“I didn’t know your research involved wolves,” I say.
“I know that doesn’t sound like the most romantic place to have a wedding,” he goes on, ignoring my comment, “but I’ve set something up that I think you’ll like.”
I frown, but let him lead me forward. Corbin has always been tight-lipped about his work. I know he has research centers throughout the world, and I know his work is cutting edge, but I don’t know many specifics. Whenever I ask, he insists it would bore me.
It’s been a bone of contention between us, but I try not to let it bother me too much. He’s certainly never taken me to one of his facilities before. This is progress.
“Can we interact with the wolves?” I ask, a new excitement fluttering in my chest. I’ve always loved wolves, and the idea of meeting one up close and personal pushes away all my reservations and fears and leaves only breathless anticipation.
Corbin looks down at me, his expression unreadable. Before he can answer, an older woman arrives dressed in black slacks and a cream blouse. Her graying hair is pulled into a bun and she holds her iPad like it’s permanently attached to her.
“Dr. Cutter,” she says with a German accent and a glowering sort of expression that seems a permanent part of her features.
Corbin nods. “Dr. Schmidt, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Celeste D’LeLune. Celeste, Dr. Schmidt is the lead scientist at this facility.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say as we shake hands. Her grip is cold and unfriendly, as is everything about this woman. I don’t often instantly dislike people, but I’m making an exception for her. Even being near her makes my skin crawl. What is wrong with me lately, I wonder?
“I have everything ready for you as requested,” she says, turning away and leading us down a trail and past the main building in a clipped pace.
The night is warm and there’s the scent of pine trees in the air. When another wolf howls nearby, I shiver and look around.
Corbin’s hand tightens around my shoulder. I know he thinks I’m scared, but I’m not.
I can’t describe how I feel at the sound of the wolves. A deep protectiveness. Love. Fear, but for them rather than of them.
When we reach the other side of the building, my breath catches at the sight.
Thousands of white lights dot a small hill that overlooks an incredible view. There are chairs lined up as if the wedding is happening now, and a floral arch of white lotus flowers wound with more twinkle lights. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and would actually be perfect for the small gathering we are intending. Neither of us has any family left, and we don’t have a lot of close friends. In fact, I’ve hardly seen or spoken to my friends outside of school in some time.
“What do you think?” Corbin asks. “Could you see getting married here?”
I nod, because it’s true, I can imagine a wedding here. My wedding, even.
I’m just having a hard time imagining Corbin as the groom.
Unbidden and unwelcome, the cobalt blue eyes of Dr. Logan Livingstone invade my thoughts, his gentle expression and deeply resonate familiarity overwhelming me.
With Corbin, I feel incomplete. No, more than that. Especially lately. When I’m with him I feel like I’m in hostile territory.
“It’s truly incredible,” I say with as much sincerity as I can despite the dread filling me.
My eyes lock onto the spot where we would stand together to pledge our lives to one another, and bile rises in my throat as my sister’s image appears there instead.
Not again.
I freeze at the sight of a second apparition today.
She’s wearing a wedding gown and veil… and holding a beating heart in her hand. Blood runs down her arms and her mouth is open in a wide scream, but no sound emerges.
I close my eyes, shaking my head, but when I open them she’s still there. I wrap my arms around my chest and try not to cry out. I can’t make a scene. Corbin wouldn’t understand.
“Celeste?” Corbin asks, putting a hand on my lower back, and I inadvertently flinch away from his touch.
“What’s going on?” he asks, clearly losing patience with me.
But I can’t speak. I can only watch as my sister brings the beating heart to her mouth and takes a bite out of it.
There’s a scream, and I think it’s coming from me, but then I realize my jaw is still clenched shut, and Estelle is still silent.
I turn and see Dr. Schmidt has screamed as two larger than normal brown wolves stalk towards her, their teeth bared in a growl.
Corbin’s eyes widen when he realizes what’s happening. “Why are these beasts out?” he shouts at the doctor, who looks much less capable of handling this than I would assume given her work here.
Instead of offering an answer, or a solution, she merely shrinks away from the enormous beasts. But the wolves aren’t looking at her.
The wolves lock their gazes on me, and when I look into their deep green eyes, I feel like I’m falling into an abyss from which there will be no return.
They both leap forward, running past the doctor and head straight toward me. But rather than feel afraid, I want to cry from relief, though I can’t possibly defend this emotion.
I bend down, feeling as if I’ve lost my mind as I open my arms to the wolves, welcoming them as I would a long-lost friend.
Before the wolves reach me, Corbin sticks his hand into his coat pocket and pulls out a gun.
A gun I didn’t know he even had, let alone carried around with him.
“What the hell?”
“Don’t shoot them!” I scream, dropping to my knees and draping an arm around each of them. Their fur is thick and soft, and I realize in that moment I would do anything to save them. Even put myself between them and the man I’m supposed to love.
“Celeste, move,” Corbin snaps angrily. “Now,” he adds when I don’t comply.
But I remain huddled close to the wolves. They press in close to me too, their rough tongues licking my hands and arms as if they’re just as overcome with this reunion. I look into their eyes and am struck by the awareness in them. As if they know exactly what’s happening. And exactly what could happen if Corbin fires that gun.
Not far away, Dr. Schmidt is on her phone, and a moment later two big men show up with giant nets and stun guns.
“Don’t hurt them,” the doctor shouts. “We need them.”
I keep my body positioned to protect the wolves. “Don’t do this. They aren’t dangerous,” I say, my body rigid with tension.
Corbin looks furious, but he hesitates, his finger hovering over the trigger.
“These men are only going to take them back to their cages,” Corbin says.
Anger flashes in his eyes and I know he’s furious at my display, but I don’t care. All that matters is the wolves’ safety.
Behind Corbin, the two men with nets approach cautiously, and I look down at the wolves. “Go with them,” I say. “You’ll be safe.”
I have no idea if that’s true, but I desperately want it to be. When the wolves don’t move from my side, I nudge them. “Go, before they hurt you. Please.” My voice cracks with emotion, and one of them whines and pushes his wet nose against my hand. “It’s going to be okay,” I whisper.