Chapter 0001

Silver’s POV

“You look so hot!!” My best friend, Rebecca, squealed as I walked out onto the platform in my wedding dress. We were the only ones in the shop, so I didn’t have to worry about sharing the space.

My dirty blonde hair fell past my shoulders. On top of my head was a small veil with a sparkling gem. I felt as if I had just walked out of a fairytale book.

I wasn’t wearing any makeup; I was happy that my naturally tan skin beamed. This pre-wedding glow I had heard about was real.

“It’s too bad that Gavins isn’t here to see it,” I said thoughtfully.

“No, that’s a good thing,” Rebecca said, raising her brows at me.

“Why?” I asked.

“It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress, Duh!” Rebecca said.

I spun, watching my dress twirl. I felt absolutely beautiful.

The fabric was form-fitting at my waist, then puffed out and fell elegantly past my ankles. It hugged me in all the right places.

To top it off, my oil painting was displayed in full color on the ivory fabric. I had worked tirelessly on the design for months. It was an honor to display one of my paintings this way.

Oil painting was my safe haven, and I had an exceptional talent for it. The piece I had worked on for my wedding dress was filled with my favorite neutral colors. All of which swirled into a beautiful pattern.

“You are truly a great artist,” Rebecca said. “It was so lucky that you could be a part of the design process.”

I nodded.

My artwork was so important to me. Getting to wear it felt like a dream.

“It’s perfect,” I said. “Now, just one more day to wait.”

“Actually, you barely have twenty-four hours at this point!” Rebecca pointed out.

It was true. This time tomorrow, I, Silver Stormwind, will already be married to my amazing fiancé, Gavin Crown.

It seemed surreal that the day was basically already here.

These past few months of planning had been a whirlwind.

I had no idea how much I spent at a wedding. Luckily my best friend was at my side the entire time. All the late nights planning to make tomorrow perfect had been worth it. This marriage would be the start of my new beginning.

My entire life, I had longed for a family of my own. Now, my dream was about to come true. I had failed to shift into my werewolf on my 18th birthday and because of that, I was a disgrace to not only my father, the Alpha of our pack, but to my entire family. It was a failure that I would have to live with for the rest of my life.

I was the youngest daughter in my family. However, rather than caring for me, my family had hidden me away. They hoped that word of my wolf-less personal would not spread.

Gavin had felt like my blessing. He was my chance at a happily ever after.

I gave one final spin in the full gown before saying, “Let’s bring this beauty home.”

***

We arrived home around noon. The front door was already unlocked, so we let ourselves in. Rebecca and I buzzed with excitement.

“Should I show him the dress?” I asked Rebecca.

“Of course not! It has to be a surprise!” She reminded me.

The wedding dress was neatly wrapped in a porcelain white box. I set it down on the hall table, where I knew it would be safe. It would be hard not to sneak another glance at it before tomorrow.

“Alright, I guess I can wait until the wedding,” I sighed reluctantly.

I looked up at the wall where a picture of Gavin and I hung. We were embracing one another with big grins. The photo had been taken just after Gavin proposed. What a wonderful day it had been!

“We’re home,” I called out.

Rebecca and I giddily walked down the short hallway. The carpet felt good beneath my bare feet after a day spent walking in the city.

When we entered the living room, I expected to find Gavin. However, what caught my eye was a disaster!

I had left the house in pristine condition. However, now there was a mess of clothing strewn everywhere.

“What happened?” I mumbled to myself. “These aren’t even my clothes.”

Rebecca struggled to untangle a pair of underwear tangled in her heel. Her face was just as confused as mine.

Worse yet, I could hear faint moans from behind my bedroom door. My heart felt as if it was going to explode in my chest.

I was starting to piece together what was happening, but I didn’t want to believe that it could be true.

“Oooh, Gavin!” A strange woman’s voice said from behind the door, followed by a breathy giggle. “Yes, just like that! You always know what I like!”

“What the fuck,” Rebecca hissed loudly, her face red with fury.

The moans came to a sudden halt, there were a few thumps and grunts. A moment later, a flustered Gavin ran out of our bedroom. His mistress quickly dressed behind him.

That was our bedroom! And he had another woman naked in the bed that we shared. Telling from what she was saying, this wasn’t the first time either.

His mistress looked at us, thunderstruck. Upon seeing us, she escaped through the front door.

“Weren’t you trying on wedding dresses?” Gavin asked, running his fingers through his thick dark hair.

This split my heart even more. I began to cry. So, this is what he’d been doing instead of joining us at the shop.

“Tomorrow is supposed to be our wedding, and you cheated on me! You told me you would give up on finding your fated mate to be with me,” I accused him. I was unable to stop the tears from pouring out of my eyes and I hated myself for it. But I was so hurt and so angry, they couldn’t be helped.

I had seen the way other women looked at Gavin. I knew he was attractive and that he had many options when it came to who he wanted to be with. However, he chose me. And he made me a promise that I expected him to keep!

Gavin irritably said, “Look, if you weren’t the Alpha’s daughter, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you. You’re wolfless. Which makes you weak and pathetic.”

“Oh, hell no,” Rebecca said through her teeth.

She stepped forward and aimed to punch him. However, I stopped her before she could.

As much as I would love to watch her punch him, I refused to stoop to his level. Rebecca reluctantly retreated. However, her harsh gaze never left his.

“We’re done!” I said, my vision blurred with tears.

I removed the engagement ring from my finger, and I threw it at him.

“You don’t honestly think you can just cancel the wedding like that, do you?” Gavin asked, mockingly. “Your father would never allow that. Everything is already prepared. There’s no reason for you to call off the wedding.”

A vicious growl came from Rebecca.

“How dare you justify your infidelity!” She roared.

“I’m not justifying anything,” Gavin argued. “It’s just the way things are going to be.”

“Says who??” Rebecca retorted.

Gavin looked at me dismissively.

“Marrying you was already a generous act,” he said. “A wolfless can’t expect me to remain faithful forever. I might meet my fated mate someday.”

“Go find your fated mate, then,” I said, my tone dry. “I could surely find a better marriage partner.”

Gavin scoffed.

“My uncle is the Alpha of the Crown pack. There is nobody better.”

Rebecca and I already knew this.

“He is an absolute rationalist who prioritizes his interests above all else,” Gavin added.

Rebecca furiously said, “I think you’re right. Why not just let her marry our uncle then?”