Free Web NovelChapter 184: A Perfect Fit II
"Me?" I echoed in shock, my eyes nearly popping out of my sockets.
I looked at the huge array of dresses that had been plucked from the racks. When I peered behind the curtain, I could spot more hangers in the background. Dahlia had apparently shortlisted at least ten dresses at the back of her dressing room. My hands were growing increasingly clammy; the white of the dresses looked as though they were sunlight directly reflected into my eyes.
My hands would probably leave grimy fingerprints behind on the smooth fabric; I dared not touch them directly. Was this Dahlia’s plan to humiliate me by making me wear dresses she knew she would look better in? Or did she hope for me to ruin them, so she could have another reason to look like the better spouse?
That was something Aubrey would do.
Whatever her ideas were, it was best to reject her politely.
"That’s not fitting, would it?" I said with a nervous laugh, ignoring Damon’s eyes boring into the side of my skull. "After all, I won’t be the one wearing this dress down the aisle. I’ll just be wasting everyone’s time here. It’s not good."
"Nonsense, it’s a perfect idea! I insist," Dahlia said, enthusiasm glowing in her eyes. It was surprising to see her talk to me with any sort of positive emotion on her face that I almost didn’t know how to react to her.
"This will save time for everyone. Your figure isn’t too far from mine― a little on the skinny side and you could do with a lot more muscle. But otherwise, you could probably fit the dresses meant for me, and vice versa. A little alteration wouldn’t be an issue. We’ll be able to try on two dresses in the same amount of time," Dahlia mused.
She huffed, her fingers pinching at the tight lace bodice of her mermaid gown.
"It is too much of a hassle to change in and out of this thing repeatedly," Dahlia continued to explain. "Consider it an act of kindness on my part, since we will be sisters soon. I heard that you didn’t get a chance to wear a gown of your own, despite Blaise being your fated mate. This will be your chance."
Dahlia gave Blaise an unimpressed look, as though blaming him for not marrying me in style despite his high status. I didn’t have a wedding― not with Blaise and certainly not with Damon, but it wasn’t their fault. We exchanged marks, and long before that, finished every last bit of the mating process.
From what I understood of werewolves, weddings weren’t necessary. Only the wealthy had them since it was a human tradition. Hence, there was never a need; I was still recognized as their mate in the eyes of the Moon Goddess.
However, it would be nice to wear a dress, especially one worth more than my entire life’s savings, now that I knew what Dahlia had in mind. She just wanted to save time.
"If you don’t mind me wearing the dress, then I suppose I can help," I said with a shrug. As the saying goes, a wedding might not be every girl’s dream but a wedding dress might just be. Where else would I get the opportunity to do something like this?
"Wonderful," Dahlia said.
She pulled me up from the sofa in an impressive display of strength, before plopping herself down on the couch where I sat before, the long fabric of her skirt pooled around Damon’s feet. Damon shot me a pleading glance, but there was nothing I could do but vacate my seat for Dahlia. She made a shooing motion with her hand before folding her arms across her chest.
"Get on with it, then. Ooh! Try on this one first!"
Dahlia then gestured to one of the many dresses that were still hanging on the rack. The attendants working quickly ushered me into the changing room, plucking the dress she picked out off the racks before helping me don it.
It was beautiful, and if anything, not a style that I would imagine Dahlia choosing for herself, solely because it seemed more sweet than bombastic or elegant― as per all the other dresses Dahlia had shortlisted.
The dress had a sweetheart neckline and a tight corset; the material was a little translucent where the fishbones of the corset were, filled with embroideries of flowers. Huge off-shoulder puffy sleeves covered my arms, made of a long and translucent material. The skirt of the dress was made of a similar material, most likely sheer organza, and bore flower detailings down the entire length.
However, with the off-shoulder design, I was insistent that I dress myself in it instead of having Dahlia’s attendants help me into the heavy gown. After all, if they were pressed so closely against me, they would no doubt notice the second mark on me and wonder where it came from.
In the end, when I finally had the dress hanging off me as a human mannequin, the attendants helped to quickly style my hair and add a matching veil that trailed behind. I made sure that my long hair was spread over my shoulder to cover the mark. As for the necklace, I could only hope that Dahlia wouldn’t think twice about it. If pressed, I would claim that it was a mating gift from Blaise.
Once they were done, they hurried over to the curtains, ready to show me off to the audience.
I took a deep breath and asked, "How do I look?"
When they pulled the curtains open, a collective gasp rang out from Dahlia, Damon, and Blaise, although, not for the same reasons, I figured. As I turned my gaze to the mirror, I allowed myself a small, sharp hiss through my teeth as well.
White looked sinful hanging off my body― I imagined if I had a wedding gown of my own, this wouldn’t be the traditional color to wear for myself. Nonetheless, it was a fairytale fit which I could only wish I could claim as my own.
"Harper, you look beautiful!" Blaise gushed. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
He stepped forward before anyone else could, sweeping me in his arms before spinning me around. Even with me wearing a dress that felt like it weighed a ton, Blaise didn’t even break a sweat when he lifted me off the ground. I could only place my hands on his shoulders to steady myself, a laugh threatening to spill from my lips.
When my feet touched the floor again, he planted a kiss square on my lips. I leaned instinctively into his hold, forgetting for a moment where we were. It felt as though I was trying on wedding dresses for my own big day, and not someone else’s.
It was only when Dahlia’s voice tore through the bubble that we built around us that I finally snapped back into reality.
"How sweet!" Dahlia cooed.
Instinctively, I quickly combed my hair forward, arranging it so that my shoulders were kept out of view.
Dahlia had her hand on her chest, gushing at the open display of affection between Blaise and me. Then, she turned to Damon, clutching his upper arm tightly as she pressed her body close to his.
"Isn’t that wonderful?" she sweetly asked. "Do you think we will be like this too, after our marriage, darling?"
My breath was caught uncomfortably in my throat when I noticed the manner in which she pressed his arm right into the valley between her breasts, sparing no care for personal space. Then again, in her eyes, they were about to be husband and wife― what personal space?
Damon immediately went rigid in her hold, his eyes snapping over to Blaise and me immediately. Desperation fled through his irises, akin to a man stuck in quicksand, about to be swallowed whole. He couldn’t make any big movements― that would just alert Dahlia of how unwilling and uncomfortable he was in her touch. Thus, he simply stayed as still as he could.
To be fair, Damon definitely tried his best and the control he had over his expressions could only be regarded as award-winning. Dahlia spotted nothing out of the ordinary, and if it weren’t for the fact that I could literally feel his disgust trudging through my body in rolling waves, I might not have doubted his act as well.
’Give a good reaction,’ I pleaded mentally. ’Give her what she wants.’
As if he could sense my thoughts, Damon reached out and patted Dahlia’s hand a few times, causing her to squeal in excitement.
"Of course," he said.
However, he soon turned his head to face me rather than her. With how he stared right into my eyes as he spoke, I couldn’t help but feel as though his next words were meant for me instead. His gaze felt heated and electric, though none of it was meant for the oblivious bride-to-be.
"A vow of love until death do us part, right?"
