's

suffocates me with terror. I feel like cornered pr

gh me. It makes me tighten my fists agai

what he is accusing me of.

courage, I open my eyes and lift my gaze back up

e him in, and my heart poun

almost taken on a deep, black color. Slowly, he watches the swell of my breasts and the way my chest

, and my pulse is wild as I

eak me. Mak

ront of his boots hits my bare toes. My e

, powerless, completely vulnerable. He could

ill my eyes, but I hold t

I will not cower

ift his fingers towards my face. They are just centimet

pite my best efforts, tears fall from my eyes. I wa

Drip

his fingers and res

lessness in the moment; of

tches as his wolfish eyes zero in o

n't breathe. Don

I wonder what he sees there. Is it just a scared little gir

is eyes lighten. Just a crack of light blue amidst the darkened bl

his face lose their edge, and an u

like that,

is eyes narrow as his fingers drop

ear to be in my

emotion. The anger, the flash of hunger, the fury - all

nt to. You would still never come close to looking like she would have in this

this could have gone much worse. I know he is letting me off easy.

walks away, lea

y body, and relief

bury my head in my arms - my tat

______

ught that Alexander had gone

ay knowing he had a more crue

of the fact until no

venue - grand, expensive, and overbearing,

t for the weddin

he is

een here fo

into my palms as I try to steady myself. The murmurs of the gu

way I tremble under the thin fabric of my new wedding gown, a

ne of the nobles whispers, h

er already," another one laug

very moment of my humiliation. My father stands off to the side, flanked by other

blames me for this mess. As if I had any control o

oo big, too painful. My eyes sting with unshed tea

of all these people. Not when they're

own at me, filling me with dread. Hours have passed since the cere

how for the nobles and the paparazzi. If it were

for a man who might never show up. My heart clenches

ally decided to leave me at the altar, t

bones, and I shiver, fe

ely audible over the din of the c

nder, the moon, the universe - but I

cing at their watches, preparing to leave. Just as a few people make

en, I

from his tailored suit to the leather gloves on his hand

he approaches the stage, his presenc

y father and a group of nobles,

le kitten stuck in a tree, and my good conscience did

the top of their heads, and there's nothing saintly about the smirk that curls his li

tle kitten. I couldn't lea

ts on his feet along with the rest of the nobles. Nobody believes that a L

dares to qu

ay, and his smirk widens. Satisfied with his words, he finally

ning rush of blood still pounding in my ear

t away from this nightmare, but I'm ro

t's voice cuts throug

kiss th

ting for Alexander to move, to at

e doe

cold, disdainful eyes, making no effort

ides as I can feel the aud

s out, and my shoulders slump unde

into the ground and never hav

sure, I feel a sudden push from behind. It's

stops. My blood f

maid slinking back in the shadows. Clearly, s

Cannot even blink.

too soon,

Alexander's in a so

impact down to

shock, and alarm

I see it - the unrestraine

e I am the worst

ezing me in place. I feel my world teetering into disaster unti

oing to

oing to

oing to