Chapter 5

“If you don’t own up to your little mistake, you’ll only make things more difficult by trying to avoid it.”

VIOLET’S POV

“The Alpha left?” I asked for the second time to make sure I hadn't heard wrong.

“Yes,” the palace guard grunted, still blocking me from entering the hall.

My heart gave a start as I looked sideways, trying to make sense of what was happening, but I couldn't think of anything. Why would the Alpha leave when we hadn't even gotten the marriage over with?

“Violet, what's going on?” my father growled, and my shoulders jerked in fear as I stepped away from him.

He shouldn't have been asking me that question when we had both left the house together. But in my father's defense, if anything went wrong, you should ask Violet. She must have done something wrong.

Maybe this time, he was right. But I couldn't pinpoint what had made the Alpha leave the hall and ban us from entering.

When my father saw that I wasn't going to answer his question, he turned to the guard and puffed out a breath.

“What happened?” he asked the guard, who seemed to be having a bad day. “Why did the Alpha leave? What happened before we got here? And what about the wedding?”

“That's too many questions,” he groaned, resting a hand on the hilt of the dagger fastened to his chest, right above his sword. “I don't think we're close enough to be throwing questions around.”

“Fuck this bastard,” my father mumbled under his breath as he slowly turned around to stare at me.

My chest tightened, and I rubbed my clammy hands together.

“I swear I didn't know what—”

“Oh, you're still here?” a voice I would never mistake for anything in the world chuckled behind me.

I abruptly turned to see Kira marching toward us with two guards trailing behind her.

“Thank the Goddess you're here!” My father took a step forward, a tired smile creeping onto his face as he turned to face Kira. “You were here earlier, right? Do you think you have any idea what made the—”

“Shouldn't you be at the palace now, confessing your sins?” She walked past my father, totally ignoring him as she came to stand in front of me, a maniacal smirk plastered on her face.

“What sin?” my father barked, rushing back to me.

He gripped my shoulders, his claws piercing into my skin, and I let out a soft gasp.

I lowered my gaze to the floor. The look on my father's face was frightening, and I might end up begging him to just kill me because that seemed to be what would happen anyway.

“She didn't tell you?” Kira fake-gasped.

I took my bottom lip into my mouth, nibbling on it until I could feel blood slipping into my mouth.

“I swear to the Moon, if I find out you did something stupid to fuck with my business, I will kill you and leave your worthless body for the birds to feed on!” he sneered.

He shoved me back before turning to face Kira.

“Please, dear, tell me what happened.”

“Well...” Kira shrugged, stepping away from the guards before smiling warmly at me. “You can hear for yourself when you get to the palace.”

She smirked at my father before turning to walk away.

“Take them. Alpha Ansel wants them both alive,” Kira ordered the guards before walking away.

It felt like my air supply had been cut off as I panted, struggling to catch my breath.

What the fuck had Kira done? She hadn't told the Alpha about the mark, right?

“I would hate to mishandle you, Alpha's mate. Please come with us,” one of the guards uttered.

His face was void of emotion as he gave me a once-over, looking at me as though my mere existence disgusted him.

“You can take her. Let her sort out whatever shit she has done. Stupid idiot daughter of Satan!” my father hissed, turning around to walk away before another guard blocked his path.

“You're coming with us. Alpha Ansel wants both of you at the palace. Now, start moving.”

For the first time in my life, I was afraid to leave the house.

Perhaps I should just kill myself. But what about my father? What would happen to him if he were the only one left to face the Alpha? Would he be able to forgive me?

We got inside the car, and I had never felt so suffocated before. It felt like I was going to choke on my own breath and die. Somehow, death by suffocation didn't sound as bad as dying at the Alpha's hands.

I didn't know how long I had been lost in my thoughts when the car suddenly stopped, and the door beside me opened.

“We're here. Come with me,” the guard announced.

We hastily stepped out of the car, following the guard, who looked like he might drive his dagger into the crook of my neck at any moment.

My wedding dress was beginning to feel heavy the longer I trailed behind the guard. Each step brought me closer to wherever the Alpha was waiting.

I was frightened to meet him. This wasn't how I had planned to spend my wedding day, but who was responsible for this if not me?

The double doors to a large hall opened, and the guard stepped aside.

“You two can go in. The Alpha is inside, waiting for you.”

“You'd better not have done something crazy because I'm so ready to be childless. So help me, Goddess,” my father mumbled before entering the hall first.

I trailed behind him.

I hadn't thought about it before, but now I realized that coming here was a bad idea. I should have died long before arriving at the palace. I should have jumped out of the moving car earlier, hit my head on the concrete floor, and died.

Murmurs filled the hall as we walked in, and I couldn't bring myself to raise my head to look at anyone. I felt like they were all judging me, and I might crumble if I saw their judgmental eyes glaring daggers into my skull.

My world shattered as I walked down the hall with my father beside me. I couldn't breathe properly. My shoulders heaved as I gripped my dress with both hands.

“Stop right there!” a husky voice howled, making me come to an abrupt halt.