Meredith.
The scent of jasmine and vanilla filled the air as Madame Beatrice sprayed perfume over me in slow, deliberate motions.
The fragrance clung to my skin, a stark contrast to the suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.
Everything about me, from my jewelry to my embroidered shoes, screamed elegance.
And yet, my palms sweated. I had never felt more like a nervous prisoner.
The knock on the door was brief before it swung open. I turned my head, watching as the butler from yesterday stepped in, his posture stiff, before speaking.
"Lady Carter and her daughters have arrived," he announced.
My heart twisted. Before I could prepare myself, my mother and my sisters stepped into the room.
They didn't hesitate to look me over—Monique's sharp eyes flickered over the elaborate embroidery of my gown, the delicate jewels in my hair, and the soft white veil cascading down my shoulders.
Then, she smirked as Madame Beatrice and the servant girls nodded politely at my mother. She was the wife to the Beta of one of the Royal werewolf packs after all.
"Well, well," Monique mused. "Who knew our disgraced, wolfless sister could actually look the part of an Alpha's bride?"
Mabel chuckled, crossing her arms. "Not that it will make a difference. Even wrapped in silk, she's still worthless."
I swallowed the bitterness creeping up my throat, keeping my gaze impassive.
I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing my pain as I had learned long ago that silence stripped them of their satisfaction.
My mother, standing between them, barely glanced at me before exhaling. "Meredith, whatever happens today and in the future, do not embarrass our family and our pack. You will stand tall and do what is expected of you. Remember this."
I blinked slowly, then asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "Which pack?" My voice was quieter than I intended, but it still held an edge.
"Father already cast me out. I don't belong to Moonstone Pack anymore."
Mabel clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Mum, do you see this? Just one day here, and she's already talking back."
Mabel was right. I never talk back to my family.
Monique turned to Mabel, smirking. "Don't worry. Her tongue will be bridled soon enough. A few lessons here, and she'll learn what happens to weaklings like her who don't know their place."
My gaze remained neutral, though my fingers curled into the fabric of my gown.
That was when my mother finally turned to face me fully, studying me for a moment before speaking again. "I brought you something."
I frowned slightly as she stepped aside.
From the doorway, another figure entered. A woman—her brown eyes wide with quiet urgency, her dark hair braided neatly over her shoulder.
I inhaled sharply.
Azul.
"I am here to serve you, My Lady." Azul lowered her head.
For a moment, my mind refused to process it.
Azul was my maidservant from years ago. The one who had taken care of me when I was still the cherished daughter of the Carter family. The only person who had ever shielded me in that house. The one who had been ripped away from me the day the Lunar Curse branded me because my father decided that I didn't deserve to be waited upon for being useless.
Now, she stood before me, her gaze flickering with emotions she could not express in front of my mother and sisters.
"She will serve you here," my mother said flatly. "You have no one in this place. Consider this a betrothal gift from me."
A gift?
A war raged inside me.
I didn't know what to feel. My mother, the woman who had always been silent in the face of my suffering, had brought back the only person who had ever cared for me.
Why?
I didn't thank her. I didn't speak at all because I didn't know if this was a twisted act of kindness or another form of control.
Before I could sort through my emotions, the sound of bells rang loudly through the estate.
The wedding was starting.
Madame Beatrice stepped forward, offering my mother and sisters a tight-lipped smile. "It's time to escort the bride."
My mother didn't say goodbye. My sisters didn't offer a final insult. They simply left with Azul.
And then, with Madame Beatrice walking ahead, the servants led me forward.
To my fate.
---
*~Draven~*
The wind carried the scent of burning cedarwood as I strode down the aisle, the weight of a hundred eyes pressing upon me.
The wedding was held in the Sacred Lunar Courtyard, an open ceremonial space where only the highest-ranking wolves were wed. A towering stone archway stood behind the altar, engraved with the ancient symbols of the Moon Goddess.
All five royal Alphas were present:
Alpha Magnus of the Moonstone Pack—Healers. They are good with medicine, herbs and poison.
Alpha Solas of the Bloodfang Pack—The warriors. Known as the Hunters, Protectors and Guardians. Brutal in battle, unmatched in raw strength. They are fast, ruthless and relentless. Their wolves are as swift as the wind, their attacks unpredictable.
Alpha Victor of the Silvercrest Pack—Engineers. Weapon crafters.
Alpha Ulric of the Ashfang Pach—The wealthiest pack. They control trade and resources.
And then my father, Randall Oatrun, ex Alpha of the Mystic Furs Pack—The strategists. Cunning and precise, known for unpredictable tactics. Our pack was built on intelligence and careful maneuvering.
And above them all, watching from his elevated seat, sat King Alderic, the current Werewolf King.
I did not miss the disapproving gazes from the Council Elders, or Meredith's father, Gabriel Carter. His expression was a mask of stone, like he had been forced to attend his own daughter's wedding, which was true.
They were all waiting. Watching. Judging.
I took my place at the altar without a care as I waited for my bride.
Then, finally, she appeared.
Meredith walked down the aisle alone, her white gown trailing behind her.
Her face was hidden beneath the veil, but I could still feel the weight of her stare.
"Mine." My wolf, Rhovan growled in my head, surging forward.
"Not now," I ordered.
"She's ours."
"You must be joking," I said to him.
"Claim her!"
"Control yourself!" I raged.
Rhovan snarled, resisting.
Just then, Meredith reached the altar and stopped beside me. I could hear the subtle hitch in her breath, but she kept her posture straight.
The priest stepped forward, his presence commanding.
"Under the gaze of the Moon Goddess, we are gathered to witness the sacred union of Alpha Draven Oatrun and Meredith Carter. Their bond, sealed by vow and blood, shall be honored by the spirits of our ancestors and the laws of our kind."
A moment of silence passed, the wind whispering through the trees.
Then, the priest turned to me.
"Draven Oatrun, do you accept this woman as your mate and wife? Do you vow to protect her, honour her, and stand beside her through war and peace, through shadow and moonlight?"
I looked down at Meredith through the veil. Her breathing was steady, but I could feel the tension radiating from her.
My jaw tightened. "Yes." The words didn't matter. The outcome did.
The priest turned to Meredith.
"Meredith Carter, do you accept this man as your mate and husband? Do you vow to stand beside him, to share his burdens, and to honor the bond of the Moon Goddess?"
The silence stretched.
The guests stirred.
I clenched my jaw, my voice low but commanding. "Answer the question."
Still, she did not speak.
The priest hesitated, then repeated himself. "Meredith Carter, do you take Alpha Draven Oatrun as your lawful husband?"
And then— she lifted her head.
Through the veil, her violet eyes locked onto mine.
Silence stretched into eternity.
Then in a voice that cut through silence like a blade, she said—
"No."
The world stopped.