The Alpha’s Substitute Bride novel Chapter 4

Tristan’s POV:

“I’m heading to the store from which I rented the dress to return it.” Her soft voice had reached my ears but she had turned around and walked out of the room before I had the opportunity to respond to her.-

I never enjoyed it when people walked out of my presence before I dismissed them. It was one of the highest forms of disrespect and I didn't tolerate it, but for some reason, I didn't feel the urge to go after her and pull her back into the room to scold her for it. Instead, something else caught my attention.

It was already more than obvious she wasn't Kayla Peters, the breakfast she had made earlier, was enough to ease the rest of my doubts. But now it meant that I needed to figure out this woman, who she was and why she was married off to Reece Alderman instead of his promised bride.

The wedding ceremony from the previous day had been a simple event but he had been surprised at how rushed it had been and how distant her parents had seemed to be, especially her mother, but seeing her pack up the wedding dress that I was sure she had rented alone, it warmed my heart to see that she had at least put in some efforts.

The last thing I had expected when I fled into this small town and took the identity of Reece Alderman had been to get married. My mission had been really simple; escape, take on the identity of Reece, and keep a low profile until I completely heal. I didn’t think that there was a two-generation-old pact that had been made and was at the edge of being fulfilled and I would find myself with a wife, almost as soon as I settled into the town.

What was worse, I didn’t think I would marry a wife that would be in the middle of such difficult circumstances. She was the replacement bride, something had happened and she had to do it, I could tell that she wasn’t happy to be doing this, I could also tell that she hadn’t been given much of a chance and I wanted to know why she had agreed to do it.

Reece was supposed to be a Ruffian, if he had been one then he could decide to kill her if she so much as breathed wrong. No one in their right senses would take the gamble except for a good reason. I wanted to know what her reason was, and then her real name too.

I had woken up earlier than she did and I was surprised when she had barely moved even as I had stroked away the mane of hair that had covered her face completely. She looked even smaller as she slept and I could tell that she struggled even more than I thought. Her attempt at making conversation with me at breakfast was proof that she was willing to work a little extra and attempt to be happy. It made me respect her.