“I don't really care. Get back upstairs. I don't want to have to come back down here. You're not going anywhere, so settle down for the night. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow, and it’s my job to make sure that you make it there.”
She went with it because it wasn’t like she had anywhere to go anyway. Her home was full of people that sold her, and Jasmine didn’t think she would ever be able to look at her parents the same way again.
The only option Jasmine had, was to go back up the stairs and hope that the next day wasn’t as bad as all of the messed-up scenarios that were coming to her head. Those were the worst. She hoped it wouldn’t be that bad.
She went back up to the room that was just another prison. Jasmine had to wonder if she was ever going to feel differently about her own life. Was it ever going to be what she wanted?
Jasmine slipped into the bed and tried not to think, tried not to dream. She failed miserably on both fronts, waking up in a cold sweat. It took a while for her to go back to sleep, and after the sun started to come up, Jasmine gave up. The day was there, and she had to face it.
Jasmine waited patiently. She wasn’t sure what she was doing at the tall, sleek building in front of her, but she knew she was going to meet some people. It was early in the morning, really early, and she was actually glad that she hadn’t had to wait around longer just to get the information she was dying for.
When the driver let her out, Jasmine noticed that he didn’t look so ominous now. Now, he was the only familiar face that she had around her. She wanted to grab his arm and drag him in with her, but she didn’t. Jasmine held her composure as best as she could. She couldn’t change what was going on with her life, the choices that were made by her parents; all she could control was her reaction. It was no easy accept, but she plastered a smile on her face, hoping that it would stay through the morning. Jasmine had a feeling that it was going to be a long one.
The elevator closed behind her and Jasmine was alone, going up to the fourth floor. There was a nice, blonde-headed woman in her thirties waiting for her. The woman seemed nice enough, and she suspected that she was the secretary or something. She got her something to drink and then brought her to an office. Jasmine was surprised when she took the seat across from her.
Jamie introduced herself and asked her how her travel there was. Jasmine said she was fine, though she got the distinct feeling that there was a lot that Jamie didn’t know. When Jasmine asked about the man she was supposed to marry, the woman got uncomfortable.
“Now, Jasmine, you know that this would be a real marriage, right? What I mean is it would be legally binding. It is a big deal, and I just want to make sure that you know what you’re getting into.”
Jasmine felt like the woman was trying to talk her out of it. It wouldn’t have been that hard to do if Jasmine had had a choice. But she didn’t, so instead of saying much of anything else, she just nodded her head that she was in agreement.
“I know what this is. I have known for a while.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jasmine smiled and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I know what I am here for, and I guess I am ready to just get this over with.”
Jamie frowned, and Jasmine worried that she had said the wrong thing. She pulled the smile back up on her face and didn’t add anything else. The blonde looked at her hard and asked her how she had heard about it.
“It was Mr. William Grey. He told me that this day would come, and now it has. I am ready, or as ready as I am ever going to be.”
“Very well, then. Would you like to meet him before I take you to the wedding venue? It’s a Justice of the Peace, so not too fancy, but I think with a proper dress and a little time with hair and makeup, you will be ready to go down that aisle.”
Jasmine tried to pretend like she cared but she knew that she failed miserably at it. It was not a blessing but a curse. One that she had to hurry through before she lost her nerve altogether.
“Thanks, but I don’t care for all of that, that is, unless you really think I need it.”
“Well, you’re beautiful now, but you do need a good dress and a touch of makeup. I swear, you’re not like any other bride I’ve ever met before.”
Jasmine agreed. She sure the heck didn’t feel like a bride.
“You know, you and Dustin might actually be perfect for each other. I didn’t think it would be possible, but maybe it is. Maybe you’re the one after all.”
Jasmine had no idea what Jaime was going on about. She found the woman odd but she didn’t say anything else. The woman asked her some questions, mainly about her sex life, and Jasmine assured her that she had stayed untouched.
“Trust me, Jamie, that was never a possibility. I have been watched the last three years. No way for me to have any fun.”
Again, Jamie looked like she had no idea what Jasmine was talking about. Jasmine didn't want to get into any specifics about any of it, so she just let it go. This situation was already strange enough without having to put it into words for a complete stranger.
Chapter Four
Jamie had never heard of such a strange wedding in all of her life. She was in the love business, so she thought she’d seen it all. Each time one of her clients got married, it was usually a positive note in her book. She had helped one more couple, and that was always what she desired in the end.
The only problem was that Jamie wasn't ready for the feeling of selling out, that was suffocating her at the moment. It felt like no matter what she did, it was the wrong decision. She of course had gone along with it and made Dustin one of her clients.
Still, she needed to find Dustin a wife. A wife that he wasn't going to love or even really care about. The only thing that he had been worried about was her virginity status.
None of that left a good taste in Jamie’s mouth. Then, after spending about an hour with Jasmine, Jamie was regretting the decision to tell Dustin that she would do it. It didn't feel right. Even though Jasmine did not seem to have much in the way of expectations, she knew that there was still something off about the whole situation. She had been told about Jasmine from a recruit that she used from time to time. He would bring her girls that were ready and willing to get married, and she would match them up with the perfect mate.
Jamie had been desperate the night before. She had talked to William several times about a bigger supply of girls for her business, but she hadn’t imagined that he would procure one so easily. He said he would have her delivered like a package, and Jasmine was just the one that was sent.
Jamie was right to think that Jasmine would shine up into one of the brightest diamonds that she had ever seen. The woman was an unusual beauty. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was jet black. It fell far past her shoulders, and she had it in a single braid down her back when she’d come in. An hour later, it was over her head and she would have given any woman around her a run for their money.
Although Jamie usually liked to find shifter brides for shifter husbands, it wasn't always a given. Since Dustin had not made it clear one way or another, Jamie was hopeful that Jasmine would be accepted. Even though Jasmine was a human, she had to know a little something about the world or the recruiter wouldn't have brought her. Jamie had a lot of confidence in William from prior recruitments. Jasmine had fallen out of the sky at just the right time. She should probably just accept that and move on.
By the time Jamie was done, an hour had flown by, and Jamie liked Jasmine a lot. She was clear and to the point, not meshing words. In a world where everyone spoke with measured tones, Jamie found it refreshing. It made her question her decision, and she asked her again if she was sure.
“I don’t see a better option, so yeah, I guess I am sure. He isn’t too horrible, is he?”
That made Jamie smile. At least the girl would have a sexier-than-hell husband, even if he wasn’t emotionally what every girl dreamed about. There were definitely some pros to the guy. Jamie could see that and relayed it to Jas
mine.
Naturally, it made Jasmine smile shyly and Jamie wondered again, was she doing the right thing? Or was she throwing Jasmine to the wolves?
Dustin was sick of hearing about his brother. He was getting another report of the violence that Dalton was bringing on another village. Dalton thought he was going to get the alpha title. Dustin didn’t believe that Dalton, the long-time womanizer, was going to be able to walk down the aisle.
Dustin stopped Travis. “Where is he now?”
“He is over at Jillane’s. He is trying to get her to marry him. He wants to do it before you have a chance to, and from what I hear, he isn’t giving her much choice. You know how your brother gets when he is determined.”
That was the problem with Dustin and Dalton being the same age. It was a race to get married first. Dustin wasn’t going to let his brother win, though he still wasn’t all that excited about the idea of it all. A wife was the last thing that Dustin needed in his life. He was sure of that much.
Dustin thanked Travis for bringing him the information and then made his way to his brother’s ex-girlfriend’s house. Dustin wanted his brother to understand that even if he did force her to marry him, against all of their codes, it wouldn’t work. The people would never vote him in. They wanted an even-keeled leader, not one that would burn them alive while they slept if the mood struck him.
When he got to the woman’s house, he could see that Dalton was done asking her to marry him. She was in the corner, scared out of her mind, but she looked relieved to see Dustin.
“Dustin, please get your brother. He’s lost his mind and I don’t know what to do with him.”
Dustin watched Dalton get closer to her. Jillane was going to be used as a shield if his brother had anything to do with it.
“Just leave her alone, Dalton. You don’t even want to be with her.”
“Oh, like you want to be with the one you just bought from that service?”
Dustin couldn’t deny his words, but he wasn’t going to get into it with him. He had his reasons, and even if he did pay for her in a way, she was at least willing. That didn’t seem to be the case here.
“It’s different. She wants to do it, so it’s not like I’m forcing her. And I didn’t buy her. I just paid someone to introduce us.”
“So, you’ve met her?”
Dustin admitted that he hadn’t, but he was paying attention to Jillane, trying to get to her before Dalton knew what he was doing and went towards her. Dustin was almost there when Dalton yelled at him to stop.
He got in front of Dalton just before he made a run at her. Dustin asked him what the hell he was doing.
“This isn’t you, Dalton. You don’t want Jillane no more than she wants you. Leave here now before we have to get the elder board involved.”
Dustin tried to be calm, but at the same time, he was seething inside. It wasn’t the first time he’d figured that life would have been simpler if he wasn’t constantly going after his brother. He was always picking up after his mistakes, and now he was done. He was done with Dalton terrorizing people. He was the reason that Dustin had to get married in an hour as it was. That was enough for one day as far as Dustin was concerned.
“Leave now, brother! We will come to blows over this, and I am not hungover. It will not end well for you.”
They were twins, but Dalton was not good to his body and didn’t practice his magic. It was all just thrown together, much like the man himself was.
“You will fight me over her?”
He was incredulous, but Dustin agreed that he would. “She doesn’t deserve this. She is not part of our quarrel, and even if she did agree, truly, the clan would refuse your ascension. You know this.”
“I can make them once I’m alpha.”
Dustin was tired and told his brother again to leave. He warned that it would be the last time he asked. Dalton looked like he was going to balk at his brother's words but he instead turned around and left. There was a dead silence in his wake, and Dustin put his hand out to help her up.
“I'm sorry this happened.”
She dusted herself off and thanked Dustin for his help.
“I don't know what any of us would do without you, Dustin. Dalton is out of control, even worse than usual. You need to watch yourself. When he gets in these black moods, there is no telling what he is capable of doing.”
Dustin agreed. “It's all this crap about the alpha ceremony. I know that's what he's always wanted. If I agreed to give it up, there's no way that the community would accept him. Not the way that he is now. I've told him a million times that he has to get himself together but, well, you know.”
“I know. That’s why we aren’t together anymore.”
She thanked him again before he left, and Dustin felt worse than before. Sometimes it felt like his whole life was an obligation.
He made his way to the ceremony hall and shook off the anticipation that befell him. He was about to meet the woman that he was going to be married to for the rest of his life. Shifters mated for life after all. So, no pressure…
While he was waiting, Dustin was thinking about the criteria that he had given Jamie. She had a good reputation as far as he had heard. She had secured good brides for many alphas in the shifter world, but they probably had given her more to go off of. Dustin now was kicking himself, sure that he was going to get some simpleton bride because he hadn't taken the time to say more. Now, he wished that he had, when it was too late to change what was going to happen next.
The door started to open, and he steeled himself. They were only going to meet briefly before they went down the aisle. He was expecting a complete shitshow. What he didn't expect was a woman covered in material so thick that he couldn't even see her face. Was she that ugly?
The preacher came in while he was staring at the clothed form. Dustin was worried about what all of the material was covering up, and he finally ordered her two pull it off so he could see her.
The woman jumped at the booming voice that came out of him. He regretted it almost immediately when she revealed herself.
Dustin knew her immediately. It was Jasmine Ronowski. They had gone to school together before she vanished after tenth grade. This was a woman that he had been in lust with when he was younger, the one that had filled his dreams when he was a young man. Now she was standing in front of him, about to be his bride? Dustin couldn't believe his good fortune.
He really couldn't believe it, so he didn't. He asked Jamie who the woman was.
Jamie looked nervous, like she had somehow upset him. She looked down and then told him that it was his bride. Jamie was obviously worried that Jasmine wasn’t the proper bride or something like that. He could see the worry, and again, he wished he’d taken a lighter tone about it all.
“She fits all the criteria that you gave me. I hope that she is to your liking.”
That was a little surprising to Dustin. The woman was gorgeous, and he found it hard to think that she was untouched. The idea of it, though, made him shake inside, and he knew immediately that he must be the luckiest man alive.
“Is that so? Well then, let's get to it.”
He didn't know if she noticed him or not. Jasmine had been very popular in school and probably wouldn't have noticed him then. He noticed her, though. Dustin wondered what she was thinking about, and he had to wonder why would she agreed to such a thing.
The veil came back down, but it didn't matter now. Dustin knew who it was underneath it, and his heart was beating a mile a minute because of it. Something that he had dreaded was now shaping up to be one of the best days of his life.
Chapter Five
Jasmine wasn't sure about any of it. She had envisioned an old man that was fat and balding. Or some hideous beast, really. A man that would pay someone to find him a bride did not seem like a man that would be six-foot-tall and have devastatingly handsome features and muscles all over him. There was something magnetic about his dark green eyes, and she found herself staring
up at them.
The veil covered her face, and it obscured her view a little bit, but it did not take away from the draw that she felt to him. What was it about this guy that made her shake inside so much?
There was something familiar about him. She had seen him before, or knew him from somewhere else, but she couldn't put her finger on quite where it was. It wasn't the time for that, of course. They were in the middle of the ceremony that was supposed to link them together forever. Jasmine didn't even know his name, though she thought that Jamie had called him Dustin. Dustin Rose.
At some point in the middle of her musings, Jasmine had to agree to the terms. She was agreeing to be a complete stranger's wife, and it was at that moment that she had to think of her family and what it would mean for them. It was something that had kept them going and kept them alive for the last three years. She had to hold on to that. If she hadn’t, maybe she could have said no. She could have run off and found a way to get back to her family again if they would have even wanted her.
But that was not what she did. She had made a promise that she would marry this man, and she agreed to it instead.
There was a collective sigh from behind her, and she didn't look to see who it was. There were so many people there, all people she had never met before, and they were all staring intently at her. Jasmine had never felt so on-stage, in all of her life.
She was shaking inside when it was all said and done. With that pronouncement of husband and wife, the man that was now her husband moved towards her slowly. His lips were pouting, and the next thing she knew, she was being kissed. It was the sort of kiss in the movies, the one where the world stood still and all sound ceased. Jasmine was stuck in the moment with him. It was a moment she never wanted to leave, but she was pulled away too soon.
Then there was loud noise behind them, and Jasmine pushed back against the man's hard chest. It barely yielded to the pressure, but he must have felt it because he pulled away. Jasmine was instantly wishing that he had not, but at the same time, she was feeling weak in the knees and wanted to just sit down.
Alpha Shifter Bride Service: (A Paranormal Romance Series) Page 2
