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There’s a collective rustling of clothing as everyone in the room sits. When I glance to the side, I recognize Augustus’s friends. Aurora is seated beside them. Then, behind them, hundreds of people I do not know.

My mind is running a million miles a minute.

This is a wedding. And I am the bride.

“Do you, Mylah, take Augustus to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

I blink at the question, look at the priest from the moon goddess’s temple, then back to Augustus, who stands opposite me, looking confident. Sure.

Without realizing it, I’m shaking my head.

The priest looks alarmed.

To our right, the room fills with rustling sounds again.

A laugh bursts out of me, and I realize the absolute absurdity of what is happening right now. This is a wedding; I am the bride.

Augustus has, apparently, finally decided that he wants me.

This is everything I was hoping for—him claiming me publicly. Marrying me. I shouldn’t be shaking my head. I should just shut up and be grateful for what I have.

But I can’t.

He hasn’t been in to see me since my heat.

He didn’t even propose.

“No,” I laugh, snorting a little, bringing up my perfectly manicured hand to cover my face as I do, “no. Absolutely fucking not.”

Chapter 40 - Augustus

“…what do you mean, no?” the priest asks, leaning in and looking between the two of us nervously. “Did you hear the question, dear?”

“Yes,” Mylah says, angry tears now pooling in her eyes. When she shakes her head, they fly off like tiny diamonds. “I heard the fucking question. And you heard my fucking answer. Sorry for the language, priest.”

He blinks. “Uh, you are forgiven, but…?”

I stare at Mylah standing across from me, looking both herself and polished in a way that I’ve never seen. Her light hair is softly curled over her shoulders, her face flushed and eyes shining. The dress on her body fits her like a glove.

Right now, I am supposed to be letting my wolf think about what we’re going to do later. I’m supposed to be salivating at the thought of getting that dress off her. Seeing the mark I made on her skin. To line my teeth up and do it again.

But Mylah is staring back at me, and she said no.

She said no.

Why would she wait until now to say no?

“Mylah.” I whisper her name, step closer to her. The tux I’m wearing feels like a straight jacket. “I—”

My mate gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind, reaching for her the way I am. Even though I’ve held her hand like this a dozen times over the past few days.

“No!” her voice rings out through the ball room, echoing up into the rafters. It might even make the crystals on the chandelier jostle slightly, sending music through the room.

It’s a beautiful wedding.

For the past few days, I’ve done nothing but run around and make the choices. Calling on my memories from spending her heat with her, I’d gotten bouquets of Mylah’s favorite flowers. Her favorite color—a dusty lavender—for all the napkins and accents. My people had to rush to bring it together.

Before, Kellen was pulling teeth to get me involved. This time, I was in charge of making sure the wedding was ready.