Lily very infrequently showed up to Ever After Weddings in person anymore. When she made an appearance and announced a staff meeting one day, we all knew that something big was about to happen. We piled into the employee lounge and gathered around the table with Lily sitting at the head. A folder l
Terri laughed slightly. “That’s not making me any less nervous.” “I know, I know. Let’s just cut to the chase. Terri, I want to promote you to Head Wedding Planner.” Terri’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Me? You want me to take over as Head Wedding Planner?” I laughed. “Of course! Who els
I stood for a moment, aghast. Then I shook myself from my shock and ran after Andrew. I found him in the hallway and soon caught up to him. “Andrew!” I called after him. He did not slow down. “Dammit, Andrew, stop and talk to me.” He came to a halt, his shoulders stiff, but he kept his back to me.
The next day after work, I found myself at the door to Andrew’s study. I needed to find out what was making Andrew act so strangely and what it had to do with me. Jeffrey had only piqued my curiosity with his cryptic answers the night before, and now, I wasn’t going to leave until Andrew told me the
“Human terrorist attacks?” I managed to say. Andrew nodded. “I…but…how did the rumors get it so wrong?” “The best that I can figure, one of my political opponents started those rumors to try and affect my poll numbers when I first ran for Alpha King. It didn’t work, but my reputation has not exac
Andrew arranged for a press conference a few days later. Like before, we presented a united front by standing side-by-side in matching clothing. Unlike before, I was not the one seeking support through our interlocked arms. Andrew put up a great front for the crowd. He smiled, waved, and appeared c
Andrew took a deep breath and centered himself. I nonchalantly pressed myself closer to him, to remind him that I was right beside him and there to support him. His body remained tense, a predator ready to pounce, but I knew that he was in control of himself. “Those are all the questions that we ha
I did not sleep that night. I tossed and turned, thinking about my fight with Andrew. What he had said was unfair, but I understood that he was under a lot of pressure and probably didn’t mean any of it. By the morning, I was miserable. I hadn’t completely forgiven Andrew for what he had said, but
That night, long after the last of the guests had left for their rooms, Andrew and I returned to the presidential suite to find that the staff had decorated it in preparation for our stay. All the décor, right down to the bed sheets, had been switched out for matching red and gold pieces. The light
Andrew’s eyes met mine as I approached the altar. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. He looked so handsome in his classic black tuxedo that I could hardly wait for after the reception to be with him. As I took my place across from Andrew, I handed my bouquet to Lily. The priestess bega
One month later, I stood in a suite at a private beachside resort, admiring my wedding dress. It hugged my curves in all the right places while still gently brushing against the ground like a low-hanging cloud. Crystals glistened in the room’s fluorescent lights, and the train flowed behind me effor
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” I said, breathless. Andrew nodded his agreement. I pulled Andrew to his feet as he stuck the ring box back in his pocket. Then I dragged him back to the bedroom, leading him by the tie. Not that he needed to be dragged; he would have followed me anywhere by th
Andrew texted me and said his flight was delayed by a few errands he had to run, so I waited. And waited. I waited for an entire day, and even began to worry that Andrew had changed his mind. Then I heard a knock at my door. I leapt off the couch and rushed to answer it. Stopping just short of the
Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him. With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were the
Sensing the urgency in Noah’s voice, I leaned in closer. “What is it?” I asked, trying to suppress the anticipation in my voice. Noah’s grip on my hands tightened. “I’m going to study financial law in the human world.” I froze. My heart thumped hard against my ribs, so hard that I thought th
The nightmares did not stop. In fact, they got worse. By the end of that week, I was having at least one every night, and it was showing in behavior during the day. I could scarcely stay awake. At my new branch of Ever After Weddings, I had to sneak off into the breakroom whenever there were no cu
I dreamt of the Lunar Festival. Noah and I walked hand-in-hand through the stalls, enjoying the sparkling lights and the company of our new pack mates. Yet something was off. I could feel a chill in the air, a foreboding that I could not quite shake off. “We should get out of here,” I said, tryi