Right now, I was the one answering my own doorbell. It had rung five times already, and the wedding planner was nowhere in sight.
I had suggested getting a butler to handle the guests tonight, but the planner had assured me over the phone that her team would take care of everything. Clearly, they hadn’t.
She was really dropping the ball on this one. If it were up to me, this slip-up alone would cost her the tip we’d set aside for her.
The costs had skyrocketed since she took over.
Luckily for her, Arya seemed to be impressed with everything so far. Then again, she seemed to like most of the people she’d invited.
Still, I had a feeling I’d end up tipping a few thousand dollars more than I’d planned, on top of what I was already paying the missing-in-action planner for this overpriced wedding.
It was all pretty frustrating. While I appreciated Arya’s generosity towards my people, this woman was a stranger. And from what I’d seen, a lazy, indulgent stranger at that.
I was almost at the door when I decided that after the ceremony, I needed to have a talk with my sister. She needed to understand what kind of behavior actually deserved praise.
I sighed, shaking my head. Arya’s kind heart reminded me so much of our late mother. I doubted I’d actually have the guts to lecture her about being too kind. What if she took it to heart?
I straightened up, readying myself to greet the guest. I was more like our father—strong, quiet, valuing honesty and bravery above all else.
He might have seemed intimidating, but there was always a softer side to him that my mother never let us forget.
I was about to step into the foyer when I heard what sounded like a plea coming from the nearby corridor.
Without a second thought, I turned to find out where it was coming from. My heart started to race.
I didn’t expect to find anything, but I couldn’t just ignore it. This was my home—who else would check out the trouble?
As soon as I stepped into the hallway, my senses were overwhelmed, and my wolf stirred within me like an ancient mummy waking from a long sleep.
The smell of freshly cut grass and summer rain filled my nostrils, and I knew right then that I had found my mate.
But the joy quickly turned sour. The stench of my soon-to-be brother-in-law was unmistakable. Leave it to him to ruin such a special moment for me.
And this time, he’d really outdone himself.
Finally, I saw them. There they were, pressed against the walls my ancestors had built with their own hands, huddled in each other’s arms.
My fists clenched. The anger coursing through me was hot and slick, like lava. I’d finally found her, and she was with him?
I could feel a roar building in my chest, a howl from both me and my wolf.
My wolf’s anger spurred me on, but just as I was about to let it all out, I froze. I heard her cry out in pain.
That’s when I noticed her torn dress, her bruised skin, and the deadly grip Mark had around her neck. He was trying to force himself on her. My mate. In my own home!
I let my wolf take over.
Without shifting, my wolf grabbed the back of Mike’s jacket and threw him away from her like a ragdoll.
I wanted to kill him, to rip his head off and turn his bones to dust, but I held back.
It took everything I had to hold back, but Arya wouldn’t want that.
This piece of shit was her mate, and while I would forbid their union from now on, killing him would cause her too much pain.
The same kind of pain he’d almost inflicted on me by choking the life out of my mate. My mate—I’d found her!
I mind-linked my guards to come and take out the trash, then turned to the woman who was now the center of my world.
Her eyes were blinking rapidly, trying to stay awake. It took all my self-control not to turn around and rip Mike’s throat out.
His neck was unharmed, while hers was turning purple. Why wasn’t she healing?
“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching for her.
She flinched away.
I hesitated. That wasn’t the reaction I’d expected when I found my mate, but given the circumstances, it made sense.
It was just one more thing to hold against Mark when it was time for him to pay for what he’d done.
“I-I think so. You got here just in time,” she said, her voice hoarse as she reached up to cover her throat. It almost broke my heart.
I studied her, taking in her frightened brown eyes and her messy dark hair.
My wolf wanted to comfort her and hold her, but he understood her need for space right now.
Instead, he reached out to her inner wolf, only to find it just as hesitant to respond.
Without thinking, I reached out to her. “You have no idea how long I…” I started to say, but was interrupted by Arya’s loud shrieks. So much for keeping my call for backup quiet.
“You,” Arya growled, her eyes dark with her wolf’s presence. I’d never seen her this angry before as she took in the scene.
At first, I was almost amused, thinking Mike was finally getting what he deserved. But then she turned to my mate, and I saw the color drain from her face.
