Chapter 19

The wedding venue was a vision of ethereal beauty. White lilies and roses cascaded from every archway, crystal chandeliers cast dancing light across silk-draped walls, and a carpet of cream petals traced the path I would soon walk.

It was perfect, like a dream pulled from my childhood imagination—except it wasn't my dream anymore. It was a beautiful facade for an ugly arrangement.

I sat motionless before the vanity mirror in the bridal suite, watching the stylist place the final pearl pins in my hair. My reflection seemed like a stranger's—this poised, elegant woman in ivory lace couldn't be me.

"Aurora?" My mother's gentle voice pulled me from my thoughts. She stood in the doorway, supported by a nurse, her face pale but radiant with pride. "My beautiful girl."

I rose immediately to help her to a chair. "Mom, you shouldn't have pushed yourself to come."

She cupped my cheek. "I wouldn't miss this for anything in the world."

Her words twisted like a knife in my chest. She didn't know—couldn't know—the truth of what today really was. To her, this was the culmination of years of friendship and love between Raymond and me.

"I always knew you and Raymond would end up together," she continued, her eyes shining. "Ever since you were children. The way he looked at you, even then—like you were his whole world."

A knock at the door saved me from responding. Lilly peeked in, already dressed in her bridesmaid gown of deep blue.

"It's time," she said, her expression a careful mask of excitement that didn't quite reach her eyes.

My father waited at the entrance to the ceremony hall, his expression stony. This was a business transaction to him, nothing more.

"Don't embarrass us," he murmured as I took his arm, his eyes fixed ahead.

The music swelled, and the massive doors swung open to reveal hundreds of faces turned toward me. Pack members, allied wolves, family friends—all rising to watch Luna Elena's vision of a perfect wedding unfold.

And there, at the end of the aisle, stood Raymond. His formal suit fit him perfectly, accentuating the Alpha strength in his shoulders. But his expression was distant, his eyes darting periodically to the side of the room where I knew Giana had been seated.

Each step felt heavier than the last as I walked toward my future—this hollow future I'd resigned myself to. My father placed my hand in Raymond's, the gesture symbolic of a transfer of guardianship that made my skin crawl.

Raymond's fingers were cold as they closed around mine. When our eyes met, I saw not love or even friendship, but grim determination. This was the final outcome of his negotiation with the Alpha—yes to the wedding, but Giana would be allowed to stay in the pack.

I stood beside him as the officiant spoke of love and devotion, of bonds that would last a lifetime. The cruel irony of it all made me light-headed. I repeated vows I didn't feel, promised forever to a man who was already pledged to another.

"Does anyone have reason that these two should not be joined in matrimony?" the officiant asked.

For one wild moment, I imagined Kane standing up, objecting, creating the scandal that would set me free. But the moment passed in silence.

The ring Raymond slid onto my finger felt like a shackle. When the time came for him to mark me—the deepest, most intimate bond between mates—he hesitated just long enough for me to notice before leaning in.

His teeth grazed my neck, sharp pressure as they broke skin. The mark burned, but it was nothing compared to the hollowness spreading through me. This was supposed to be sacred—a joining of souls. Instead, it felt like the final nail in the coffin of what we might have been.

As Raymond pulled back, I caught Giana's gaze across the room. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her hands clenched in her lap. She looked away quickly, but not before I saw the raw pain there.

Beside her, Kane's expression was unreadable, his amber eyes fixed on my neck where Raymond's mark now claimed me. Something like anger flashed across his features before he schooled them back to careful neutrality.

The reception that followed was an elaborate blur—first dances, toasts, cake cutting. Raymond went through each motion with precision, never meeting my eyes for longer than necessary. His gaze constantly sought Giana, who hovered at the edge of the celebration.

I was speaking with relatives when Kane appeared at my side, devastatingly handsome in his tailored suit.

"May I borrow the bride for a moment?" he asked, his voice a silky purr.

Before I could object, Kane had guided me away to a quieter corner of the reception hall.

"You look stunning," he said, his eyes traveling over me with an intensity that made my skin warm. "A vision in white. Too bad it's wasted on a man who can't appreciate it."

"Kane—" I began, warning in my tone.

"Just an observation," he responded, his fingers brushing mine as he handed me a champagne flute. "Tell me, Luna, does it feel different now? Having everything you thought you wanted?"

The question cut too close to the bone. "Don't."

His lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You know, there are other paths you could have chosen. Other wolves who might have valued what Raymond so carelessly discards."

My heart stuttered at his words. Before I could respond, Raymond materialized beside us, his expression dark.

"Kane," he said tightly, "I'd appreciate it if you remembered that Aurora is my wife now."

Kane's smile widened, turning sharp. "How could I forget? You've made your claim quite...visible." His eyes dropped pointedly to my neck where Raymond's mark stood out against my skin.

Raymond's arm slid possessively around my waist. "Then you'll understand why I need to steal her away. Pack business."

Kane inclined his head in mock deference. "Of course. Who am I to stand between an Alpha and his Luna?" His eyes met mine one last time, something unspoken passing between us before he stepped back.

I let Raymond lead me away, conscious of the eyes following us—particularly Giana's, filled with naked longing, and Kane's, burning with something I couldn't name.

---

Night had fallen by the time we reached the honeymoon suite. The room was another romantic fantasy—rose petals scattered across the bed, champagne chilling in an ice bucket, candles casting a golden glow over everything.

Raymond stood awkwardly by the door. He cleared his throat. "Aurora, about today—"

"Don't pretend it was anything but what it was," I cut him off. "An act. For both of us."

"Yes," he agreed quietly. "An act."

I turned away, beginning to unpin my hair, when his next words froze me in place.

"I need you to cover for me again," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Giana... she's devastated after today. Watching me mark someone else—it's physically painful for her, because of our mate bond."

I turned slowly to face him. "What exactly are you asking, Raymond?"

He couldn't meet my gaze. "I need to comfort her tonight. She's in the east wing guest room. If you could... swap places with her, just for tonight..."

The audacity stole my breath. "You want me to give up the bridal suite on my wedding night so you can spend it with your mistress?"

"She's not my mistress, she's my mate," he corrected sharply. "And yes, I'm asking. Please, Aurora. She's suffering."

And I wasn't? The request was so selfish, so utterly blind to my feelings, that I almost laughed.

"Get out," I whispered.

"Aurora—"

"Get. Out." My voice shook with suppressed rage. "Go to her. I don't care. But don't insult me by asking me to facilitate it."

He hesitated, then nodded once before slipping out the door.

I stood alone in the honeymoon suite, a bride abandoned on her wedding night, the mark on my neck a burning reminder of everything this marriage wasn't, and would never be.