REJECTED AND LOVED BY A RED WOLF

THE COUPLE

CHAPTER 10

“A little closer please lovely couple--move on her back gentleman--” the photographer requested.

Both Brandon and Ava moved a little closer together. He positioned himself slightly at the back of Ava following the request of the photographer, now her back was on Brandon’s chest, and his arms wrapped around her waist. Ada braced herself and plastered a smile on her face while Brandon remained emotionless.

“That’s it. Lovely!!!” the photographer was more than pleased with them. Ava was a bit surprised how their picture did come out great. Brandon and herself were an awkward couple, but when she saw the image--she agreed with the photographer right away. They were indeed a lovely couple.

Ava asked her foolish heart to stop beating so hard since everything that would happen the entire day was just part of an act--a pretense. Brandon’s laughter, his smile, and his affection were under false fronts.

That picture the photographer took, was the last requirement for their twenty minutes long civil marriage. They were now legally man and wife.

They could have opted for the wedding itself to take place in the banquet but Ava knew, it would entail ceremonial activities that she would like to avoid. It would require more acting on her part and Brandon's.

Their marriage was based on completely different grounds, though their families didn't know about it but between Brandon and herself, they knew that their marriage was not based on any emotional entanglement...not even out of friendship.

As Brandon had said, “The civil registry wedding is for legalities and nothing more.” They could be officiated by the elders in the community but still, they needed to register the marriage. Their marriage was a business marriage all the more it had to be flawlessly legal in all aspects.

Kiara and one of Brandon's best friends stood as witnesses. Both of them knew the situation between Brandon and Ava. The event had been silent most of the time as if the two gorgeous couples were not seeking marriage but dissolution of marriage.

After the release of a copy of the certificate, they all proceeded to the banquet, reserved in the Ritz Carlton Hotel, by Brandon’s parents.

Despite Ava’s insistence that only family and close friends would be invited to partake in their first meal as husband and wife, the reservation still reached 50 pax. The Abioye family, spent on the lavish meal and detailing like flower arrangement, band, lighting, and paying for them in millions of pounds, that Eva had rather not spent.

And like what happened during their first family dinner…the two families celebrated it as if ONE.

Since they entered the event hall, Brandon had been at her side, like a dutiful husband. But an hour after…Ava's eyes wandered around the function hall, but not a shadow of him was visible.

“Ava–”

She turned around and saw her friend Kiara, the frown on her face was not an indication of good news. She looked pissed, Ava figured.

“What’s seemed to be your problem?”

“Well–I forgot how gorgeous as fvck your husband was. He might be fvcking someone right now and still, you haven’t noticed?”

I gawked at her, surely Brandon wouldn’t risk any of my family or his discovering it if ever Kiara’s accusation was true.

But–

She also knew her friend. Kiara wouldn’t say those words to her if she couldn’t prove it. And just as Ava thought, Kiara detailed what she saw.

“I saw him and a clingy lady looks like a model or actress, not sure on their way to whatever floor. I saw him kiss the lady before the lift door closed. It was good, no one among your family was there to witness it. Holy cow, Ava! How could he be so insensitive, so right on your wedding day? He couldn’t keep it in his pants long enough? Asshole.” Kiara screeched.

“Kiara! Keep your voice down,” Ava scolded her for saying too much.

But in her mind Ava cursed Brandon, “For fvck sake! Horny bastard, why can’t you control yourself?!” she thought he would respect the day at least. Her face flustered, she asked Kiara if they could proceed to the ladies' room. A knot in her stomach made her want to junk the entree she had during the banquet.

Although, it was clear to her that it wasn’t a normal wedding between two people in love. It was a business deal, one that could benefit the two parties. But still, she was expecting that at least for today…Brandon would respect the day, if not for her…at least for her family.

Brandon finally arrived, twenty or so minutes later, showered, and changed into a new expensive coat and tie. All the more it had been obvious that he did something at the top floor suite that would necessitate a shower right after.

Despite Kiara’s comments, Ava kept her mouth sealed shut, even when Brandon had joined her. She was just grateful that nobody noticed his disappearance for more than thirty minutes, in her estimate.

Brandon sensed Ava’s low spirit when he returned to her side, but– he wasn’t in the mood to handle her temper. He had just escaped an aggressive woman’s attempt to bed him, which he wouldn’t mind ordinarily, but not during his wedding. He dismissed the lady, asked Colton to assist her, and proceeded to the reserved suite for Ava and himself. He took a shower as the scent of a lady lingered in his clothes and he didn’t like it.

His parents insisted on them using the suite they reserved even for a night, but he had already refused. Brandon couldn’t force Ava to stay the night in the hotel, his residential property in London was very near the place. If he would be honest, acting like a normal couple was very hard to do and he wanted to be out of his parent's discerning eyes as soon as possible.

And if ever he had to deal with Ava’s temper, there was no place for that tonight. Not even for the good of her family. Brandon knew this and Ava too.

The way they pretended seemed too real, he caught Ava and eyed him as she worshipped him, but he knew better than to believe that it was real. That woman had rejected his purest intention five years ago in favor of a man that wasn’t even their kind.

As for him…Ava had rejected their mate bond without regard for him. For some time, he lost his internal sense of being worthy of others' affection. He felt shamed–laughed at by his old pack members saying he was a weakling – useless Alpha.

At the moment that the thought entered his head, Brandon furrowed his brows and his jaw ticked, he knew he had to push that thought away. It wasn’t the time to be angry, it wasn't the best time to deal with the pain of the past.

And her effect on him? The mate pull was stronger than ever. He could feel the attraction in every fiber of his body. Her presence, scent, voice, and gaze could easily make his balls contract and his c0ck hard as a rock. The painful hard-on stay for days if he couldn't find another human or wolf to let him come over the edge, just so he could release his HEAT.

Brandon didn’t know how they could live together in one home--together but without s*x.

No matter what kind of HELL such would cause the both of them-- he didn't care. He would never touch Ava, he would let her pay for rejecting him. He could never touch her knowing that his MATE had been touched by another man.