Werewolf Bride

Lies

The morning sun peaks through the curtains directly into my eyes. Instinctively, I reach up and block it with my hand while groaning groggily.

Before, my eyes are even fully open, gentle hands pick me up out of the bed and I screech and reach to cover myself. "What's going on?" I mumble irritably. 

"You need a cold bath." Carlos' voice is soft and soothing, but the instant I recognize it, fire ignites in my core once again. My eyes bolt open, my eyes grazing the line of his jaw as he carries me down the hallway. "Oh, God, what happened last night?" 

Carlos sighs heavily. "I can barely remember. You came to my room in heat, sweetheart, and we agreed to move up the wedding so that you don't have to deal with the pain any longer than you have to." He looks away from me, refusing to let his eyes meet mine. 

I searched my mind, reaching for any clues. "That's strange..." I murmur softly. "All I remember is...looking for you." Slight visions were coming to mind of me galloping outside, someone chasing after me..then coming face to face with - 

"Yes, you found me. In my room." He stops at the end of the hallway. I look up dizzily and see the secret door to Genieve's room. 

"No..no." I mumble tiredly. "We were in the woods. I was worried about you...I was scared." I whisper. Carlos pauses, but shakes his head after debating with himself. "No, I think you were dreaming, sweetheart. Last night was very hectic for you." 

I roll my eyes, trying to wish away his hesitance. I know I remember something, and he better hope he isn't lying to me. 

"Genevieve!" Carlos calls loudly after impatiently waiting. "Is the bath ready yet?" 

"Give me a second!" His sister calls. "Have some patience!" 

Carlos huffs and pushes through the door as Genevieve was in the middle of dumping even more ice into the already flowing tub in front of her. She ignores her brother and meets her gaze with mine. "Hi, sweetie. Let's get you cooled down." 

To my astonishment, Carlos sets me down on my wobbly lets and quickly begins to disrobe me out of my nightie. "Carlos!" I scowl and reel back away from him. "I can undress in privacy." 

He smirks and looks me up and down. "Indeed. Go on then, I'll see you later." He swivels quickly on his heel before I can stop him. 

"Wait!" I shout. "When's the wedding then?" He peaks around from the other side of the hidden door. "Tomorrow, sweetheart. Rest up until then." He smiles mischievously. "Then, I will relieve you of your...affliction." He closes the door quickly to avoid the intensity of my surprised glare. 

"Oh, lord." Genevieve sighs. "I wish it wasn't so rushed like this, but he's right. He said you agreed last night." She quietly takes my nightie from me after I lifted it off of my head. "But still, I wish I could come."

"Can't you?" I turn to her slowly, covering myself for a speck of modesty.

She waves my shyness off. "Just get in the tub, I don't mind." 

Slowly I lower myself into the tub and the fire is my stomach slowly extinguishes. I groan in relief and lay my head against the back of the tub. "This is heaven." I moan. 

Genevieve lightly laughs. "So I've heard." 

I briefly open my eyes. "You've never experienced it?" 

"No." She shakes her head. "I haven't found a mate, and usually the Beast compels the heat to happen if he has chosen a mate for you." 

"Oh." I close my eyes again. "But I thought you were in the Beast's control." 

Genevieve pauses, causing me to open my eyes and sit up. "What's wrong?"

"I...used to be under his control, but no longer." She answers quietly. "As long as I hide here, he won't know I am still alive. He's been led to think I rebelled and left to die." 

My eyes widen. "Is that why you won't attend my wedding?" 

"I can't risk him seeing me until I leave for good. Someday I will." She answers solemnly. "I just couldn't bear to leave until I knew Carlos had taken the throne and was safe with his bride. I wanted to at least see it with my own two eyes before I left everyone I knew and love." 

"Oh, my gosh." I murmur, "I'm unbelievably sorry, Genevieve." 

She shushes me and lays my head back down gently with both her hands. She quietly strokes my hair away from my face as I let the fire fade within me. "How am I suppose to deal with this for another night?" I growl. 

"I will have the cooks make you some soup, and when my brother comes back, I can speak to him about moving the wedding up to tonight." Genivieve stands to leave. 

"Hold on, you can roam the castle?" I hiss worriedly. She does have a secret room, after all. Do her parents even know that she still lives here. 

She smirks knowingly. "Don't worry. I can sneak out now and again. It's still early, mother and father aren't out of bed yet. I can guarantee that." She pauses once more. "And to answer the other question you're bound to have, my brother and the cooks know of me, but no one else. I'm surprised he trusted you so soon to show you where I was." 

I shake my head. "I am astounded as well, but I promise, I would never tell the Beast." 

She nods solemnly. "I trust you." Her gaze shifts to the ground. "Providing that you stay strong enough to resist the Beast's compulsion." 

I divert my eyes away from her in shame. "How would I know if I was compelled or not?" My racing thoughts went back to last night...well what foggy thoughts I could remember. "Is Carlos strong enough to not be compelled?" 

"It's a difficult thing to know, but yes, Carlos is fiercely strong. I'm sure he has no problems resisting him." Genevieve's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"Last night was foggy, but I'm sure it was just due to the heat." I wave it off. "It hit me like a boulder." I lightly laugh and wave myself. The ice was seeping into my skin but I still felt quite hot. 

Genevieve nods. "I'm sure that was all. He says you were all over him." She winks. "I'm sure I wouldn't want to remember that either." With that, she leaves and closes the door securely behind her. 

I let out my sigh of relief as soon as she was out of sight. Still, however, I found myself frantically waving myself through my panic. I no longer cared about the heat for a moment. I had something else entirely pressing on my mind. 

Carlos must be lying to me.