Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Scott’s POV

I was sipping champagne at the bridal shop when Dad’s mind-link request pinged at the edge of my mind. I accepted it.

Ever since Lily said yes, I hadn’t stopped for a breath. Booked the fanciest hotel in Silverlake City, which, unfortunately, meant the Imperial. The best venue in town happened to sit on Sebastian’s books, that insufferable bastard. But out of respect for Lily, I booked it anyway.

I owed her. After everything, she deserved nothing less than the best.

"Scott, I honestly didn’t think Claudine would stoop this low," Dad said through the link, his tone sharp on my behalf. "She let herself back into the pack house and walked off with your lineage record."

"It’s fine, Dad. Let her keep it."

"But without it, how are you supposed to register the mating with Lily?" Confusion threaded his voice.

I picked up the flute the attendant had handed me and took another sip. "Dad, nobody knows Mom better than me. The day I told her about the marriage, I took Lily straight to the Elders and filed the mating."

Dad exhaled, plainly relieved. "Well. That puts my mind at ease."

Just then an attendant crossed the floor toward me. "Alpha Scott, your bride is ready."

I nodded, set the champagne down, and stepped toward the curtained platform. The attendant reached for the drapes.

I linked Dad, "I’ll go over there myself later—"

The curtain slid open.

Lily looked at me, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

The breath went out of me.

The gown poured over her, ivory silk skimming her shoulders and cinching at the waist. Tiny beads caught the light and scattered it across the floor. Her hair was swept up, a few loose strands curling at her neck. She stood straight, chin lifted, cheeks flushed. My grip went slack on the mind-link, and Dad’s voice thinned to nothing.

For one long beat I forgot how to breathe.

"Where exactly are you going?" Dad’s voice snapped me out of the daze.

"I’ll link you back," I said quickly, and cut the connection.

Lily shifted on her feet. "What, does it look bad?"

I swallowed the odd kick in my chest. "It suits you."

To the attendant, I said, "We’ll take this one."

Lily blinked. "You don’t want me to try the others?"

"This one’s perfect on you. No need to try another. Go change. There’s somewhere I need you to come with me."

A while later, I drove us across the city to my mother’s apartment.

I walked into her place with Lily on my arm and dropped the folded document on the table in front of Claudine.

She was so furious she passed out cold. I waited for her to come to, and sure enough, she woke up spitting fire and tore into me.

I couldn’t be bothered to say much back.

I took Lily’s hand, and the two of us walked out without a backward glance.

The door shut behind us, and I could still hear my mother’s furious roar bleeding through the walls. Lily flinched at it. I didn’t.

We walked side by side to the car. Lily buried her hands in her pockets, head bowed the whole way. I glanced at her and said, "Find it yet?"

She snapped back to herself. "Find what?"

"Your money. You’ve been staring at the sidewalk like there’s a fortune down there."

She turned away, huffed out an awkward laugh. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

She stopped. Hesitated. Then asked, uncertain, "Did you pick me as your wife because your mother can’t stand me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you decide to marry me all of sudden to exact revenge on your mother? You decided to marry a wife whom she doesn’t approve of. Isn’t this the best revenge you could get?"

"You—" I pressed a finger to her forehead and pushed. "You’ve got quite the imagination on you, haven’t you?"

She rubbed the reddening spot and grumbled, "Whatever. You chose me because I’m worth something to you. Otherwise, why would luck like this ever land on me?"

She turned around and walked forward angrily.

I watched her go.

For the first time, I thought this girl was rather interesting.

Emilia’s POV

The invitation card sat in my hands, and I couldn’t make myself set it down.

It wasn’t the loss of an admirer that gutted me. Goddess knew I’d never wanted Scott that way.

It was the name printed beside his. Lily. My Lily. Dread had already settled cold in my chest. I was scared Lily would never be happy.

"What’s that?"

Sebastian plucked the card out of my fingers. He scanned it, and his brows drew together.

"Scott, that smug bastard, is marrying Lily?" He actually sounded thrown. "Since when?"

"No idea. It’s their wedding, not mine." I took the card back. "You’re coming with me tomorrow."

He blinked, still half-lost. "Oh. Sure."

The next morning came bright and warm, the kind of day that has no business showing up when your mood is this black. Sebastian and I pulled up to the Imperial Hotel, where Scott and Lily were holding the reception.

I knew the place too well. Sebastian and I had married under these same chandeliers.

The banquet hadn’t started yet. Lily was tucked away in the suite upstairs, and when I let myself in, the sight of her stopped me in the doorway.

White gown. Hair pinned up. Hands twisting in her lap.

Something complicated stirred in me, hard to name.

I crossed the room and made myself smile.

"So," I said, dropping onto the seat beside her. "How’s it feel? Like a dream finally coming true?"

Lily’s mouth curved. "Some dream. Feels more like a bad one."

"Bad dreams are still dreams." I bumped her knee with mine. "And this one came true anyway. You’re supposed to be happy today, you idiot."

"Yeah." She nodded and looked at her hands.

I studied her. "You’re doing this behind your parents’ backs. You’re not scared they’ll haul you home if they find out?"

"If I tell them now, there won’t be a wedding."

"Why not?"

"I promised them I’d come back after my twenty-fifth birthday. Leave the city, settle down, the whole thing."

I raised a brow. "So the plan is to tell them once it’s too late to undo?"

Her cheeks went pink. "Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not going to happen."

"How is it ridiculous? You’ve decided to marry the man. Love or no love, the rest is just a matter of time." I grinned.

Lily lifted her head, and the sadness that crossed her face wiped the grin off mine.

"Emilia," she said quietly. "The truth is, Scott’s only marrying me because of you."