CHAPTER 2

AMARA POV.

I snapped back into the present right when the official was starting to address me. Gratefully, there weren't any vows to be exchanged to which I was thankful because that was not going to happen in this ceremony or on any other gatherings in the future. All that this was, was a simple ‘I DO’, sign papers and hopefully leave as soon as possible, but I also knew it wasn’t going to be that easy since they invited most of their family and acquaintances to be here and I was already told that it was an excellent opportunity to meet them all.

"Do you, Amara Wood, take this man, Ace Milton to be your husband? To respect and be faithful until the day you die?"

The room hall was so silent you would have been able to hear a pin drop from the very back and I cursed internally to why everyone was so damned quiet? I stared into Ace’s cold light blue eyes. I hadn't even noticed that we were facing each other, until I felt the strangest sensation against my skin as I also realised that Ace had taken hold of my hands. It was the same sensation as when he cornered me with the proposal with on that fateful day. I winched slightly in pain as he squeezed them hard in his large hands before he practically growled out my name between his teeth.

Amara closed her eyes and nodded.

"I do. I accept," she said loud and clear, voice cracking a little.

"Then by the power of the Goddess from above, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!" The man said jovially. The happiness in his voice was so genuine that I wondered if he was some sort of associate of family friend or something. Goddess above? That was a weird thing to say, I thought to myself. I swallowed nervously when Ace looked at me with an arrogant smirk and he pulled me forward and pressed his lips to mine. I tried to clamp my lips shut tightly but once again a wonderful tickling sensation on my lips had them relax against his and to my shock, I found myself kissing him back before I could stop myself. Just as I wanted to pull away, Ace ended the kiss, and he was barely straightened to his full height when the crowd erupted into applause from our guests. The few people that came here for me today didn’t clap so enthusiastically except for my brother who didn’t even move at all except blink his eyes every now and again whilst glaring daggers at my new husband.

Ace didn’t let go of my hand, no matter how much I tried to wiggle my fingers out from within his. He led me towards a small table that was big enough for two and indicated for me to sit down to which I had no choice what to do. He finally let go of my hand when he took the seat next to me and he draped an arm around my shoulders possessively. When I looked up at him. He smiled at me smugly and leaned in closer to my ear. “Now that wasn’t so bad, now, was it?” He said and I had to fight the urge to not slap him in front of all these people. Luckily, we got interrupted by the official where his indicated for us to sign.

With a trembling hand I proceeded to sign our contract of marriage and as soon as I lifted my hand up from signing that piece of paper, another tear rolled over my cheek, but Ace covered it up quickly when he suddenly took my face in his big hands and held it for another kiss, effectively wiping away the tear that escaped my eye. Our lips lingered on each other and for a moment I wanted to imagine that it was Jared that I was kissing but I couldn’t. This was only my third kiss with Ace, but I was already aware of the vast difference between the two men’s kisses.

The guests applauded our kiss and there were even some wolf whistles amongst the crowd. Again, Ace ended the kiss and stood up, taking my hand and pulling me up from the table.  We were bombarded with people who eagerly congratulated them on our nuptials and there was even this one old little lady that had taken my hand and said, “Congratulations Luna.” I was too overwhelmed with people to care what I was called but I couldn’t help noticing that some of the people also called Ace, Alpha. I thought this was a strange thing for people to call someone, but then again, this was Ace. He was very full of himself and probably gave himself that nick name.

I turned around when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I expected to see another one of Ace’s guests but instead it was Peter, my colleague from work. I smile widely for the first time today and I embraced him in a tight hug that had him groaning in my ears. “Hay, hay, watch the suit, will you?” Peter said Jokingly and I uttered a laugh and I felt slightly better.

Bless him, from just a quick glance around the crowded room, I quickly surmised that he was the only one who had stayed behind after the ceremony. He didn’t once question me about why I had broken up with Jared and had turned around to marry another. He actually looked pleased about it, and I was so mad at him that I refused to talk to him for almost a week. I guess it was obvious that that didn’t last long and right now he looked happy to see me married to Ace like he thought it was the perfect match on this earth.

“Well, well, if it isn’t little Pete. I thought you would be off in a corner by now, sucking on a dick.” Came Ace’s voice from behind me in a mocking tone as he slid an arm around my waist and pulled my back against his tuxedoed muscled body. I was about to turn and chastise him when Peter surprised me by snapping back with a sly smile. “Oh, don’t you worry about that, I’ll get around to do just that as soon as I congratulated my best friend on her wedding day.” He said and I burst out in surprised fit of giggles. When I looked at up at Ace, he had a brief moment of shock on his face before a smirk appeared on his face. Peter nodded his farewell to us and quickly disappeared between the guests. “For some reason I don’t find him more tolerable than when I did in high school.” He said taking me by surprise. This was strange coming from Ace because he used to dislike all of us. His touch around my waist was warm as I felt him guide me to another group of people and I groaned internally. I must have made a sound because he uttered a snort that only I could hear before he whispered into my ear, making the hairs at the back of my head stand up and a shiver run down my spine. “Don’t worry, all this will be over soon then we can leave.”

The reception was just as extravagant as the wedding ceremony. Except for the fact that it was held outside. The guests sat at round tables, covered in silk, expensive China plates, crystal glassware. To my surprise, the cutlery was not silver, it was stainless steel. The flowers were of white roses, lilies, and dark orchids, the same as the bouquet that I carried down the aisle.

There were lit torches all around that shone a warm light as the sun was setting and I had to admit that it was quite beautiful. This was something that I would have wished for if I had planned an actual wedding that I wanted. Ace forced me into this, but at least he had put in some effort into arranging everything because I refused to.

We took our seats at the head table, and I sighed in relief. My feet ached from the shoes that I was forced to where and I felt tired from talking to strangers and from the stress of today. Now the only thing that worried me, was the wedding night. Would he insist on sleeping with me? Would he force me if I refused? My stomach was full of knots as I sat there and I was overly aware of Ace sitting very close to me with his arm draped over the back of my chair with his one leg leaning against mine.

I couldn’t eat my salad, or the main feast. The champagne tasted bitter in my mouth so trying to get drunk wasn’t so much more appealing to me. My face was starting to hurt from putting on a fake smile and the guests didn’t seem to notice. Except for Ace. He knew. I briefly wondered if he was enjoying my heartache and my sorrow.

I should have insisted on thinking about his proposal first. Maybe there could have been a way around it, but I was cornered, and I had to make a decision in regard to the ones that I loved.

"Come on." Ace said as he took my hand and pulled me to my feet. I pulled a face as my feet ached. "Where are we going?" I asked in surprised as I tried to think of where he was going to take me or what his plans with me was. My earlier thoughts of our wedding night were still fresh in my mind, and I swallowed nervously when he turned to look at me. He raised an eyebrow at me knowingly before bringing me in close and whispering close to my ear.

"We are getting our photo taken by a reporter photographer. After all, my family is a very influential part of this town, so I suggest that you get that mournful look off of your face and give the camera a genuine smile? You are a happily married woman now.” He said lowly as his one hand stroked the one side of my bare arm that set my heart beat up and I had to swallow down the shivers that ran through my body. What the hell was happening to me. How was he affecting me like this?

I cursed him internally before taking a deep breath, and I forced a more cheerful look onto my face. We stood at the edge of the forest, the sun just about setting behind us and I had to remind myself why I was doing this and for who.