Chapter 364: THE WEDDING
Chapter 364 of "Mated To The Crippled Alpha" introduces: I noticed then that Carterâs attitude toward Yael had softened a little.Maybe now that he... Read on to discover!
I noticed then that Carterâs attitude toward Yael had softened a little.Maybe now that he understood more about the Blackwells and Amber, he no longer saw Yael the same way. Yael had never personally taken part in trying to kill me. And Carter, who had always longed for real family warmth, seemed just a little more willing to treat him kindly.
The next day was Whitneyâs wedding.
I found her downstairs with the Morrigans. Gregâs head was wrapped in bandages, and Josh had taken his medicine. After resting for a night, they looked much better. Kate glanced at me carefully, but Josh and Greg still held themselves with that same proud, irritating attitude.
They kept looking at me from time to time.
Waiting.
They were waiting for me to apologize, just like I always used to. In the past, whenever I was blamed for something, I was the one who bent first just to keep the peace.
But that Elena was gone.
I didnât even spare them a glance.
I walked straight to Whitney.
"The wedding staff just arrived with the bouquets," I told her. "Come see which one you like."
Josh gave a cold snort the moment he realized I was ignoring them.
"Your brother is injured, and you canât even pretend to care?"
"Care?" I said flatly. "I think Carl didnât hit him hard enough. He should have knocked out a few of Gregâs teeth so heâd finally stop talking."
"Elena, youâre being unreasonable!"
I turned and looked at him at last.
"Am I? Maybe I should knock out a few of yours too."
Kate hurriedly stepped in. "Elena, maybe we were wrong. But for the past six months, I havenât had a single peaceful night because of your death. Weâve already suffered enough. Weâre family. Donât hold a grudge anymore. Go apologize to your father and brother."
Before I could lose my temper, Whitney quickly grabbed my arm.
"Elena, come help me choose a bouquet."
"Sure," I said at once. "Letâs go."
"Elena, come back here!"
Come back?
The Elena they knew was long gone.
I didnât even turn my head as I walked away with Whitney.
After we got some distance, Whitney bit her lip and looked at me apologetically.
"Elena, Iâm sorry. Itâs my fault your relationship with them turned out like this."
"Donât blame yourself for everything," I said quietly. "None of this is our fault. Itâs theirs. I wonât stop you from being kind to them, but to me, theyâre not family anymore. Letâs not talk about it."
I held her hand as we walked. In the back of my mind, one thought kept bothering me. After the wedding, would Vito really let the Morrigans go? Or would he keep them as leverage so Whitney couldnât leave?
Still, seeing her family again had clearly lifted her spirits.
In the past, Vito always made the decisions and Whitney simply followed. But today was different. Today she was choosing things for herself, even picking the dress Kate would wear.
For Whitney, just having her family close again was enough to make her happy.
And like I had said before, this might be the only wedding she ever had. Of course she wanted to know what it felt like to truly be a bride.
Her attitude toward Vito was softer too.
I watched her hold his arm and say, "What if I wear this jewelry tomorrow? You gave it to me on my birthday two years ago."
Vitoâs eyes lit up instantly.
"You remember that?"
"Of course I remember everything youâve given me," Whitney said softly. "And this bow too. You gave it to me when I was five."
Vito smiled and gently fixed the hairpin in her hair.
"I remember," he said. "You cried so hard after the flood washed away the one your brother gave you. I went through more than two thousand designs to find one that looked just like it."
So Yael had been right.
Vito really had been spoiling Whitney all these years in his own twisted way.
Whitney gave him a small smile and nudged his arm.
"Tomorrow is our wedding, but my family hasnât bathed in forever. They smell awful. Can you let them clean up?"
Vitoâs smile faded a little.
"So this is really about them?"
"Iâm thinking about us too," she said quickly. "If they smell bad on our big day, itâll ruin the mood. Donât you think?"
Then she pouted and added softly, "Please, Tay."
Vito quickly covered her mouth.
"Donât call me that," he muttered. "Elena is still here."
I could see the tips of his ears turning red.
I cleared my throat and looked away.
"You two continue. Donât mind me."
I quietly walked out, no longer wanting to stand in the middle of their moment.
As I stepped away, I could still hear Whitneyâs playful voice drifting behind me.
"Tay, wonât you help your future in-laws?"
Whitney really gave everything she had for the Morrigans. She never held anything back when it came to them, even when they didnât deserve it at all.
Because of her, Vito finally arranged for them to bathe that night. It was such a small thing, something most people would barely think about, but for Whitney, it mattered deeply. Even after everything that had happened, she still couldnât stop caring about them. No matter how much pain they had caused her, that bond in her heart refused to fade and htta is why she is who she is.
Amber, on the other hand, didnât seem interested in the Morrigans at all. Their situation didnât appear to concern her in the slightest. Maybe she was simply too tired after dealing with me these past few days. Or maybe she just didnât care enough to stay involved. Either way, she packed up quietly and returned to the Doltons overnight. After that, I didnât see her again for the rest of the day which should have been a good sign.