“Unmasked”

CHAPTER FIVE

Charlotte’s POV

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For a moment, I forgot I was in trouble.

The King’s arm stayed around me, steady and warm. I knew I didn’t belong there, that I should’ve stepped away, but I didn’t. When he leaned in and said, “Just stay close to me,” I did.

I couldn’t explain it, but something about the way he held me made me lose my mind. He wasn’t cold or harsh like I expected. He was calm, careful. And that scared me more than if he’d yelled.

I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to run. In that moment, it felt like I was right where I was supposed to be, even if none of it made sense.

I looked up at him. His face was serious, unreadable, but not unkind. He didn’t smile, nor did he say anything to me, but there was something in his eyes, like he already knew me.

I looked away quickly. My head was a mess, and my heart wouldn’t slow down. I knew I’d messed up… but somehow, I didn’t regret it. Not yet.

Then, the wedding hall doors opened with a loud bang. The noise was sharp and sudden. The room fell into a hush, and every head turned toward the entrance.

A few quiet gasps broke the silence. I turned too, slowly, a knot already tightening in my stomach.

And then I saw her.

My heart dropped.

The murmurs started almost immediately. Guests leaned into each other, whispering, asking who she was and what kind of person would walk into the wedding hall dressed like that, and with the audacity of barging in The shock on their faces told me everything I needed to know.

This wasn’t just any guest. This was the real bride. And from the looks on their faces, not everyone knew what she looked like until now. The laughter died. The music cut off mid-note.

Gasps spread like wildfire as she stepped into the aisle, her heels striking the floor with purpose. Each step was sharp, angry. Her eyes locked straight on me.

“She’s an impostor!” she yelled, her voice slicing through the silence like a blade.

The crowd went silent. She marched straight to the altar and reached for my veil before I could react.

And just like that, everything fell apart. My legs started to shake, and I couldn’t think, couldn’t move. The room filled with sharp gasps, voices rising in disbelief.

The cheers turned into confusion. The whispers grew louder. Nothing made sense anymore. It was no longer a wedding. It was chaos.

My mother froze where she stood, her lips parted in disbelief. Her eyes were locked on me at the altar, and for a long moment, I felt her disappointment. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes said it all.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared, stunned. Her chest rose sharply as if she couldn’t catch her breath. Her knees buckled beneath her, but Mia and Hazel rushed to her side and held her up. They were just as shocked and were about to cry because they couldn't understand how I ended up here.

At the Moonstone Pack’s table, my father didn’t move from his seat. He just sat there, expressionless. For a moment, I wasn’t even sure he was going to look at me.

But then… he did.

His eyes locked on mine, and something inside me cracked open. There was no anger, no frown on his face, just a look that cut deeper than any words ever could. My knees almost buckled. I had seen my father disappointed before, but this… this was different. This was worse.

Around him, the whispers swelled. Guests leaned in, exchanging confused glances and hushed murmurs. Some stared directly at me. Others looked at the real bride who had just stepped in.

Everyone who knew I belonged to the Moonstone pack began to look at my pack members. The weight in the room grew heavier, thick with unspoken judgment. 

I didn’t need to turn to know what they were thinking, the shame pressed down on me from every direction, wrapping itself around my chest like a rope tightening with each breath.

My pack members began to lower their heads one after the other, their silence more painful than words. I could feel their discomfort, their confusion… their disappointment.

At the entrance, our pack Beta stood frozen. His eyes locked on me, wide with disbelief. He didn’t need to speak, I already knew. My father must have sent him to find me, and now he has.

He didn’t say a word. And in that stillness, I realized he was just as lost as everyone else. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes, and the sound of my heartbeat roared in my ears, drowning out everything else.

 But all I could truly feel… was shame and fear.

“Enough.”

The King’s voice cut through the noise, loud and clear. It echoed across the room just as he let go of my hand. The murmurs stopped instantly.

“That will be enough,” he said again, firmer this time. Silence fell like a stone. No one moved. No one dared.

All eyes turned to him.

I glanced up slowly. His expression had shifted. Calm, but unreadable. His jaw was tight, and there was a flicker of gold in his eyes, I knew he had just mind-linked someone. Giving orders, maybe.

And then, without a word to me or anyone else, he turned and walked out of the wedding hall.

My heart sank.

A maid stepped forward, careful and quiet like she didn’t want to startle me. She placed a hand on my arm. “You need to come with me,” she said gently.

I didn’t ask where. I didn’t have the strength. My legs wobbled as I stepped forward, the sound of my shoes echoing in the silence.

I followed her out, each step heavier than the last. I guess it’s time to be judged for what I’ve done.