Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"A guy died chomping on his wrists… He was kept in solitary confinement and no one knows how he was broken but he killed himself with his teeth as he couldn't find anything else to kill himself with…"

"Eww!" Jerlina said.  She wouldn't know what would push a man to do that. "What kind of friends do you have to send you such videos? Is that a community of gore-loving people?"

"No, not my friends," Jeremy corrected her. "It was from… a secret… It was from the Oakley Castle with a warning note to not touch a Brunton," Jeremy said.

"Brunton? Aren't they the ones who own the Northern Star Conglomerate and there is an actual Princess...?" Jerlina got a little curious. "I watched the Royal Wedding-"

She stopped herself from saying "With Gerard."

"That was the grandest wedding I have ever witnessed! There were tiaras, horses…" As she spoke, she realized her wedding was almost the same.. 

"Ah…We too had horses and I had a tiara… Our wedding was perfect!" Jerlina kissed his shoulder. 

Remembering their wedding day always makes her mood better. Jeremy looked at her and his lips curved. 

"Did someone try to hurt that Princess?" she asked. 

"Yes, that guy who died, tried to hurt the Princess, and news among the circles was that the Princess meted that punishment. And she might be the one who pushed that guy to kill himself in that terrifying way," Jeremy told her what he heard. 

"Wow! She must…. Have a very creative mind," Jerlina said, minding her words. She wouldn't understand how someone's mind could think that way. 

"Look at my wife… So quick to judge…" Jeremy kissed her head with a smile. "Who knows what happened or what she went through? There are a lot of rumors about Princess Polaris, but no one knows anything as everything got sealed. She married the Bear King and he is not someone who could be trifled with," Jeremy added.

"You are right. I don't know what happened in her life…" Jerlina sank into her thoughts. Just like Jeremy had to use his fists for the good, she might have had to exterminate an evil person, or she could be just evil. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. 

"But she looked kind and elegant. And she dresses so impeccably and she's so graceful… from the pictures I've seen. I guess she can't be a bad character…"

"Hmm," Jeremy patted her head and silence ruled the room once more. 

Jerlina could see that Jeremy is well-connected. He is the Titan of the Lumber Industry and he would know Princes and Princesses. And the fact that this high-grade specimen of a human waited for little old her for ages… And everything he does for her…

He made me feel what love is!

"I am sooo glad you waited for me and married me, My Alpha," Jerlina pecked his lips. "And you're the goodest and the baddest of them all!" she shouted. 

Jeremy chuckled. 

"Me too," he hugged her and kissed her head. 

If not for her, he wouldn't have known what actual happiness is!

He wanted to bring up the Brunton Princess' story to tell her that being that way is okay too. But it seems like his wife doesn't want to be that way. And he welcomed that decision of hers too.

She doesn't have to learn his ways and get used to that dark parts of his life. She can be pure as always. 

When the sky goes dark and he is stranded in the deepest ocean getting dragged on by high tides, he knows- his blameless moon will be up in the sky and will reach out to him, and bring him to light. 

It is better this way!

-----

The next day was Christmas Eve. Jerlina thought it would be hard for her to walk, but she found herself not as much affected as she thought. 

After preparing breakfast, she found Jeremy fixing one of the creaking windows. 

"I have to go to the town," she said and watched his face go perplexed. "I am going to return the boxes the ladies gave us and leave them thank you notes," she said and that made him grumble.

"I am going with you," he said but she adamantly refused. Kissing goodbye to her pouting husband, she left for the town. 

She wanted to recreate the picture under the Christmas tree for his Christmas gift. And for that, she needed a Christmas tree.

She knew that it would make him happy. She remembered how happy he was when Scarlett took their pictures together under the Christmas tree back in Wolford. And here, it would be perfect! She even has the same ornaments her mother used in the past. It is all somewhere in the attic and she needs to find it and fix the Christmas tree before evening.

I have to work hard!

She sought the help of Joe and Joe got her the perfect tree. Farmer McConnell who wandered around the town in his tractor offered to deliver the tree to their house. Jerlina returned the boxes the ladies gave with the notes she wrote and that made the ladies happy. 

She remembered Joel taking flowers from Gwen and she offered her money but Gwen refused. "It's just flowers!" she said and shooed her away. Of course, everyone asked her to have their kid for the next Christmas and Jerlina smiled and agreed.

She wanted their own kid… kids, anyway!

Seeing the tree she brought home, Jeremy's face brightened.

"So that's what you've been upto…" he hugged her and smooched her lips. 

And in the entire afternoon, they decorated the tree. Jeremy could see that his wife is acting a little weird and her insistence that certain ornaments had to be at certain places made him a little skeptical.

And then he realized what she is  doing. Standing at a particular spot, he could say that the tree looked very similar to the tree in the photograph he treasured. 

My sweet Luna…

The more he saw her little acts that showed him that she has really accepted him in her heart, the more he gets happy and bright. But as they say, the brightest of the lights brings out the darkest of shadows .

And her love for him, brought him fear. Fear of safeguarding this happiness he has and fear of losing the happiness. 

But even amidst that darkest shadows, he has hope. It is her word. 

'I will never give you up, Joel… ever!'

Yes, she won't give up on us even if I screw up. And we will be happy for the rest of our lives!

Jerlina looked at the perfect picture in her hand. She did not wear a onesie as Jeremy asked her to. She was wearing a red dress and slight make-up. Jeremy was in his usual plaid shirt and jeans. 

It took them a lot of tries with the timer and to have the same pose. But they finally got the perfect picture. 

"Let's keep this picture in our bedroom," Jerlina walked to him. 

"Yeah, Let's do whatever you want," Jeremy kissed her forehead.