Chapter 2

Adrian had a Beta wheel him out onto the terrace. Once everyone else had left, he slid a glass of water toward me. "Are you afraid of Ethan?"

My grip tightened around the glass. "Why do you ask?"

"Just now, while you were talking, you deliberately avoided making eye contact with him."

I lowered my head. It took me a long time to answer. "I just don't want to marry him."

He didn't press for reasons. "Then let's talk about us first."

He told me he'd been ambushed at the border and got shot in the legs with silver bullets. The healers at the Royal Healing Center were handling his treatment now, and for the next few months, most of his time would go to recovery.

"I won't be able to go out with you often. And you don't need to stay cooped up in a room keeping me company."

I turned to him. "What if I want to keep working at the flower shop?"

"That's your work. Why are you asking me?"

In my previous life, I'd had a little flower shop of my own, too. Ethan used to help me carry the buckets of flowers and wait outside the shop until I got off work.

Later, worried that I was wearing myself out, he arranged for someone else to take over. And once I got pregnant, he no longer wanted me going to the shop.

Whenever I brought it up, he told me to wait until the pup was born. After the pup was born, he said we had to wait until his brother's wife was better.

I set down my glass. "Also, I don't want a pup in the near future."

Adrian didn't look disappointed or ask if I was reluctant because of his condition. "That's fine."

He answered so quickly that I was caught off guard.

"But what if I never want one?"

"Then we can talk about it when the time comes. For now at least, you don't have to promise anything for your future self."

Feeling myself tear up, I turned my head to look at the trees beyond the terrace. He slid a tissue toward me without touching me. "Anything else?"

"If things don't work out between us, I want us to part on good terms."

"Of course. You don't take a mate just to spend a lifetime putting up with them."

After I left the terrace, I was stopped by Ethan on the porch. "Irene, I always thought you'd be the one standing by my side in the end."

I stopped in my tracks.

"The marriage arrangements have changed, Ethan. Don't say things like that to me anymore."

From inside came the click of high heels on the floor. Chloe stood there, holding the jacket he'd left behind.

She handed it to him and looped her arm through his, smiling as she asked what he wanted for dinner. But when she looked at me, there wasn't even the slightest hint of a smile in her eyes.

When we left that afternoon, I walked out to the car with Adrian. Mom hurried after us and pulled me aside.

"Don't take anything he said just now seriously. He was only being polite. Once you're married, you can't go on thinking only of yourself."

She glanced toward the car, then lowered her voice.

"Ethan may be an Alpha too, but his pack isn't as strong as Adrian's, and he doesn't live half as well. Your sister grew up used to the finer things in life. I'm worried she won't be able to adjust, so you'll need to help her out whenever you can."

When I didn't nod, Mom became impatient. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

A Beta came around from the car and politely asked if I was ready. I said goodbye to Mom before getting into the car.

She was still giving instructions through the window, but for the first time, I didn't roll it down to hear her out.

Our wedding was still set for a month later. Chloe had specifically requested that both ceremonies be held at the same hotel, with one scheduled right after the other.

"It'll save our parents the trouble of running around, and it'll be more convenient for the guests as well."

She seemed so thoughtful, yet when it came time to try on wedding dresses, she made a point of drawing the curtain open so I could watch.

Ethan half-knelt before her, checking whether the hem would catch on her heels.

In that moment, it did hurt. The memories of having once been genuinely loved wouldn't simply disappear just because I knew how things would end.

When Chloe caught my gaze, she smiled and rested a hand on his shoulder. I looked away and asked the staff to bring me a pair of flats. A few minutes later, my phone lit up.

Adrian had texted to ask if I was done trying on dresses. He'd just wrapped up a meeting and had immediately come to pick me up. He told me he had water prepared for me in the car, and he wanted us to head home together.

I replied, "I'm done. I'll be out in a minute."

He simply replied, "Take your time. No rush."

Perhaps he wasn't as cold and distant as he seemed on the surface.

I looked at my flat shoes in the mirror. They fit perfectly and were comfortable. This time, I wouldn't have to wear shoes that hurt my feet and wait around for someone else to kneel down and tend to my wounds.