CHAPTER SIX

"Who is that man, Kaelan?" I asked boldly, trying to ignore the fact that my legs were quivering.

His expression shifted for a blink before hardening again. "He isn't your father. How come you are even ruling this pack?" I pressed, and I saw his jaw clench.

Within a second, he closed the distance between us, his hand gripping my jaw almost painfully. His eyes narrowed, boring into mine. "How come you never stop asking questions?"

I could feel his breath hitting me harshly as we stayed locked in that position.

"Go to bed," he commanded, releasing me. "I don't have to remind you that tomorrow is a big day for you."

I watched him disappear into the other wing, a futile temptation to follow him tugging at me. I walked back to my room and laid down flat on the bed, waiting for sleep to take me on a far journey.

·

I didn't know how many hours I slept for, but when I woke up, it didn't feel long at all. I remained on the bed, squinting as sun rays reflected on my face.

"Good morning, Luna. You woke up just in time," a voice said. I creased my brows. That wasn't Tara's.

I turned to see a young woman grinning at me. "My Lady, you have to get up now. The Alpha hates tardiness," she said. I managed to sit up.

"Am I going somewhere?"

"Of course, my Lady. Today is your matrimonial ceremony."

As she said that, a knot formed in my stomach, leaving a hollow ache. "And by the way, you can call me Giselle," she added.

"We need to get you ready and have you moved to the main palace immediately," she said, motioning for me to get out of bed.

I got up slowly and slipped into my flip-flops. "Main palace?"

"Yes, My Lady." She clapped her hands twice. "Come in! We don't have all day."

As soon as she spoke, a row of servants filed into my room, each holding different boxes and setting them down strategically. I watched them, my brows knotted in confusion.

Before I could ask what the boxes were for, Giselle turned to me with her bright smile. "The ladies will help you prepare your bath. I hope you're not allergic to any scents whatsoever." She muttered under her breath, "The Alpha would kill me if I make a tiny mistake."

"Err... no. I don't have any such allergies," I replied.

"Good."

"You can come in now, my Lady," another woman said from the entrance to my bathroom. I blinked; I hadn't even seen her enter.

Giselle signaled to the other servants, and they all dropped what they were doing and filed out in a single line.

"This has to go off," she said, motioning to the outfit I had slept in. I nodded, waiting for her to leave, but she didn't move an inch. Was she expecting me to strip in front of her?

"Can I have my privacy?" I asked.

She looked at me as if I had spoken another language before forcing out the words, "Of course."

She walked out, and I stepped toward the bathroom. I gasped as I entered. The bathtub was filled with roses, scenting the air with a beautiful fragrance. Did Kaelan really ask them to prepare all this?

I soaked myself in the bathtub, unable to hold back a moan at how refreshing the water felt. I could spend all day here. But I didn't have all day—I needed to get this wedding over with as fast as possible.

I groaned as I forced myself out of the bathtub. I hadn't even taken a step forward when Giselle's voice came from the door. "Are you done, my Lady? We have just an hour left."

I rolled my eyes before answering, "Yes, I'm done."

The moment I spoke, she returned with her rows of servants, all women this time. They resumed their work, unboxing what they had brought.

Giselle motioned to the seat in front of the mirror, and I sat down, staring at my wet, pale reflection. "Let's begin," Giselle instructed the stylists.

They crowded around me, some attending to my hair, others to my feet. I closed my eyes, letting them work their magic while I tried to calm the storm brewing inside me.

Here I was, getting prepped to be the Luna of Lucifer. I felt like a lamb being prepared for sacrifice.

The stylists gave me endless instructions: "Smile a little, my Lady." "Puff out your cheeks, my Lady." "Raise your chin, my Lady."

After what felt like an eternity, I was finally asked to open my eyes. As I did, a gasp nearly escaped my throat.

I stared back at my reflection, and for a moment, it was as though another person was looking back at me—a young, pretty bride, waiting to be joined with her husband. But that wasn't what this was. It was all a facade.

This wasn't a simple wedding of an Alpha to his Luna. This was a punishment. I was a hostage being prepared for imprisonment. And that's exactly what I was: a hostage, a truce in the fallout of my pack's downfall. Any wrong move from me would lead to chaos.

And although there weren't many memories left to preserve, and even if my pack fell, I couldn't help but fight to keep it safe. It was once my mother's pack, after all. I couldn't let it be ruined when I had the power to save it.

And saving my pack meant wresting it from Kaelan's grasp.

He wants me to be his Luna? Fine. But if he thinks he can break me and mold me into whatever fucked-up shape he has in mind, then he's in for a surprise.

A cunning smirk tugged at my lips.

Giselle's brows arched. "Is everything okay, My Lady?"

"Of course, it is," I answered, smiling for the first time since I'd entered this castle. "We're done, right? Let's get this ceremony over with. We don't want to keep the almighty Alpha waiting, do we?"