✿ Zoltan's POV

“Going somewhere, Alpha Zoltan?”

I paused.

“Anton” I let out, hiding my surprise. “I see you've recovered from last week's incident. What are you doing here?”

He smiled at me as I stepped back out of the car.

“Just coming to let you know that I wouldn't miss your big day tomorrow for anything in the world.”

I nodded briefly.

“I even informed a few Alphas offshore and they'll be coming to witness your beautiful union.”

He what?!

“Oh, you did huh?”

“Of course. It was an honor to be the one to let them know you were marrying Eamonn Barlowe's granddaughter, Zoltan.”

He just invited more people to the marriage I wanted to call off.

“I'm sure” I let out with a tight-lipped smile, still holding onto my car's open door.

“Are you going somewhere, Alpha?”

“Well, I—”

“Zoltan?” Warren's voice reached my ears. “Where are you going?”

Oh great!

“I was just asking him that” Anton chuckled.

Warren gave me a look.

Fuck!

I slammed my car door shut and locked it.

“Nowhere. I just got back and was double-checking the lock” I lied with a straight convincing face.

Warren chuckled.

“You know no one's going to be dumb enough to steal your car, right?” he asked.

I just hummed and he dropped it. Thunder rolled through the sky again and I gestured to them to go in.

“For a second there, Alpha Zoltan, I was thinking you were planning on running” Anton chuckled.

I stepped back behind the bar and plucked a bottle from the top shelf as Warren lined up three glasses on the counter.

“Why would he run?” Warren scoffed.

Anton shrugged.

“Cold feet, maybe.”

I scoffed.

“I was just checking the locks, Anton” I simply said and uncorked the wine.

“I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to run though, Alpha.”

I filled our glasses and set the wine bottle aside.

“Why do you say that?” Warren asked.

For once, I appreciated his nosiness.

He asked all my questions for me.

“Well, he's a real brave man to want to go through with this marriage. I mean look at me. I dated her when she was in high school. We were going to get married but... I wasn't ready to babysit her and her feelings.”

My eyes snapped up to his face.

Did he know about her sickness?

“And you realized that on the day you were supposed to marry her?” Warren questioned.

“Mm,” Anton hummed. “I just couldn't do it. I mean we get it. Your family became causalities in the Kane massacre. Too bad. No one's fault. But it had been years and she still didn't want to let go. So what if she wasn't raised by her parents? She's not the only one to grow up without parents.”

I flexed my jaw. Anton had struck a nerve. I didn't grow up without my parents and the idiot didn't even know that. Warren avoided looking at me. That was a sensitive topic for me. But Anton, he kept rambling on and on about it.

“Oh, but I must say, Alpha Zoltan. You're truly lucky” he chuckled, reaching out for the wine bottle.

I grabbed it before he could and gave him the tiniest of smiles.

“Why do you say that, Alpha Anton?” I asked, pouring him the wine.

He smiled.

“You didn't end up with the washed-up, chubby ugly duckling version of her.”

“Hm,” I hummed, my fist balling.

Warren stepped closer to me. The idiot, Anton, was the only one in the room who couldn't tell that he had overstepped his boundaries big time.

“How about a toast then?” I offered, lifting my wine which I hadn't touched all this while.

“Of course, Alpha Zoltan. Here's to your incoming married life” he grinned.

“Cheers,” I said and clinked my glass with his.

Warren just clinked his glass to the wine bottle and took a small sip, watching me closely, and probably wondering how I hadn't gone off on this fool.

“Get a background check done on him Warren” I instructed through the mind-link.

Warren's lips quirked into the tiniest of smirks.

“Gladly.”

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

I waited minutes after the lights in her room went off before slowly slipping inside through the windows they'd carelessly left unlocked. I tugged at the collar of my shirt.

Why is it so hot in here?

A glance at the thermostat and the readings gave off the temperature. Why was I here? I wasn't sure. Did I want to leave? I didn't think so. I slowly stepped closer to her sleeping figure.

Ulyana was tall. But right now, as she'd balled herself into a fetal position, with her wet lashes and her now rosy lips, she looked like a little child.

Her brown hair was a mess. Thank goodness we weren't friends or family, I would've woken her up to give her a lecture about caring for her hair.

I have a problem, I know.

Her breathing was calm. Her body looked tired. I felt sorry for the pillow she was clutching tightly onto as if her life depended on it. Looking at her as she slept, it was hard to imagine she rode a motorcycle and had quite a sharp tongue.

“Nothing but hell huh?” I chuckled softly, moving my body so my shadow left her face. “You know, you're just like me... broken” I muttered, slowly pacing around her room. “But I did a better job pushing my demons down... you, however...” I glanced at her, “... you have a long way to go, Ulyana Barlowe.”

I knew she couldn't hear me. And even if she did, she'd forget everything by morning. I'd been in her shoes more times than anyone could imagine... when I too was abandoned and rejected. I knew all too well how she felt. I just dealt with mine differently... anger. She? She had too much heart... and drank too much beer apparently.

I chuckled softly again. A framed photo caught my eye.

Ulyana?

I shook my head. It was her mother.

Her mother.

I lowered my eyes a little.

“I know this is wrong” I muttered. “I admit that I went about this the wrong way. But that's just how I do things. I can't change the way I am. I can't help it.”

The creaking of the bed and a small whimper caused me to look over my shoulder at her. She'd pressed her face into the pillow. I shook my head and turned back to the portrait.

“I don't want to cause your daughter any harm. But I'm not going to subject her to a longer term of torture if I walk out of this now. I might be cruel but not when she's suffered this much.”

Ulyana whimpered again.

“And so I will marry her” I muttered. “And try my best to protect her from herself and others who may harm her... fix her if I can” I glanced at her again.

She's going to suffocate herself.

I groaned and moved towards her bed. I tried to tug the pillow away from her but her grip was incredibly strong.

Oh, Zoltan.

I took off my jacket and attempted to swap with the pillow, not thinking about how I'd get my jacket back when she muttered absolutely nonsense and rolled over. I found myself chuckling but I stopped. It would wake her up and she would get mad and wake the entire house.

I stood up from the side of the bed and propped the pillow upright, against the headboard.

She was just like me.

Turning back to the portrait I nodded at her mother.

“She'll be fine. She won't even remember, right?”

The wind picked up outside. I exhaled and moved back to the window, ready to sneak back out when her opened closet door caught my attention. I narrowed my eyes and glanced at Ulyana once before moving towards it. There in the closet, in a white garment cover, hung the wedding dress I'd 'unluckied'.

Fix her if I can...

“Getting rid of the superstitious bad luck would be a start” I muttered and unhooked the garment cover containing the gown.

Her whimper reached my ears again and I turned around. She was starting to toss and turn. I tossed the dress down on a beanbag nearby and slowly moved to her. I reached out to touch her but withdrew my hand when my finger poked at her arm. She was covered in sweat.

Oh, Zoltan.

“I'm going to regret this” I muttered angrily and reached out to hold her steady for a few seconds.

She'd scrunched up her face and her mouth had coiled into a pout. Even in her trance, she hated being touched. I wasn't enjoying it either so I hurried with what I could do to help and got away from her. I adjusted the thermostat, picked up the dress, and slipped back out through the window.

I'd parked my car further away from the house. I tossed the garment cover in the back seat and climbed behind the steering wheel. I pulled out my phone and made a quick call.

“Wake up. I don't pay you to not be unavailable when I need something” I growled lowly into the phone.

The voice on the other end became attentive.

“How fast can you get me a wedding dress?”

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

✿ Ulyana's POV

I stayed still, hoping the person would go away. I kept my breathing steady... counting from one to ten repeatedly.

“Ulyana?” it came again. “Ulyana, please wake up.”

I felt my face being shielded from the sunlight... probably the person's shadow.

“Ulyana.”

A breath fanned my face, meaning the person was leaning right into me. My eyes opened and big blue orbs were staring right into my face. The strand of ginger hair that fell across her face gave her away.

“Hi,” she whispered.

I smiled, freaked out a little.

“Hi,” I whispered back, my eyes tracing her freckles.

“You awake?”

“I am now.”

“Good. Are you okay?”

I narrowed my eyes a little.

“Yes I am. Are you okay?”

“Much better now thank you.”

I nodded.

“So then why are we whispering?” I asked.

She stood up and laughed.

“I have no idea” she spoke in a normal tone now.

She moved away from me and I groaned when the beam of sunlight hit my face.

“How is it so bright in here? And is the thermostat broken?” I groaned.

Geneva moved around the room, probably adjusting the things I complained about because my eyes could now adjust to the level of brightness in the room and I wasn't cold anymore.

“Get up. We have a lot to do” she dragged.

A lot? I had nothing on my calendar today.

Picking up my phone from my nightstand, I looked at the time.

“Ugh, why is it so early?”

I placed my phone on the surface and slowly began to sit up.

“It's 1:33 in the afternoon, Ulyana. And you're getting married today.”

Oh crap! That was still happening?

I let out a pained sigh and put a hand to my head which was now suddenly throbbing. My brows furrowed lightly and I traced my hand over my hair which was in a ponytail.

I don't remember wearing a ponytail to bed.

But before I could ask or think further, the door opens, revealing Chole who was wheeling in an entire table filled with food. I chuckled.

“What's this?”

“Just a little something to last you till the reception” she smiled.

“Lolo” I whispered, holding out my hands to her.

She let go of the table and moved over to hug me.

“I'm going to miss you so, so much, angel” she whispered.

My stomach knotted.

“I'll be coming back all the time, Lolo. I promise.”

She pulled away from me and smiled, sniffing a little.

“Okay. Now start eating. I'll go get you some tissues.”

I smiled sadly at her. Geneva stood there quietly. I sighed when Chole walked out before turning to her.

“Come eat something too, Geneva.”

She smiled and shook her head.

“No thanks, weddings activate my motion sickness. And I'm supposed to bring you in for your marriage preparations in...” she glanced at her phone, “... right now.”

I chuckled and reached out for a piece of sliced baguette.

“Bring me where?”

“Ours. You need to undergo "cleansing" before the wedding” she air-quoted.

I couldn't be cleansed here?

I sighed and bit into my bread. For some reason, I wasn't as upset as usual about the marriage. I mean I was upset... and very angry. But I'd come to know that there was no way out now so the sooner I got it over and done with, the better.

I finished my breakfast, took a shower, and left with Geneva to her house. Bubba wasn't anywhere to be seen, and neither was Brett. Mara had taken the lead to Geneva's house already.

“Here we are” Geneva grinned as we stepped out of her car.

The house was majestic.

“You live here?”

“Born and raised” she grinned proudly. “Zoltan and I used to play hide and seek right through that garden when we were little” she pointed.

Hide and seek? Zoltan?!

“Don't tell him I told you though. He has a reputation” she whispered teasingly.

Yeah, as the devil.

Did the devil play hide and seek?

“This way” she announced and led me closer to the house. “Oh, and I don't mean to scare you Ulyana...” Geneva chuckled, stopping at the door, “... but through those doors, there's a mini parade awaiting you.”

I furrowed my brows.

“A mini parade?”

She gently touched my shoulder.

“Don't worry... it's all in preparation for the wedding.”

She turns to the guards standing at both sides of the grand oak doors and nodded at them to open the door. They bowed and the doors parted, revealing my so-called mini parade.

“What the—”

A hand reaches out to grab mine and I'm yanked inside the house.

“Hey!” I scolded. “Don't—”

But I didn't get to voice out my dislike when I began to feel drips on my body. I looked around and realized the parade consisted of only women... young beautiful women who had small bowls in their hands.

The woman closest to me dipped her hand in the bowl and sprinkled God knows what onto me.

What the...

Then the others... about all ten of them, five on each of my sides, dipped their hands into their bowls and it became an unfair liquid fight.

“Geneva...” I yelled out, uncomfortable and unable to see as the liquid was in my eyes. “What is this?!”

“It's just holy basil water” I heard her chuckle.

Holy what?!

I pulled my hands away from my eyes and frowned.

“Why?”

“Tradition. Just walk through the path they've created and you'll be fine.”

My eyes widened. They were abusing me with holy water in the name of tradition?

Oh God!

I groaned. By the time I'd successfully maneuvered down the path they'd created, my hair and clothes were half wet. The sprinkling stopped and the girls bowed before walking away.

Geneva smiled when she reached my side. This was absolutely ridiculous.

“Was that necessary?” I asked.

“As I said, it's tradition. Every woman being married... whether into or out of the Alpha's direct family must go through this” she explained. “Wet hair when I'm not in the shower or caught in the rain? No thank you.”

I huffed and glanced at my dripping clothes.

“Any more surprising traditions I need to know about?”

“Only about a dozen more.”

I arched my brows and she chuckled.

“Come on, let's get you to your room.”

She led me up a flight of stairs and into a room. I spotted a stack of towels neatly folded on one of the shelves nearby in the room she led me to. I reached out for one to dry myself when Geneva stopped me.

“It's supposed to dry on you, Ulyana. Sorry.”

My heart sank a little. Because of tradition, I was going to have to catch a stupid cold?

“Unbelievable” I muttered and dropped the towel.

Just as I was brooding over my current situation, footsteps reached my ears and I looked up at the same time Geneva did. The footsteps belonged to a group of elderly women, one I recognized as Geneva's mother.

“Oh Ulyana!” she cooed, coming up to me.

I stood up from the tip of the ottoman I was perched on for fear of making it wet with my clothes.

“I see the prosperity ritual was a success.”

“Yes, Mother. The girls did a fantastic job drowning her on land” Geneva replied.

Her mother gave her a little look before turning back to me.

“Ignore her, my dear.”

“Mm,” I hummed, giving her a tight-lipped smile.

“Let's get on with the other preparation, then shall we?” she grinned.

“Err, Gen?” I called out to her. “It doesn't involve any water does it?”

“Oh of course not my dear” Mrs. Wasserman replied instead.

I glanced over my shoulder at Geneva who had moved further away from my side. She gave me a reassuring smile.

“Deep breaths,” she said. “I'll be holding mine in.”

What?

With a clap from Mrs. Wasserman, the six women, including herself, formed a ring around me.

“Bring in the chosen herbs!” she called out.

I looked over her shoulder and a small-framed blonde-haired girl with a big smile plastered on her face carried in a tray.

You have got to be kidding me.

This is why she took the lead. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.

Oh, Mara.

The lighting of a match caused me to open my eyes. Were they going to burn me?

One woman stepped up to me, a bundle of white sage in her hands.

“For your protection” she called out loud, startling me a bit.

She lit the end of the sage bundle and allowed the smoke to fill the room while reciting a prayer. I awkwardly stood and waited for her to be done. Nu the time she was done, the smoke had clouded the room completely... making it impossible to see the next woman who stepped in front of me.

“For your healing.”

She was holding onto fresh springs of rosemary and again, it was burned as incense and circled me briefly while she also recited a prayer. The smoke cleared in a few and an amulet that smelled just like the rosemary was tied around my neck.

The others followed. Same pattern. Burn a herb, smoke me, recite a prayer, make me wear something mystical looking. Geneva's mother was the last person. She ended her prayer and slipped a cedar bead around my wrist. Then she smiled at me and hugged me.

“It is complete,” she said when she pulled away.

I nodded and gave her a small smile.

“Gen?”

“Mother?” she responded in the same tone.

“You know what to do,” she said quietly and moved out with the rest of the women.

As soon as the door closed, Geneva opened the windows and I felt the summer breeze blow over me.

“What did she mean by you know what to do?” Mara asked, moving up to my side to flash me a smile in between her question.

“Oh, she meant the next ritual” Geneva answered.

“Which is?” I asked.

She turned to me.

“The part we shave your head completely.”

My eyes popped.

“What?!” Mara and I exclaimed, stepping back from her.

She cracked up.

“I'm kidding” she smiled.

A knock sounded on the door.

“That's the next one,” she told us.

I nudged Mara to go open the door.

“That wasn't funny Geneva” I shook my head.

She just smiled. The door opened and three girls walked in with Mrs. Wasserman. The one in front was holding a mason jar filled with some purple stuff and the three of them bowed. I looked at Geneva.

“Go on,” she told me.

“What am I supposed to do?”.

The first one said something in a thickly accented voice I didn't catch.

“I'm sorry what?” Mara questioned.

“My name is Leeza. And we're here to bathe you, my lady” she said to me.

I folded my arms.

“Bathe me?”

“Yes, my lady,” another girl said.

“You must undress, my lady,” Leeza said, “We must give you a bath with lavender.”

Marioara chuckled.

“Undress?” I furrowed my brows.

These people were crazy.

“Oh it's okay, Ulyana,” Mrs. Wasserman assured. “I'm right here.”

She was making it look like I was a five-year-old being taken to a doctor's appointment. I wasn't going to get naked in front of all these people.

“I'm sorry but that's not happening” I shook my head.

“But my lady...” the Leeza girl began. “It's tradition...”

“I prefer to take my bath alone,” I said.

“Oh, child. You're so lovely,” Mrs. Wasserman praised. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, sweetie.”

Oh for the first time, I wasn't ashamed. I was creeped out.

“No, I don't...”

“Go on, take off your clothes” she smiled.

I scoffed and shook my head.

“No.”

She looked at me pointedly. She was about to say something when Geneva interrupted her.

“I'll give her the bath,” she said.

I gave her a look.

How was that helpful?

“Are you sure, Gen?” her mother asked.

“Yes, mother. I recall tradition also mentioning that if the bride-to-be was uncomfortable, the groom's sister could do it. But Zoltan has no sisters and I'm the closest he got so... I'll do it” she said, taking the jar away from the Leeza girl.

Oh, goddess!

“Bye now” she whispered to the girls who immediately turned away.

“Hurry Gen. And be thorough” her mother instructed.

Ew!

Mara gave me a thumbs up and hurried out the door, closing it gently behind her.

“Take off your clothes.”

I turned and Geneva was grinning at me like the Cheshire cat. I stumbled back.

“Gen...”

“Relax” she laughed and sidestepped me into the bathroom.

She clogged the drain, filled it with a mixture of both hot and cold water, and emptied the entire jar of lavender into it. She smiled gently at me.

“You'll be fine, I promise.”

I pinched myself.

“Come back in like ten minutes?” I said hopefully.

“Of course,” she said and left me alone in the room.

Was modesty, not a big deal around here?

I remove my clothes and the ornaments around my wrists and neck, setting them gently on the ledge of the tub.

I held my foot up to test the temperature of the water before slowly slipping into the tub. I felt my muscles lose up instantly.

“Ohh this is good” I muttered, leaning back.

I tugged at my mysterious ponytail, thoughts running through my mind. In less than twelve hours, I was going to be married to the devil.

A hellish union.

I sighed deeply and wiggled my fingers in the water, watching a ray of sunshine that had snuck in through the window, make the ring on my finger gleam.

“I'm doomed” I muttered again, held my breath, and pushed myself completely into the tub.

Thank you for reading!
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Ciao
~the_atticwriter