✿ Ulyana's POV

I took a step back in my shock. Zoltan stood there in a black suit and tie. With one hand in his pocket, his face held no expression apart from anger... just like always. Painfully, he somehow managed to still look good.

Why do the evil ones always get blessed with great genes?

Talk about Lucifer Morningstar, Klaus Mikaelson, Damon Salvatore... name them.

Mara took one slow but steady step forward without taking her eyes off him and only stopped when she was directly by my side. Then she leaned a little closer to me.

“Tate? I think I see Zoltan. Do you see him as well or is my bad television making me think he just popped out of the magazine?” she asked in a whisper.

I took a look at her, my brows slightly furrowed at her reaction.

“If you and your friend are done, I'll need you to come with me” he let out in an alluring tone, making me shift my eyes back to him.

Why is he so close to me?!

I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance, refusing to look away. Zoltan glared back. If he thought showing up out of the blue would make me quiver with fear, then he was dead wrong.

Our glaring contest was only broken when Zoltan slightly shifted his eyes to something by his side. His brows slightly ceased up and my eyes followed the direction of his eyes. And that's when I caught sight of Mara's index finger lightly poking his arm.

“Wow. They're like rock solid” she whispered. “Do you work out every day, Alpha Zoltan? Maybe you can introduce me to your trainer. I'm a fast learner... ask Tate.”

A huge smile played on her face. Zoltan looked at me, his eyes quietly mocking me. I scowled and immediately snatched her hand away from him and tugged her to the side of the pavement.

“Don't do that!” I scolded in a whisper.

I walked back to where Zoltan was standing.

“Look, we might be engaged and all, but that doesn't mean I have to go everywhere with you.”

I watched him look away from his phone's screen.

“We need to go. Right now. This is not a request. Say goodbye to your friend. We have to go meet the planner. Now get in the car” he rambled like a robot.

“Excuse me?” I asked, surprised at myself for being surprised at his rudeness.

Who the hell did he think he was? Did I look like one of his pack members he could order around?!

I stared at him and he had an unreadable expression on his face.

“Now you listen to me, Zoltan” I began, pointing at him. “I don't take orders from anyone. If I don't want to come with you, I don't have to. And you're going to respect my decision because this isn't your territory where you can force ridiculous rules on people. Therefore, as the granddaughter of the Alpha of this pack, I'll ask you nicely, just once, to get back in your car and drive away.”

He stared calmly at me. He neither looked pleased nor did he look the slightest bit threatened by me.

“It didn't please me one bit to be the one to come get you. But so long as I'm here, you're coming with me.”

“Really? Then I'm sorry to disappoint you but you're going to be going back empty-handed and with your ego deflated because I'm not going anywhere with you!” I quickly retorted.

He glared at me immediately and I knew I'd definitely hit the nerve for him to react.

“Ulyana” Mara called out directly behind me.

Could she not stay still?!

“He's an Alpha and your fiancé. Why do you have to speak to him like that?” she asked.

I glanced at her and the worried look on her face quickly reminded me of the fact that she didn't know the heavy truth.

Dammit!

“Mara—”

“She's right” Zoltan cut me off.

The two of us immediately turned back to him.

“Why do you have to speak to me like that?” he repeated calmly.

Something about his tone wasn't right. He wanted to use Mara to make me lose this one.

“I know what you're doing Zoltan. But it's not going to work” I assured him.

His phone rang and I watched him glance at the time on his wristwatch.

“You're wasting my time and so I'm done playing nice. Let's go” he instructed.

I frowned. But before I could get the chance to think of something else to say, he grabbed me by the arm and tugged me along with him across the street.

“Hey! Don't touch me! Let go of my arm!” I ordered.

He kept walking, his arm around my wrist tighter than ever.

“Let me go! You're hurting me!”

But my protests fell on deaf ears. When we reached his car, he opened the front door and roughly pushed me in. I tried to open the door but it was like there was no handle. I could see Marioara's steps doubling across the street, a confusing look on her face. I read her lips as she shouted my name... switching between “Tate!” and “Uls!”.  The car started, startling me a little.

“This is kidnapping! Let me out!” I exclaimed and pounded on the tinted glass window of the car.

“Save the excitement for the wedding planner. The windows are 'Ulyana' proof.”

I stopped yelling and turned my head to him. He kept his eyes on the road and I silently groaned.

I should have stayed in bed!

The rest of the ride was endured in absolute silence. The only sound I could hear was the sound of my own breathing and occasionally his whenever his phone rang. After minutes of driving, Zoltan suddenly pulled over. He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned in closer toward me.

Taken by surprise, I pressed up against the glass of the car window, trying to get as far away as possible. My heart was pounding in my chest and if I didn't control it, he'd hear it and think I was afraid of him. Zoltan's eyes made contact with mine, only pure anger filling his.

“I'm going to say this one time, Ulyana, so listen to me very carefully” he growled lowly. “When I instruct you to do something, you don't reject or question it. Is that clear? Inside that building is the planner who's going to take care of the engagement and the wedding so I expect you to do nothing but cooperate!”

I frowned.

“Personally, I don't enjoy you taking decisions without consulting me first. Why hire an event planner and waste time, effort, and money for something that was just for show?!”

“Whether this is purely for show or not, you will cooperate! You will go in there and smile. And as my fiancée, you'll happily agree with everything I say. So keep your grandfather in mind when you decide which scene you're going to create!” he snarled.

Swallowing, I felt my cheeks become hot, and my breathing more difficult. I felt stuck after he brought up Bubba.  Zoltan leaned away from me and checked his phone.

“You are a terrible person Zoltan... Alpha or not” I said calmly. “Do you even sleep at night, knowing you've hurt so many people?”

“I do sleep at night” he answered to my surprise. “I'm not the one atoning for my grandfather's bad decisions.”

I inhaled sharply.

The devil...

“Screw you Zoltan!” I growled and stepped down from the car.

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

✿  Geneva's POV

“Why exactly are you asking me, Dad? Ask Mia. She knows everything... well then wait for her to call back. Get her a basketball then. You both love that stuff... dad” she huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Okay fine. I'll call Alexis and ask... then I'll call Noah. He has to know what his wife wants right?”

She caught me looking and turned away.

“I'll call you when I get home okay? I'm working. Bye.”

She hung up and turned back to me with a charming smile.

“Sorry. It was my Dad.”

I heard.

“He was asking what my cousin might want for her birthday.”

I didn't ask to know.

I nodded slowly, a small smile on my face as she rambled on.

“The struggle,” I said, cutting her off.

“Yes,” she laughed.

She was beautiful and glamorous, with her sparkling blue eyes and her winning blonde hair. She wore a floral print mid-thigh dress with her hair held away from her face with a clip. She was tall, taller than me, and definitely more slender. She could pass for a model if her wedding planner business failed.

There was a beep from the telephone and I pushed the button down.

“Yes?”

“They're here, Ms. Wassermann.”

“Well let them in Wyatt. He owns the place!” I said and immediately hung up.

A few moments later, they stepped in. For a change, Ulyana was leading and Zoltan was following. I grinned and stood up and met him halfway to greet them. Zoltan nodded stiffly at me when he reached my side. I glanced at Ulyana who had a certain look on her face. She was wearing an oversized black shirt and jeans. I narrowed my eyes.

“Did you force her here, Zoltan?” I whispered to my cousin.

He glanced at his fiancée.

“You didn't give her time to change!” I whisper-yelled.

“She looks fine,” he said loudly and sidestepped me.

Ulyana looked at me and I smiled either way. The wedding planner got up and walked over to the couple.

“Mr. MacQuoid” she greeted him, shaking her hand, “It's so nice to meet you.”

“Please. Just call me Zoltan,” he told her. “And this is my fiancée, Ulyana Barlowe,” he gestured to her.

I gave her a light shove so she was standing directly beside him.

“It's such a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Barlowe,” she greeted Ulyana as well, shaking her hand.

Zoltan stood with one hand nestled in a pocket of his trousers. His black and white suit was immaculately tailored to fit him as usual. And the only accessory he wore apart from his matching cufflinks and tie pin along with his pocket square was the Rolex watch I'd got him a couple of years ago.

“It's nice to meet you, too, ma'am,” Ulyana said.

I looked at her.

Ma'am?

Zoltan turned his head to Ulyana and gave her a look. The planner caught on and chuckled.

“I'm not that old, Ulyana” she smiled.

“I'm sorry” Ulyana

She shook my head.

“That's quite alright” the planner brushed it off, “My name's Eleanor Adler. But please, just call me Elle.”

Ulyana smiled up at her.

“Okay, Elle.”

I cleared my throat.

“Well since my presence is no longer needed here, I'd like to leave,” I said.

“No stay” Ulyana and Zoltan chorused.

I arched a brow as they glanced strangely at each other. Zoltan cleared his throat.

“If she wants you to stay, Gene, then stay,” he said.

Rightttt because you don't want me to stay.

I just nodded and Ulyana's face brightened a little.

“Shall we all have a seat and discuss the engagement and wedding?” Eleanor asked, gesturing to the sofa set in the conference room.

I waited for them to sit down before joining them on a separate sofa. They sat far from each other on the couch.

“First of all,” Eleanor began, “I'd like to say congratulations on the engagement. I hope you both have a wonderful and happy marriage.”

I scoffed inwardly and twisted the cap off a bottle of water. Who'd be happy with Zoltan? This man terrified all his employees and his wife was expected to be happy, spending day and night with him for the years to come.

I brought the bottle to my lips.

It's a good thing I feel a good omen with this one. Allison was all black cat and inauspicious.

“Thank you, Elle. Isn't that nice, babe?” Ulyana turned to him.

I forced myself to not spit out the water but struggled to swallow it instead.

Babe?!

Zoltan's eyes were on her, in equal shock. Ulyana smiled innocently and that seemed to snap Zoltan out of his shock. He straightened his jacket and nodded.

“Very nice,” he said, “Thank you, Eleanor.”

“So I hope you're aware that your wedding is going to be a June wedding,” she said, getting down to business. “I have never planned a wedding in one week but I'll make it work.”

I slowly nodded.

“So, do you two have any specific details you'd like to see?” Eleanor asked.

“No” Zoltan replied. “If Geneva hired you, it means you're good. So we trust you.”

“Actually...” Ulyana began. “I think we should move the wedding to a Saturday instead of a Sunday.”

I arched a brow.

In a hurry aren't we?

“Better to have it on a party day where people don't have to go to work the next day.”

Zoltan frowned.

“I think that is a fantastic idea” I interrupted Zoltan before he got to say whatever he was about to say.

He looked at me, probably wishing he's asked me to leave.

“That's a day earlier but I understand your excitement to get married” Eleanor smiled. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” Ulyana answered again.

I folded my arms, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Cancel the wedding and elope maybe?

“We will be having the wedding in Nexus Vale. It's always the most beautiful in June. What do you think, babe?”

Ohh she said it again!

Zoltan chuckled this time.

“Nexus Vale?” he repeated.

Ulyana nodded.

“Absolutely not. We're having the wedding here” Zoltan replied curtly.

Here we go.

Ulyana frowned.

“That's not fair. We announced the engagement here. We're having the engagement party here. You want us to have the wedding here too? What about where I'm from? What about my pack?”

“This is your pack now. We're engaged so your family is here. We're not having the wedding outside of this territory and that's final.”

Why did he never want to listen to other people's opinions? I looked at Ulyana.

Why are you quiet? Challenge him.

But she didn't. She remained quiet and stared at her palm.

I thought she had more fire in here than...

“Then I'm calling off the wedding” she let out.

My eyes snapped to her face.

There's the fire!

Zoltan frowned.

“I think there's an easy fix to this” Eleanor cut in.

Zoltan kept glaring at his fiancée who glared back. She was willing to call off the wedding? Wasn't she head over heels in love with him?

“How about we hold the engagement party here and the wedding at Nexus Vale?” Eleanor asked.

Zoltan flexed his jaw.

“I think it's only fair that the venues are divided” I added.

They turned to me.

“I mean, her people are basically your people now and so they need to be officially made aware of that. And what better way to make them aware than holding the wedding on their territory?” I asked.

Then I turned to Zoltan.

“And... you're marrying her and so by right you're supposed to marry her at her home and bring her into ours”.

Ulyana grinned and I earned a threatening scowl from my cousin.

“Are we in agreement, Alpha Zoltan?” Eleanor asked.

Zoltan nodded and took Ulyana's hand in hers.

“Anything she wants,” he said with a tight-lipped smile.

Ulyana shifted uncomfortably in her seat and I wondered if Zoltan had spikes for hands now.

For the next hour, it was either Ulyana being stubborn and Zoltan obliging uncomfortably or it would be the other way round. By the time the meeting was over, my butt was numb. I let out a sigh of relief as Eleanor escorted them out.

I need a massage!

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent Warren three emojis. The door closed just as I locked my phone and Eleanor sighed.

“My jaw aches from smiling for so long.”

If it was about Ulyana and Zoltan? I would gladly let my jaw ache.

“She's so lucky to be marrying Zoltan MacQuoid” Eleanor smiled. “Although many people seem unhappy about it.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“Well, he's off the market so the young ladies would have to check the list of eligible bachelors again.”

I looked over at her and smiled, amused.

“What about you? Who's your eligible bachelor?” she asked.

My phone dinged with a reply to my message and I flipped it over and chuckled.

“I don't have an eligible bachelor, Eleanor.”

She gave me an amused look.

“Really? But you're so pretty. And the Alpha's fiancée clearly adores you.”

“I'll find myself a man when I want to. I'm fine being on my own for now” I said.

“You know... I'm a matchmaker too” she mused. “So if you want, I can set you up with a really nice guy. Just say the word. What are you looking for? Black? Latino? Asian? Six feet? Lanky? Broad shoulders? Chris Hemsworth?”

“Thank you, Eleanor,” I said in a mock warning tone.

She chuckled and grabbed her bag after gathering her folders.

“Alright fine, fine. But you have my number so if you change your mind.”

I shook my head and watched her as she walked out. My phone dinged again and I flipped my phone back over and replied to Warren. I did need that massage and I was going to secure it.

I was going to send him a dirty text when Zoltan's figure caught my eye from the corner of my eye. I looked up and he stood there alone, looking thoughtful.

“Zoltan, did you forget something?” I asked, putting my phone away.

“No” he replied and scanned the room. “Where's Eleanor?”

“She just left. Didn't you see her?” I asked, glancing at the door.

He came over to a chair, unbuttoned his jacket, and sat down.

“Get her on the phone. We're not having the wedding at Nexus Vale.”

I furrowed my brow.

“Err... why not?” I asked.

“She changed her mind.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Okay so just to be clear... it's Ulyana Barlowe we're still talking about, right? The same person who threatened to call off the wedding if it wasn't held in her territory... an hour ago?”

Zoltan scowled.

“Call and tell her” he growled and stood up.

Had he done something to her?

“Where's Ulyana?” I asked, standing up myself.

He gave me a displeased look. I was pushing.

“I just wanted to ask her...” I paused to think of a lie to save my skin if he decided to go off for my meddling.

Then an idea hit me.

I'm going to regret this.

I smiled at Zoltan.

“I wanted to ask her if I could be her maid of honor.”

Thank you for reading!
Vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter and recommend!
See ya.
~the_atticwriter