Page 46 of Ruthless Alpha Beast

“Of course,” Dylan says. “I have a feeling this is going to be fun.”

Hmm. Fun isn’t the exact word that I’d use.

Bearable—maybe.

Ellis and Sawyer appear out of nowhere with smug looks painted across their faces. I haven’t had much time to talk to them, actually, I’ve been avoiding it.

I know exactly what they’re going to say.

“Well,” Ellis breathes. “Out of all of us, I have to say I didn’t think it would be you to have the most controversial wedding of all.”

Sawyer chuckles. “You’ve outdone us with a human, man, you really have.”

I shrug.

It’s not fun lying—not to those who know me so well. It sucks that I have to do it, but I keep reminding myself what it’s for.

“Crazy things happen when you’re in love, I suppose.”

Crazy things have been happening. Like that morning when I woke up with Tara beneath me. A little less crazy would definitely be nice.

“Nah, we are happy for you, man,” Ellis beams. “It’s good for us to have some good news around here.”

Sawyer nods as he sips his beer. “You can say that again.”

And I’m happy to provide, I am. Doesn’t matter if it's not real.

As soon as I’m at the podium, for some reason, I get a little…unsettled. The music quietens, all guests take their flower-covered seats, and I know that we’re expecting Tara.

Suddenly, I don’t know what to do with my hands. I’m not sure where to look. The whole thing almost feels real.

Then she appears.

The first thing I notice is her cheekbones—sharp, like twin knives beneath the dark braid coiled on top of her head.

The rest of her hair flows down her back like a waterfall. Her eyelids have been painted a sparkling pale green that matches the flowers on her cream dress.

I pretend not to notice the way the satin reveals her curves, or the way that the light makes her eyes shine like two precious stones.

She’s beautiful. I know she’s beautiful, everyone else knows she’s gorgeous—heck, she should know it too, although I’m not sure.

Whatever, there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s inconvenient, yes, but not fatal. I can just ignore it.

But then she looks me in the eye as she walks, it’s just one look before she gazes away, but every part of me tenses. My dick included.

It’s primal. Not something that I can even think about controlling.

Tara smells like honey as she stands next to me, her subtly curvy body on full display.

She doesn’t look at me, though, and I pretend not to look at her.

I pretend to listen to what our elder is saying.

“Jasper, take this ribbon and tie it around Tara’s wrist.”

I register the command just in time. I remember that this is a performance for my pack, I’m supposed to be putting on a show.

As I follow the instructions accordingly, I can tell that Tara feels extremely uncomfortable. She only looks at me for a couple of seconds at a time.