***
I was trying to battle my jetlag. I lay in the hotel room bed as Kai entered the bathroom to get ready forthe wedding. I heard the shower turn on and my eye lids began to droop. Hepoked his head out. “I feel like we should be good to the environment andshower together, ya know, to save water.”
A genuine laugh left my lips andI was suddenly awake. I gave him a smoldering look. “Well, if it’s for theenvironment.” I jumped off the bed and began undressing. I loved that I felt nopressure to go all the way with him. We hadn’t talked about it but I think wehad decided to wait until our mating ceremony night before we did it.
I wore a bright teal sari and Kaistared me down in the elevator. The hotel lobby was decked out in red and whiteflowers. A large sign read, ‘Diya weds Trent’ in gold lettering. I whistled.
“This is fancy,” I told Kai.
“My father has been waiting hisentire life to marry off his only daughter. There will be no expense sparedtonight.”
Wow, I knew from Indian culturethat the woman’s family was expected to pay for the wedding. I couldn’t afforda fancy wedding like this.
“What’s bothering you?” he askedme, reading my mental anxiety.
“Our wedding won’t be this fancy.I can’t afford much,” I told him tugging at a wrinkle in the sari.
“I wouldn’t want a wedding thisbig but we can afford this because my money is your money. We will havewhatever wedding you want.”
“No, I know the culture expectsthe woman to pay for the wedding and I can assure you from my bank account, wecannot have this fancy of a wedding. I feel bad taking your money.”
“It’s OUR money, not mine. I willadd you to all of the accounts when we get home. Don’t bother arguing this.” Hegave me a kiss then and shut me up. We took our seats. How did I feel about himsharing his money with me?
‘Don’t analyze this money thing.Pay attention. Our wedding will be similar.’He patted my thigh and stood. “I need toenter with my family to show support for my sister.”
I looked up then and saw Trent inthe doorway. He looked handsome. He wore a bright orange Indian top that wentto his knees. Max stood next to him.
“Hang on.” I caught Kai’s arm.“Trent has no living family? Who will walk in with him?”
Kai shrugged. “Max.”
I shook my head. That wouldn’tdo. I walked over to two of the nicer girls from Diya’s henna party. “Heygirls, Trent doesn’t have any family to walk in with him. Would you like tojoin me and stand with him?”
One of the girls, a submissivewolf, Tara was her name, had a short black bob and almond-colored eyes. A bigteal jeweled bindi stuck between her eyes. Her skin was light brown and sheglanced at Max who stood with Trent.
“Sure.” She stood and followed mewith one other girl.
We approached Trent who lookednervous.
“Hey, Aurora, I think I’m goingto faint. They say the groom is supposed to come in first and with a big songand dance and lots of cheering.”
I looked at the girls. “I thinkwe can manage that. We’re here for you.” We moved to step behind him, near Max.
“Thank you,” Trent whispered, asI passed. I smiled. I put my arm on Max’s shoulder to tell him how nice hecleaned up, when my other hand brushed Tara’s finger. My knees buckled and avision took me.
It showed Max holding a beautifulwoman with long red hair. Her body was limp in his arms and he was sobbing intoher chest. Blood soaked the bed sheets he held her over. Kai stood frozen inthe doorway. ‘Oh God. Why am I being shown this? This was Max’s wife. Theirpoor baby.’
Then the vision changed. Tara wassmiling up at Max. She had a crown of flowers on her head. It was in Kai’sbackyard on Mount Hood, their wedding day. Then the scene changed and Max wasscreaming at Tara in the lobby of the hotel we were at today. He was tellingher to go! To get out of his life. Then it changed and they were kissing in ahotel room later. Then it changed again and I saw myself waking from the visionand not telling Max anything. I was so confused.
I felt someone’s arms around me.I opened my eyes. Max held me in his arms and Kai was running across thewedding hall towards me. Oh Great. What the hell do I do?
‘I saw Max’s mate die and youwere there. Then I saw him marry Tara, the girl standing next to me. Then theywere fighting on this very night. Do I tell them?’
Kai’s eyes opened hugely.‘No,that isn’t possible. We mate for life. I’ll handle it.’
‘Right, we mate for life and hismate died, so that’s over. Tara isn’t dead and neither is Max.’
‘Drop this for now.’
