“Caught by Fate”

Mabella’s POV

The house was too quiet, too empty, and too suffocating too.

I have always wished everyone would leave me alone but now that they have? I hate it. It's even worse than having them around.

My thoughts are becoming too loud for me and I hate it.

I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours.

Maybe it was hours, who knows?

My laptop sat beside me. It was open and my YouTube notifications kept popping in.

BellaLove uploaded a new video a few days ago…

1M+ views.

People were commenting, laughing, sharing, and feeling inspired. Meanwhile, the girl behind BellaLove couldn’t even step outside her room without feeling like she didn’t deserve oxygen.

Funny.

Very funny.

But it's not my fault, there's nothing I can do about it.

A loud cheer suddenly echoed from outside and it was as if chilling water was poured on me.

I jolted up.

The wedding.

My sister’s wedding.

My life’s wedding.

I couldn't control the sudden curiosity that rose in me.

No, I won't do this. I promised not to.

But before I could stop myself, I grabbed my laptop and opened the livestream, and just as if the universe was against me, the first title popped up instantly.

“THE ROYAL WEDDING OF ALPHA ALFREDO AND ANNABELLA – LIVE.”

My stomach twisted.

I shouldn't watch this. I should stay away from things that make me sad but my fingers clicked it anyway.

The screen was immediately filled with the grand hall. There were thousands of pack members and the hall was a decoration paradise, with silver chandeliers, flowers, and colours, it looked like something from a dream.

My dream.

And there she was—Anabella, standing under the moonlight like she owned the world while smiling like a goat at the man that was supposed to be mine.

My chest tightened.

“That was supposed to be me…”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

I didn’t even want Alfredo,I never loved him but it still hurt.

Because that life…

That title…

That respect…was stolen from me.

The camera zoomed on her face. She had it all, even though I hate to admit it but it's always something you can't resist.

Perfect smile.

Perfect posture.

Perfect body, everything I wasn't.

The comments flooded the screen instantly.

“Our Queen is so beautiful!”

“Perfect couple!”

“Alpha Alfredo looks powerful as always.”

“They will make great babies!”

“He should make her his Luna already.”

My throat tightened and I slammed the laptop shut as if it were the one that caused my life troubles.

“I can’t watch this,” I told myself.

Silence swallowed the room again while I paced back and forth.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Honestly, if you ask me why I was doing that,

I don't know too but that's what happens when I'm stressed, I just keep going back and forth.

Then suddenly—

I stopped.

The hall was only fifteen minutes away.

My heart started beating faster as if it wanted to rip out of my chest.

“No.”

I shook my head.

“Don’t do it.”

But my feet were already moving on their own.

The cool wind brushed my skin as I stepped outside and walked quickly through the shadows.

My blue hoodie covered most of my face, though I know it did very little to hide my identity, like who wouldn't recognize me? They don't need my face to— my huge body was enough.

The pack house grew bigger as I approached.

There were lights everywhere, guards uards everywhere, the music was deafening.

Everyone was inside celebrating.No one stopped me, which meant… no one noticed me.

No one and that's perfect.

I quietly slipped through the side garden as I used to when I was younger.

Back when I still belonged here for my first royal lesson before it was shifted to my house.

Back when people didn’t look at me like a walking joke.

My heart hammered as I reached the back corridor.

From here…I could see the hall entrance,I slowly peeked and my heart shattered again.

Annabella stood beside Alfredo.

The moonlight shone over them.

They looked… powerful together.

They were really beautiful, like those magazine couples.

People cheered loudly while my chest tightened painfully.

“They look perfect together…”

My voice came out as a whisper.

For a second, I imagined myself standing there instead.

Then reality hit again.

Me?

This place would have become a laughing mess. The Alpha would have even had a mask of disgust on his handsome face.

With my pouch with the Alpha whose abs are surely rocky.

Oh Mabella, wake the fuck up.

I quickly stepped back.

“I shouldn’t have come here.”

Tears burned my eyes but I swallowed hard.

I need to be strong.

I turned to leave.

Then—

I saw it through a small window.

I tried to ignore it but my stomach growled, really loud…

I froze.

Oh no….not now.

I placed a hand over my stomach.

“Please… not now…” but the smell reached me.

Food.

So much food. The scent was coming from the open kitchen door—roasted meat, fresh bread, sweet desserts.

My stomach growled again and this time stronger.

“Stop it…”

I tried to walk away—I really tried, but the hunger clawed at me like a beast inside my body.

My legs slowly turned and on their own, they brought me toward the kitchen.

“No… don’t do it.”

Another growl.

Louder.

My wolf stirred inside me. but not weak like before.

She felt…excited.

Why?

Because of the food?

Oh come on, Wolflina, I thought, calling her by the silly nickname I gave her.

I pushed the kitchen door slightly, It creaked open and my mouth watered immediately.

Inside were tables—freaking dozens of tables and guess what? They were all filled with food!

My eyes widened with tears of joy—that's just how crazy whatever is wrong with me is.

“Oh my God…”

There was no one inside 

, Everyone was busy celebrating.

Perfect.

My stomach roared again.

“Okay, just… one bite,” I whispered.

I stepped inside and before I knew it one bite became two.

Two became five.

Then ten.

I grabbed roasted chicken, bread, fruit, cake, a burger, and literally everything I could fit into my mouth.

I was eating like someone who hadn’t eaten in years.

But something was strange.

With every bite…my wolf purred.

She was actually purring and that had never happened.

Was she happy? She was really excited.

“What’s wrong with you?” I whispered to her.

She didn’t answer, maybe she only wanted more….or maybe she was overjoyed by the sight of food.

I stuffed another pastry into my mouth.

Then another.

And another.

I barely noticed the door opening behind me,until a deep voice spoke.

“…well.”

I froze.

My heart stopped beating.

I could have acted like I was staff but my hand was in a cake and in my cheeks was icing. I also had a bottle of soft drink in the other hand.

And slowly,

Very slowly,

I turned around and my soul almost left my body.

Alpha Alfredo De Luca was freaking standing in the doorway, he looked so tall and powerful.

He was dressed in his black wedding suit and his golden eyes were staring directly at me.

Oh no, I have been caught stealing food at the Alpha's wedding, not just caught but by the Alpha himself!

My brain screamed.

RUN.

But my legs refused to move...Cake crumbs fell from my mouth.

I probably looked like a starving raccoon.

He stared at me for a few seconds, then something unexpected happened.

His lips curved into a smile.

Is he going to mock me now?

Oh my God, I wish the floor could open and swallow me.

My face fell to the floor and his voice came out low.

“The cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

My breath stopped.

Somehow the softness in his voice made my core ache, something that had never happened.

My wolf suddenly jumped wildly inside me.

Before I could process anything—

His eyes darkened and in a second different flashes crossed his face.

First it was shock, then disbelief, then shock again.

And before I could stop myself or realize what was happening,

Our voices came out at the same time.

“MATE.”

Silence swallowed the kitchen and my heart exploded in my chest.

Because the man who just called me his mate…was my sister’s groom.

The Alpha.

The most powerful man in the Crest Pack and the one person I was never supposed to stand beside.