The wedding dress felt like armor. Heavy, suffocating, but necessary.
I stood before the mirror, my reflection almost unrecognizable. The delicate lace traced the curves of my shoulders, the shimmering fabric cascading to the floor. The crown atop my head was light, yet it weighed on me like a thousand unspoken words.
Today, I married Alpha Giovanne.
Not out of love. Not out of desire. But because fate—or perhaps cruelty had dictated this as my path.
A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. My brother, Aldric, stepped in, his face composed as always.
"It’s time," he said.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. There was no room for hesitation. No turning back.
As I walked down the grand aisle, the weight of every gaze pressed down on me. The pack members stood in reverence, their eyes filled with admiration, respect. To them, this was a historic moment—the union of two powerful Alphas, the solidification of strength.
But to me, it felt like the end of something I could never get back.
At the altar, Giovanne stood tall, his expression calm, unreadable. He did not fidget. He did not falter. He simply waited, knowing—no, expecting—that I would reach him.
And I did.
The priest began speaking, his voice a distant hum in the background as I focused on keeping my breathing even.
"Do you, Raven Nightbourne, take Alpha Giovanne as your mate and husband, to lead beside him, to stand as his Luna?"
I opened my mouth, ready to say the words, ready to seal my fate—
The doors burst open. The sound was like a gunshot in the silence, making my heart lurch. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
And then, a voice—raw, desperate, and so painfully familiar—rang through the hall.
"Don’t do this, Raven."
My breath caught in my throat.
I didn’t turn immediately. I couldn’t. Because I already knew who it was.
A slow, tense silence filled the air. Every pair of eyes in the room flickered between us, as if witnessing something far more dangerous than a wedding interruption.
Finally, I turned.
Alpha Kade stood in the doorway, chest rising and falling with barely contained fury. His hair was disheveled, his dark eyes stormy with emotions I could barely process. His wolf was right beneath the surface, clawing, desperate.
For me.
Giovanne said nothing beside me, his expression unreadable. He didn’t react—not in anger, not in amusement. He simply observed. Waiting.
Kade’s gaze locked onto mine, and in that moment, I saw everything. The regret, the pain, the torment of a man who had lost something he never thought he could.
"Raven," he said, his voice was rough, shaking. "I was wrong. I should have fought for you. I should have—"
"You should have," I cut him off, my voice steadier than I felt.
His expression shattered, and for the first time, I saw fear in Kade’s eyes. Not the kind that came from battle. Not the kind that came from losing power.
The kind that came from losing me.
He took a step forward. "Come with me. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to marry him."
A sharp pain lanced through my chest.
Because a part of me had once wanted to hear those words. Had once dreamed of him saying them. But it was too late.
"You don’t get to decide that," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kade stiffened. "You love me." It wasn’t a question. It was a declaration. A plea.
I did love him. I had loved him with everything I had.
But love had not saved me from the humiliation. From the loneliness. From the betrayal.
I exhaled slowly, turning back to Giovanne.
His gaze met mine, unwavering. He had not begged. He had not tried to claim me like a possession. He had simply let me choose.
And that was why, in this moment, I made my decision.
I lifted my chin. "Continue the ceremony."
A strangled sound escaped Kade, something between a growl and a broken whisper. "Raven, please."
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the pain away. Then, without hesitation, I reached for Giovanne’s hand.
Kade’s breath hitched. The room held its collective silence, as if awaiting an execution.
Then, a single word from the priest—"Proceed"—sealed my fate.
Then, before I could take another step, Kade’s voice rang out again. This time, it wasn’t desperate. It wasn’t broken.
It was dangerous.
"You will regret this, Raven."
Kade’s breath hitched. The room held its collective silence, as if awaiting an execution.
But before I could take another step, Kade let out a low, dangerous laugh. It wasn’t broken anymore. It wasn’t desperate. It was something colder.
"You think this is over?" His voice sliced through the hall like a blade, quiet but deadly.
“You think walking away from me is just that simple?" His voice was smooth, almost soft—too soft.
"You forget, Raven. I hold power over most of the packs. You may hate me, but you should ask yourself this—" He took a slow step forward, his smirk devoid of warmth.
"How much are you willing to lose for defying me?"
Then—suddenly—my phone vibrated in my hand. The unexpected sound made my fingers tremble as I fumbled to answer.
"Mom?" My voice came out unsteady.
A shaky breath on the other end. Then—her voice, urgent, panicked. "Raven, you have to stop him! Alpha Kade—he’s taking everything. The estate, the lands—he’s stripping us of our rights. He’s punishing us for your choice!"
My stomach dropped.
