Bride (Bride, #1)

by Ali Hazelwood

This marriage, it’s going to be a problem. She is going to be a problem.

He cages me, pins me, and stares down at me like he forgot where he is and I’m something to be consumed. Like I’m prey

“You,” he says, voice deep, almost too low to hear. “How the fuck do you smell like this?”

Less than ten minutes later he slips a ring around my finger, and we swear to love each other till the day we die.

“She’s a Vampyre!” “She’s my—” Lowe’s hand jerks up to clutch Max’s jaw. “Apologize to my wife

Some nights, when he’s walking past her door, he has to whisper to himself: “Keep going.”

“Did you know, my dear wife, that when I came home during a full moon and could not locate my sister, I was ready to destroy my entire pack and torture all the Weres guarding this house for their negligence?”

I want to ask him why I found a jar of creamy peanut butter in my fridge. If he’s the reason the house is now three degrees warmer than when I arrived. But I somehow can’t bring myself to, and then he’s the one to speak.

“By the way, Misery.” I look up at him. “Yeah?” “We have sharper knives.”

You type ‘Google’ in the Google bar to start a new search.”

“That’s because he has a weakness for beautiful women.” “What does that have to do with me?” “You know what you look like.”

“Why do you hide your fangs?” “You’re the one who told me to.”

“That was a badass speech, Misery.” “Badass is my middle name.” “Your middle name is Lyn.” Shit. “Stop reading my file.” “Never.”

“Honey,” I ask, lowering my sunglasses to the tip of my nose, “are we rich?” His glance is only mildly blistering. “We’re just banned from most Human-owned airlines, darling

“I’m going to do that.” His voice is raspy. “To do what?” “Make you smell like”—the plane touches down with a graceful bump—“me.”

“I know you don’t like my scent.” “I fucking love your scent.” “So the baths did work— Oh

Because this feels like a kiss. Like Lowe Moreland is kissing my neck, slowly. Grazing it with his teeth and finishing off with a light nibble.

Something sexual. And if I know it, there is no way he doesn’t.

Do I smell like…?” “Mine.” It’s a rumble in his throat. “You smell like you’re mine, Misery.”

“Thank you for not causing a diplomatic incident.” “As if.” His eyebrows quirk. “Come on. I wouldn’t.” The look he gives me telegraphs: You absolutely would.

“That you’re intelligent, and incredibly skilled at what you do, and brave. That despite your weird belief that you’re heartless, you’re more genuinely caring than anyone I’ve ever met. That you’re so resilient, I can’t quite wrap my head around it. That you’re very…” He pauses. Wets his lips. My heartbeat skips. “Very beautiful to look at. Always so beautiful. And that—”

“I could fuck you very nicely right now,” he says into my ear. He sounds honest, and a bit resigned. “I almost did.”

“Why do you smell like my Alpha marked you?” is the last thing I hear as I head back to Ana’s room.

Fuck him, if you want. But do not feed from Lowe Moreland again

“What did I study in college?” He gives me a puzzled look. “You?” “Me.” “Why?”

“You majored in software engineering and minored in forensic sciences.” Okay, okay. Okay.

“Send a clear message to anyone who smells you. Who you belong to.”

He’s smearing his come into my skin with his thumb, and why am I okay with this?

“It’s me, isn’t it?” I attempt a wobbly smile. It’s okay. I know it. I feel it, too. “I’m your mate. That’s why…”

But I really do like you. More than that. I haven’t quite figured it all out, because I don’t have much experience with feelings.

The ground beneath my feet undulates as I come to terms with this version of Lowe. Who, apparently, would take things I told him about my past and use them against me.

“I think you’re very attractive. And I enjoy spending time with you. I enjoyed—” His voice almost breaks. “I enjoyed fucking you. And I wish you the best, but….” He shakes his head.

Then his eyes reach me, and for a split second I see every emotion in the observable universe pass through them. After a heartbeat, we’re back to nothing.

“No, he freaked out because he knew that you were with Mick. I thought your boy toy was a pretty even-tempered guy, but he’s actually bloodcurdling

“It was easier, being honest with you, when I thought you were being honest with me.”

So you can use my deepest wounds and what you know about my past to hurt me when you decide that you should push me away?”

“At the wedding, when you were near me for the first time, I was angry. I was furious that for some joke of fate I had found my mate, and they were someone I could never really love.

wanted you more than anything else, and yet I felt trapped by you.

You don’t get to be surprised about what I feel for you. Not when I’ve been nothing but honest about it, and you know what?”

If I want to be in love with my stupid Were husband, I’m going to be in love with my stupid Were husband, whether he wants to admit that he loves me back or not.

“That there is no world, no scenario, no reality in which I’ll gracefully allow you to leave me. That if I don’t let you go now, five years, five months, five days down the line, I won’t be able to.

Every second, I want you too much, and every second, I’m on the verge of wanting you more.

“Not the appropriate way to speak to the Alpha of the pack you claim to want to join.” “Right. Shut up, Alpha.”

“You’re not a problem, Misery. You’re a privilege

Maybe you’re not meant for me the way I’m meant for you, but I’m going to choose you anyway, over and over and over again.

“Mate. My mate,” he groans, like he hasn’t allowed himself to think of the word in relation to himself before this moment.

His nails feel…no. I must be imagining.

“I think I like Were sex.” “Not Were sex.” His eyes hold mine for a long beat. “Mate sex.”