ARTEMISIA
I sighed, then sat on the chair that was in front of the vanity.I stood again and paced around the room.I walked to the window and noticed a few cars parked in front of the cathedral building, which was not far from our house.The cathedral, I was going to be married off today to a total stranger. The place, might I say, I was going to detest for the rest of my life because it was sealing my fate.I walked back to my chair without paying attention to the new arrival that came in a limo.I knew all of them were my parent's friends. My mom, especially.We were part of an aristocratic family. Technically, I was a lady since my dad was an Earl, even though he chose to live elsewhere instead of the estate I had been told was part of his inheritance.Anyway, I didn't mind where he picked to live since we were doing fine, and I didn't like being called any title.They had teased me a lot in Lone Oaks High because most of the students believed I was lying and couldn't be part of a well-to-do family, since I didn't act like it.It wasn't like I cared about what the pupils in Lone Oaks High thought about me.I enjoyed my space and liked being alone.I wasn't even a loner, and they never tagged me as one. Neither was I a nerd that stuck my nose into a book. Rather, I moved with the in-crowd but still preferred to be alone.It still surprised me that Julie and I had hit it off immediately because she was everything I wasn't.A knock sounded on the door, jarring me out of my thoughts, followed by the twisting of the handle of the doorknob.Julie's head thrust into the room. A smile brightened her face as she stepped toward me.“Here you are.”“Of course, here I am,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes.“You don't seem enthusiastic about this.” She stated, coming to stand at my back.She gripped some pins in my hair and went on to redo the chignon bun I had scattered with my wandering hands.“Would you be happy if you were me?” I inquired, eyeing her in the mirror.She shrugged, grinning. Then sat on the bed. “At least I'll be happy a rich man is going to take care of me.”“No matter how he looks?” I asked. Because to Julie, looks were everything.She rarely went out with anyone unattractive. I hadn't seen her before.“Look isn't everything, babe. A man should be able to protect and take care of his family. That is it.” She stood up, grabbed the lacy veil which was on the bed, and pinned it to my hair.I stared at myself in the mirror as she did the final touch of makeup on my face.It was just like how I had imagined I would look. Large expressive turquoise blue eyes with flecks of gold, cupid-bow-shaped lips that were coated with pink lipstick. My cheeks and the tip of my nose had bronzer on them, which made them glow and sharper.I looked like the perfect definition of a blushing bride. Yet, I knew this was anything close to perfection.The wedding seemed more like a faux to me, or maybe I tried to make it look like a faux marriage, so it would be easier to accept the new life I was going into.“Come on, Artemis. You have no time to have a second thought about this. Even if you do, there is nothing you can do about this.” Julie said.I hated that she was right about not being able to do anything. I couldn't even if I had the chance.It was freaking annoying!“Let's just get this over with.” Julie beamed, helping me to my feet. She clutched my veil, which was the same length as the train of the white dress.I glanced around my feet and at my back to ensure I was not stepping on the hem of the dress before walking.Even though I was going to my doom, I didn't want to break my neck before it happened.★★★★My hands trembled, and I gripped the rose bouquet tighter. My heart fluttered, and I let out a breath whilst glancing at the hall.It was packed, not like the usual kind that happens during the Sunday sermon. This was different.It was almost as if I was getting married to a prince. Maybe I was because I sighted a woman who might be the groom's mom, since she was sitting on the right side of the hall in the first row-It was mostly reserved for the groom's parents. I have been to a lot of weddings.She donned a purple sequinned dress and a silver tiara was atop her whitish blonde hair.Her eyes, a brilliant grey, stayed on mine as if trying to assess if I was worthy to marry her son, whose back was to me.She wrinkled her nose, glancing away.Perhaps she was disgusted because not even a smile was formed on her handsome face.I wonder if her son got her handsomeness. I had only seen a perfectly sculpted back and slim waist in the tailored suit he donned.His physique impressed me. I believed he worked out often. At least, he didn't look like the pudgy man I had imagined him to be.Maybe his face would be a lot nicer, too.“Darling, you will destroy that beautiful bouquet in no time if you continue gripping it that way.”I snapped out of my thoughts whilst glancing at my father. We were still at the entrance of the cathedral. I didn't realize I was clenching the flower too tight, and I was glad he had halted me from destroying it because it was looking slightly rumpled already.“Are you alright?”“I-I am.” I stuttered. Even if I wasn't, he would do nothing about it.“Let's go.” He said.I sighed as his hand went to the small of my back, which was covered in nets.I felt exposed.It was my mother's fault they dressed me as if I was going to a club party, rather than a wedding.Although no one had said anything about it. Instead, they all gaze at me appreciatively. I was uncomfortable.The dress showed too much skin than I would have wanted.I had wanted to discard it, but I had nothing else to wear except I wanted to show up naked. Like my mother had told me.“You need to breathe and smile a little. You make this look as if you are going to a funeral rather than your wedding.”“That is because I am going to my funeral.” I gritted my teeth. “I don't need to smile at a funeral, do I?”He ignored my question and smiled instead. “At least show a little smile on your pretty face. Even if it's a plastic smile. You look so weird, frowning.”I shrugged. My eyes latched on my mom's, and she beamed. The smile was a fake one and didn't reach her eyes. But she didn't need to show true happiness because she was good at faking it.She often faked her smile. I had never seen her genuinely happy before.“Hey.”I stared at my dad, then noticed we were in front of the altar already.I grimaced as I noticed the height difference between me and my groom-to-be. I wasn't close to him, but I could tell he was above 6ft tall.Compared to him, I could be a dwarf. But I was glad I was taller than most ladies.The priest nodded, and my groom-to-be swirled.I couldn't breathe.I couldn't do anything.It wasn't because of his perfect, angular face and prominent jawline. Or his black obsidian eyes that bored into mine. His thin-shaped lips quirked into an amused smile as he assessed me.It was him!I could tell he remembered me due to how he was smiling.But, oh boy, two years looks freaking good on him.Even though I appreciate his almost perfect features. I guess I feel something for him, too.Yet, it didn't mean I was happy to marry him.The smile on his face vanished as soon as it came, a grimace replaced it.He glared towards the side his mother sat on, then stared skyward. Maybe to ask God why the hell was he stuck with a woman like me.Whichever it was, I didn't know because I couldn't read his mind.Yet, he wasn't happy to see me or stand on the altar with me, either.SINI sighed as I glanced at my golden wristwatch again.She was an hour late. I have not seen a bride or anyone arrive that late to their ceremony before.It was annoying as I got to stand in front of the damned altar, waiting for my supposed bride-to-be.I tugged the tie on my neck and let out a deep breath as I felt it constricting my airflow.My eyes darted to my mom, Queen Ada. She sat a few meters away from where I stood, and I noticed her eyes kept on flickering from my face to the entrance.I couldn't figure out what she was thinking, even though I could hear the thoughts of the others, which were giving me a terrible headache.I believe she was good at concealing her thoughts. Also, now I know she wasn't joking when she said she had got a new power, which meant blocking others from trying to penetrate her mind.She was that strong.As the daughter of an Alpha herself, she was beta to her brother, who was voted as the new Alpha of their pack.My mom had the grace of a warrior a
SINI tugged at my tie again as she stepped closer to me.I clenched my hands into a fist and gritted my teeth as my body reacted to her.I wanted to get this over with. The ceremony and all. But the priest and everything seemed slow suddenly.If given the opportunity, I would dart out of the cathedral without a second thought. I didn't care if I would get my mother mad in the process. At least, it would be better than staying next to her.I was aware werewolves couldn't control whom they mate with. Or worst, imprint on.But, I believed I should be able to control mine because I had spent years practising how to control my heightened emotion especially when the full moon was out since I triggered my curse on my eighteenth birthday.The memory was still fresh in my mind, and I was sure it was one of the things I would never forget because it was a part of me now.“You may kiss the bride.”My head snapped towards the priest as the word slipped out of his mouth.I glanced at my bride whil
ARTEMISIAThere were a lot of things I would not wish to happen to me. I had made a bucket list full of them.But, not in my wildest dreams would I have thought I was going to be the bride of the stranger I often fantasize about.Since the first day we met, which was two years ago, I hadn't seen him again until today.Yet, it didn't stop me from thinking about him regularly.Being wedded to him was nothing like I had imagined.I had thought him to be a sweet and caring man. Someone that would be my knight in shining armour whenever I was distressed.Someone that would comfort me whilst wrapping his muscular arm around me.It was absurd!I should not have thought of all that because I realized now that they were all wishful thinking.The man beside me, the freaking hunk that the minister had joined with me, was an obnoxious jerk.He wasn't like the man I had envisaged. Rather, the opposite.Although he hadn't made a lot of nasty comments with the ones I had heard him say, I wished I was
ARTEMISIAI was alone again when Julie left to take care of some stuff.Although she didn't tell me what it was, I guessed it was about boys.I had noticed she was staring at one of the guests in a somewhat sexy way and she had excused herself to go attend to him.I gagged as I imagined what they could be doing right now.Sighing whilst shaking my head to clear the thoughts of Julie and her maybe newfound sexual partner out of my mind, I sat on the chair quietly whilst observing my surroundings for the first time.The decoration had been done in my favourite colour which was lavender.Even though I was a girly girl, I wasn't quite interested in the colour pink.Rather, I found it overly revolting. At first, it didn't disgust me, until people began to think I was an airhead due to the colour I chose to wear often. Also, the colour of my hair might have contributed to it.I let in a deep breath as the cool wind caressed my face. I wonder if my parents had go
ARTEMISIA I let out a breath and watched Sin walk away from me, towards a room. Also, I was disappointed. He hadn't kissed me as I had thought he would. Maybe I was insane to have imagined he would, after shoving him the way I did.Sin looked to be in control more than I was. If he hadn't halted, I was sure I would have gripped his face and pressed my lips to his. "Ugh, crazy thoughts." I groaned, whilst fixing the strap of my dress he had pushed down. I walked towards the door he had gone into, twisted the knob, and peeked before entering the room. I hesitated at the doorpost whilst gazing around. It was a master bedroom with a large four-poster bed at the end. A mahogany walk-in closet was at the left corner of the room and an exquisite-looking vanity was at the side of the bed.Sin stood in front of the vanity. His back was to me, and I blushed as I stared at his unclothed body. His muscles ripped when he lifted his arm, and he swirled, gazing at me.His lips quirked whilst hi
ARTEMISIAI awoke with a start.My eyes darted around the room as I tried to recall the reason my heart was thumping fast.I was aware I had a nightmare. But, just like every other night, I couldn't remember what I had dreamt about.Sighing, I gripped my phone that was underneath my pillow and checked what the time was.I noticed it was only a few minutes past 10 which meant, I had slept after lying on the bed and it was only for a few minutes."Geez." I groaned whilst rubbing my tummy as it grumbled. I realized I hadn't eaten anything since after the wedding was done today.I had been thinking of what to do to get me out of the situation I was in, to think about food.I stepped out of the room to the kitchen which was together with the living room. My hand found the switch on the wall, light flooded into the room as I clicked on it.My eyes dimmed and I blinked several times before they got accustomed to the brightness.
SINI sighed whilst tossing on the bed. Standing up yet again for the umpteenth time tonight, I glanced at the sleeping figure of my wife curled up on the couch.I grimaced at the term. I doubt if I would get used to seeing her as one.The blanket she had taken from the wardrobe was wrapped around her small frame and she pulled it up to her face. So, I could only make out only her forehead as the moonlight streamed into the room. I knew I was rude and mean to her since we arrived in my glasshouse, but I didn't careMore so, I don't know why I was acting cold towards her. Because I could remember, no girl not even Adrina, my ex had ever made me feel so bothersome before.Perhaps, it was her scent. The intoxicating strawberry and grape perfume that she wore.Even her hair smelt similar because I had caught a whiff of it whilst at the cathedral when I tugged the veil covering her face away.My gaze snapped towards her a
ARTEMISIA“Where are we going?” I asked for the umpteenth time, staring at Sin.Whether he heard me or not, he didn't act like it. Rather, he went on dragging the luggage he had carried yesterday, including mine. He dumped them at the back of his car and walked to the driver's side.Since I woke up, I had noticed the change in his demeanour. But, he didn't tell me what was going on with him. Instead, he had been ordering me about to get ready.“Are you coming in or not?” He asked, turning on the ignition.“Where are we going?” I asked again.“You’ve barely answered any of my questions since morning.”“That is because I got no answer to your questions.” He said, nudging the door open for me.Even though he had no answer to my questions, at least he had the courtesy of opening the car for me.I slid into the ca