Sold! To the Vampire King [THIRD BOOK TO THE SOLD! TRILOGY]

Chapter 3: Hard Decisions

|HOLLY|

"Linda, when Richardson marries me, I'm going to be the prettiest bride you would ever see!"

It was winter. Linda and I were seated on the stairs of the pack house, staring at the falling snowflakes. I fingered the ice I caught underneath my ratty mittens as I blushed under my scarf. Lind just laughed at me as she kicked snow off the concrete stair. "Well, I'll be, Holly. Of course you would be! Better than anyone I'd ever see, I suppose."

I giggled at that. "I hope he gives me a big ring."

"Uh-huh."

"One with those shiny diamonds I see int he Luna's fingers," I muttered as I blushed at the thought of Richardson giving me something that beautiful. If he decided he would give me that, I'd marry him instantly. It was a cold morning but the thought of marriage with the one I like warmed me up.

I pulled Linda to the forest and we gathered berries. I took several vines and weaved them together into a faux ring, a small reminder of my future with Richardson. At some point, I knew we would be mates and he will give me the ring I want.

Well, right now, the one I love gave me a ring. He isn't Richardson.

And proposed the crappiest way possible.

Here I was, propped on the wall, breathing heavily as I stared wide eyed at the ring on my finger, my mouth gaping at the thought.

Oh.

My.

God.

Did Calvin just...did he just...

"Did you just...propose?" I asked in a small whisper, one you wouldn't hear unless you're a lycan or a vampire at this point. He groaned and I was given the privilege of seeing him blush for a bit. The storage room is still dark and the small light that came from the moon offered little help in navigating the room.

"Shut up," he hissed as he gently pulled away from me and letting on my feet. My legs were shaky as I stepped them to the ground and we began dressing up. I didn't want the silence to overcome us again; it would be an awkward moment for us. I bit my lower lip as I blushed to the roots of my hair, staring daggers at the wall. I should be jumping up and down with joy right now! Shouldn't I be happy? For god's sake, Calvin just proposed to me!

Calvin doesn't do proposals.

I pulled in my yoga pants and frowned at the thought. Wait, Calvin doesn't do proposals. What's the catch here? Other than that, I should remember that he doesn't love me back. Why would I want to lock him into something that would be his cage forever?

"Calvin," I turned to him, just in time for him to zip up his fly.

Swallowing hard, I've decided. "I can't."

He stopped on buckling his belt. Again, the silence I abhorred so much returned ten fold. The sexual tension that surrounded us once was replaced by another form of tension and that's rejection. My throat felt parched as I stared at the dark floor, waiting for his reply. Maybe he would just back out too and realize that he didn't want me as much as I did for him.

Slowly, he turned around, his muscles rigid. "Excuse me?"

It was a bit of a déjà vu. I remembered that I said those words in the exact tone a while ago.

"I..." I stuttered under his intense gaze.

"I can't."

His jaw dropped for a bit before shutting it and dropping it again. "It wasn't a question, Holly," he chuckled at me, thinking that I was joking.