Avenging The Triplet Alphas
Chapter 29

Arielle's

POV

I stood in front of the mirror staring at my reflection and picturing myself standing here dressed in a flowing white gown with a huge smile plastered on my face.

It was a few months before my wedding. My second if I was going to include the botched wedding with the Van Tyson's triplets.

I was understandably nervous each time I remembered I agreed to marry Ethan and Luciana often assured me that it wasn't much of a big deal considering what I had been through.

If everything that had happened between them over the past year was anything to go by, Ethan was nothing like the Van Tyson triplets.

What he lacked in charisma and arrogance in comparison to them, he made up for it through his tenderness and honesty.

All my life I wasn't used to being lucky and having managed to be mated to the Van Tyson's, I felt fulfilled. Words couldn't express how elated I was, it was beyond everything I had ever dreamed of as a little girl.

My one big shot at ever seeing my dreams come true had come to pass in the most unexpected manner and when it had come crashing down right in front of me, I lost all hope until I met Ethan.

The months since our engagement have been perfect, Ethan was already shaping up to be a doting father to my child. What I never thought possible after it had gone wrong the first time was unfolding before me, I had a child whom I loved dearly and a man who loved me deeply and I returned I felt the same way about him but on most days, I wasn't entirely sure if what I felt for him was deserving enough to be termed love.

It was frustrating for me. I was often at war with my feelings over how I felt about Ethan. He deserved a lot more than what he was getting from me and despite his best attempts to hide his displeasure over my lapses, I could sense his impatience rearing its ugly head.

Marriage was a lifetime commitment, Ethan had promised not to claim me yet until we said our vows. He wanted to give me all the time I needed to figure out if this was what I wanted, making a family with him as my mate. A sharp knock on the door interrupted my train of thought.

"Good evening, miss. It's time for dinner." A maid rattled off as soon as I opened the door.

I would've preferred having her dinner alone in my room, but I couldn't bring myself to ask that of the poor girl who was shaking with fright.

Ever since Ethan broke the news of our engagement at a dinner ball held last month, my status within the pack had gone several notches higher. I was now held in the same regard as Ethan was, it was a surreal feeling. I wasn't prepared for the bombshell, he didn't tell me beforehand and I nearly passed out from the shock.

"I'll be downstairs in a moment. Thank you."

I smiled at her, hoping to calm her anxiety. A good number of the servants had gone from being friendly with me to being terrified.

It seemed to work as she smiled back at me before hurrying down the stairs.

I took a quick bath and changed my clothes before making my way downstairs, the aroma wafting from the kitchen made my stomach growl. A subtle reminder that she hadn't eaten anything in days. Luciana had taken over babysitting my child while I took some time off as a result of the fatigue wearing me down if she learned I was starving myself due to my inability to leave my room for the past couple of days, she was going to have my head on a plate.

I walked past the kitchen, silently winning the battle of going in there and serving a plate for myself in there rather than waiting at the table.

I halfheartedly responded to the greetings from the servants as I stepped into the dining room, hoping to see Ethan down here, seated at the head of the table but he wasn't present at the dinner table, I had been hoping to discuss the wedding plans with them but his absence made me long for his presence, I hadn't seen him in over a week now and he hadn't called for the past few days either. Luciana hadn't heard from him as well but she assured me that it was nothing to worry about.

I tried to push away my disappointment over his absence and enjoy my meal in silence.

As soon as I was done, I pushed back the chair and tossed her napkin onto the table. I was already feeling the tiredness seeping into my bones. I covered my mouth as I let out a yawn, seeking the comfort of my bed. "Miss Arielle?"

I opened my eyes and turned my head toward the voice. I couldn't believe I had fallen asleep in the dining room. How long was I out for?

"Yes?" I groaned, forcing myself to sit up. I looked around, the table had been cleared while I slept much to my disbelief.

"I'm sorry for any inconvenience I might cause right now, I know It's late but it can wait, miss. Ethan ordered that you pick your wedding dress before he returns home and have the seamstress work her magic on it. He had her flown in from halfway across the world just for this."

I couldn't object. This was just one of Ethan's extravagant moments where he chose to spoil me without seeking my permission first. I was a little miffed at first but over time, I had learned to become comfortable with it. It wasn't entirely bad to feel special. I nodded and stood up to follow the maid as she led the way past the entrance and into the hallway.

If it were up to me to make the decision, I would've preferred to have a very courteous wedding ceremony without any guests, strictly family members only. I enjoyed the attention Ethan showered on me but I hated being in the spotlight.

Getting married to Ethan would project me further into the spotlight and I was already dreading the

moment.

As soon as I entered the dressing room, my jaw dropped out of shock. Several maidservants stood on each side of the room, eager and ready to assist her in finding the perfect dress for her wedding in a few days. The room was a grand one with several rows of dressers lined up on each side of the wall. There were all shades of white, littered with gemstones and various designs, all of which were aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.

It seemed to work as she smiled back at me before hurrying down the stairs.

One at a time, different gowns were put on display for me to pick from, carefully selected according to her taste. The seamstresses with the help of the servants gently helped me try out nearly every dress, taking time to adjust every seam and embellishment to make certain that it was the perfect fit.

Whenever I tried on a particular dress and stood in front of the mirror to examine myself, the servants would sigh with joy and transfer their giddiness to me as they all managed to speak together not minding the cacophony of noise they were making. Their eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation as they each offered their opinions on every dress I tried on, their voice echoing around the room.

I fell in love with the seamstress at first glance, she seemed lovely enough. Her watchful eye never missed a thing and her tender words were what I appreciated the most.

Their laughter intertwined with each other's, filling the air and mingling with me's joy as her mouth hurt from smiling so hard as they envisioned her glowing beautifully as she approached the altar on her wedding day. Their sincere love and affection tugged at her heart, making her feel quite emotional. She wasn't particularly thrilled at the prospect of having a glamorous wedding but she would cherish every minute she spent here with these ladies. Their words served as a source of encouragement, lifting her spirits. Our laughter intertwined with each other's as they threw jabs at each other, telling jokes at random. I couldn't remember the last time I had this much fun in one night. My mouth was hurting from the constant laughter and smiling, my best part of the night was a couple of the maidservants trying on a few gowns and trying to mimic my walk down the aisle on my wedding day. A number of them tripped over before they made it halfway across the room, throwing the rest of us into more fits of laughter.

As I continued to try on several dresses, my eyes landed upon a dress that made my heart skip a few beats. It was woven with delicate lace and it seemed to shine under the soft lights coming from the chandeliers hung above our heads. I knew it was the one for me as soon as I touched it. I hurriedly tried the dress on and as soon as I was done, a collective gasp came out everyone's mouth as the room fell silent.

Every pair of eyes on me was filled with awe and excitement.

It was just like I envisaged. The dress seemed created just for me.

"I'll take this one," I whispered, feeling my eyes brim with unshed tears.

Getting married didn't seem so bad after all.