Chapter 3: Meeting the Cruel Alpha

I nodded. My entire body went cold.

"Everyone out," Alpha Kieran commanded. His voice left no room for argument.

My parents and sister rushed from the room without a word. They were terrified of him, and honestly, I couldn't blame them. The power radiating from him made even my new wolf whimper in submission.

He sat down on the chair beside my bed. His dark eyes studied my face like he was trying to see straight into my soul. The scent of pine and rain filled my senses, making my heart race in a way I didn't understand.

I forced myself to focus. The last time I let a man's scent cloud my judgment, I ended up burned alive with my innocent child.

Never again.

"Elena," he said, my new name slowly. "What you did yesterday was unacceptable."

I stayed quiet, watching him carefully. Something felt different about him compared to other Alphas I'd met. There was something almost... lonely in his eyes beneath all that coldness.

"Your father came to me requesting an alliance. I agreed to marry you despite my council's protests. I didn't force this arrangement. If you didn't want to marry me, you should have said so instead of trying to kill yourself on our wedding day."

My throat felt dry. "I understand you're angry—"

"Angry?" He leaned forward, and I pressed back against the pillows. "I don't get angry over small things, Elena. I get even."

The threat in his voice made me shiver.

"You embarrassed me in front of every pack leader in the region. My enemies are probably laughing, thinking the great king Kieran can't even keep his bride alive long enough for a wedding."

I needed to think fast. This man was my only chance at getting the power I needed for revenge. I couldn't let him walk away.

"I didn't try to kill myself," I said quietly.

His eyes narrowed. "Your sister saw you. She tried to stop you."

Of course she did. My new "sister" did, but there was probably something off about her I was yet to fathom. But I was going to figure that out later.

"Maybe I can't remember everything clearly," I said carefully. "But I know I wouldn't have chosen death over marriage to you."

"Is that so?" He tilted his head. "Then why were you covered in blood on our wedding day?"

I took a deep breath. I needed to be smart about this.

"If I wanted to avoid marrying, I would have just said no. You said it yourself, you didn't force this arrangement. So why would I hurt myself instead of just speaking up?"

He was quiet for a long moment, studying me. I could see him thinking, weighing my words.

"You're saying someone else did this to you?"

"I'm saying things aren't always what they seem." I met his gaze steadily. "And maybe someone wanted to make sure this wedding didn't happen."

Something flickered in his eyes.

"Who would benefit from stopping our alliance?" he asked slowly.

I thought about it. "Anyone who doesn't want your pack and mine working together. Anyone who wants to keep us weak and divided."

Alpha Kieran stood up slowly. "Interesting theory." He walked to the window, looking out at the grounds. "But even if someone else hurt you, the damage is done. You made me look weak. That cannot go unpunished."

My heart sank. "What do you mean?"

"The wedding is still happening. Tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow?" I gasped. "But you said next week—"

"I changed my mind." He turned back to me. "The longer we wait, the more people will think I'm weak. We marry tomorrow, and you'll stand beside me and smile like the perfect bride."

"And after that?"

"After that, you'll learn what it means to be my wife." His voice was cold as ice. "You'll have the title of Luna, but you'll earn the respect that comes with it. Every privilege, you'll work for it."

I had mixed feelings, fear, and excitement. This wasn't exactly what I'd hoped for, but it was still a chance. If I was going to be his wife, I could work with that. I could prove myself, make him fall for me, gain his trust, and use his power to destroy everyone who had wronged me.

"I understand," I said quietly.

He studied me again, and I could see surprise in his expression. Maybe he'd expected me to cry or beg.

"Good. Rest today. Tomorrow you become Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack."

He walked toward the door, then stopped.

"Oh, and Elena? If you're right about someone trying to stop our wedding, they're going to be very disappointed."

After he left, I sat in the quiet room, my mind racing. I wasn’t sure what I was doing anymore.

Things are happening faster than I'd expected, but maybe that is better. I was getting married to the most powerful Alpha in the world, the lycan king.

Which means, Damien, Lydia, and everyone else who watched me burn would pay. With Kieran's power behind me, I could make them all suffer.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened, and a young man stepped inside. He had sandy brown hair and kind eyes that seemed familiar, though I was certain I'd never seen him before.

"Elena?" He looked around nervously, then closed the door behind him.

"Thank God you're alive. When I heard what happened, I thought I'd lost you forever."

He rushed to my bedside, and before I could react, he leaned down and kissed me.

I froze in shock. Who was this man?

He pulled back. "I'm so sorry, my love. I should have been there to protect you. I should have stopped you."

My love? My stomach dropped as the truth hit me.

"The plan is still in place," he whispered, taking my hands in his. "I know they moved up the wedding, but I can get you out of here tonight. We can run away together like we planned."

No. No, no, no.

Elena had a secret lover. And he wanted to run away with me tonight, the day before I was supposed to marry Alpha Kieran.

This could ruin everything.

"Thomas," I whispered, the name somehow coming to me from Elena's memories. "You need to leave."

His face crumpled. "What? Elena, what are you talking about? We planned this for months. Tomorrow you'll be bound to that monster forever."

I could see the desperation in his eyes, the genuine love he had for Elena. It made my chest ache in a way I didn't expect. This man truly cared for her, and here I was, wearing her face, planning to use her life for my revenge.

"Things have changed," I said carefully.

"Changed how?" He gripped my hands tightly. "Elena, you tried to kill yourself rather than marry him. Nothing could have changed that much in one day."

I pulled my hands free. "Maybe I realize now that running away isn't the answer."

"What are you saying?" His voice cracked. "You love me. You said you'd rather die than spend your life with Alpha Kieran. You said—"

"I said a lot of things." I turned away from him, unable to look at the pain in his eyes. "But I'm not dead, am I? Maybe that's a sign."

"A sign?" Thomas grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face him. "Elena, look at me, “ he yelled.