2

HILARY

I raced out of the house, the sound of my pounding heart drowning out the pained sobs that were wrenched out of my lips. It felt like a nightmare, no, this was worse than a nightmare, yet I still found myself hoping and praying someone would shake me out of it. The pain was unbearable, and it seemed to only grow the more I ran.

As I blindly stumbled down the streets, I missed a step and fell on the cobbled ground, scraping my knees. The jolt of pain I felt worked to remind me of just how real everything was. I still couldn't believe it. How could they do this to me? My mate and my stepsister. I hadn't even scratched the surface of the pain from the betrayal when I got slapped in the face with the announcement that I was being sold off ….and tomorrow. How could my father agree to this?

I was thankful for the dark cloak of the warm night that shielded my face from onlookers. I was certain I looked just as pathetic as I felt, and no one had to see that. I'd been running for a while now, and my pace had slowly reduced to walking. I was hurting all over, but I couldn't stop or go back now. I needed to get away, to forget, even if just for tonight. The neon lights hanging off the side of a nearby bar flashed at me like a siren's call, and I walked towards it, knowing that 'they' wouldn't care what happened to me anyway.

On second thought, I was sure they now did. Seeing as I had become the solution to most of their problems. All they cared about was getting out of debt. Not caring if the person I was being sold to was some kind of brute, or a psychopath, or maybe a sleazy old bastard with a thing for younger women.

At that last thought, I felt my heart take a dive as I leaned against a streetlight to hold myself up. As much as I hoped that my husband-to-be wouldn’t be any of those things, the circumstances surrounding this ‘marriage’ did not leave much of an option. I mean, what proper, high standing man would cut through such corners to get a bride instead of following through with the rightful courting and mating process. Was I just going to sit on my hands and let myself be violated by such a man? All those years of saving myself for the wedding night only to end up like this?

I'd officially entered the second stage of grief because now, all I could feel was a brewing anger. Screw them, screw my father, and screw my stepsister. In fact, screw the entire universe. I had nowhere to run to anyways and I was too scared to think of it anyway, but maybe all I needed was some liquid courage. I would need as much of that as I could get to do whatever it was that might get me out of this situation anyway.

As I made my way to the entrance, I startled at the huge body that suddenly blocked my path. The two men were built like brick walls, and one of them finally uncrossed his arms, his tone gruff as he spoke.

"Sorry, Miss. Private event tonight,"

That was when I realized that this, indeed, looked like a high-end bar. But if that hadn't stopped me before, why should it stop me now. Was the universe really so hell-bent on making me feel every passing second of the pain? I wasn't even allowed a drink?

“Oh come on!” I argued. "I'm sure you already have a VIP section or something for that, I'm just going to get one drink! You wouldn't even notice I'm here, and I'll be gone before you know it. If it's because of how I'm dressed, I can assure you, I'm old enough to drink, infact….” I trailed off as I patted myself down in search of my ID, cursing silently at the realization that it'd left it back at home.

“Ma'am. You should leave whilst you're being told quietly. And you're blocking the entrance.” The second man offered in a deadpan voice, and I felt embarrassed wash over me. Was anything going to go my way at least for once in my lifetime?

"She’s with me," a voice suddenly called from behind me. I turned to see an unfamiliar man walking up to me. He looked important and confident in his white-stripped suit. Definitely a VIP, or even with an additional V. As my eyes roamed over his figure, falling on his wristwatch and shoes, I couldn't help but feel like he walked out of that one movie about the crazy rich Asians. Except, he definitely didn't look Asian.

Before I could say a thing in return, his icy fingers wrapped around my waist, and all he had to do was raise a questioning brow before the once scary looking bouncers scrambled to let us in.

This must be the universe playing some kind of trick again, right? Because why else would an obviously wealthy man lie like that, unless of course….. he wanted something in return. At that thought, I immediately jumped away from him like he was hot coal, a scowl on my face.

Okay, he was good-looking, but that didn’t mean I wanted to jump into bed with him.

"Excuse me, but do I know you?" I asked, feeling a mix of irritation and curiosity.

He looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite place before replying in an almost bored tone.

"You looked like you could use the help.”

"Well, thank you” I said pointedly, “but I didn't need any help. I was perfectly capable of handling myself out there. You think I wanted you to help me just so you could sleep with me?!" I exclaimed, feeling a surge of anger.

Biting my tongue at my sudden outburst, I sighed heavily, backtracking at the realization that I'd overreacted. "I'm so sorry. You… you didn’t deserve that, I apologize, " I said, staring down at my feet in embarrassment.

He seemed unfazed by my outburst and gestured for me to follow him as he resumed walking. "It's okay, darling. You don't need to apologize," he reassured.

"I am going to make it up to you. Would you like a drink or something?" I offered, waving to the waiter.

He turned to smile warmly at me, and I suddenly felt all fluttery inside.

Get a hold of yourself, Hilary. You literally just got your heart broken!

"I'll have a drink then, thank you," he finally said curtly.

As we found seats, I ordered drinks for both of us. The waiter returned with an array of drinks, and I'd thought it to be his manners as he just stared between the glasses and me, so I took the first shot. The first turned into a second and then a third, but he remained unmoving, simply watching as I downed glass after glass. The alcohol kicked in pretty fast, working to numb the ache in my heart.

"I just caught my mate with my stepsister," I slurred, the words tumbling out. “And now they're engaged. Can you believe that?" I found myself opening up to him easily.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure you deserve better," he responded sympathetically.

"I know, right?” I replied sharply, “I deserve better than an egotistical, cheating bastard who obviously manipulated me with the idea of love." I replied, the bitterness in my tone fading.

"Do you still love him?" he asked, his eyes locking with mine.

"I don't….. not anymore," I insisted, but it sounded weak, even to me.

"It seems like you do," he observed, reaching for the remnants of my drink. I watched as he brought the glass to his lips. My gaze never wavered as his lips closed over the exact spot where I'd just had mine, his eyes heavy of mine. I felt a seed of desire sprout in my lower belly.

I quickly turned away, distracting myself from the heat in my stomach by blabbering away, pouring out every detail of my life, from the disappointments to the betrayals that brought me to this point. I even mentioned the impending marriage.

“So you don't want to marry this person?" he questioned, his expression sincere.

I stared at him as if he had grown two heads. Well, it certainly felt like it in my intoxicated state. "Would you marry someone you didn't know? Of course, I don't want to marry a stranger. I've always imagined marrying my mate or someone I love. Now that feels like a distant dream."

"But you don't know if he'll turn out to be the man of your dreams," he countered gently.

"Or nightmare," I intercepted bitterly. “You seem awfully optimistic, and you helped me out back there too. It'd be nice if I were marrying someone like you instead.”

"You can," he stated matter-of-factly.

I burst into laughter at his words, momentarily forgetting my troubles. “It's been a while since I had a good laugh…. Thank you.”

But his demeanour remained serious, and my laughter faded. "You're not kidding."

"I'm not," he confirmed with a nod of his head, his hands coming to lay atop mine, sending sparks through my body.

"Think about it. Marry me, and you wouldn't have to marry that stranger tomorrow."

"Really?" I questioned, surprised by the possibility.

‘Wait a minute, are we seriously considering this?’ My wolf interjected.

‘Yeah, what's wrong? We're both feeling the same things, and let's be honest, he's attractive.’

‘True, but he could also be a psychotic murderer obsessed with us, stalking our every move. Don't you think his entrance felt a little too calculated?!’

'Okay… Let's not let our imagination run wild. We've been reading too many books.’

‘Admittedly, this situation is suspicious!’. She stubbornly pointed out.

‘And exciting. Don't be such a killjoy.’ I rolled my eyes, and my wolf fell silent, signalling her resignation.

I ended up nodding in agreement. Answering with a small ‘Yes’, when he demanded a verbal answer. Perhaps it was the alcohol or the thrill of doing something so daring, but there was no backing out now.

He excused himself to make some calls, and soon, we were leaving the bar together. I climbed into his car, feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty as he drove us to a clearing in an unfamiliar location. This seemed crazy. Maybe I was.

"Yes, you are, Hilary," my wolf supplied.

I mentally rolled my eyes at her commentary as I searched my thoughts for any trace of doubt or fear, but for some reason, all I could feel was the excited thumping of my heart. For some reason, I was convinced I wasn't being taken away to get slaughtered.

A priest, who appeared less than enthusiastic about his role, arrived at the clearing.

"Are you the couple?" he asked, eyeing us sceptically.

"I don't see anyone else here waiting to get married, do you?" I retorted the words sharper than I'd intended.

"No, I don't," he replied in a deadpan tone. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was convinced we were out of our minds, but he wasn't very far from the truth.

In less than two minutes, I was married to a stranger I met at a bar on the day my whole world crashed around me. It felt surreal yet strangely exhilarating to make such a bold decision for myself.

There were no formalities like having to kiss the bride in this impromptu ceremony, and I found myself oddly bummed out at that. As if reading my mind, he suddenly pulled me against himself and kissed me passionately, igniting a fiery sensation in my belly.

What I felt at the press of his lips against mine was nothing short of electric. Like I'd been engulfed in molten fire, yet untouched by the flames.

His kisses were unlike anything I'd experienced before. His lips weren't gentle against mine; they were demanding and possessive. He bit my lip, sending shivers down my spine. I was lost in the moment, oblivious to anything but the man before me.

I had no idea when the priest departed, I didn't care. We were now in our own little bubble, and all that mattered was the man whose touch had my body burning with desire.

He tore at my shirt, his lips trailing down my skin until he reached the button that held my jeans against my hips. With practised ease, he undressed me, and I wasted no time returning the favour, my fingers eagerly roaming around his impressive body.

He groaned when I brushed against his hardness, and soon we were both consumed by passion, lost in each other's embrace. I straddled him, feeling exposed yet exhilarated by the intensity of his gaze.

I wondered why a stranger was making me feel this way, but it was only just for tonight, so I would do what my body wanted me to. Feeling his hardness pressed beneath me, I suddenly grew self-conscious, my lack of experience making me nervous.

"Just so you know," I started, biting down on my lip, "this is my first time."

"I know, darling," he groaned, leaving a kiss on my lips. "You drive me crazy when you bite your lip like that. As much as I would have wanted to slowly mark every inch of your body, I can't wait to be inside you."

He guided himself inside me, moving gently as I assessed my face for any hint of pain. His fingers dug into the flesh of my waist, rocking my body back and forth against him. He wrapped his arms around me so our bodies were pressed together before he began on a more brutal pace. Our moans filled the night; our cries of ecstacy signalling the points where we tipped over the edge together.

I woke up to a soft light filtering through the trees above me, a light breeze hitting my face, making me sigh in content.

Wait a minute, Trees?!

With my head pounding with the remnants of last night's excesses, I blinked groggily as I tried to piece together the events of the previous evening.

And then it all came rushing back to me. The betrayal, the club, the stranger who had become my husband in a whirlwind of alcohol-fueled spontaneity.

Turning my head, I found him laying next to me, his chestnut brown hair falling over his eyes. Despite the haze of alcohol still clouding my mind, I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, with his tousled hair and stubbled jaw.

As I watched him, a mixture of emotions swirled within me. Confusion, scepticism, but also a strange sense of comfort. Despite the absurdity of our situation, being with him felt oddly right.

But then, reality crashed over me like a tidal wave. What had I done? I barely knew this man, and I had married him on a whim, fueled by anger and alcohol. What would my family think? What if I'd gotten pregnant? Shit!

‘I needed to get out of here’, I thought as I slipped out of his embrace, careful not to wake him up. I found the pieces of my shirt strewn on the grass, already a lost cause, so I grabbed his shirt instead. I dressed up and tiptoed away as quietly as possible. Thankfully, my phone wasn't dead, so I found my way out of the forest with the map.

I wanted to get back home before someone realized that I hadn't come back last night. Who was I kidding? They probably were still asleep and wouldn't even care. I took a taxi home and was grateful that the door was left unlocked, so I opened it gently, sneaking inside and closing it without a sound. I was relieved to find nobody in the living room. My shoulders slumped in relief, and just as I was about to climb the stairs, I heard Sara's voice.

"Welcome home, bitch."

Damn you, Universe.