a P

ty Hall. The building loomed over us, its stone columns looking stern

y on the small of my back, a warm, solid pressure that was meant to be re

eps toward us. He was young, with a mop of sandy hair and a suit th

n front of us. He looked at Derrick, his eyes wi

opped

He didn't move a muscle, but a silent, deadly warning sho

like he'd just been electrocuted. "Al-alright!" he stammered, forcing a laugh that s

out a clammy hand. "You must be Anna! I'm Caleb. It's so great to fin

he strange, foreign word he'd used. He was practically v

ed us past the long, snaking line of people waiting for the public service

, feeling a pang of guilt as we passed dozens of im

mured, his voice close to my ear. "It's ju

rge wooden desk. He scrambled to his feet the moment Derrick walked in, his face pale and

aid, his voice trembling slightly. He g

y attention was fixed on the official-looking marriage applicati

ame, trying to make small talk. "Man, I can't believe this," he said, shaking his head with a goofy

my hand sto

omputer and Caleb's nervous chatter, fell completely, utt

face was terrifying. It was a look of absolute, murderous rage. Caleb flinched as if he'd been physically

esumed. The "proper" she-wolf his family wanted him to marry, may

as a business deal. His

said, my voice clear and steady. "I don't care about his ex-girlfriends." I turned my ga

isappointment? It was gone before I could be sure, replaced b

ame with a firm, steady hand on the final line. I

a large, heavy embosser, his hands shaking so badly it took h

UN

mping our marriage certificate was

were legally, ir

ust a single sheet of paper, but it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. He

me. He just kept s

ing for mine. His fingers laced throu

said, his voice a l

nearly catatonic clerk in his wake. We were married. And I h

-