Aurelia
"I put fifty credits on her getting dumped before the clock strikes midnight," a sharp voice sneered from the row of marble sinks.
It was Chloe, one of Lyra's old inner circle. She was adjusting her diamond earrings, her eyes tracking my reflection through the glass with pure disdain.
I continued smoothing down the satin of the simple white gown I had bought with my own savings, ignoring them.
"Only fifty?" another girl giggled, applying a thick layer of lip gloss. "I heard Zeph's dad was furious when he saw the official itinerary. There is no way the Alpha Council lets him tie himself to a weak wolf. He's just using her to fill the void."
My fingers dug into the fabric of my dress, my nails nearly tearing the delicate lace detailing at my waist.
Void. Rebound. Backup.
Sure, I wanted this night to be romantic, but deep down, I also wanted to get my dignity back. I wanted to look every single person in this academy in the eye and prove I wasn't just a shadow he hid away when he was lonely.
"Ignore them," Talia whispered, stepping up behind me.
She placed her hands on my shoulders, but her reflection looked grim. There was clearly no joy in her eyes, only an overwhelming sense of dread.
"You look beautiful, Aurelia," Talia continued softly. "But...are you really sure about this? You can still walk away before the presentation."
"He put it on the official itinerary, Talia," I said, my voice tight as I adjusted a stray strand of my dark hair. "He wouldn't do that if he wasn't sure. He's choosing me."
Talia let out a frustrated breath, her grip tightening on my shoulders.
"Aurelia, I saw him near the training grounds earlier. Someone whispered that the Soren family alpha was spotted at the pack border. The moment Lyra's name was mentioned, Zeph's aura flared so hard it cracked the concrete beneath his boots. He isn't over her. He is just panicking because he's lonely."
A sudden, sharp pain lanced through my chest, cutting off my breath.
I stumbled slightly, my hand flying to my chest as I gripped the edge of the counter. In my mind, my weak wolf gave a fractured, trembling howl, retreating further into the darkness of my subconscious.
A heavy, metallic taste rose in the back of my throat, and a cold sweat broke out across my skin. My wolf was buckling under the sheer emotional stress, her fragile spirit completely unstable.
"Aurelia!" Talia gasped, reaching out to support my weight. "You're shaking. Your wolf is rejecting the pressure."
"I'm fine," I choked out, forcing myself to stand straight, ignoring the dull ache in my heart. "My wolf is just anxious. It's the Lunar Crest energy. I'm choosing to have faith in him, Talia. I have to."
***
When I walked out to the courtyard, Zephyron was waiting by the black stone fountain.
He looked breathtakingly handsome. He wore the formal black suit of the Duskmere heir, his silver family crest pinned precisely over his heart. But his broad shoulders were rigidly tense, and his fingers were aggressively tapping against his thigh; a nervous habit he only had when his mind was a chaotic mess.
When he saw me approach, he froze. His grey eyes swept down my white dress, a flicker of something intense passing through them.
Guilt? Admiration? I couldn't tell.
"You look beautiful, Aurelia," he murmured, his voice deep and gravelly.
He stepped closer, his large, warm hand settling firmly on the small of my back.
"I brought you this," he said, pulling a small red box from his pocket.
Inside was a delicate silver bracelet set with a single, glowing white moonstone. It wasn't the official Duskmere Luna ring, which belonged to his father's domain, but it was beautiful.
"Tonight, we silence everyone," he whispered, his thumb brushing against my wrist as he clipped the bracelet on. "No more whispers. No more people calling you a backup choice."
"Thank you, Zeph," I breathed, looking up into his beautiful face, desperately searching for a sign of true affection. "Do you...Do you really mean that?"
"Of course I do," he said.
Before the words had even fully left his lips, his gaze flicked over my shoulder. He was scanning the crowd of students entering the grand hall. His fingers twitched against my spine, his focus fracturing completely.
He was looking for someone, probably a specific shade of blonde hair, and the toxic scent of jasmine and wildfire.
He's looking for Lyra.
Could he really be that selfish? Holding onto me just because he couldn't stand to be alone.
I had spent three years teaching myself not to ask for too much, teaching myself to be grateful for whatever scraps of attention he threw my way. So, I forced the doubt down. I chose faith over my own instincts.
"Let's go inside," I whispered, stepping closer to his side, trying to force him to look at me.
The grand ballroom of Blackridge Academy was flowing with people.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, casting sharp light over the elders, sponsors, and powerful Alphas in attendance. Zephyron's hand remained steady on my back as we moved through the room, his physical proximity acting as a shield against the glaring eyes of the students.
Yet, the atmosphere felt like the heavy, suffocating silence right before a thunderstorm breaks.
Every time a door opened, every time the crowd murmured, Zephyron's entire body went stiff. .
He wasn't here with me.
"The Alpha Council is ready for the presentation," Ronan's voice cut through the noise.
He appeared beside us, looking immaculate in his Beta suit, but his eyes were fixed on me with that familiar, torturous pity. He looked like he wanted to drag me out of the building before the clock struck the hour.
"It's time," Zephyron said, his grip on my waist tightening. He looked down at me, forcing a smile that didn't reach his cold grey eyes. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," I lied, my heart hammering a frantic, terrifying rhythm against my ribs.
The music slowed, and the voice of Headmistress Selene boomed through the massive speakers, commanding the attention of the entire room.
"And now, for the future of the Duskmere pack. Please welcome our future Alpha heir, Zephyron Duskmere, and his chosen partner."
Applause erupted, deafening and sharp.
Zephyron led me forward, stepping up the grand wooden stairs onto the elevated stage. The spotlights hit us, blinding and white, illuminating my gown, making the silver moonstone on my wrist gleam.
For a single, beautiful second, the dread vanished.
I looked out at the sea of faces staring up at us. The girls who had bet against me were quiet. The bullies were staring in shock. I was finally standing where I belonged. I was finally being recognized.
A radiant, hopeful smile broke across my face. I turned my head to look at Zephyron, wanting to share the moment with the boy I had loved in the dark for years.
But the words died in my throat.
Zephyron had gone completely, utterly still.
His hand fell away from my waist, dropping to his side. His grey eyes were wide, blown out with a sudden, violent shock as he stared past the blinding spotlights, straight into the back of the crowd.
I followed his line of sight, my blood freezing in my veins.
Standing at the grand entrance of the ballroom, dressed in a crimson gown that hugged her body, was Lyra Soren.
