Chapter 22
“First(s)?” Caroline giggled, hearing that. “Just because we’re mates doesn’t mean we will end up together.” She pointed out. “I know a few werewolves who are happy with someone who is not their mates.” She added.
“Why are you saying in that way, Sarah? I agree with you, but there are werewolves who are also happy with their mates. Why don’t you think about that part?” he questioned. “Moreover, I want to be that werewolf with a later option. I’m seeing my present and my future with you.” He said in a serious tone, caressing the side of her cheek.
“I also know that you’re sure about a lot of things. Also, you think that what is happening between us is because of a mate bond, nothing MORE. But that’s… that’s not true, Sarah. I… I have already fallen in love with you. And you can’t blame me for that because It’s not my fault that I fell for you; you tripped me!” He accused, and Caroline stared at him with her wide eyes.
‘He fell for me?’
‘This soon?’
‘Could this be possible?’
‘But he doesn’t know anything about me.’
‘And at the end, he was blaming me for tripping him? Like really?’
Caroline was thinking all this when Artemis spoke again, “I didn’t ask you to be mine for having fun. I want to claim you as mine. I want to mark you. In fact, we want to mark you. I don’t want to torture myself by staying in long distance relationship in which you will be staying in France while I will be staying in Italy. I want to stay with you, stay near you. But after what just happened, I doubt that you will agree to a living relationship. So, to end all the tension, I want to mark you and claim you as mine. I won’t find marrying you in papers as well for your human family, you know.” Artemis said in one go.
‘Tell her the other problem as well.’ Bolt encouraged Artemis to explain to Caroline what was cooking behind his back for now and what his cousin was up to.
“So, what do you say? Will you officially be mine till the end of this life?”
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Caroline was still having a hard time digesting everything that Artemis said. He was asking her to marry him in terms of humans and wanted to mark her in terms of werewolf law. To be honest, if he would have asked for a relationship, then she wouldn’t have minded, but who in a sane mind marries a stranger just after spending twelve days and after spending a couple of intimate moments?
She clearly remembered that her mother had told her and her other sisters how she got trapped by a man in his love web. She assumed him as her life partner and the love of her life, but he was just using her and never had any intention to marry her.
Thinking about all this, she left the bed to freshen up and wear fresh clothes. Once she returned back from the washroom, she found Artemis waiting for her, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Say something, Regina.” She heard Artemis’s desperate voice, who looked like he didn’t want to take NO as her answer. He reached near her wrapping his hand around her waist.
Well, what to say then? He didn’t want NO as her answer, and there was no way she would say YES. And even if she would discuss it with her parents. There would be a BIG NO from them because her Father wanted her to get married at the age of fifty or sixty or more. And by any chance, if any of her sisters, including her sister, wanted to get married early, then her Father wanted his son-in-law to stay with him.
Thinking about her mother, she was a hopeless romantic, and she would LOVE at the end, but she would also not allow about whom you barely know.
“I… I don’t know what to say, Artemis.” Caroline said, looking straight into his eyes. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about getting married to you. I mean…I mean, not this soon. I like you, and you know that too. But… we barely know each other. Especially you… you don’t know anything about me.”
“I don’t care about that. I have known you enough to spend my life with you. I want you… for just you. Just Caroline Sarah Haysbert, I don’t have to do anything with the back story. I know that I might be looking like I have lost my mind or have gone insane but trust me, I know what I’m doing.”
“I.. I don’t know, Artemis.” She wigged in his grip to signal him to leave her. “I don’t think this is a good idea. For a moment, I will say YES to you. Then what about my parents? What will I say to them? That walked out of one relationship and entered into another one in what? Just two weeks? Hmm.” Caroline questioned. “Hell, even my parents got married in just two days. But that was arranged marriage, and their family knew each other.” She added.
“If that’s a problem, then I can meet your family members as well. In fact, not just me, even my parents will meet them and fix our relationship. In that way, it will be arranged plus love marriage from my side.”
“My parent’s answer will be NO different, Artemis,” Caroline said, getting annoyed by his continuous useless efforts. “And even if I will say YES, then they won’t agree to my marriage, at least for a few years.” She added.
“Just because my hoooman is requesting doesn’t mean we can’t forcefully claim you and will take you forcefully with us.” Bolt said angrily while his eye's color changed from time to time as if Artemis was trying to take control of his body.
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#TBC
