given the epic failure of his part in today's fiasco, perhaps this is the beginning of the end of Aries' control over his son's life.

Dean feared his father would resent me. He knew he could count on it. He vowed to himself that he would do anything and everything within his power to protect me. Not just from Aries, but from the rest of the world. He would not allow a repeat of the tragedy that had befallen his lovely Eliza.

Despite my weariness, I felt happiness well up inside as Dean's private villa came within view. I loved the idea of living out in the countryside, amid natural beauty. I found the relative quietness comforting, especially after such an emotional time. I strained to listen but could not detect any noise coming from the city. All I could hear was the sound of tall grasses and leaves on the trees gently swaying with the breeze.

My uncle certainly had a luxurious castle to call home, but I was in awe at the splendor that now lay before me. I couldn't wait to explore it more fully. I had only dreamed of such a sprawling estate.

It reminded me of when Diana and I were little. We used to spend hours drawing pictures of our future dream homes in intricate detail. We had taped them up on our bedroom wall, but soon after, our uncle instructed the maid to remove them and throw them in the trash.

And unlike my uncle's home that always seemed cold and forbidding, Dean's villa had an air of warmth about it that seemed inviting. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Was it the flowers? The beautiful stonework? I could already catch a glimpse of the interior as Dean's men entered first to take in my belongings, leaving the door ajar. The décor was surprisingly tasteful and timeless, yet trendy enough to catch my eye. Beautiful, I thought to myself, absolutely beautiful.

I was surprised at the stark contrast between Dean's almost grim solemness and the warm, inviting tone of the villa. Perhaps, I pondered, the villa was exhibiting Dean's late wife's taste in décor. I knew that should make me feel at least a little badly, a reminder of Dean's former mate. But I couldn't. I wondered if we would have been friends under other circumstances. I somehow felt comfort.

I had, after all, promised Dean it was fine with me if he wanted to keep his late wife's memory alive. I may as well feel goodwill toward her. Eliza—that was what Dean had said her name was.

As we fully enter the villa, my happiness immediately fades. There is a woman already there, as though waiting for Dean's return. Who was she? I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach and my cheeks grew hot.

The woman was dressed somewhat scantily, especially for daytime. I refused to look directly at her but saw enough to know this was not Dean's sister. She had a long flowing gown of very sheer fabric, while underneath she wore some sort of teddy. "Love," was the first word that came to my mind, despite realizing I sounded like an old lady.

"Well, who is this little flower?" the woman suddenly said, a wicked glint in her eyes. "Wait, let me guess! You're the little substitute for the—eh, substitute! How surprisingly lovely!" I could not dismiss the sarcasm in the woman's voice nor the smirk on her lips.