✿  Geneva's POV

I got down the stairs and headed straight for the dining room. The hunger was killing me. But I was barely hungry in the mornings. The only time would be if I had sex with Warren the previous night. But we didn't have sex last night.

“Miss?”

I blinked away from my thoughts at the maid.

“Are you ready to take your breakfast?”

“Yes, yes, please. Thank you” I answered in a hurry.

She nodded and bowed a little before walking away. I took a seat and sighed, rubbing my stomach, when my earring fell off.

“Ugh, I knew I should have gone with the red ones. Bad omen” I muttered and reached under the table to grab it.

My phone dinged and I got down on all fours under the table to be comfortable enough to check the notification.

“She got a boob job?!” I exclaimed, looking at a picture of an old classmate. “Eww does she not know any good plastic surgeons? That looks like two sad raindrops” I muttered.

“Oh my goodness, he did that?!” a voice gasped above me.

“I know. Everyone's still talking about” a second voice went. “I can't believe she made the Alpha go back on his word. No one's ever done that.”

“Except Miss Geneva” the first one scoffed.

My brows automatically furrowed.

“Well yes, but Miss Geneva just hints at it that she doesn't agree. She does challenge the Alpha. But this one? Oh my goodness you should have seen it. She might just give the Alpha a run for his money.”

I locked my phone.

“So this Ulyana lady just got here and there's so much drama already? Goodness, didn't the Alpha find any maiden in this pack attractive enough to marry?” the first voice asked.

“Well, he's chosen her so she's his second chance mate now.”

“Mm mm,” the first voice hummed in disagreement. “My money is on the fact that she's a witch.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“A witch? Really Jane?” her friend asked.

“Yes. How can someone make the Alpha... not any Alpha... but Alpha Zolt... rule out his own law? Pure witchcraft!”

I groaned and got up from underneath the table. The girls gasped and paled as I stood up.

“Is this what we pay you for?” I asked. “To stand around and gossip? Huh?”

“M-Miss G-Geneva” the Jane girl stammered.

“I didn't hear a yes, girls. And by right, I should fire you and have you banished from attempted treason.”

“No, no, no. Miss Geneva! Please!” Jane's friend pleaded, holding both her hands together as if saying a prayer.

Jane joined, a regretful look on her face. I narrowed my eyes at them.

“Okay. But this should be the first and last time you gather to talk shit about Ulyana. Is that clear?”

“Yes Miss!” they chorused.

“Good. Now go make me some scrambled eggs” I said.

They glanced at each other.

“Did I stutter?” I asked, getting their legs to move. “Scram!”

They scurried off and I wiped my knees and took a seat.

“So you defended the fiancée but you let them know it's okay to gossip about your cousin?” Billy asked as he came through the door.

I unlocked my phone and shrugged.

“Everyone gossips about Zoltan. It's the natural order” I said.

“Except you” Niall added,  joining in the conversation. “You're either kissing up to his ass at work or you're hinting to him about how unfair he can be.”

“And that's a bad thing?” I asked. “I was going to teach Ulyana Barlowe how to hint at Zoltan's negative traits but...” I chuckled, “... she's clearly a master in this line of work so of course I'm going to defend her. Anyone who can do that in public to an Alpha is worth gaining me as a follower.”

Billy shook his head.

“And you're the favorite cousin?” he asked with a scoff.

I rolled my eyes.

“Where's Mom?”

“Taking care of the invites with Warren” Zoltan boomed behind me.

We turned and he was walking through the archway into the dining room.

“Billy, I need you to alert every staff in this house and at the pack house that they're not getting any free days from today” he instructed. “Niall, you're on security. Make sure from now till I say otherwise, the guards are doubled at every corner of this pack. Geneva—”

“Woah there!” I chuckled. “Let's calm down, shall we please?”

He exhaled and gave me a look.

“I don't need two of you in my life, Gene. One's enough.”

You bet she is.

I shook my head.

“What's going on?”

“Do I have to remind you that the engagement party is in two days?”

Oh right, right!

“I didn't know you were this eager to celebrate your engagement, Zoltan” Billy chuckled.

“And you won't ever know because you can't even hold down a teenager for twelve hours” he shot back.

Niall and I cracked up.

“It's not funny” our brother frowned.

“Yes it is bro. Shake it off” Niall laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

“Gene, get a wedding planner because I don't have time for this. I have a meeting and...”

“Woah!” I stopped him.

He looked at me.

“A wedding planner? Me? Why?”

“Why not you?”

“Err for starters I'm—”

“Never going to find someone to put up with your negative aura so if I were you, sis, I'd enjoy doing this because it'll be the closest thing you'd have to planning your own wedding” Billy cut me off.

I glared at him as he smirked. Niall slapped him behind the head and Zoltan kept his eyes on me.

“Get a wedding planner and meet me at the office in five hours.”

“But I don't know any wedding planners!” I exclaimed.

“Find one” he ordered, turning around.

“Err shouldn't the bride be with you to meet the wedding planner?” Niall asked.

Zoltan stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder with a scowl. I smiled.

Who's in hot water now?

His eyes met mine.

“Gen—”

“Uh-uh Zoltan. No way” I stopped him. “It'll be a miracle to find a planner two days before an engagement party who will be willing to plan an entire wedding in a week. These two are busy as well so...” I smiled, “... you're going to have to have time to get her yourself.”

He rolled his eyes and then frowned.

“Five hours” he stated again.

I grinned, my hunger suddenly going away.

“Five hours.”

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

✿  Ulyana's POV

I rolled over and readjusted my duvet, blocking the chilling breeze that came through the open window. I traced my eyes along the designs on the ceilings, nibbling my lip. Someone knocked on my door. It was Sunday, I had nowhere to go so what did the person want?

“Chole?”

Her name echoed throughout my room as I called out. When I heard nothing, I called again.

“Chole? Is that you? I don't need anything okay? Thank you” I said.

There was no response again.

“Why isn't she saying anything?” I whispered to myself before letting out a heavy sigh.

I tiredly sat up and looked around my room.

“You can't get the door for me, can you chair?” I muttered to the rocking chair by the window.

I shook my head and reluctantly got up to go open the door. She met my eyes the second the door was open.

“Mara!” I let out. “A-Are you okay?”

She remained quiet and I bit my lip nervously.

“Do you want to come in and talk?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes in a not-so-subtle way, then directed her gaze to the ground.

“I'm mad at you and I don't want to see your beautiful face. But the fact that I'm standing outside of your bedroom door isn't giving me much to not compromise myself so... I wanna hear your side of the story.”

I gave her a little smile and stepped out of the doorway to gesture her in. She walked in and I closed the door.

“Do you want anything to drink or eat?” I asked.

She had her eyes fixed on the mini refrigerator in my room.

“Of course, there's one in here” she muttered.

Marioara turned and looked at me.

“Ugh! Even with normal hair and zero tattoos you still have that awful Sunday face” she shook her head.

I slipped my hands into my big shirt as my eyes roamed the purple streaks in her black hair.

“Why did you lie to me, Tate?”

I removed my arms and quickly stepped up to her as if to attack her. She didn't step back.

“I didn't lie to you, Mara. I would never.”

“Orphan? Less than five hundred dollars in your name... which turned out to not be your name? Unnatural hair? Because clearly, this isn't Missouri.”

I pursed my lips.

“Can you sit? Please?”

She eyed my bed and slowly lowered herself onto it, pushing her glasses further up her nose. I sat down beside her.

“I didn't lie, Mara. Not everything I told you was a lie.”

“But you lied” she stated.

I looked away from her.

“About Missouri and the money and my hair. But everything else is nothing but the truth” I said, “I am an orphan.”

From the corner of my eyes, Mara glanced at me.

“My entire family died in the Kane Massacre twenty-three years ago. I was barely three years old when it happened. My parents, my brothers... everyone. My grandfather raised me. It was hard, being the only kid my size in my entire school. As I got older, it got worse. Liquid diets, keto, what? I just got bigger. Then I met him and I felt invincible.”

Mara wrung her arm.

“He stood me up at the altar and it ruined me. So I left home and Bubba didn't stop me because he knew this wasn't meant to be my life” I whispered. “And that's how I got into college. I wasn't going to be known as Ulyana Barlowe... the eighteen-year-old who got rejected and stood up by her mate. So I came up with the name Tate Engle. I dyed my hair, got those fake tattoos, and bought myself a motorcycle.”

I glanced at Mara and she was just staring at her palms.

“I haven't been back here since then. And the only family I have in my life are my grandfather and my nanny” I looked at her. “That's my truth, Mara.”

She lifted her head at the mention of her name and looked at me.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“I weighed two hundred pounds, Mara. I didn't want you to pity me any more than you already did” I whispered, fighting back my disgusted tears.

“But you know I don't care about that kind of stuff, Tate. You're my best friend because I saw your beautiful heart underneath all of that weight you were so ashamed of. I love you... two hundred pounds or not. And the money or the fame... I'd choose to live in a cardboard box with you over any other thing. I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me anything okay?”

I nodded and she wrapped me in a hug.

“And I'm your family too, stupid” she added.

I chuckled, sniffing a little. We pulled away and she smiled at me.

“So... what time do you leave?” I asked.

Her smile disappeared.

“We just had a heart to heart and you wanna kick me out?”

I chuckled, running a hand over her hair.

“I'm just asking, Mara”

“Well don't. Because I'm not going back” she said, standing up.

My face fell.

“What do you mean you're not back?”

“I'm not” she repeated. “My best friend is getting married and I'm supposed to leave? Hell no.”

Oh, goddess.

She suddenly gasped.

“What?” I asked.

“Let's go shopping!”

I made a face.

“Mara—”

“Oh c'mon. Please? We've never gone shopping.”

I flicked my eyes back and forth.

“That's not true. We've gone shopping so many times.”

“When you wore a leather jacket and had 'pride' hair” she stated. “Tate, you have the figure to pull off any dress. Have you seen your legs? Please let me buy you dresses” she begged, holding out a black card at me.

“You stole your parent's credit card?”

“No, I borrowed it. And they said it's fine.”

I arched a brow.

“You told them?”

“After I borrowed it and got off the plane.”

I chuckled.

“C'mon Tate. Please?”

“My name's not—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got that last night. Now get up and get dressed so we can go, Ulyana.”

I smiled and got up to hug her again.

“Thank you Mara” I whispered.

I felt her smile against my cheek.

“One dress” I added and she squealed.

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

“Tate!”

I blinked and looked away from the shopping bags.

“Huh?”

“You zoned off again!” Mara scolded.

“Oh sorry... you know I don't like shopping” I sighed.

“I know, but you look like you've got a lot on your mind.”

I scoffed.

“You don't know the half of it” I briefly stated, shielding the sun from my eyes. “I'm sorry for constantly zoning out. A few rather annoying things keep coming up.”

“Annoying as in getting married to a hottie?!” she exclaimed almost in a high-pitched voice.

I rolled my eyes.

“Oh my goodness, Tate. When were you planning to tell your best friend that you've been dating a mafia? God you're lucky.”

I paused and turned to her. She was staring at a magazine.

“What are you looking at?”

She giggled and turned the magazine to face me. On the cover of the magazine was Zoltan. He was dressed in a royal blue suit, white shirt, and black tie. His dark hair was a professionally styled mess. His face was a bit stiff and his eyes held so much focus. I frowned at the image.

My goodness! Did he have to be everywhere?!

Staring harder, it annoyed me to the core that he looked good. Too bad his personality reeked. If only people knew the real truth behind such a man.

“Husband to be!” Mara sang, shimming closer to me.

“Get that away from me” I frowned.

“Oh come on Tate, are you trying to tell me he's not drool-worthy? He's literally front cover material. So many women would line up to be in your place!” she said, “I mean... I didn't even know you liked men because not once have I seen you look at men. But clearly, you do because you found this spicy man” she sighed dreamily.

“And that's supposed to make me make me feel better?”

“Duh. You're marrying a mafia boss. Yes, it is. Don't be ungrateful!” she scolded.

“Wow,” I breathe. “I have an idea, let's switch. You're clearly the right choice so let's do this.”

“Don't tempt me, Uls” she said firmly.

I chuckled.

“Well, anyways, I call being the Maid of Honor. I don't care who the rest of the bridesmaids are, okay?”

She didn't know the weight of this marriage. I was going to be tied to this man for many years to come and any possible chance that we will get divorced I would still have ties to him. The media and all those around me wouldn't let me forget. I wouldn't find someone who I really wished to marry and grow old with. I was going to be stuck in a loveless marriage for eternity.

“Ulyana! Girl stop it!” Mara said as she grabbed me by the arms and shook it violently to my dissatisfaction.

“Sorry,” I whined. “I'm tired. Let's just go. Please?”

She sighed.

“Why didn't you tell me anything about him?”

I let out an exasperated sigh as I let her hands linger on my arms for a bit before shaking them off.

“First of all, you never tell me when you start dating” I stated.

Mara scoffed before displaying a brief smile.

“I do Ulyana. Turning this discussion back to you, don't you know how lucky you are?” she questioned.

I let out a sigh.

“So I've heard but no one knows the truth about him. Sure he can pose on the cover of magazines to promote his business but that doesn't get him close to being a bearable person. He's got no heart, he's completely rude and he talks to people as if he owns them! Oh and don't forget about the discrimination!” I vented.

Maria's mouth dropped as her eyes grew wide.

“Uls... are you sure you should be marrying this guy? Because it sounds like you both have some serious issues you need to work out.”

I shook my head.

“I'm marrying him. I'm sure it's just the mafia trait” I muttered.

She cocked her head.

“I won't ask if he threatened you because that'll just be extreme,” she said slowly.

Oh, that's it.

“But I'll ask. Were you publicized into saying yes to his proposal?”.

My brows slightly furrowed at her question.

Publicized?

“Publicised?” I asked out loud this time.

“Like did he propose to you in public? Was there a crowd that went 'aww' and then chanted for you to say yes? Did that force you to comply for the fear that the internet would portray you as this evil person who refused a sweet proposal from this incredible hottie?”

Oh my goodness...

“Marioara,” I said slowly. “You seriously watch too many movies.”

She pouted.

“What? I'm just asking.”

“Put that back and let's go,” I said. “And no more watching bad television.”

She rolled her eyes and paid for the magazine. I frowned.

“Don't bring him with us!” I exclaimed.

“Don't tell me what to do” she retorted and opened the magazine. “Oh hey look! It's you!”

My eyes widened. I set the shopping bags down and snatched the magazine from her.

“Where?! I didn't authorize to have my face published in this junk. Where? Where is it?!” I asked flipping through the magazine nervously.

Mara snorted out a laugh and I frowned at her.

“Why would you do that to me, Mara?!” I asked, reaching over to swat her with the magazine.

She jumped back.

“I just wanted to see your reaction” she laughed.

I rolled my eyes.

“Can't you see how handsome he is?”

I looked at the magazine as Mara stood behind me. She pushed my hand up so his picture was directly in my face... in front of me.

“Tell me he's not” Mara sighed.

I stared at Zoltan's image. He looked like a saint on the outside. But once he opened his mouth, he became worse than the devil himself. I frowned, still staring at the picture.

“He's not,” I said with a satisfied smile.

I lowered the magazine only to catch him in the flesh and blood, standing inches away from me.

Crap!

Thank you for reading!
Vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter and recommend!
See ya.
~the_atticwriter