1. The wedding of the season

Delilah's POV

Theophilus and Gregory Winslow, the rejected fifty-year-old twin sons of eighty-year-old Alpha Richard Winslow, are getting married to me, Delilah Hunt, the scorned daughter of an outcast warlock and deceased werewolf mother. This wedding is sure to be the talk of the season.

The white veil covers the angry look on my face. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I grasp the bouquet of pink and white artificial roses, gripping it tightly enough to restrict the blood flow in my hands. My jaws clench as I try to contain my anger. I have one last chance to try and convince Alpha Enzo to let me out of this trap. One last chance before I do something drastic to save myself.

What is a marriage without love? If not a mere contractual exchange. The Winslow pack is one of the lowliest in Avalon if not the worst. And if I'm not quick enough I will be in the far and destitute ends of the kingdom by nightfall, warming the bed of Theophilus and Gregory Winslow. The thought alone gives me the jitters.

The Alpha of the Winslow pack, Richard Winslow, is eighty years old and fears that his two sons might never find their mates since all the she-wolves in Avalon have rejected them. Now they want me to get married to the rejects because they also consider me a reject —A wolfless orphan who is nothing but a burden to the Silver Crest Pack and their beloved Alpha Enzo.

I wish I could turn back time, back to the days when I would sit in my mother's lap and she would run her fingers through my hair. We will watch the stars together and she will call me by my pet name, "Lila".

We looked so much alike, with the same dark, long hair, blue eyes, and slender, tall stature. She would've been proud of the twenty-eight-year-old woman I've grown into, but she's not alive to witness it.

Her wolf was deeply grieved and couldn't take the emotional pain of hoping one day my father would come back. The memory brings tears to my eyes. Today I'm completely alone because both my parents have been mistreated by the leadership of this kingdom.

The door to the room swings open and Alpha Enzo walks inside with two women following behind him.

I turn around and face them. He walks up to me, covering the gap between us. He's already dressed in his attire for the occasion. His blonde hair matched the colour of his regal robe, designed with gold. On getting close enough, he gives me a look of disgust, his brown eyes scanning me from head to toe disapprovingly.

"Finally, I will get rid of your pathetic self today. You have brought nothing but pain to this pack. From being the daughter of an outcast, having your mother die, and leaving you in my care, you've really been a handful, Delilah." He chuckles and shakes his head.

Taking a step closer, he completely covers the gap between us and speaks in a low tone, loud enough for only my hearing.

"If maybe you had been a good girl and accepted my proposal, you wouldn't have been in this position."

I look up, meeting his gaze from under the cover of my veil. "Then call off the wedding. Have me as your bride."

He scoffs and takes a step back, laughing. "You think yourself wise, don't you?"

Without waiting for my reply, he turns around and speaks to the two women.

"Make sure she's at least presentable and doesn't chase away the groom with her ugly stature."

The women snicker, and he leaves, closing the door behind him. That's it. I have to go with plan B and escape this hellhole. The pack is heavily guarded today but I have to at least try my luck at freedom.

They help me into my wedding dress. When they're done I stare at myself in the mirror.

Everyone thought I was going to die six months ago, during those seven scary weeks I stayed sick in bed. Then the oracle came and healed me at the price of my wolf, Ashley. It was either I died or my wolf vanished forever. I wasn't the one who made that choice to sacrifice Ashley, Alpha Enzo did. And now he treats me like it's my fault.

I was once a lead Sentinel in the werewolf ranks. I led spy teams, secret missions and espionage. Now I'm reduced to this.

What's the use of saving me if they never wanted me around? After the news came I saw the true intentions of my pack members towards me. People I once called friends and family turned on me, treating me like an outcast, a slave. And what pains me the most is how powerless I am before them. I was once a Sentinel but now even a common omega pushes me around.

Two guards lead me to the banquet hall where all the pack members are seated to witness the wedding of the season.

Theophilus and Gregory Winslow are at the front of the hall with one of the pack elders, ready to accept me as their wife.

Slowly, I begin to walk down the isle. All the chattering of the guests die down and the hall becomes pin drop silent.

Suddenly, a hunter runs into the banquet hall and shouts, "The war general is coming!"

Immediately Enzo springs up from his seat as a gasp arises from the crowd. His eyes grow wide in alarm. A sudden fright sweeps over the room. The war general is the dread of all wolves living and dead. Due to his ruthless acts, he was nicknamed the executioner.

"How long before they get here?" Enzo asks, trying not to sound panicked.

Before the hunter can reply, a group of men adorned in black attire and masks storm into the hall. They are all above six feet tall and have weapons with them.

The other pack members disperse to different locations, out of the Generals way. I run to a corner and hide, my body trembling with fear.