Werewolf world Novel – Bella Three days before the wedding, I went to try on my gown. It was a white dress with an elaborate design with lots of laces and tulle on the skirt. As the seamstress pinned the sides and adjusted the length, I looked in the mirror and felt excited. I wanted to show it to Craig, and see his face light up when he saw it. There was nothing I didn’t share with him.
Lucy, my stepmother, looked me over and smiled thinly. “You look good, Bella,” she said quietly. “Thanks mom!” I replied. “Can I show this to Craig?” She shook her head. “No, we follow the rules. It’s a bad omen for the bride and groom to meet so close to the wedding.” “Please mom,” I whined. “I won’t show it on me. Just the dress in the box. He’ll be so happy. It’s only bad to meet the day before,” I added. “Not three days before.” “It’s bad,” she said firmly. “You will see him at the rehearsal dinner tomorrow with everyone. And that’s it!” I didn’t want to argue because Lucy was pretty stubborn usually.
I sighed and nodded. “Okay…” But the excitement stayed with me. It felt like bubbles in my chest. After the fitting, I held the garment bag and thought about Craig’s smile. I told myself I would be quick. I would show him the dress, still in the bag, then come right back fast. Lucy wouldn’t even come to know. I fell for Craig when I was a sophomore in college. He was a senior. He helped me carry books on a rainy day and walked me to the parking lot. We started texting, then going for coffee. He asked about my classes and remembered small things. I liked that, and over time I started to love him.
After college, he kept seeing me. We met each other’s families. My father, Jared Williams, ran a fashion house, so there were events and shows. Craig came with me, smiled for photos, and held my hand. He was the only heir of his parents with two hotels. The night he proposed, we were on the terrace of his parents’ hotel. There were lights and music. He went down on one knee with a ring. I was so thrilled that I said yes right away. We fixed a wedding date with our families. We booked the hall, picked flowers, and chose the cake. I kept a list for everything, doing things personally even though my father had a fleet of personnel to work for me.
As soon as Lucy left our wedding boutique, I snuck out. I put the gown in my car and drove to Craig’s apartment. I had a key he gave me months ago. He had said, “Use it when you want to surprise me.” I smiled at the memory. The building had a private elevator. I rode up and stepped into his foyer. The living room was quiet. I set the garment bag on the sofa and called out softly, “Craig?” There was no answer. His shoes were by the door, and his jacket was on a chair. He had to be home. I walked down the hall toward the bedroom. As I got closer, I saw a trail of clothes on the floor. A red lace top, a silk skirt, bra and panties, and a pair of heels tipped on their sides. I stopped and blinked. It looked like someone undressed in a hurry.
I smiled to myself. “Must be Evan,” I whispered. Craig’s younger cousin liked to drop by without warning with a date. I rolled my eyes and decided to leave. I picked up the garment bag and turned to go when I heard a soft sound. It was a low breathy moan from Craig’s bedroom. Feeling embarrassed, I increased my pace. But froze the next moment when a man’s voice came through the door, rough and loud. “Mayaaaa!” Shock rippled through me and I stopped moving. Was that Craig’s voice? No, God, no. My first thought was that I misheard. My stepsister, Maya, hadn’t come back to the city in four years.
She never showed her face to us even once ever since she left after that fight. I turned over my shoulder to look at the half-closed bedroom door. Despite myself, I turned back. I reached and saw that the door was slightly open. The room was dim, but I could see enough. Craig was in bed with a woman. Her long brown hair fell across the pillow. He was holding her, naked, and moving inside her. He