My Arranged Marriage with the Last Wolf King

Walking the Streets of London

It was early in the morning when Emily strolled through the bustling streets of London. The drizzle that had started as she came down from the ship had stopped, but the sky remained dark and gray. She looked up and gazed at the thick clouds.

"Behind all that hides a beautiful morning sun," she thought, sighing. At that moment, a hurried man bumped into her shoulder as he passed by.

"Watch it!" exclaimed the man, not paying attention to his own carelessness. Emily's heart raced with fright, and she didn't have time to respond as the man continued on his way.

"What a grouch," she murmured while picking up her suitcase that had fallen to the ground. The city's hustle and bustle filled the atmosphere. Emily carefully observed the crowd that gathered in the streets—men, women, and children coming and going. The deafening noise of people shouting, steam machines, and horse-drawn carriages, along with the smell of street food, tobacco, stagnant water, horse manure, and rotten fish from the dock reminded her that she was in another country, in a new reality.

"My money," she exclaimed softly while taking her purse out of the pocket of her modest dress. "I have only four American dollars... I need to exchange them for the local currency. Where should I go? What will the exchange rate be?" Emily always had the habit of saying her thoughts out loud.

With the need to exchange her dollars for pounds, she set out to find someone who could help her. But as she walked and tried to ask passersby for directions, she realized that this simple task was becoming a huge effort.

"If only I were prettier, maybe they would be kinder... pretty girls always get better treatment." This time, she kept that thought to herself and turned her gaze to the window of a fabric shop. When she saw her reflection, she was startled by how terrible she looked. It was evident that the rain had ruined her already simple appearance.

She had always disliked her brown hair; it was neither straight nor curly; it simply had a texture perfect for gaining volume on humid days like that one, making her look all messy. However, at the top, her mane was flattened by the uncomfortable hat that now hung from a ribbon around her neck, while the braid she had used to hold her rebellious strands was completely undone due to the drizzle. The cold had made her even paler, giving her a sickly appearance, especially because she was very thin. Being pale and slender was not a flattering combination in those times, and Emily knew it.

In her physical appearance, there was nothing remarkable, in her opinion. Her face was small, her eyes a very dark brown, and her eyebrows pronounced. She had never taken any boy's breath away or caught enough attention for someone to turn to look at her twice. Emily was used to hearing remarks about how ordinary her face was—like the copper coins that changed hands in the market—or how she didn't have the face of someone who could pay a marriage dowry. Those comments never left her mind, and at that moment they echoed in her mind as she tried to tidy herself up a bit and add some color to her cheeks by pinching them.

"I need to find a place to exchange my money," the young woman murmured, turning her attention back to the path.

Determined to find an exchange house by herself, Emily walked observing everything around her, passing by businesses and shops. As she crossed the street, she spotted a young boy—a newsboy—who was getting ready to sell the day's newspapers. Seeing him, Emily smiled and said:

"That boy must know where there's an exchange house. If I buy a newspaper from him, he'll surely agree to answer my questions."

Emily headed over to the young newsboy, who seemed to be barely twelve years old.

While the young boy stood across the street, Emily waited patiently for the bustling and dangerous road, teeming with carriages and horses, to calm down a bit so she could cross to the other side. But as she waited, a dark glossy luxurious carriage stopped right in front of the young newsboy. It was clear its occupant was wealthy as his carriage stood out among the others.

Then descending from the elegant carriage was a man with a tall top hat and distinguished demeanor. It was clear he belonged to the aristocracy with his back as straight as a post and his dignified gait. The man approached the boy and asked,

"Have you sold any newspapers this morning, young man?"

The boy—looking shabby next to the elegant gentleman—replied:

"Not yet, sir. I've just arrived from the printing house and am organizing them."

"Perfect," said the gentleman with a smile, pulling out his wallet from his expensive suit.

While this was happening, Emily finally managed to cross the street and approached the newsboy determined to buy a newspaper. With a slight smile—as if she were always in a good mood—she waited her turn while the elegant man made his purchase. However, she heard him say something that surprised her greatly.

"Here you are," he said handing the newsboy two solid gold coins, leaving the boy astonished. "Give me all the newspapers and keep the change."

That distinguished and elegantly mannered man turned out to be Campbell—the butler of Wolfsbone mansion. An "incident" had taken place the night before; thus eliminating any idea of finding a wife for his master through a simple newspaper ad had become imperative. However, when Emily heard that he bought all of them, she was so surprised she almost told him it wasn't fair. But at that moment—just as she was about to complain—a horn blared drowning out her protest.