Mated to the Beast of the Wasteland novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 No Wedding

Chapter 55 No Wedding

Number Two watched Clara’s playful demeanor with quiet interest.

He knew Clara all right. She was the most no-nonsense junior at the Agricultural Institute. Watching her play coy at the table was, well, weirdly adorable.

Merrick noticed something strange in George’s and Freya’s expressions. They both looked unhappy.

He raised his glass at them. “George, Captain Reed, you two are wearing the same long face. Is the food not to your taste?”

Before Freya could come up with an answer, Lucian dropped a piece of food on her plate. She ate it. cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Ah. So Lucian and Freya were in the middle of a spat?

Merrick redirected his attention and locked eyes with George alone.

Pinned by Merrick’s heavy stare, George cranked his mouth into a stiff smile.

He was caught in the middle.

On one side stood Merrick, his commander. On the other sat Gillian, the young woman he’d already taken under his wing.

What rotten cosmic luck did Gillian have? Out of every single beastman in the world, she’d matched with the one who could only last three minutes. (

It’s great. Really great.”

Like hell it was great.

George gritted his teeth and silently emptied his glass.

He refilled it right away, but the smile from earlier was gone.

He looked like he had something stuck in his chest, something he had to say but couldn’t, and the expression on his face made Merrick chuckle aloud.

“George, the way you’re looking at me, you’ve got something to say This isn’t the George I know

“Commander, then I’ll just come out with it.”

“Go on. Let’s hear it.”

Merrick was honestly curious. Why did one of his top lieutenant colonels look like he was constipated? George didn’t dare take liberties. He clinked his glass softly against Merrick’s first, then let it out. “How did you up and get married out of nowhere? You decided something this big on the fly? And where’

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10:54 Wed, Jun 3

Chapter 55 No Wedding

the wedding? Forget your status for a second, was it fair to that young woman?”

• 10 From Come

George’s tone basically said, Commander, you got married on the sneak. Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like a kid’s game.

Merrick didn’t bristle at it. He knew the bond with Gillian had been rushed, even reckless, but he didnt regret a second of it.

“It’s a long story. So I’ll just leave it there. As for a wedding, if Gillian wants one, we can have one whenever she’d like.”

On that front, he really had shortchanged her.

Merrick had come straight to the cottage the moment he woke up that evening. He’d laid out the whole situation to Mabel and made it clear he was committed to Gillian for the long haul.

Mabel had heard him out without ever bringing up a wedding. Merrick had been surprised, but he respected her decision.

Everyone at the table strained to catch the first part. But Merrick was too cagey for that. He had no intention of actually explaining.

Heads swiveled toward Gillian. Everyone wanted her take, but Gillian had clearly zoned out.

Truth was, she also wanted to know what the hell had happened.

She’d heard officers above field grade weren’t even in the bonding pool. That was why in her last life she d always assumed her husband was just some ordinary soldier.

So why on earth had she ended up matched with Merrick, of all people, the one running the entire 9th Legion?

“Wedding or no wedding doesn’t matter much. As long as Gillian and Merrick build a good life together. that’s enough.”

Mabel stood up at once, gave Gillian’s shoulder a soft pat, and smoothed over the moment with a smile “Everyone, cat. I’ll go grab some ice. This wine tastes even better chilled.”

Gillian snapped back to attention and watched Mabel hurry toward the kitchen. Only when Mabel was far enough away did she wipe a corner of her eye.

Mabel looked hurt. Gillian knew this life she’d ended up in wasn’t the one Mabel had wanted for her.

But fate had its own jokes to play.

Gillian’s smile slid into place at exactly the right angle. She didn’t touch the wedding topic at all, just kept urging everyone to eat.

“She’s right, everyone, eat up. These dishes cost me a small mountain of coins. You don’t get the chance to bleed me dry every day.”

2/3

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10:54 Wed, Jun 3

Chapter 55 No Wedding

“Right, right, everyone eat more.”

It was the first time Freya had spoken since Merrick had walked in.

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