Page 196 of Beneath the Blue Moon

“Casey.”

She looks up at me, tears glistening in her eyes.Her bottomlip trembles and I watch the fight leave her body.

“My dress… Look what she did to my dress.”

That’s when I see the bundle of white in the corner and thescraps of satin and tulle scattered on the floor.A pair of scissors sits ontop of the bundle.Anger bubbles inside me as I turn to Shae; I’m all out ofpatience where she’s concerned.Charlie steps aside and she cowers against the wall.Her eyes are wild, darting around the room.

“Ethan—”

“Shut up!I warned you, didn’t I?I told you to stay awayfrom her.”

Charlie clears his throat behind me, and I realize he’sreminding me there are humans in the room.I’ll deal with her later.

“Get her out of my sight.”

Casey is sitting on the bed, her head in her hands.Sandy isnext to her, trying to console her.

“Could you all give us a minute please?”I ask.Once we’realone, I kneel before her.“Sweetheart?”

She raises her head, and my heart constricts at the sight ofher tears.

“Between your mother and your ex, I just can’t catch a break.”

“We can fix this.”

“Can we?It’s just another sign, Ethan.”

“It’s just a dress.I’m sure Madelaine—”

She stands abruptly, walking away in anger.

“It’s notadress.It’sthedress.I’m notgetting married unless it’s inthatdress.”

“What are you saying?”

“The wedding is—”

“Stop.”

There is no way she’s calling off this wedding.I storm tothe top of the stairs and shout for Madelaine.Back in the room, I find Casey inthe corner, what’s left of her dress in her lap.Madelaine rushes in, quicklyassessing the situation.She crouches before Casey, removing the dress from herhands.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” she says.“I still have the one youtried on in the store.”

She looks up at Madelaine hopefully, wiping at her tears.“Youdo?”

“I’ll just make a phone call and have my seamstress bring ithere.We’ll work all night on the alterations if that’s what it takes.”

Madelaine walks out, tapping on the screen of her phone.Isit next to Casey on the floor and pull her onto my lap.She wraps her armsaround my shoulders, burrowing her face into my neck.

“Nothing’s stopping this wedding, Casey.Got it?”

“I got it.”

***Casey***

I now pronounce you man and wife.

The words are on a continuous loop in my mind.I can’tbelieve it.We’re married.We’reactuallymarried.I look over themassive crowd, noting that everyone is enjoying themselves.From where we’resitting, we have a perfect view of the entire ballroom.I spot Sandy dancingwith Michael.I’ve asked her to move out here and help me run the bar.I’mre-decorating it now and have already given it a new name—The Blue Moon.Shehasn’t decided yet, but she seems pretty close to saying “yes.”She wouldalready have a job, and a house—mine.Ethan even offered to get her a job withone of his bigwig friends if she doesn’t want to work with me.He’s so sweet, knowinghow much it means to me to have her close.He won’t let me tell her about beinga wolf, though.I hope he changes his mind soon because I hate keeping it fromher.