Hey! :)

I have to warn you all about something. I've made a few changes in the story. I've been for a few weeks trying to write the chapter 4 and 5, about the meeting with the shaman and the real wedding, but, after not having much time, all the Haylijah's sadness and actual situation and a Elijah-Freya childhood one-shot coming soon, my inspiration for Hayley-Jackson scenes is practically non-existent, therefore, for not make it longer than what it should be, I decided to remove Chapter 3, like it never happened. I do apologize, I swear I tried but the chapters were pure s***, I must admit I was even a little ashamed.

I think now I can be more constant in the uploading, the next chapters are very advanced in my language so I just have to finish them and translate.

As always I do apologize for any mistakes and I would appreciate if you inform me about them, or just review. I hope you like this one. Have a nice day!

Chapter 3

"You may kiss the bride."

Jackson leaned over and put his mouth on Hayley's, creating a gentle kiss, with barely movement, but empty…wrong. She felt absolutely nothing; all she noticed was the insistent pressure of his lips. The girl related the action with brushing her teeth; something mechanical, without any emotion. Her heart didn't race wildly nor her temperature increased like she was in a spontaneous combustion. Definitely, there weren't any fluttering butterflies in the stomach. Besides, Hayley was quite sure that if they deepened the kiss, it wouldn't cause her to want more, lose control or would even impede her to think clearly.

Hayley remembered these were going to be the lips she would be kissing the coming years and had to close her eyelids since they were filled with the tears she hadn't shed the previous days. She hadn't cried, probably, because until then she hadn't accepted it was real.

Her husband smelled of smoke from fire and wood, a warm and nice combination. However, not comforting, just the scent of rain, morning dew and fresh wind could achieve it. And Jackson, sadly, would never be able to smell as well, there was just one person with the essence. Elijah.

He was the culprit that her body didn't respond as it should. It only reacted to him.

From day one, he had made her feel everything: pain, sadness, anxiety, confusion, disappointment, faith, euphoria, passion, tenderness, hatred. Each and every one of them and more. Being with him was like driving a roller coaster with endless electricity and no brakes. Her emotions went from one extreme to the other, practically never staying long in any of them, but something remained always constant in the trip, regardless of whatever she was experiencing: love; the feeling capable of such unsteadiness.

This was the difference between her two suitors. Jackson was the sea in a morning without waves, whereas Elijah was the tsunami that would flood and destroy anything in its path. One filled her in ways she couldn't imagine…or even understand, and the second fulfilled the promise of a manner to keep secure the most important: her daughter. That's why she chose Jackson...in part. The truth was she, on the inside, was scared as hell of Elijah. He could break her into a thousand of pieces and not just literally. The vampire was the only one able of both ruin and make her fly high. And he didn't require a lot to do it, simply saying some words or refusing to say them.

It didn't help much the fact that he was a withdrawn person, or that she was doubtful about his opinion of her new self. Since she became a hybrid they have been more apart than ever. Until they had sex, then, the distance built during months vanished like it never existed and Hayley's world was completely revolutionized.

She could admit she had missed him, a lot, but not every second as it began to happen. Including when he was just cooking dinner in the kitchen! Hayley was terrified. Being that reliant alarmed her; and more if she wasn't aware of his feeling for her. Was he infatuated or it was a fleeting or unrequited love according to Elijah?

Just in case, Hayley needed to move away of him; of his voice, his touch, his way of seeing the vulnerable sides of her that she had never shown to anyone...She wanted to escape from their absorbing connection, or maybe make him act once and for all? She wasn't sure, but she couldn't longer bear their "pull and push" relationship. Not if each time she was with Elijah, she adored him a little more, if that was even possible. She demanded a suit of armour to protect herself from the bullets directed to her core.

For that reason, Hayley decided to flee. After a whole life being rejected and unwelcomed, it was easy to grasp she called for some peace and security; the stability of someone who didn't have any type of power over her. Jackson was, somehow, a soothing zone. The girl was able to confess the plan was far from perfect, but it was fitting. Everything she would have ever desired…

Or perhaps all of this was nonsense and she was just desperately trying to convince herself that she was doing the right. Go figure!

The Alfa brushed her cheek with his thumb, ending the kiss and her meanderings. Hayley wasn't ready yet to face what now was going to be her reality; still, taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. Jackson was standing in front of her, gazing with a hope and worship waiting to be reciprocated. She wished she did, and not only because he deserved to be married to a woman who actually loved him, but it would facilitate the entire situation. The girl wondered if she would fall for Jackson, eventually. Could she learn how to love in case she didn't?

Do you have any idea how rare love is?

Hayley shook her head subtly and forced herself not to go that route; the election itself was hard enough without her and her memories making it even more difficult. She raised her look to meet his eyes and gave her husband what she considered that was a convincing smile. The girl supposed he would have returned it, if someone wouldn't have ripped his heart of his chest.