章 14: Each Other's Curse

Aria arrived at the venue at 8:15 am, and she immediately saw Cole standing in front of the civil marriage registry.

"You're late," Cole said, his deep voice laced with disapproval.

"Sorry. Where is Tristan?"

Cole turned to walk inside the registry without giving her a reply.

Aria sighed and followed him. It was obvious this Beta did not like her.

As they walked into the registry, Aria saw Tristan, sitting on a chair with his dark glasses on and a cane in his hand.

Why doesn't he just use the eyes of his wolf to see? Aria thought to herself as she walked closer to him.

"Did you wait long?" Aria asked.

Tristan froze for a moment when he heard her voice. Once again, he didn't sense her until she had spoken. Why? Why was he unable to sense her presence?

Despite his thoughts, he stretched out his hand, and when he felt her soft hand on his, he brought it to his lips.

"Not at all."

Aria blushed at his actions and quickly removed her hands from his.

Tristan chuckled and got up. "Let's go."

Aria nodded, and with Cole's help, they were able to register their marriage within minutes.

As she stared at her signature on their marriage certificate, Aria felt surreal. In just minutes, she has become a married woman. Married to a man who couldn't see except through the eyes of a wolf. Married not for love but for survival. The antidote Alpha Milton had given her grandmother would only last for three months, and she needed to find a way to convince Tristan to give her a permanent cure.

Aria felt her phone buzzing in her purse and already knew who was calling. When Alpha Milton had called Hailey, he had said he wanted her to meet up with him, but how can she when she just got married? Where would she tell Tristan she was going?

"Should we go to the pack house?" Cole asked, hoping that Tristan would finally come back to the pack house, now that he was married.

"No. Aria will feel overwhelmed there; just drive us back to the villa."

Cole glared at Aria as if telling her it was her fault.

Aria frowned at his glare. Hailey had told her that being a Luna is a big deal in the wolf world, so shouldn't this Beta be respectful towards her? Why was he glaring at her?

Cole helped Tristan into the backseat of their car, and Aria followed, the tinted windows closing in around them. Tristan's eyes met hers, and he pulled her close, his lips brushing against hers.

Aria looked at his beautiful golden eyes as he teased her with his lips. Was he going to kiss her again?

Seeing no hesitation in her eyes as he brushed his lips against hers, Tristan closed his eyes and held the back of her head as he kissed her softly.

How can her lips taste so sweet and addictive? Tristan asked himself, feeling the urge to deepen their kiss, but he didn't. He could tell from the way Aria was kissing that she wasn't very experienced, so he wanted to go slow with her.

After a while, Tristan pulled away, his voice low and husky. "Our first kiss as a married couple."

Aria's breathing became ragged as she tried to catch her breath.

Tristan smiled at her lost look and said to Cole, "Do you have what I asked you to prepare?"

Cole nodded and brought out a black card from the back of his pocket and gave it to Tristan.

"What... what is that?" Aria said, finally coming back to her senses. She never knew his kisses were capable of shutting her mind.

Tristan handed it to her and said, "My wealth was the original reason you wanted to marry me before you ended up falling for me at first sight."

Why did that sound sarcastic? But wait! Is he giving her a black card like the way they do in those romance novels?

Aria collected the card and wondered why it felt heavy; maybe it was because of the unlimited fund in it.

Cole watched Aria's excited expression as she collected the card and asked, "Shouldn't you at least pretend that you didn't marry him for money?"

"Cole." Tristan called out sternly.

"Thank you, but..."

"But?"

Although Aria was excited that what she had always read in her romance novel was happening to her but she needed something more than this black card at the moment.

"I want to complete my studies."

Tristan smiled. "I won't stop you from completing your studies, Aria."

"You won't?" Aria asked in surprise. Hailey had told her that once she became a Luna, she should also forget about completing her studies and only hope he would allow her to finish it online.

"I won't. You can continue your life the way you have always done, but the difference will be you won't stay in your dorm anymore. Since we are married, you will be staying with me."

"But my dorm is closer to the school."

"Hmmm... in that case, I will get us an apartment closer to your school."

Wow, he must really want them to live together. But this is for the best; the closer they are, the more chances she has to make him fall for her.

"I agree," Aria said with a smile. "We're newlyweds, after all. We shouldn't be living apart." She turned to Cole. "But first, can you drop me off at my college?"

Cole looked at Tristan for permission, and he nodded.

During the ride to Aria's college, Tristan held her hand tightly. Even as sleep from the previous night's deprivation began to overtake him, he didn't let go.

After a twenty-five-minute ride, Cole stopped the car at Aria's dorm, and Aria looked at Tristan, who was still sleeping, contemplating if she should wake him or not.

"I'm sure he wasn't able to sleep last night." Cole said.

Aria gently tried to free her hand from Tristan's grasp, but his hold only tightened, as though clinging to something unseen.

In his dream, Tristan was transported to a memory he could never escape. His first mate stood before him, her eyes brimming with love and sorrow.

"Mates?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"We're not mates, Devin. We're each other's curse."