Chapter 79: Anticipating

ASTRID’S POV

I was at dinner with Ethan’s friends. Two of them. They introduced themselves as Desmond and Marshall. Fine-looking, middle-aged wolves, both of them. Ethan had good taste when it came to his friends.

They were having fried chicken and vegetable rice. I kept it simple ... a bottle of water and some fries.

"Welcome to the family," Desmond said.

That could have meant his friends were family to him. Either way, my humour was at its peak in that moment. I had a lot to say but I held myself back and chose to listen to what they had to say instead.

"Thank you." I took little sips from my bottled water.

Ethan and his friends cracked jokes and bonded over past events. They mentioned something about the bachelor’s party happening tonight at Ethan’s house. Liam ... my boss ... was the one planning it, and the wedding was scheduled to take place right after.

I was discreetly browsing and ordering clothes for my mom and dad from the dinner table, phone low, eyes half on the conversation.

"Ethan, I’m not going to lie ... your new wife is very beautiful. Beats your first, hands down," Marshall said.

I looked up at him.

"Hey, bro," Ethan said, and they all burst into laughter. I joined in like I hadn’t caught every word of that little dig.

"Don’t mind him, that’s just how his mouth runs," Desmond said to me.

I smiled and let it slide.

"Let me tell you something ... you’re going to enjoy Ethan. He can be a handful at times, but you look strong. You’ll handle him just fine," Desmond added.

I had just finished placing the order for my parents’ outfits and sent them through a dispatch rider, all from where I was sitting. Now my full attention was on the dinner.

What the fuck was Desmond saying? It felt intentional. Like they were pulling strings ... hinting that I didn’t know Ethan well enough to be marrying him.

Handle? I’d been handling everything just fine. He’d have to handle me too.

"It’s fine," I said to them, chuckling.

"I love her sense of humour," Marshall said.

The two of them clapped. "She was tailor-made for you," Desmond added.

Goddess. These guys were effortlessly funny.

We finished our food and the rest of the evening spilled into easy conversation. They asked how Ethan and I first met. It was a bumpy road back down memory lane but I had no choice ... they were asking, and they were going to get an answer.

"Astrid, take the car back home. We’ll be with you in a few minutes," Ethan told me, pecking me on the cheek before he and his friends headed off to pick up a few last-minute things for the party.

I drove home alone.

My assistant at work was already grabbing additional drinks from the store. I’d messaged her earlier.

It was dark. It was 8 p.m. It was a bachelor’s party.

People started trooping in.

Bloodmoon had beautiful spots for an outdoor experience ... the kind of venue that would’ve made any party legendary. But the living room worked just fine. Sometimes simple hit different.

The host of the party arrived right on time. Mr. Liam. My boss. Never late to a single thing in his life. I admired his discipline and the way he approached everything he did.

He didn’t come alone. He came with a whole crew ... male and female.

I didn’t have friends. It wasn’t conventional to be Astrid. People would stay away from you in the open and say in private what they were too afraid to say to your face.

So the only person I truly trusted who stood beside me throughout was my assistant, Ivy.

She came in with the supplies exactly as I’d asked. Precise. Sharp. I admired her for it.

Within ten minutes the entire place was packed.

"Where is the groom? Where is the groom? We wanna pop this champagne!" Liam screamed.

I didn’t know Mr. Liam had this kind of energy in him. The man was built different.

While he was mid-speech, the front door swung open and Ethan walked in with his friends. The room erupted.

Confetti poppers went off and Liam popped the champagne. It scattered all over the room.

Laughter followed. I was happy ... genuinely. Mr. Liam had made this fun just by showing up.

"Come on, fall in line, bachelor!" Liam grabbed Ethan and dragged him from his friends.

Then he sat us together.

"You’ve got twenty-five minutes with her because after that you won’t be seeing her until tomorrow," Liam announced.

I couldn’t hold my laughter.

Someone in the party picked up a mic and sang over an instrumental Liam had put on. A love song ... the kind that talked about staying together forever. He sang it with so much passion that the whole room got quiet just to listen.

We clapped for a solid five minutes after he finished.

Next up was the drinking competition. Who could finish a cup of liquor the fastest.

Ethan and I were going last.

Desmond and Liam went first. Desmond nearly choked halfway through. Liam won easily. My boss was tough as stone. I cheered him without shame. I didn’t care if I was being biased.

My assistant Ivy and Marshall went next. Damn. Marshall was a beast. He’d finished before Ivy even started gulping properly. Clean and smooth.

Then it got to me and Ethan.

I wasn’t sure I could drink faster than him, but I did drink ... a lot. He was a male. But no. I killed that thought before it settled and decided to just have fun.

"One, two, ready ... go!" Liam called.

We gulped.

And gulped.

And I finished first.

The women in the room picked me up off my feet cheering. Ethan, apparently, was a bit of a drag when it came to knocking back liquor.

As for me? I swallowed anything and everything. I even swallowed dick. That’s a whole other line on my résumé.

Everybody burst into laughter when I rubbed his back consolingly after defeating him. But Ethan wasn’t even phased. He pulled me in and kissed me right there in front of everyone.

"That’s my wife! That’s my wife!" he chanted.

And the whole room followed.

We moved into the frank and honesty session after that. Soft music played in the background and Liam, of course, was running the show.

We told the story of how we met ... again. Only this time Ethan told it.

"When did you realise you loved him ... that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him?" Liam asked me.

"I knew I could spend the rest of my life with Ethan when I saw he could do anything for me," I said. "He made me his priority. He made me his headache. That’s when I knew."

"Awwn," the room cooed.

Then someone asked, "The wedding is taking place over the weekend ... are you expecting guests?"

"Yes. My parents and a few close people," I answered.

"What about your sister?" he pressed.

The room turned on him fast ... a wave of noise and sharp looks shutting him down before the question could breathe. Everyone knew it was out of line. We let it die there and carried the rest of the night in laughter, warmth and good energy.

Later, while Ethan and I had been separated for the night, a message came through from my parents.

"Thank you for the dresses. They’re beautiful. See you at the wedding."

I read it twice.

I was so excited ... the kind of excitement I hadn’t felt in a long time. The kind a young wolf feels when her eighteenth birthday is one sleep away.