Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

Damon's POV

“Hey,” I say.

He ignores me as he walks straight past me.

“I’m sorry.” I apologize.

That gets him to stop, and I turn to look at him. His back is turned to me, and I can feel the tension in the air.

“What are you sorry for?” He asks. “We both know I would have done the same thing in your position.”

I sigh, “I know, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are in pain. You are still my brother; it doesn’t matter if you hate me for choosing to marry Anya; I still care about you. The last thing I want is to lose you over this.”

“Fuck.” Dante hissed. “I can’t believe this day is finally here. You know what’s the funny part about all of this?”

“What?” I ask as he turns around to face me.

“I always knew that she wouldn’t choose me.” He finally answers. “I knew she was crazy about Atticus. I knew she wanted him more than the two of us. I knew that if our parents hadn’t stepped into their relationship, she would have married him the first chance that she got. When he married Autumn, I hoped that my chances of marrying her had increased. But then I saw her getting closer to you after losing Atticus. I realized it was only a matter of time before she chose you over me. A part of me hoped that our parents would step in and find a bride for you as well. I know it was selfish of me to wish for it. But now my worst nightmare is coming true. I have to watch my mate, the love of my life, get married to someone else. To my brother.”

I swallow. I don’t blame him for wishing for that. I don’t blame him at all.

We are both silent for some time. There’s nothing left to say. What could either of us say to make things better? He knew that I wouldn’t call off the wedding. He knew that if he asked me to do it, Anya would be upset with him.

Dante wanted her to be happy, and he was willing to sacrifice his happiness to see her happy. I knew my brother because, at times, he reminded me of myself.

He finally lifts his head to look me in the eyes.

“Can you do me one favor as my brother?” He asks me.

A favor?

I frown. “What do you want?” I ask. “I’m willing to do anything as long as it makes it easier for you.”

He runs a hand through his hair before pinning me with his piercing gaze, “please make her happy. I’ve noticed that something has happened to Anya ever since the day our parents got kidnapped by that witch. She hasn’t been the same. I don’t know if you’ve noticed the change in her behavior, but I pay attention enough to know that she isn’t okay. Don’t ever do anything to hurt her. Don’t ever make her cry like Atticus did when he married Autumn. Please don’t make her go through what she went through in the past. Be the person I would have been for her if she’d decided to marry me.”

I stiffen.

How could I make this promise when I’d already done something to hurt her? How could I make this promise when I was only marrying Anya because of my feelings for Clarissa?

How did I admit these things to him without him getting pissed at me? I was fg screwed. My life was a fg mess. I kept digging a deeper hole for myself, and I knew that eventually, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself out of it.

I couldn’t go through with this engagement until I told Anya everything I’d done. It would be wrong of me to let her think that my heart was completely hers. It would be wrong of me to let her marry me while thinking that I wasn’t being unfaithful. And I was. Both mentally and physically. The guilt was eating me alive.