Things were tense. Really tense. I could feel everyone's gaze on me throughout the night, waiting for me to crack. I was waiting to crack, also. Suddenly, I was evaluating Kyle and everything he did, comparing him to Seth. Seth laughed at my jokes, Kyle rolled his eyes. Seth joined in when I blew bubbles in my milk, Kyle told me to stop acting like a child. Kyle went to law school. Seth was a wolf. I knew the decision was right in front of my face, but why was I taking so long to choose it?

"So, how long is this wedding thing gonna take?" Kyle whined.

I sighed, "A few hours maybe."

"Just make sure I get a beer or something in my hand," he said roughly.

I rolled my eyes and clutched the steering wheel tighter. After a minute of uncomfortable silence, we pulled into Emily's driveway. The wedding was to take place in her backyard, as Alice had predicted sun. And it was a particularly sunny day. The front of the house was decorated with flowers of all different colors. The air smelled so amazing. We walked around the back and I gasped. Rows of white chairs filled the yard, everything looked so beautiful. There was a huge white tent with a dance floor underneath and twinkling lights that I knew would be turned on as soon as it got dark.

"Go find a seat, I have to see Emily," I told Kyle.

"Yeah yeah, I know what I'm doing," he waved me off.

I heard a low growl from behind us and turned to see Seth, in mid conversation with Jake, but he was eyeing both of us. I sighed lightly and hurried inside to find the bride.

"Oh Emily, you look beautiful!" I sighed.

"Thanks, Danielle! It means so much to me that you're here," she sighed.

Emily was glowing. She had never looked better with her simple yet elegant white dress and light makeup. Her hair was pulled back in loose curls and a smile was plastered on her face.

"It means a lot to me, too. And I hope you'll be a bridesmaid at my wedding," I said, smiling warmly.

"I would love to! I'm sure you and er, Kyle will have a lovely wedding," she said stiffly.

"Emily, I…" I wasn't sure what to say.

"Are you alright Danielle?" she asked softly.

"I… I just don't know anymore," I whispered.

"Is this because of your fiancée and a certain werewolf?" she asked.

I nodded, "Please, Emily! I don't know what to do! Tell me what to do!"

"I can't make your decision for you, but follow your heart. I know it sounds cliché, but it's the truth."

I sighed and nodded, knowing exactly what my heart was telling me to do. But every time I was ready to follow it, my mom's face would pop into my head. Or dad's. Or Kyle's.

"What are you guys still doing in here! Emily, you have to walk down the aisle in three minutes!" Kim yelled.

Emily let out an unexpected squeal and grabbed my hand, pulling me downstairs.

"Are you nervous?" I whispered.

"Of course not silly!" she giggled.

"Why? I would be peeing my pants if I were you!"

"Silly, this is what I want! I've known it for five years, and there's no way Sam's backing out of this! He's been begging me to marry him since the day we met!" she laughed.

"Go Dani!" someone shouted.

I grabbed my flowers and walked down the aisle to join the rest of the bridesmaids. I smiled widely at all of them. To the left of me were the groomsmen. Seth included. He was staring at me with his mouth slightly open. I giggled and he quickly closed it, grinning sheepishly. I looked over at Kyle, who was emailing someone from his blackberry. What a change!

Not.

I watched Sam and Emily, mesmerized by their happiness. Kyle and I have never and will never have that. I knew it, he knew it, and Seth knew it. I sighed, Seth. We could have happiness. I just knew we could. Mom and dad weren't happy together. And I didn't want to end up like that. Mom didn't know happiness; she never gave it a chance. But… but maybe that's why she's only looking at the financial situation in our relationship. Of course! She didn't know how happy someone could be with their soul mate. That's why she wanted me to be with Kyle. She wasn't looking for happiness, she was looking for money. Well, mother dearest, money can't buy happiness. I decided, then and there, that I wasn't going to marry Kyle. Seth was the one. The man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

"Hey Danielle! Want to dance?" Seth asked, holding his hand out to me.

I smiled up at him, "Sure."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he put his hands on my waist. He was looking at me directly in the eye.

"Danielle, I-I want to say I'm sorry. I want you to know that, if marrying Kyle is what you really want, then go ahead. I'll support you and be happy for you, heck I'll even be your bride's man of honor or whatever you want. Please don't be mad! If a friend is what you want, then a friend it what you've got. I promise to be the best friend you'll ever have, and comfort you if you're sad, protect you if you're in danger, make you feel better if you're sick. I've been so selfish and I don't want you to feel like I tried to push you or-"

I shook my head quickly, "No, Seth I… I don't want a friend! I want… I want-"

"Danielle, who the hell are you dancing with?" Kyle asked from behind.

I turned around to see a fuming Kyle. He was clutching his bear and his hand was clenched in a fist.

"Hey, don't talk to her that way!" Seth growled.

"Listen buddy, I can talk to my fiancée any way I want!" Kyle yelled.

"You're not gonna be able to talk if I break your-"

"GUYS!" I yelled, getting between them.

I put my hand on Seth's chest and he immediately stopped shaking. Kyle, on the other hand, was pissed.

"Kyle, can we go talk somewhere private?" I whispered.

He rolled his eyes, but nodded, following me into the woods. When I was sure we were out of earshot, I faced him.

"Kyle, this isn't going to work," I said.

"What do you mean, it isn't going to work?" he growled.

"Look at us, we have nothing in common. We're only getting married for the money. Come on, Kyle. We're both fooling ourselves if we think we're going to be happy," I pleaded.

"Danielle, you are not… breaking up with me! Stop acting like a child. We're going to go back to that party, dance a few times, and then go back to New York. Your mother is going to be very disappointed when she-"

"MY MOTHER? Kyle, I'm eighteen! I don't need my parents to make the decisions for me! Stop treating me like a baby, because I'm not one! If I was, you'd be in jail! Do I need to spell it out for you? It's OVER!"

"It's not over till I say it's over!" he yelled, drawing his hand back and slapping me across the face.

It stung. Bad. Terror ripped through me when I realized he wasn't finished. I silently begged for Seth to come. I backed away slowly, but Kyle followed, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"If you scream, I'll kill you and then I'll kill that boy you were dancing with. I see the way he looks at you, and you're just feeding into it. I swear when I'm done with you, I'll kill him," Kyle whispered, sending chills up my spine.

"No," I begged, "Please I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt him!"

"You're cheating on me aren't you! You bitch! I'm done playing the nice guy!" he drew a fist back.

I covered my face with my arms, but a fist never made contact. I heard a whimper coming from Kyle and looked up to see Seth, towering over him.

"Nobody hits an imprint," Seth growled, making Kyle cower in terror.


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