The wedding

Regan had mixed feelings about this wedding. A whole part of him didn't want to be there in the first place, yet something inside of him was drawing him here.

He had had a short and awkward discussion with Moonbeam pack Alpha and he was glad the formalities were over. He couldn't stand speaking with the ruler of the very pack he had planned his whole life on destroying.

He was yet to see his bride as he was told that there were a few useless proceedings that needed to be done before the wedding rituals were performed.

While he waited, he greatly wanted to just leave the hall out of annoyance, but Estan, his beta, told him to have some patience.

Finally, those proceedings were over and he was introduced by the priest and then his bride was called in.

He spotted her metres away, being escorted to him by the Luna. His heart was racing in ways that annoyed him as she took gentle steps towards him. Her white hair looked pure and spotless and her skin itself was plump and thick, like a freshly prepared meat. Even within the thick and flowy dress she was putting on, her curves were still prominent.

He grunted as his palms began sweating and his heart was beating at an alarming rate. He growled slowly in anger.

“I can hear your heartbeat racing. Are you mesmerised by her beauty already?” Estan’s voice interrupted his hazy mind.

Scoffing, he responded through the mindlink, “Johan’s daughter as well as his entire household wishes.” He got Estan’s chuckle for a response.

The princess was finally brought before him. As soon as she looked up at him, his face immediately turned white. Every noise in the hall died down and everything centred around him and the princess. Her eyes…they were like the vast blue sea he once crossed during his battles – he got lost in them.

Unknowingly to him even, his wolf had growled the word he hadn't expected himself to find in…well, ever.

“Mate!”

“What?” Estan's voice came again. He heard him? He must have said that too loud.

Frowning, Regan quickly gained composure and focused. But it seemed like the princess had also sensed their mate bond. She was staring up at Regan like she could pounce on him any second.

‘Shit! Goddess make her control herself’ he prayed in his mind.

He didn't want to show everyone they were mates. In fact, he didn't want to be mated to her. He hated this already.

His pulse rose and his veins protruded out of pressure and anger as the priest recited all he needed to.

Once the priest was done, they were asked to kiss. This is the worst part for Regan.

He tightened his fists as the Princess's innocent face neared him. Cursing under his breath, he forced himself to lean closer as their lips soon connected.

Electric shock shot through his spine and a soothing feeling soon replaced it. Regan was simply in heaven for a brief moment before the kiss was quickly over. He found himself wishing it wasn't.

‘Fuck!’ he cursed.

He tried his best to use the noise being made by the crowd to distract himself from staring at her too much. He didn't want to give her any impression of an impending love life.

‘I’m fucking going to reject her once this is all over!’ he promised.

Together, they walked to where the ritual took place. Their blood was smeared on their foreheads and they were bound by the Moon Goddess.

Once it was all over, Regan didn't hesitate to leave her side and meet with Estan.

“She's my fucking mate!” He half yelled at his beta.

“Doesn't sound so bad.” The latter commented, glancing at Ivorie who was with her mother.

“I'm not having it. I'm rejecting her immediately before it gets out of balance.” Regan said, still seething with rage.

“What?” Estan exclaimed, his eyes wide. “You plan on rejecting her?” He asked, more out of shock than expecting a response.

Regan nodded.

Estan face-palmed, “This is the Moon Goddess giving you a second chance with a new mate and you just want to throw it away?”

“Having a mate from an enemy pack is not what I intended, Estan!” Regan retorted.

“And who says…” Estan cut himself off, realising he was talking too loud. “Who says Moonbeam is an enemy pack?” He asked, more quietly this time.

“I do!” Regan replied defiantly. Estan glared at him for a while. He didn't know what else to say to his Alpha.

“I'm trying to do my part here by giving you the best advice I can, Regan. You should do your part by making a good decision.” Estan said in a defeated tone, leaving Regan and retreating into the crowd.

Regan watched with a confused expression as his beta walked out on him. “What does that even mean?”

He ran his hand through his long black hair. Things were already getting out of hand. His beta doesn't want him to reject the princess while he strongly wanted to. He couldn't possibly be mated to the daughter of an Alpha he plans to kill. He had learnt his lesson with Kiya.

From across the hall, he spotted the Princess, standing there and gazing at him. It irritated the hell out of him and he growled before grabbing a goblet of wine and storming off.

Ivorie sighed as she watched her husband storm off. To her, it seemed he didn't want to even set his eyes on her. But why? She was utterly confused and disheartened.

She could already see their marriage crumbling. She wondered why he was acting so hateful towards her, he barely even know her.

Meanwhile, she liked what she saw. His shoulder length black hair and prominent jawline. His looks spelt masculinity. Even when she approached him, she felt like she was walking towards a beast and not a man. But even his beastly form was so alluring.

She sighed again, feeling dejected. Her gaze swept across the hall looking for her mother, she needed someone to confine her at the moment.

But she spotted, to her surprise, Eloisa, her sister instead.

‘I thought she was seriously ill’ she muttered as she made her way towards her.

Eloisa, black haired just like her father, spotted Ivorie walking to her direction and immediately tried to hide herself. But it was too late, “Eloisa!”, Ivorie had apparently seen her already.

Ivorie frowned at her younger sister, “Are you well already?” The confused Princess asked.

Eloisa, with her running mouth, sneered, “What? You prefer me forever ill?”

“Of course not sister!” Ivorie quickly defended, “It's just that Elder Caige said healing you would take months.” She explained.

Rolling her eyes nonchalantly, she snickered, “Hmm, I'm just lucky enough to heal early.”

Ivorie wasn't a fool, she might be gentle but not a fool. A frown deepened on her face as she growled, “You lied, Eloisa. You weren't Ill at all, you just pretended to so you wouldn't get to marry the Dreaded Warlord!”

“Hmm, maybe I did.” Eloisa hummed scornfully.

“Why would you do that? I was used to replace you!” She said in a pained tone.

“So what? At least you got to marry that magnificent spectacle of an Alpha. Don't you dare pretend like you are not happy. For fuck's sake that cute Alpha was supposed to be mine!” Eloisa remarked, anger evident in her voice.

“What? Are you playing the victim now? It was all your plan in the first place. Moreover, what do you think father would say when I report your scandal to him?” Ivorie said in a threatening tone, a smirk forming on her own lips.

But to her confusion, Eloisa simply scoffed. Just then, the two other sisters, Anna and Emma, flanked Eloisa out of nowhere.

“Listen to our beloved elder sister, girls.” Eloisa said, her words dripping with sarcasm.

“She said she wants to report my scandal to our father.” Eloisa said in a mocking tone. The other girls could only scoff as they looked at her disgustingly. Ivorie was confused, they knew of this too?

“You can suit yourself sister, but I'll let you know that father was the one who made it happen in the first place." And turning around to back Ivorie, the smirk on her face faded as a pang of regret stir in her chest, she regretted feigning that illness. If only she had been patient enough to see how the alpha looks like, all of this wouldn't have happened.

Ivorie couldn't believe her ears, her father was even the master mind of this scandal. She had been tricked and fooled. She had been deceived and forced to marry someone she didn't want to. Although he turned out to be so good looking, she still couldn't bear the pain of being set up by her own family.

“B…but why would father do such a thing?” She asked, forcing tears that threatened to flow down her eyes back.

“But why would father do such a thing?” Eloisa repeated in a tone of mockery. Her two sisters laughed.

“Because of you Ivorie. I hate you so much that I want you married to an ugly, cruel and bitter warlord. But guess the twist. Why do you always have to be so lucky, getting every good thing that I deserve?” Eloisa yelled, frustrated.

Ivorie felt down, she felt hated and trashed. Anger slowly swelled inside her.

“Oh look, the Alpha is coming. Quick girls, make him fall for you instead.” Anna said all of a sudden.

Ivorie was confused as they all took different poses. She was suddenly yanked by the arm and pulled away from her sisters.

“What in the…” she muttered, only to see her newly wedded husband pulling her towards the exit of the hall.