Wanted by the Alpha King's Son

Chapter 8.

Emma's POV.

It's the middle of the week, only a few more days to go untill our rehersal dinner.

Joseph will be hosting the dinner at the Yacht Club. A five course meal will be served and he has invited most of the pack, along with a few of his business acquaintances. I wonder what they all must think about him taking such a young bride?

I haven't heard a word from him since the whole wedding dress episode. I feel strange about that.

Shouldn't we be talking more? Shouldn't we be spending more time together by now?

I feel like the only time I ever hear anything from Joseph or the only time I ever see him is when we have something official planned.

I suppose he really enjoyed his bachelor party.

A few days ago, I heard a couple of teenage wolfs talking outside a shop. They were going on and on about some party at the gentleman's club. Apparentley one of the boy's father was there and it sounded like it was wild.

Strippers and lap dances. An endless supply of booze and cigars, there was even a mention of other illegal substances.

I heard the boy tell his friends that our Alpha King was taken into a back room by three of the strippers and they didn't come back out for at least a couple of hours.

I was fuming.

How dear he?

I sat at home, like a good little fiance, while he was having the time of his life.

It was really embarrasing. When I vented to my mother about it, she simply told me to calm down and that all men act that way at their bachelor parties. It was some sort of right of passage thing.

I honestly don't know whats been going on with my mother lately. She keeps defending Joseph. It's like she's under his spell or something. The man can do no wrong in her eyes.

It is frustrating as hell.

When my father hear about the whole debackle however, he was very disappointed in Joseph. He said that he saw his actions as disrespectful and childish.

My father is only a few years older than Joseph and he says that Joseph should be over this kind of nonsense by now.

I totally agree with him.

I still want to give Joseph a piece of my mind when I see him again. What he did, just doesn't sit right with me.

I would never do something like that to him.

Loyalty and trust means something to me.

It should mean something to him as well.

If those boys know all about it, I'm sure that the rest of the pack will too. What will they think of me? They'll probably all laugh behind my back.

Joseph sent a formal dinner invitation, earlier this week. Apparently he would like to spend some more time, getting to know my parents before the wedding.

My mother is so excited, she can hardly wait. Both my father and I have rather mixed feelings about it.

The dinner is tonight, so I'm having lunch with my mother and then we both have appointments for our hair and nails and after that we're headed to the boutique again, to each pick out a dress for tonight.

All of this, a treat from Joseph.

Most days I really wish that we had more time before the wedding. More time to get to know each other. More time to decide if this is what we really want.

If my mother had her way, the wedding would be tomorrow.

At least I had a lot of free time to think about Shaun. I feel really weird about our encounter at the pizzaria.

Why was he so upset about me getting married? Was it because I was marrying his father? Does he feel like I want to replace his mother?

But that's crazy. How could I possibly?

Why were his eyes so sad that night? Did this whole thing really affect him this much?

I just wish that I could talk to him. Really talk to him and clear the air.

I hope that he will be at dinner tonight and that I'll have the oppertunity to take him aside and talk to him.

My mother and I are sitting at the restuarant, when I see a familiar and friendly face approach.

Amanda!

Finally she's back.

I jump up, out of my seat and run over to her, throwing my arms around her.

"I've missed you sooo much Amanda!"

Amanda embraces me as well and holds on to me for a few seconds.

It really was good, having her back home.

"I missed you even more Em."

I push Amanda away from me slightly and look at her.

"Where have you been?"

Amanda looks down and then at me again.

"I'm so sorry Em, Joseph sent me away on assignment and swore me to secrecy."

"Yea, I know. Your mom told me when I showed up to your house, looking for you. Felt like a real i***t. Your mother thought I knew."

Amanda raises her eyebrows at me and then she frowns.

"Huh, I thought Joseph told you."

I look down at the floor, I feel a little embarassed. Everyone thought that my fiance should have told me that he sent my best friend away on assignment. Everyone except for my fiance, that is.

"Yea well, apparentley he feels that he doesn't need to inform me when he sends one of his wolves away."

"But I'm not just any old wolf Em. I'm your best friend." Amanda looks at me with shock on her face.

"If you think that's weird, you haven't heard anything yet."

I invite Amanda to join my mother and I for the rest of the day. She accepts and I'm thrilled to finally be spending time with my best friend again.

I tell Amanda about Joseph's behaviour over the last couple of days. She's just as freaked out about it as I am.

My mother defends Joseph, again, and Amanda is just as shocked about it as I am.

Fianlly, I have someone on my side. Someone that listens and understands. Someone that agrees with me.

It feels like a weight has been lifted from my chest. It's really great to have my bestie back.

After lunch, the three of us head over to the salon for our hair and nails. I told Amanda that her appointment is on me. A welcome back present.

When we get there, I'm surprised to hear that Joseph had already picked out a hair style and nail design for me.

"Oh, how nice of him. He really does think of everything." Is my mother's comment and it pisses me off a lot.

Almost as much as Joseph making descisions for me.

Amanda shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

"Very controling, very possesive,very Joseph."

When I ask the girl at the salon if I can change what Joseph picked out,she looked terrified, like she was about to cry.

How weird is that?

So, I try to calm her down by accepting whatever my future husband had chosen for me. She was so relieved that she actually hugged me.

Was this poor girl scared of Joseph? And if she was, why?

After the super weird appointment at the salon we head over to the boutique.

Joseph picked out a tight updo for my hair and a french manicure for my nails. I feel at least 20 years older. I'm beginning to wonder if Joseph even knows that I'm only 18.

When we get to the boutique,I get an instant feeling of dejavu.

That damn Joseph picked out a dress for me again. A long sleeved, black dress that hung all the way over my feet. At least it wasn't up to my chin, this time.

I can feel my face burn with anger and embarrasment. Amanda stares at me with a gaping mouth. I think she fully comprehends what I'm talking about now.

My mother is so busy picking out her own dress that she doesn't even notice.

When the shop assistant hands me the dress, I can see pitty in her eyes. At least she's not laughing at me this time.

That's it! I've had just about enough of this nonsense.

I hand the dress back to her and march to the rack with evening dresses.

I will not be wearing another hideous dress for Joseph's sake.

I find a gorgeous red cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline and tell the assistant to ring it up. I can see that she is hesitant, but also a little impressed and she does as I ask.

Amanda grins at me and gives me a high five.

"That's the Em I know and love. You go girl!"

I grin back at her. I have to admit that I feel pretty empowered at the moment. First chance I get, Joseph and I are going to have a long talk about his unacceptable behaviour.