Free Web NovelChapter 193: Ominous Click II
In front of Dahlia, I could see Damon’s ears twitch a little at the sound, a sign that told me I wasn’t the only one who imagined the click. However, it didn’t repeat again. Strangely enough, the burning sensation quickly disappeared, leaving behind nothing that would prove it was there.
I let out a shaky breath, sighing in relief. But just as I did, I felt a flare of worry rise in me, then two.
Across the stage, my gaze clashed with Blaise’s and Damon’s. They wore matching expressions of panic; they must’ve felt the pain through the bond and thought something happened. I could only subtly shake my head to let them know that I was fine.
However, while Blaise smiled in relief, Damon’s expression hadn’t changed. His gaze remained on me, hot and feverish, even as the officiant continued to speak. His hands were by his side, but from where I was, I could see the subtle movements of his finger.
Dahlia hadn’t seemed to notice. She continued looking dead ahead, either at Damon or at the officiant, and I imagined her smile to remain vastly bright. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
The officiant’s words became softer and softer in my ears, and for a second, everything in the world seemed to blur into nothingness. I could only see Damon standing there, his eyes not once leaving mine, its blue pulsating with electricity as it endlessly drew me in.
’The spirits have spoken, but you refuse to answer. Soon, your obstinacy will be your downfall,’ Luna Cassidy’s words rang in my head. said with a sigh. ’Eventually, a choice needs to be made.’
How long more did I have?
I didn’t know why I would recall her words right now, in the middle of a wedding ceremony we were planning to ruin, but it rang louder than any word uttered by the officiant. Luna Cassidy’s voice seemed to echo within my skull, and slowly but surely, I could feel my throat clogging up.
Damon’s gaze was intense― I couldn’t make out what it meant. Love? Longing? Regret? Worry?
All these emotions seemed to bleed into one, seeping through our bond and into my own heart, coiling with my already-present feelings. I felt as though I was being suffocated alive.
However, even as my gaze faltered and shifted, dancing from object to person, whenever I returned my line of sight to Damon, I would still catch him staring right at me. It seemed like to him, there wasn’t anyone else present― no one but me.
I felt my heart skip a beat just as my lips parted.
"Miss Dahlia Elrod," the officiant said, "do you take Alpha Damon Valentine as your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to cherish, to honor, and to sustain him always, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to him in all things until death do you part?"
Dahlia’s answer was firm and sure, filled with the confidence and excitement she had shown in the previous few days.
"I do."
This time, I knew for sure that I hadn’t been hearing things. The click was a little louder and before I knew it, the spider web necklace around my neck loosened and fell to the ground with a thud. It wasn’t heavy by any means and hadn’t created too much of a racket, but with the echo effect of the cathedral and the fact that the attendants of the ceremony were all werewolves, everyone looked in my direction.
My hand hurriedly flew to my chest, touching an empty patch of skin before my gaze fell to the floor in disbelief. The necklace that had been charmed to stay on me — so much so that even Damon himself couldn’t remove it from me even if he wanted to — was suddenly off my neck.
I was free.
When I looked at the crowd on pure instinct, I noticed a few curious glances. Few paid attention to me after the initial thud, for it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see a few loose pieces of jewelry. Whatever I had dropped I could just pick up― it wasn’t anything of concern.
However, there were a few pairs of eyes that were still on me.
Across the room, Milo and his parents looked in surprise. For some reason, Luna Cassidy was frowning as she eyed the necklace. She leaned in and exchanged a few words with Alpha Burke, and I could see him reel back in surprise after hearing whatever she had said. With their connections to the fae, I wondered if Luna Cassidy perhaps recognized the magic on this necklace.
Other than them, Dahlia and Alpha Thorton had matching looks of annoyance and disapproval. Their gazes were much harsher, and under the pressure of their sight, I quickly bent down to retrieve the necklace.
Only, I hadn’t been the only one with that idea.
My fingers grazed someone else’s, and judging by the spark that ran through from my fingertips to the rest of my body, I wasn’t surprised to see Damon’s bright blue eyes when I looked up. The crowd had gone silent, and even the officiant didn’t dare to breathe. There I was, crouched on the ground with my silver necklace half in my hand and half in Damon’s.
Instantly, my throat went dry. The silver felt like nothing in my hands on a normal day, but for some reason, it now felt like it was made of lead instead, weighing me down.
Yet, for a werewolf, I couldn’t even detect a sliver of pain from Damon― not from our bond, and certainly not even on his face. He remained stoic, as though the piece of jewelry was as ordinary as stainless steel. free𝑤ebnovel.com
"Allow me," he said.
He picked up the necklace, gently taking it from my fingers before he rose to his feet. I followed his actions, and I knew for a fact that the entire hall’s worth of guests were staring right at us.
Damon cared not for their curious gazes, however. He held out the necklace, gesturing for me to turn around.
"May I?"
