Christian could smell Jessie, her anxiety, her fear, and her anger. Everything. Which made him wish he could be there in the room to reassure her that there was nothing to fear. He made a vow to himself to take care of her with all his wellbeing and to the best of his abilities.
"I will introduce her to a life better than what she was used to." Christian vowed to himself.
This was the first time in two centuries since a wolf and vampire were to be mated.
At first, Christian was furious. He had his eyes set on a wolf already, they have been together for a while, and he was planning to marry her. He hated the fact that the Fates had torn him away from someone he had grown to care about. Now, he was mated to someone else, someone he doesn't know, and was here on his wedding day, which was rushed.
But since the message came directly from the Fates themselves, telling him that his mate was a vampire destined for greatness, and will bring new meaning to his life. He decided to take the leap and see how everything worked out.
Naturally, he laughed after finding this out.
"A vampire. A bloody bloodsucker?" He laughed to his father, who wasn't too happy about the idea.
"Those things shouldn't exist. They are cruel and feed off of their beloved to survive. I'll be damn if I allow a leech to drink my blood and dream my dreams. They are nothing but the evil our stories take about. They know nothing of compassion, and how to love.'' He had ranted to his father.
Until he learnt the truth, his entire mind changed. He found out that Jessie was nothing but a weak, defenceless leech who needed protection because she no longer has her abilities.
Christian fell in love with only the story of Jessie, even though he resented the vampire side of her. No matter how suppressed her power was, vampirism was not something that can just go away.
At first he wasn't told her name or shown her picture. All he knew was that she was his sworn enemy, and he was about to marry her. No one in his pack was happy with it, especially not his family. But who were they to go against the Fates and who were they to go against Christian, the Alpha?
Jessie.
Christian could hear her name being called.
Then her scent hit him, a sweet floral scent that reminded him of Spring.
She didn't smell like death, the normal stench of a vampire. Nor does she smell like her father, thankfully. She smelt almost human, and another delectable smell that sent Christian's wolf wild.
"That's mate.'' He ran around in his subconscious.
Truly, she was. For no other female ever made his wolf react in such away before.
Just a few minutes more and he'll finally get to put a name to face, a scent to face.
Closing his eyes, Christian forced himself not to lose control. After hearing that wretched father of hers bellowing her name. He didn't like what he had learnt about him and how he treated his mate.
Christian dug his nails in his palms to restrain himself as much as possible, even though he wanted nothing more than to charge in like a knight and save his bride from that abusive fu*k she called a father.
He couldn't wait to take her away from there, thinking that she didn't deserve this life and he'll make sure that she got a better life and more.
Christian had to pretend to come across Yorkshire, England and talked her father into getting her hand in marriage.
Of course, her greedy, money-hungry father was easy to bribe.
While Jessie's mother agreed to everything, her husband said like a mindless puppet. The only thing now was to convince his new bride, his mate, that he loved her and will take her from this disgusting life.
Only one of Christian's siblings showed up, only to give him a scornful look. Claire, who was three years younger than Christian. She hated the idea but said nothing, except on the day they found out about his mate. That she would never give them her blessing, and that she would make his bride's life a living hell.
Forgetting that Christian was Alpha and would get rid of them, especially if they as much as stared at his mate for a second too long.
Christian shuffled from one foot to the other, growing more and more impatient.
"What is taking so long?" He questioned the pastor, who seemed ready to run.
Christian must have been standing at the altar for about twenty minutes now, occasionally looking up to meet icy stares and sorrowful looks from his family and those who were there to pretend to give him well wishes.
Suddenly, wedding music played, and the double doors at the end of the aisle opened up. But he still couldn't see her yet.
Even though her scent hit him full force, much stronger than her being up in the room. Christian thought he had died and went to heaven. His wolf ran wild and howled in his mind, his fangs ache as to mark his mate.
Jessie made her way down the aisle, with slowly calculated steps.
"Don't run, don't run, don't run." Christian chanted in his head, willing her to hear his thoughts.
Because he could see her pig of a father clinching her hand tight.
Again, he wished at that moment more than ever to rip his throat out. He has put Jessie through so much, not to mention him smacking her not too long ago.
"I'll make you forget about your wretched family and deplorable past.'' Christian promised.
But he couldn't think straight anymore. Jessie's scent was to madden and now seeing her for the first time sent his thoughts into shambles.
Jessie was behind beautiful.
Christian shook his head.
"No." I told himself. "This isn't how it is to happen."
All Christian could see was the sadness on Jessie's beautiful face and in her stormy grey eyes, even her pouty pink lips, were set in a grimace.
Of course, in some sense, this was a forced marriage. Neither of them knew a thing about each other.
"Ba*ls, she surely doesn't want to get married to me today, or maybe ever. What would she think after finding out that I hardly even know her name?" Christian asked the pastor.
He gave a blank stare, then looked at his watch.
Clearly, he had other places to be and didn't care what happened.
Jessie finally came to stand before Christian, his massive body towering over her small, fragile vampire frame.
She peeked up at him from under long natural lashes, with eyes that are full of hate which quickly changes to surprise. Her heartbeat sped up and her cheeks flushed.
"Maybe this will work. With me being Alpha, she will want for nothing. Then again, she is nothing but a simple-minded bloodsucker, who has been a human for so long. And might not comprehend the new world I will drag her into." Christian said, again the pastor didn't respond.
All Christian had to do now was marry Jessie and hope for the best.
Throughout the ceremony, Jessie seemed out of it, like she wanted to be anywhere but there.
Maybe she wanted to run, to cry.
Either way, she was Christian's mate, like it or not. A vampire was his mate.
"Oh, how cruel the Fates are for gifting me a vampire?'' Christian had said, after his meeting with them.
Now, thinking that he had his work cut out for him, he would have to teach her their ways. Get her use to his life.
Even though he knew little about vampires, like what do they even do?
Does he just let her be after the wedding?
What do they eat?
Does she sleep?
Jessie appeared so out of it, until the priest said. "You may kiss the bride.''
Her eyes widen, and Christian truly thought she would have run.
"Well, at least she was pretty, smelt delectable and has kissable lips.'' Christian thought, running his eyes over her body once more.
Christian leaned in slightly, thinking that she would have booked it, but something was stopping her.
They kept going closer until their lips touch; it was like electricity, and the crowd fell silent.