04: I Don't Like To Share.

Naya’s POV

‘Elisa!’

Having a wolf that was as strong as Elisa was the envy of everyone. An envy that I had known for twenty-five years before my first life ended.

But none of them knew the disadvantages. 

Despite being my wolf, Elisa could take over my body while I was in human form. 

And she always did it at the worst timing. Like right now. 

I gulp as the man’s eyes fall on me; his blue eyes are clear and bright. So clear that they want to pull me in. 

Yet, there’s a chilling coldness in them that makes me want to stay away. And even as a shifter, I feel like he could be a threat to me. 

Was this man human? 

And if he wasn’t, why couldn’t I smell his wolf on him? 

“You need a groom?” He finally asked.

I take a deep breath while trying to find the most logical explanation for what just happened. Yet, in that moment, the struggle for control between Elisa and me is even stronger. 

Like always, she wins.

“Yes, I need a groom.” 

The man gives me another piercing stare that seems to go on for minutes before nodding his head.

“Well, then. Ladies first,” he said while gesturing for me to go ahead. 

I glance at him one more time before I move forward, my legs feeling a lot heavier than I could remember.

I can’t tell if it’s the fear of getting married to a stranger or if it’s because my mind isn’t the one pulling the weight of my body right now.

“You would thank me for this, Naya,” Elisa croons.

I don’t bother to give her a reply. Not like I could stop her and I definitely had no intention of thanking her.

The marriage process went very quickly, and soon, I was holding the marriage certificate with my name and signature on it. 

Rowan Yorke. 

“My grandfather is the one that needs a bride, so you can go with…” 

Wait what? His grandfather? 

Before he could finish his words, the man beside him stepped forward.

“Miss Naya, what he’s trying to say is, meeting his family is very important so if you have some time today, we can go back to meet his family.” 

“Mrs.” Rowan corrected from the side and somehow, the one word manages to make my heart thump in my chest. 

I took a deep breath of relief at his words and nodded. 

“I have some matters to settle right now. Maybe later in the day…”

“Since that’s all, give him your contact card. I'll have him pick you up this evening.” 

The rest of our exchange is pretty much the same, and Rowan leaves with his assistant, Mr Henry. 

All alone, I glance at the time in the waiting room and finally sit down. 

Liam would be here in about fifteen minutes. 

I needed those fifteen minutes to get my act together. 

Twelve minutes later, I stood up and ripped one side of the tacky dress that Sophie had designed for me. 

My designs were way better, but in the past, I had settled for this because I wanted to make her happier. 

As for now? 

I tore one more end and then ruffled my hair. Once I was sure that everything was out of place, I stepped out of the county office with a sour expression set in place.

“What are you doing?” Elisa asked as I stepped outside.

I should be pissed at her for what she did earlier, but perhaps it was knowing that I was responsible for her death in the last life; I couldn’t stay mad at her. 

“Getting an explanation for Liam.” 

Just as my words landed, Liam’s familiar car pulled over, and his door flew open even before his car was properly parked.

I scoffed internally as I watched him rushing over to him, a worried look etched on his face. 

These were the things that had deceived me in the past. Thinking that he adored me and worshipped the ground I walked on. 

In reality, all he was good at was putting on an act. When it came to his actions, he rarely ever put me first. 

“Naya! What’s the matter?” 

“I have been here for the last hour. Did you not check your messages? How could you come late to our wedding, Liam?” 

I could see the slight crack in his expression. He was definitely shocked that I was displeased with him. 

“Naya, something came up. How could I willingly come late to our registration?” 

“Besides, what happened? You look like a mess!” 

It was hard to control my expressions as I was already used to displaying my every emotion for all to see.

But I couldn’t slip up. 

Putting on the most pitiful expression I could manage, I grabbed a fistful of the dress.

“I don’t know what went wrong when Sophie was producing this. Just getting down from the taxi was more than enough for it to rip by the sides.” 

Liam glanced down at his dress, and I could see how his eyes darkened when he picked up on the hints I was dropping. 

I wanted him to think that Sophie had deliberately ruined the dress to sabotage today.

“Liam, Naya, why are you guys out here?” Sophie exclaimed as she stepped down from her sports car.

“We were just about leaving.” 

Sophie glanced between the both of us before her eyes finally fell on Liam.

“You guys are done with the registration?” 

Liam turned to me, his eyes full of questions. “Why are we leaving?”

“You really think I want to get married looking like this?” 

He lost his act for a moment as his eyes turned stern. “What are you saying? How can we go back home because of a ripped dress?” 

“Besides, we already made plans to visit the pack tomorrow. How can we go back home?” 

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Sophie biting her lips while staring at Liam. 

“Liam, I waited for you for more than an hour. Right now, I just want to be back home.”

Seeing that he didn’t make a move, I took a step forward and was not surprised when he grabbed my arms. 

“Naya, our love goes beyond our appearance or anything that you have on. Don’t you think it’s too superficial to change dates because of a dress?”

Perhaps, if I didn’t know him, if I didn’t know that I had died in the hands of this monster holding on to me now, I might have been swayed by his passionate words.

“Liam, it’s a bad omen for a thing like this to happen on the day we want to register our marriage. You aren’t going anywhere, right?” 

I glanced at Sophie, allowing my words to hang in the air before adding the final stab.

“Let’s do it another day.”

Liam stared at me intently for seconds, his eyes boring jokes into mine. 

Although it was hard to stare him in the eyes and not let him see how much I hated him and how much I wanted to tear him apart, I did my best. 

As he looked away, my shoulders slumped in relief. 

“You guys can leave. I would like to take a walk.” 

The office was in a remote area, and it was the perfect excuse for me to be away from these two. 

Sophie glanced at the two of us and then nodded. 

“I will leave you both alone.” Without another word, she entered her car and left.

As for Liam, he stayed and watched me walk off before he finally entered his car and left. 

With him gone, I felt like I was able to breathe one more time, and I took a deep breath.

“Naya, is there something you aren’t telling me?” Elisa’s voice rang out, and I stiffened.” 

However, before I could reply, a loud honk rang out, and a car parked beside me.

It’s only been minutes. How can you look this terrible?” Rowan said as he rolled down the window. 

Seeing his eyes shining with interest, I felt embarrassment flush through me as I glanced down at my ruined dress. 

“Come in.” 

At first, I wanted to refuse, but the thought that the man before me was now my legal husband made me change my mind.

 Henry rushed to open the door, and I settled in beside Rowan in the backseat. 

“Since today was our first meeting, I will let it pass that another man was hugging you,” Rowan started and I froze, not daring to meet his eyes.

“Whether you wanted it or not, don’t forget that from now on, you have become my woman.”

“And I don’t like to share.”