Chapter 144

Kayla

I pushed down my feelings and put on a smile. I was getting quite good at that lately, wasn’t I?

The doors to the chapel opened, revealing the beautiful ceremony setup inside. The aisle was lined with white roses and greenery, the pews filled with guests who turned to look at me as the music began to play.

At the end of the aisle, Nicholas stood waiting, looking impossibly handsome in a crisp white tuxedo that fit him like it had been tailored by the Moon Goddess herself.

His smile made my heart lurch, and for a moment, I hesitated, my feet refusing to move.

This was it. The moment I’d been dreading and, if I was being honest with myself, secretly longing for. But now that it was finally here, I wasn’t sure I could go through with it. Not after what Nora had shown me.

Not after hearing Nicholas’s voice on that recording, so calm and matter-of-fact as he admitted he was only marrying me for Bluemoon.

The words echoed in my mind, a cruel reminder of how foolish I’d been to let myself believe, even for a moment, that there was something real between us. And what really stung was that he said it so coolly too, as if he were discussing nothing but the weather.

I wanted to run up the aisle and chuck my flowers at his face and call him a bastard in front of everyone. And for a moment, briefly letting that beastly little part of me take hold, I almost did. My foot twitched forward, my eyes narrowing, my fingers tightening around my bouquet.

But then I felt a gentle hand on my arm, and I turned to see Beta Henry standing beside me, his kind eyes smiling brightly.

“Ready?” he asked softly.

I came back to my senses and nodded, although my heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst clean out of my chest. Henry beamed and offered me his arm, and I took it, gripping it tightly as we began to walk down the aisle.

Every step felt like a betrayal—of myself, of my heart, of everything I’d ever wanted. But I kept my smile plastered on my face, my eyes fixed on Nicholas as we moved closer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam and Isabella sitting in the back row. Liam’s expression was a mixture of disdain and amusement, while Isabella’s lips were curled into her usual hateful sneer. I forced myself to look away, focusing instead on Nicholas.

His smile was radiant, his amber eyes filled with what looked like love. But I knew better now. It was all an act, a performance for the guests and the guild and everyone in between. A performance for me, too. Just as our nights of lovemaking had been faked, likely just to keep me placated for long enough to get what he wanted.

When we reached the end of the aisle, Henry gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before placing it in Nicholas’s.

“Take care of her,” Henry said softly, his eyes shimmering with tears.

Nicholas nodded, his smile never wavering. “Always.”

I felt like I was going to throw up, but somehow, I managed to smile up at Nicholas with big doe eyes like the biggest fucking liar in this entire room.

The officiant began the ceremony, but I barely heard a word. My mind was racing, my heart torn between the joy of standing here with Nicholas and the crushing weight of knowing it was all a lie.

As Nicholas lifted my veil, his eyes met mine, and for a moment, I almost believed it again. The way he looked at me, the warmth in his gaze, the softness of his smile—it all felt so real. But then I remembered the recording, and the illusion shattered.

Too bad it was all fake.

The reminder was like a knife plunging into my chest over and over again, but I kept my smile in place, determined not to let anyone see how much I was hurting. Especially not him.

We said our vows, although I barely heard mine. It all sounded garbled to my ears, but somehow, I must have managed to say it all correctly because Nicholas’s grin widened and Jade and Emma fanned their tears in the background.

When it came time to kiss, Nicholas leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that was soft and sweet and utterly heartbreaking all at once. I felt like a statue.

The guests erupted into applause after that, their cheers and whistles filling the chapel. I forced myself to smile, to play the part of the blushing bride, even as my heart ached with every beat.

As we walked back down the aisle, hand in hand, the guests tossed handfuls of rice over our heads. Nicholas’s smile was wide and genuine, and for a moment, I almost forgot the truth again. Almost. But not quite.

A white car with ‘Just Married’ painted across the back window and empty cans strung to the rear bumper was waiting for us outside the chapel, to take us to the reception hall. Nicholas opened the back door for me, leaning in to kiss me as I passed. I let him, if only because there were cameras trained on us. But the kiss felt like thorns gnashing against my lips.

In the car, Nicholas turned to me, still beaming even though we were alone.

“You look beautiful,” he said.

I forced a smile, telling myself that he was just pretending just in case the driver or anyone else might be snooping. “Thanks,” I managed.

He studied me for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, turning to look out the window. “Just… had a late night with Jade and Emma.”

He didn’t press further, but I could feel his eyes on me, searching for answers that I certainly wasn’t going to give him.

The reception hall was beautiful, the decorations elegant and tasteful. I was surprised by how lovely everything looked, considering Nicholas had been so insistent on picking out ‘cookie cutter’ decorations. But as I looked around, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness.

This wasn’t the wedding I’d dreamed of. Not really. It was a performance, a show for the guild and the guests. And I was the star, playing a role I wasn’t sure I could keep up.

We mingled with the guests for a little while, smiling and laughing as if everything was perfect. But inside, I was a mess, my emotions warring with every passing moment.

I was happy to be marrying Nicholas. I was officially “Mrs. Reynolds”, Luna of Nightshade pack, and the wedding had been, for all intents and purposes, lovely. Despite everything, I couldn’t deny that.

But at the same time, I wanted to scream, to tear off my dress and run as far away as I could. I almost wished I had just had a repeat of my wedding with Liam. That I had found Nicholas fucking Nora in the back room, rather than having her show me that recording.

In a strange way, I almost felt as if that would have been easier.

After a little while, I excused myself to the bar for a drink to settle my nerves, my smile fading as soon as I turned my back. I ordered a gin and tonic and sipped it slowly, inhaling deeply through my nose. But I wasn’t alone for long before I felt someone tap my shoulder.

I turned, my stomach sinking as I saw Isabella standing behind me.

“Kayla,” she said. “Can we talk?”