A Worthy Wolf?

Chapter 17 - Raven

I never found the moment to speak to my parents. There was so much to get off my chest, yet the words never seemed to come. The excitement exuded from my mother felt suffocating. I hoped to find my father, and talk to him alone, but he had disappeared last night as my Mum had smothered me with her anticipation and ideas. I hoped as soon as he heard of the plan to test me, my father would be so angry he would be ready to tear Brayden Sterling limb from limb, along with the wedding agreement.

But this morning, my father had left early to work, and as I came downstairs to grab myself a coffee, after sitting on my bed waiting for the sound of the front door to let me know the house was empty. My Mum usually walked my Dad to work before doing various duties within the packhouse. The second I stepped off the last step of the large staircase of our home, I knew I had made a mistake. I heard a coffee cup being placed on the kitchen counter, but I knew whoever was in there would also have heard me, which meant it was too late to retreat.

‘Aww, look at you! You spend a few minutes with a warrior, and you suddenly know all the lingo?’ My wolf teased, in a bid to lighten my mood as I walked toward the kitchen with a sense of dread. 'I bet Niko would be so proud!' My eyes narrowed at my wolf's words. She was not amusing. Thoughts of Niko led to thoughts of Brayden. I did not want to think of Brayden, just as I did not want to talk about Brayden. Which was why I was avoiding my mother too...

Talk of Brayden with her led to talk of the wedding. I did not want to talk about the wedding. An engagement. Or dresses. I just wanted things to be normal. But having seen my mother go into hyperactive, psycho-mother-of-the-bride mode last night, I am unsure she would ever be the same again. She was so excited at the prospect of my marriage. She was acting like it was her own wedding.

I tentatively stepped into the kitchen, knowing if I were to face the day, especially my mother and her wedding discussions, I was going to need a coffee, or a thousand...

“Aww there you are!” Mum said, turning from her stool at the breakfast bar the moment she heard my feet upon the kitchen tiles, an affectionate smile upon her face. “I stayed home so we could go through these together!” She told me enthusiastically as she motioned to the dozens of magazines strewn across the breakfast bar. My eyes fell onto them and I realized with a sinking heart that they were all bridal magazines. f*****g wonderful.

“You really didn't need to do that.” I told her with a sigh, as I moved toward the coffee machine. I could not even begin to imagine where she had got all those bridal magazines in such a short time. And what was worse, was the prospect of her wanting to look through them all with me! Would it be acceptable to ciphon the coffee into a bucket and add a straw? I had a feeling I may need a lot of it if this was how my day was going to go.

“Are you kidding me?!” Mum said excitedly. “My baby girl is getting married! And to such a handsome man too.”

My eyes rolled at that description of Brayden. Thankfully, my Mum could not see as I was stood with my back to her. ‘Hmm, pretty sure you thought the same of him.’ Sable teased. ‘Going all weak at the knees over the boy until you learned he had gone all spy-wolf on your ass.’

Teasing or not, Sable's words were a little close to the truth. I had seen nothing but good in the man. Thinking he was wonderful. Truly charmed by him. Those visions had quickly been shattered when learning what he had planned for me. ‘Do you want to be pushed back for the day?’ I warned my wolf, knowing how much she hated it when I blocked her. Instead, she simply giggled.

‘You know you won’t as I am the only thing about to keep you sane.’ She told me with amusement, just as my Mum appeared at my side. I slowly allowed my gaze to drift to my Mum, who was standing alongside me, a loving smile upon her face while she watched me. She reached out and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my hair.

"I have been looking at so many dresses, Rae, what do you think of this one?" She pointed to an image within the magazine. A dress that looked like a meringue. I grimaced in shock. I hoped she was joking. I gave her an awkward smile. I may not have been planning to marry the man, but even if I was, there was no hope in hell of me wearing a dress that made me look like I belonged on a dining table!

She moved her hand to my hair again, twisting it within the dark waves before pulling it onto my head, looking at me thoughtfully. "Maybe with your hair up? Maybe add a delicate tiara?” My mum adjusted my hair as she smiled like she was loving every moment. "Aww, you will look so perfect, Raven!" I winced at her touch and at her words.

"Did you like that dress?" She looked at me eagerly, and I slowly shook my head. "Okay, well, it isn't like we don't have plenty to choose from, come and take a look, we have all day!" She moved back to her stool at the breakfast bar, patting the stool next to her. My instinct was to run, but I knew I would not get away with that. Seemed my wolf may be right, I would be relying on her and the caffeine to keep me sane...