SIXTEEN

Friday started with Craig greeting everyone he saw with, "Shake yer tits, it's Friday!"

A week ago, this time, I was packing the last things into my suitcase for my trip to Scotland. To think, I had no idea I'd be photographing a werewolf wedding and turn out to be one's mate. Matt and I were still together, and I was still struggling to come up with a way to pay my studio's rent.

Somehow that felt ages ago.

However, the castle didn't seem to embrace the weekend and its relaxing vibes. Servants were scurrying left and right under Edda's watchful eye, making preparations for the ball on Sunday. Rooms had to be prepared for the other packs, tons of cooking and baking had to be done, and after two miscreants trashed the kitchen yesterday, the pantry was out of eggs and syrup, which meant another trip to Direfair.

"Seren, aren't you going to lend a hand?" Emric inquired as he and Victor were changing one of the bulbs of the chandelier in the lobby.

"It's Friday," Seren said from her spot on the sofa, gazing lazily into the fireplace, "Any plan of being a productive member of society is officially tossed down the gutter."

"You were hardly productive this week," Victor pointed out bluntly.

"Excuse you, shopping is hard work. It takes time and energy and not to mention a lot of patience," she fired back, "Patience which I lack when it comes to you."

Rheon and I shared amused glances as we polished the suits of armor on either side of the stairs. Everyone was pitching in to help except for Seren. Reyna and Alexander volunteered to head to the village to buy the last things needed for the ball, while Rieka made sure fresh flower arrangements decorated every vase.

"If that's the case," Rieka stole a glance at Seren, "then you're responsible for Clemmy's driving lesson today."

Seren shot upright with a crazed expression. "Oh, no. Does anyone remember what happened the last time we let that teenager take the wheel? We lost the other limousine, that's what happened! It's probably having tea with the Loch Ness Monster at the bottom of the lake as we speak."

"Well, Clemmy needs to learn how to drive, and someone needs to teach her." Emric shrugged at the top of the ladder, "You just happen to be the only one who's not doing anything."

"We can do it." All heads turned to me when I willingly volunteered. Rheon, on the other hand, was shaking his head desperately but I didn't get the message. "I mean, how bad can it be?"

If only I knew what I signed us up for.

I found myself in the backseat of Rheon's car with him in the passenger seat and Clemmy behind the wheel. The look on his face reminded me of a dog who's figured out they're going to the vet.

"Which pedal is the clutch again? I always mix them up," Clemmy asked and peered down at her feet.

"The left, Clemmy," he said in a beat, "Don't you know that by now?"

"Of course, dummy." She rolled her eyes and started the car. "Relax, will you? I was only joking. Now buckle up, it's for your own safety."

I didn't wait to see if she was joking that time. We all put on our seat belts and waited with upheld breaths for Clemmy to pull out of the garage. She successfully managed to put the car in reverse and released the clutch...

My body jolted forward as the car jerked and died. Thank the Goddesses for the seat belt.

"Oops," Clemmy said casually, "Sensitive clutch."

Rheon seemed paler than usual. If I had known volunteering to teach Clemmy to drive involved his beloved Nessie, I would've kept my mouth shut.

The young werewolf started the car a second time and, by some miracle, successfully reversed out of the garage. Now for the first gear... we jolted with each jerk the car made, but eventually, Clemmy's foot stayed even on the pedal. After that, changing to second and third gear was easy.

"Alright, you're driving - miraculously," Rheon said, never taking his eyes off the road, "You want to turn left at the end of the road, what do you do?"

"Indicate I want to go left," Clemmy answered and switched on the turn signal.

"Good, now drive slower and go back to second gear." She did as he told and made a perfect left turn. Rheon was slowly starting to relax. "Next, you see Seren and Alex crossing the road. What do you hit?"

"Oh, definitely Seren. I could never hurt Alex."

"You hit the brakes!" he exclaimed, "The brakes, Clemmy!"

If not for the seat belt, my head would have hit the back of Rheon's seat when she slammed her foot on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt halt. I was starting to see what Seren meant.

"Hey, whose car is that?" Clemmy said out of the blue.

Rheon and I both looked out of Nessie's window to spot an unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. He frowned. "Let's go find out."

Clemmy parked on the spot, and we marched across the grass towards the vehicle. One of its doors opened and a person stepped out, causing me to stop abruptly. I'd recognize that blond hair and shades anywhere.

Matt.

How on earth did he even find me? Unless...of course. He must have gone to my apartment and seen the wedding invitation on my desk. It contained everything he needed to know where I was.

Matt must have seen us coming from across the lawn. He removed the shades and hooked them into his blazer's pocket, staring at me in what could only be regret. Anger boiled at the pit of my stomach. There was nothing I'd like more than to punch that look off his face. It won't make me forgive him for what he did, though, but at least I'd enjoy breaking that shiny nose of his.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded once we were close enough for him to hear me.

"I've come to take you home, Ash," he explained, "Your father isn't exactly pleased that we broke up."

"We?" I scoffed, "I broke up with you. And did you tell my father the whole story? How you have been cheating on me for the past three months?"

"It was a mistake. That's also why I came here; to apologize." He took a step towards me but cowered back when Rheon and Clemmy appeared at my side. "I'm sorry, Ash. I never meant for it to happen. If it makes you feel any better, I broke up with Courtney the moment after you called. Just, please, let me take you home."

"I don't care about your apologies, Matt." I crossed my arms. "And I'm not going anywhere with you. We're done."

Rheon saw that as his cue to step in, "I think it's time for you to go. Ash made it clear where she wants to be, clearly, it's not with you."

"And who are you to tell me what I could and couldn't do? Her boyfriend?" Matt fired back. "You guessed wrong, buddy. She's mine."

One look at Rheon, and I could tell he's pissed - and that was an understatement. He was literally shaking, probably seconds from shifting into a werewolf and tear my ex to shreds for openly challenging him.

Rheon inched forward to put Matt in his place when I grabbed his arm, stopping him before he could do something drastic. "I'll handle this." Turning back to Matt, I said, "It's over, I'm breaking up with you in person in case I wasn't clear on the phone. Now, please, leave."

I turned on my heel to head back to the castle, but not before something gripped onto my wrist to prevent me from leaving. Huffing sharply, I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off already, but my words caught in my throat when I found Matt on one knee with a tiny velvet box in his hand.

"Ashlyn Grace, you're the only woman I can imagine myself spending forever with," he said with watery eyes, "I know what I did was wrong, but I promise it will never happen again. So, I'm asking from the bottom of my heart, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" He opened the box to reveal a ring with one hell of a rock. It was at least the size of a peanut, or a very tiny grape.

My eyes shifted from the ring to Rheon. His face was blank, but his eyes were murderous. Even Clemmy was speechless for a change, glancing from me to her brother with concern.

Inhaling slowly to collect my thoughts, I asked him the question I've been wanting to ask since we started dating, "If our fathers weren't planning on merging their companies for you to inherit in the future, would you still want to marry me?"

He was completely caught off guard, "I want... we... I don't..." When he couldn't finish that sentence, I had my answer.

"That's what I thought." I pursed my lips before walking off towards the castle. "Goodbye, Matt."

The moment we entered the lobby, Rheon started pacing with his fingers tangled in his hair. Clemmy rushed off to find the rest of the pack, no doubt to deliver the news about my ex's unexpected visit, leaving me to deal with her brother's moodiness.

"I don't get why you're pissed," I quirked a brow, "I'm the one who had to put up with him for nearly a year."

"That prick doesn't deserve you," he growled, "You have no idea how badly I wanted to rip him apart."

"Wait," I breathed a laugh, moving to stand in front of him, "are you jealous?"

"What? Of him? Of course not!"

"Then how do you explain those..." I waved a finger at his claws which he quickly hid behind his back. Jealousy was actually a good look on him. "It seems like we both need a distraction after what just happened. Any ideas?"

At least that seemed to take his mind off Matt for a while. Rheon's brows drew together as he thought. Finally, he said, "It's karaoke night at the pub tonight; and after eleven, all drinks are on the house."

"Perfect, I'll drive."

"Great, I'll go tell the others where we'regoing-" he paused mid-sentence when he realized what I said, "Wait, you'll do what?"