All Chapters of Unexpected Mate: The Cruel Alpha’s Little Wolf: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

The conversation went far better than I expected. Which should have reassured me. Instead, it somehow left me feeling unsettled. I had spent days worrying about Aurelia's reaction. Imagining tears, confusion, questions neither Kael nor I could answer. Instead, she had accepted the news with surprising ease. As long as I wasn't leaving. As long as she didn't have to call me anything different. And as long as there was cake. Apparently those were the conditions. Unfortunately, Aurelia's acceptance came with a new problem. Excitement. A dangerous amount of excitement. "Can I help?" The question arrived less than a minute after the conversation ended. Before either of us could answer, another followed. "Can I pick the cake?" "No." Aurelia looked personally offended. "Why?" "Because you'll choose a cake the size of the estate." "That would be a very good cake." she said. "It would be an impossible cake." I replied. She considered this carefully

I had underestimated just how serious everyone was about this wedding. That became painfully obvious the following afternoon. "Do I really need to do this?" I asked for what had to be the fifth time. "Yes." Elder Rowan didn't even look up from the schedule in his hands. "I was hoping the answer might change." "It did not." I sighed. Beside me, Aurelia reached over and squeezed my hand. "It'll be fun." I smiled at her. Somehow, she genuinely believed that. I wished I shared her optimism. One of the Blackwood SUVs was already waiting outside the estate, when we got ready to leave. Elder Rowan occupied the front passenger seat. Kael slid into the back beside me while Aurelia happily claimed the seat on my other side. Aurelia spent the entire journey discussing flowers, cakes and whether flower petals should be thrown once or twice. Kael answered every question with surprising patience. I mostly watched the passing streets through the window. Every ki

For reasons I couldn't explain... My heart had started beating faster. The assistants carefully accepted the garment bag from Celeste before leading me back behind the folding screen. No one spoke. Even Aurelia had fallen unusually quiet. The silence somehow made everything feel more important. One assistant unzipped the garment bag completely while another helped me out of the previous gown. I watched as they lifted the dress with remarkable care. Almost reverently. It struck me then. This wasn't simply another dress to them. It was the dress. "May I?" one of the assistants asked softly. I nodded. The fabric settled against my shoulders with surprising lightness. Nothing about it felt heavy. Nothing about it demanded attention. Instead... It seemed to belong exactly where it was. The assistants worked quietly around me. One adjusted the sleeves. Another smoothed the skirt. A third secured the delicate row of buttons along my back. "No vei

The Blue Drawing Room was noticeably quieter than the rest of the estate. The sounds of hammers and hurried footsteps faded the moment I stepped inside. A man in his late fifties rose immediately from one of the sofas. His silver hair was neatly combed, and his dark suit was as immaculate as the display cases arranged before him. He bowed respectfully. "Miss Aria." Agatha smiled beside me. "Mr. Alden has worked with the Blackwood family for many years." "I have had the privilege," he said warmly. "It is an honour to meet you." "The honour is mine." He gestured toward the display cases. "I understand Miss Celeste has already selected the gown." I nodded. "She has." "Excellent." He smiled with satisfaction. "That makes my task considerably easier." He unlocked the first display case with a small key. Nestled against dark velvet were several exquisite pieces of jewellery. Nothing about them felt excessive. Each necklace, bracelet and pair of earr

"Aria!" I barely had time to turn before Aurelia came racing down the corridor. She stopped just in front of me and spun in a small circle. "Look!" She had changed into a simple cream dress. Not her flower girl gown. Just one of the dresses the seamstress had altered for the wedding festivities. "What do you think?" I smiled. "I think you look beautiful." She beamed. "It isn't the real one." "I know." "I wanted to wear the real one." "What stopped you?" "Daddy." I laughed. "He said tomorrow." "That sounds like him." She nodded dramatically. "He said if I wrinkle it, Miss Celeste will be sad." "He's probably right." "I promised I wouldn't wrinkle." She leaned in conspiratorially. "I don't think he believed me." "I wonder why." She gasped. "You think I'd wrinkle it too?" "I think," I said, unable to hide my smile, "you'd forget you were wearing it." She considered that carefully. "...Probably." Then, as only Aurelia could, sh