Page 4

Lucien

"I just knew they were going to end up with each other. I remember always seeing them together when they were kids. Liam is there, too, but you could always tell he was the third wheel," Aaron Clarke, one of my father's close friends, says. The table erupts in laughter, mostly at Liam, while some of the women send Selene and me dreamy eyes like they were reliving their days of young love through us.

"I'll have to prove you wrong and protect my pride, Sir Aaron. I was never the third wheel. In fact, I was the fun one and only offered to take them under my wing to share some of my awesomeness." The men laughed again, and Aaron and Liam fell into a playful banter, with Aaron telling Liam he'll have to pick a mate after me.

The conversation at dinner is kept light and away from politics and like topics, mostly because of the women. It's something I'm greatly appreciative of as it means I have to speak very little and smile when necessary.

Selene, on the other hand, looks like she was raised for this moment. She knew the right words to say, the right answer to every question, and the right question to make her appear interesting without seeming dumb. I must commend the work of her parents. Her mother is practically glowing with pride.

"Son," Liam's father calls, "What do you think of my daughter? I know I did a great job, but I'd love to know if her future mate appreciates her."

My father let out an exaggerated groan, "Don't be ridiculous, Peter. What do you mean future mates? They're already mates. The ceremony is almost a month away and just a formality."

The others laugh again, but it's a short one as all attention returns to me, waiting for my answer.

I clear my throat, taking her hand in mine to make the moment more endearing. "Selene is a wonderful woman. I am constantly in awe of her, and I consider myself extremely lucky to call her mine." I shift my attention to the current beta. "You say you did a great job, sir, but I beg to differ. I think you outdid yourself with her. "Same goes to you, ma'am," I add, directing my words to his wife before turning to Liam. "And, of course, no thanks to you."

The table is a mix of awws and laughter. My father sends me a discrete nod of approval while Selene's lips tip in a discreet smile, but I catch it. She must be proud of herself for securing an alpha. It's what she was raised for.

Rora won't look so smug. I silence the voice in my head, choosing to focus on the task at hand. The last thing I need is some stupid voice comparing Selene to Aurora. Aurora is obviously prettier. She's only being a bit too stubborn right now.She's trying to teach me a lesson.

That's the only explanation.

Aurora is mad, furious even, but she's not really gone. She would never leave me, not like this.

I lean into my chair, pulling my fists under the table to hide how tightly clenched they are. An angry vein throbs in the corner of my head.

She's testing me. One of those stupid push-and-pull games women play to get you eating out of their palm.

A power move. She's somewhere in the woods, waiting for me to come crawling after her. The thought alone leaves a bitter aftertaste. Too bad I don't play into anyone's hands.She can wait.

She can drag this out for hours, sulking and pouting at what happened, but she'll come back. It's not like she has anywhere to go. She was born and raised in this pack, and as far as my memory goes, she's not in contact with the human side of her family, and she barely made any friends in college.

She'll eventually see the wisdom in my offer and realize the gravity of the sacrifice I'm willing to make for her.

Hell, I told the woman she'll always have me, and my mate will only be relevant in title. I told her I'd give her the best life, practically promised myself to her, and all I got in return was a disappearance act. Any girl in the pack would die to be in her position. Why is she making this out to be something else?

"Lucien?" Selene's soft voice pulls me out of my reverie. "I wanted to thank you for your kind words."

I blink twice, a fleeting veil of confusion clouding my thoughts before I remember what she's talking about. Noting the eyes on us, I force a smile on my face. "They're not kind, dear. They're true."

It's funny how much I have to force a smile, affection, and fake touches when I'm with her.These things come to me with ease whenever I'm with Aurora. I feel this pull to her that I can't resist. I want to hold her. I want her close to me at all times, and the laughter is never forced. It's warm and hearty. Now that I think about it, I can't recall a moment with her where I didn't feel like I was transported to another universe.

I discreetly pull out my phone, swiping through my call log and voicemails, and there's no call from her. It's all I can do to keep myself from throwing the phone at the wall.

The chattering at the table only adds to my growing irritation. Seven days. Seven fucking days. It's how long it's been since she ran out of her house expecting me to pull a Prince Charming and chase after her.Don't get me wrong, I know women love that type of shit, and on a very good day, I don't mind indulging, but she's supposed to know it's hardly ideal with the situation at hand.

Dinner finally comes to an end, and I'm very happy to call it a night. Somewhere between dropping Selene off and making my way home, I end up in Aurora's house.

I'm yet to make up my mind about what I'm going to say to her when I see her. I initially planned to wait for her to come to me, but it seems I'll have to take charge of this one like I always do.

It's dark by the time I get to her house, and the small cluster of trees behind casts a darker blanket on the surroundings. If she's playing a game of hide and seek, she should at least come home to get some food. I suck in a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm before knocking.

No response.I knocked harder, and when nothing happened, I twisted the doorknob, and the click that followed sent a tinge of suspicion through me.Rora never leaves her house open. No matter how urgent the situation is, she has always been a bit too security-conscious, especially with the situation with Silver Pack and her living alone. It doesn't matter what the situation is; Rora always locks her door.I let myself in, flicking the light bulb in the process. Then I freeze.

The air is stale. The windows are closed, and the blanket she was snuggling in the last time we spoke remained at the same spot.Even her scent was barely there. I had to strain my nose to pick up muted whiffs. The alarms in my head immediately went off. Something isn't right.

"Aurora!"I made my way to her bedroom to find her bed neatly made. Her brush on the table had collected a bit of dust, and her nightwear lay carefully folded on the reclining chair in the corner.

"Aurora!" I call again, my voice louder and more urgent this time. I throw the bathroom door open—nothing. I check the adjoining room and kitchen—nothing. Even the fridge was half-stocked, and most of the groceries in the kitchen had gone stale.To my right, there is a butter knife with leftover butter and crumbs of bread collecting mold on it. The little alarm in my ears shifts to loud sirens with an increasing heartbeat to match.

I throw the back door open and march into her makeshift garden. Her little plants withered and dying is all the confirmation I need. Rora would rather starve than let anything happen to these plants.

My breath turns sharp, my pulse a hammering thing in my chest as I move frantically now, tearing through the house, throwing open cabinets and drawers, anything to give me a cue. Still nothing.

Where would she go? I rack my brain to see if I can recall her mentioning a new friend in the pack or somewhere else, and I come up with nothing.

I remember her musing about how it'd be cool to at least know her human family, but she never said anything about meeting any of them. Her father's side pretty much cut her off after her father's death, claiming her mother tainted their bloodline with her human genes. Rora would sooner bleed to death than go to them.

So where would she be?A sharp pain lances through my chest, making me stumble. Not the tangible kind of pain. Something deeper, and it's immediately followed by a sinking hollow feeling.

I don't pay much attention to it. It's probably my wolf acting up over the perceived danger our mate might be in. I reach into my pocket, pulling out my phone.

A few taps and the number of my best tracker pulls up. I waste no time in dialing.

The line connects, and I don't bother with pleasantries. "Aurora Belmont. I need you to find her before sunrise."His answer is quick and affirmative. I ended the call after offering a few helpful details and returned the phone to my pocket. I will my heart rate to slow down and my pulse to quiet, but a beep from my phone almost startles me.

Did the tracker find her already? I knew she was just hiding in the corner. I open my phone, and the bitter taste of bile climbs to my tongue.An updated wedding program from my father. He has succeeded in bringing the date two weeks closer, making the day exactly eleven days away. At this point, he might step up and be the groom himself since he is so invested. From the day the news was broken to me, it's been one occasion or the other. An appearance at the court or pack gatherings together.

Photoshoots at strategic positions, cake tasting, cloth fittings, and even mindless walks around the pack to show ourselves to the members. I do my best not to make Selene look like a fool or disrespect her family. A division between the families would bring everything to dust, but I've intentionally decided not to take part in the planning and only make an appearance when I must maintain the fantasy we are selling to the pack members.

In the beginning, it was mostly because I didn't want Rora to see us being all cuddly in public too soon. Eventually, I just figured out I didn't appreciate being paraded. I've agreed to marry the girl. We can all give it a rest.Arranged marriages are not foreign to my kind, especially for those in power. If anything, it's more common than a fated bond. Regardless, it's important to maintain a unified front. The slightest sign of division in the family is a sign of weakness, and it's only a matter of time before someone decides to make a funny move.

I didn't bother sending a reply to my father. Despite my irritation and rising worry about Aurora's actions, I find myself slightly wishing she stays wherever till the mating ceremony blows over. The last thing I need is for her to witness the entire thing. With one last look at the house, I turn off the lights and make my way out with a heavy sense of foreboding I can't put a finger on.

*****************

"Don't you look dapper in a suit?" Liam whistles, fastening the belt on his waist. "With a face like that, one will think you're walking to the guillotine and not your wedding ceremony."

I pay him no heed, focusing on my reflection in the mirror as I adjust my tie. I expect today to be a lot of things. Happy for some, fulfilling for others, and a reason to drink and merry for the rest. What I never paid attention to is the effect it'll have on me. It is merely a ceremony. All I have to do is perform the rights and mark her in the presence of witnesses, and it'll be done. Easy peasy. Everyone is happy, and life goes on.

This feeling of impending doom looming over me is one I never saw coming. And for what is worth it, Liam is right. I do feel like I'm being led to my death.

"Heard from Aurora?"

Of course, the idiot will decide to bring her up while I'm preparing to walk down the aisle with another woman. He has refused to give it a rest since he overheard me shouting at the trackers and ordering them to find her in the next 48 hours a few days ago. Forty-eight hours went by. Seventy-two went by, and still, there was no Aurora. There was not even a phone call or response to the million texts I sent her.I've been trying to keep my thoughts about her at bay and convince myself that this is the best decision, and what I did, as painful as it might've been, is for the best and to secure the future of the pack.

"You seem to have developed a very deep interest in her. Why don't you go search for her yourself."

"I don't know, man. You said it yourself. She has nowhere to go. I can't shake off the feeling that she was attacked, or worse, captured by Silver Pack."

"She is fine." I snap, taking a deep breath to mask my heaving chest. "She is fine. She's probably waiting for the wedding to blow over before making an appearance."

It's the reason I've been giving myself. It feels better than the rest, and it is also more believable. I concluded that she wouldn't be happy to stay in a space where the hot topic is the wedding of her fated mate to another and has decided to stay away till it blows over. That's what this is about: self preservation. That's what this is about. No stupid predators and running away.

"That makes sense," Liam concurs. "I would stay away for a while if it were me."

We fall into a comfortable silence. He adds finishing touches to his outfit while I drag out every part of mine.

I've never had plans for my wedding. I never had the time to sit around and think about what the day will look like. I mostly listen to Aurora talk about everything she wants and promise to make it happen. She wants an outdoor celebration in one of the valleys with peonies decorating the entrance for the wedding and white lilies scattered around for the actual mating ceremony.

Most people settled for a mating ceremony without a wedding reception, but Rora wanted it all. In her words, after hiding away for so long, she wanted to experience everything with me. She wants to have all the memories and the joy that comes with it.

She also wanted a ball gown with a long train and a huge bouquet of many flowers. She wants to feel like a princess, and I told her she would make the most beautiful princess.

Most of my comments were to keep the conversation going without making her feel she was alone. Now, standing at the top of the podium in the pack multipurpose hall, I can't shake off the feeling of my senses screaming at me to walk out the door.

There are no peonies, lilies, or decorated entrances. In fact, the whole place is devoid of colors and flowers. White walls with intricate gold markings and minimalist design. Everything is tasteful and aesthetically pleasing, but it lacks a soul.

The entrance song for the bride comes on, and I make the mistake of raising my head. Selene was dressed in a mermaid gown with a very short veil and modest white roses. No ball gown in sight and no multi-colored flower arrangement.

Bile rushes up my throat, and I forcefully swallow. To the audience, I probably look like a smitten groom swallowing the rush of emotions from seeing his bride. I am swallowing emotions, just a different kind—the kind that urges you to run and never look back. The type that crawls into your ears and repeatedly gives you every reason why this is a bad decision.

I quickly scan the crowd, seeking out the face that's been glued to my mind for the past couple of days. My eyes catch Liam, who is already watching me with concern. Sometimes, I hate how well the idiot knows me. He has not said anything about Aurora being my fated mate since the first conversation, but I don't miss the look in his eyes.

I find my father watching me with a look that spells, "Do not embarrass me." I spot other familiar faces, most of them smiling and sending me little waves, but I don't see her.

Selene gets to the stage, and I offer a few compliments before the minister, usually the oldest man in the pack, opens the ceremony.

This part is usually for the wider audience and is a lot like a regular human wedding. It's for the view of the public and gives us the opportunity to celebrate with the human friends we've made along the way.

The main ceremony comes at night where the marking and exchange of oaths takes place. "You may now kiss the bride."

The statement comes to me as a threat. I had completely forgotten about this part of weddings. Dread washes over me as I lift Selene's veil, trying my best to keep my fingers from trembling. A cocktail of disappointment, self-loathing, and sadness burns my throat when I reveal her artfully made-up face.

I suck in a deep breath, leaning in to capture her lips. The sooner we do this, the faster we get it over with. Her lips are soft and thin, nothing like Aurora's luscious plum lips. It's tasteless and stirs no emotions in me. I want to pull away and wipe my lips, but I know what that will look like, so I deepen the kiss, trying to picture Aurora's face instead of Selene's.

It works for a while till someone lets out a wolf whistle, pulling me out of the act. I can almost swear I see Aurora's face flash through my eyes when I pull back. Guilt pools in the pit of my stomach, and I fight the urge to get off the stage.

We move to the reception, where I'm assaulted with congratulations from friends and business colleagues. My cheeks hurt from faking a smile, and every time I'm pulled aside for a brief conversation by some of my human acquaintances, I sigh in relief, glad to be away from the spectacle.

I won't stop searching for Aurora. Any time I sense a movement through the entrance, my eyes snap to the direction, and I'm doused in buckets of disappointment when another unfamiliar face waltzes in.

I don't know what I'll do when I see her, but I do know I need to see her. None of this makes sense without her. Nothing makes sense with her. I feel like a monkey parading in a circus and playing a part. I want to rid myself of this ridiculous tux, ask the guests to return to their homes, and forget this ever happened.

I've come to know why I never thought about weddings and the rest of it. When you already have a picture painted for you just the way you like it, you don't bother painting one for yourself. Aurora had everything planned out, giving me the luxury of being a passenger for the ride. What I didn't know was how much I internalized her plans as mine. How deeply her words are ingrained in my soul and how tangled our dreams and future have become.

The realization hit me like a blunt hammer, and I grip the table next to me for support, smiling at the guests in front of me while a cascade of chaotic events unfolds in my head.

The ceremony comes to an end, and I waste no time rushing out under the guise of unavoidable pack business. Reckless as it may be, I find myself driving to Aurora's house. I turn the house upside down, searching for a clue on her way about.

My mating ceremony is less than five hours away, and I am in the house of another woman looking through her things to see if I can find anything that'll point me to her.

You should've started sooner, my inner thoughts mock, and I let out a string of curses. How was I supposed to know it would come to this? When she ran off, I figured she needed some time to calm down, think things through, and come back when she was in a better state of mind. I couldn't exactly seek her out myself without raising suspicions, hence the commencement of a search for her. But as time went by, a new fear rose in me. What if she is truly gone?

The chances of that were next to zero, but it isn't completely impossible. What if this was the last straw, and she finally left? But where would she go without her belongings? She didn't take anything with her.

My phone vibrates for the hundredth time, and I finally pick it up to see a text from Liam asking where I am and how I need to start getting ready for the ceremony. I feel like a trapped animal. The feeling of helplessness and not being in control is alien to me.

I've always had total control of every part of my life, and now, one girl leaves, and I can't seem to find my bearing. I let out a frustrated yell, driving my fist through the wall. The pain is more intense than it should be, and my bones don't snap back in place fast enough. But it's also distracting me from the chaos in my mind, so I pay it no heed.

Deciding it's best to focus on the task at hand and deal with the others later, I make my way back to the pack house and prepare for the mating ceremony. Liam watches me the whole time, his eyes never leaving the bruise on my fist, but he doesn't say a word.

The full moon finally sets, and we move to the middle of the woods, a legendary spot said to host a balance of all the elements. It's a spot where the Moon Goddess and ancestors come to mingle with the living. It is the spot for sacred rituals and mating ceremonies.

The moon casts its silver light in the clearing, providing ample illumination to the spot. My father, Liam's family, and a few important members of the pack step into the clearing as core witnesses while the rest of the pack waits a few paces behind.

The ceremony begins with the exchange of oaths between Selene and I, a set of promises to love and protect each other before proceeding to the part I dread the most. The marking. I'll have to sink my teeth into the side of her neck, and she'll do the same to me, causing our wolf spirits to be bound to each other.

Selene moves her hair back, baring her neck to me. The movement sends a whiff of her scent down my nostrils: strawberries and jasmine. Nice but it doesn't trigger the primal beast in me. I want vanilla.

"Lucien?" she calls, angling her neck for me to bite. Sweat collects on my forehead. A neck has never seemed so dangerous in my life. It feels like I'm about to take a bite of poison.

"Go on," the minister urges, and I shut my eyes. Just as my canines extend to mark her, an agonizing scream pierces through the gathering, followed by a torn limb flying through space and landing on the floor in front of me.The entire place erupts in chaos, mothers are screaming for their children, and fathers are gathering their families and taking them to safety.

"What is happening?" Liam asks, standing next to me as the rest of the pack warriors, including the older ones, assemble, taking a battle stance.

My eyes narrow as I await the next attacker. "Silver Pack."

As if on cue, a large black wolf lunges out of the dark and makes a beeline for me. Others emerge, and the warriors lunge at them. Battle cries fill the space, and blood and scattered limbs follow. I try to shift, but for some reason, I can't.

I try harder, my eyes not leaving the wolf. Its eyes are glued to me, skillfully maneuvering its way around attackers without engaging. What the fuck is going on? I know my wolf has been sulking since the situation with Aurora, but this is hardly the time to put up an attitude. There are lives and properties involved, for fuck's sake.

My wolf does not share my concerns for life and valuables and continues to block me out. The wolf draws nearer, and for the first time, I am faced with an emotion I never thought possible for me to conceive: fear—raw, unfiltered fears course through me, chilling me to the bone. My heart is beating so fast that I can feel the blood rushing into my ears. My forehead is covered in sweat, but my skin feels cold from the nerves erratically firing through me.

I can't afford for my pack members to witness me like this, but at the same time, I am no coward. I won't run away. My wolf is not the only one who got trained in the camp. My human body suffered a great deal of training to be able to hold a wolf like mine. Surely, I can hold my own down in this form. I quickly scan my environment, finding a low-hanging branch to my left. I broke it off the tree and prepared myself for the attack.

I position myself, waiting for the wolf to get close, and he does. I waste no time in attacking, my makeshift weapon aiming for the exposed abdomen, but it swerves to the right, dodging my attack and trying to slash my side.

My reflexes are quick, and I move in time to dodge the attack. I regain my balance and prepare for the next attack. The wolf snarls at me, saliva dripping from the corner of his lips as he stalks me.

I had moments in training where I had to challenge a wolf to combat in my human form, but it was nothing like this. The fights weren't as hostile, and the attacker was not after my life.

The wolf attacks again, and this time, I crunch to the floor, jotting out the sharp end of my branch. Just as he is about to descend on me, I send the branch into his stomach, driving it deeper with so much force that blood gushes through the opening and onto my face. The wolf let out a pained growl before going silent.

The victory restores a bit of hope in me, so I hold tight to my weapon and throw myself into the battle without a second thought.

The chaos is everywhere, and with my wolf absent, I'm barely able to differentiate enemies from friends. I rely on the few wolves I could recognize and some of the pack members fighting in their human form, following their direction, but that is barely enough.

A claw swishes past my face, missing my eyes by a hair's breadth. I turn to defend myself, but a white wolf beats me to it, tearing out the attacker's heart from his chest in one swift move. Selene. She's the only white wolf capable of such strength.

Another wolf lunges at me, but she attacks it mid-air, sinking her claws into its side and drawing out an agonizing cry from it. I am quick to spot a black wolf attacking from her back, and I send my weapon driving through it, going straight for the neck where I know it'll stand no chance of survival.

It's a quick kill, and it makes me feel slightly better about having a girl save me twice. I spot Liam biting off the head of a huge wolf while fending off the one in front of me.

Everything is in a state of mayhem and disarray. Loud cries from a distance let me know this is not the only side of the attack. The bastards picked the best time to attack. With everyone in a celebratory mood, our guards completely down, and no weapon to defend ourselves, we are vulnerable.

"Lucien!" A voice roars over battle cries and pained wails. I turn to find a naked and bloody Liam wrestling a wolf. "To your left, your father."

That's all he manages to say before shifting and pouncing on the wolf. My head whips to the left to find my father surrounded by three wolves, stalking him like a prey. They have him cornered to the edge of the clearing, almost concealed by the darkness of the woods. I scan the environment, wondering why no one is fighting next to him. Where is Liam's father?

Everyone is deeply involved in their own fight. The Silver Pack wolves outnumber us by a ratio of more than two to one. This is my fight.

Despite being outnumbered, my father maintains a solid stance, baring his canines at them and daring them to come closer.

The wolf in the middle makes the first move, but my father skillfully dodges his claws, driving his into the wolf's hind leg. There's no doubt that he is a wonderful fighter. He was the best in his time, and coming face-to-face with him in battle was akin to death, but that was years ago.

Now he's older, and the sickness has weakened his abilities greatly. I don't wait for the next one to attack before making my way toward them. I enlist every strand of muscle in me, channeling all my attention inside to force a shift. I try till I can feel my muscles almost bulging out of my skin and my head throbbing from how hard I was concentrating, yet my wolf is no show.

Two wolves lunge at him at once. One hops on his back while the other attacks from behind. Soon, the third joins, going straight for his ears. His cry of pain shoots straight into my heart.

I let out a shout of pain, running to him with my weapon in hand. I won't stop trying to shift. My vision is blurry, and I can't see through the rage crowding my vision. All I want to do is lunge at them and tear out their heads with my teeth.

"Liam," I scream when I notice I might not make it in time to save him. The wolf on his back retracts his teeth, looking straight at me before sinking it into his neck and biting harder. My father screams in anguish. This time, a black wolf with white stripes jumps over me, heading to the spot, but we're both too late.

The wolf in front drives its claws into his chest, ripping his heart out in the process and carelessly discarding it on the floor.

A thunderous growl tears through the chaos, its effect causing an immediate pause in the ongoing battle. The sound is pained and torturous, reverberating loudly through my skull and leaving my throat dry.

I am at my father's side, gripping his limp body while his lifeless eyes stare back at me, accusation spelled boldly in them. Pack members begin to gravitate towards the scene, wide-eyed and slacked-jaw, as they take it all in.

Almost as though the aim of the battle has been achieved, the enemy wolves begin to retreat into the woods. I spot the wolf that delivered the final blow to my father, and rage surges through me like molten lava, clouding my vision with smoke and heat.

I reach out to my wolf one more time, injecting the pain and anger coursing through me to force a shift. Nothing would heal me like seeing the head of the pathetic beast rolling at my father's feet. Raining a bloodbath on Silver Pack will be the perfect way to draw the chaotic rush of emotions firing through my nerves, but nothing happens. I shut my eyes, clenching my jaws till my head hurt. I bite my gums till the metallic taste of blood assaults my senses. I command my wolf. I send threats to him, yet nothing. Not even a stir.

"Luc?" Liam's voice cut through the fog of rage and desperation encasing me. His eyes are filled with questions.

I shift my gaze to find the last wolf disappear into the woods, leaving Blackwood a bloody mess of torn limbs and battered bodies. It all happened in my presence. I watched them attack my home and tear us down, and there was nothing I could do, not even for my own father. I failed.