The proposal

Mariana’s POV

My twenty-sixth birthday was supposed to be the beginning of the life I had spent years dreaming about.

In Mountcrest Kingdom, birthdays were important, but a twenty-sixth birthday during a mating year was something else entirely. Among the werewolf territories, the mating ceremony was held once every ten years, giving unmated wolves the chance to discover their destined partners and form a true mating bond.

For most people, it was a sacred occasion, one that could determine the course of their entire lives. Missing such an opportunity meant waiting another decade for the ceremony to return, which was why everyone in Mountcrest had been preparing for this particular year for months.

And for me, it felt even more significant. I had spent my entire life believing that when my mating year finally came, I would be standing beside the man I loved.

Nicholas.

Just thinking about his name made the corners of my lips lift as I sat before the large mirror in my bedroom, carefully running a brush through my hair.

The room was filled with the faint scent of roses from the flowers Clarissa had brought earlier, and my dress was spread across the bed behind me, waiting for me to finish getting ready.

I had barely managed to concentrate on anything all morning because there was a strange excitement humming beneath my skin, making my wolf restless and eager. It felt as though she knew something I didn’t.

Clarissa sat on the edge of my bed, watching me with the most suspiciously excited expression I had ever seen on her face.

She had been trying to contain herself for the past ten minutes, but she finally failed. “I heard something from a little birdie,” she said, drawing out the words as she leaned forward dramatically, “and before you ask, no, I am absolutely not telling you who my little birdie is. But apparently, Nicholas has been planning something very special for you tonight.”

My hand stopped halfway through my hair. “Clarissa.”

“What?” She tried to look innocent, but the grin spreading across her face ruined the act completely. “I’m just saying that maybe you shouldn’t be too surprised if something happens tonight.”

My heart immediately began pounding. “Something like what?”

She shrugged, pretending to be far more casual than she actually was. “Perhaps a certain powerful alpha might finally decide that his girlfriend has waited long enough.” Her eyes sparkled as she glanced at the ring finger of my left hand. “Perhaps that certain powerful alpha might have realized that there is no better time to ask the woman he loves to become his mate.”

I stared at her reflection in the mirror, unable to stop the smile that slowly appeared on my face. “You mean Nicholas is going to propose?”

“I didn’t say that.” Clarissa jumped to her feet, laughing when I turned around to face her. “I said a little birdie told me something. You’re the one drawing conclusions.”

“You’re terrible at keeping secrets.” I laughed, getting up from my chair and walking toward my dress. My excitement had suddenly doubled, and I could already imagine it—the way Nicholas would look at me, the way everyone would cheer and the way I would finally be able to call him my husband instead of simply my boyfriend.

I had dreamt about it more times than I could count. A home of our own, a family, little pups running through the halls, Nicholas coming home from his duties and finding me waiting for him. It was the kind of future I had always wanted, and tonight, for the first time, it felt close enough to touch.

“You’re smiling like a fool,” Clarissa teased.

“I don’t care.” I turned toward her, holding my dress against myself. “If he’s really going to propose tonight, I don’t care how foolish I look. I think I’m allowed to be happy.”

“You absolutely are.” She walked over and helped me straighten the fabric before stepping back to admire it. “And honestly, Mariana, you deserve this. After everything, you deserve to have your happy ending.”

I smiled at her words, allowing myself to believe them.

Before I could say anything else, there was a gentle knock on the door. One of the maids stepped inside, lowering her head respectfully before looking up at us. “Young Lady Graham, everything is ready downstairs. Your father and Lady Graham have already arrived, and the guests are waiting. Master Nicholas has also just arrived at the celebration.”

My eyes widened.

Clarissa immediately grabbed my hands. “He is here.”

“He’s here,” I repeated, barely able to contain my excitement.

We both laughed like children before rushing toward the door. I barely remembered to gather my dress properly as we hurried down the corridor, my heart racing with anticipation.

Tonight was going to be perfect. It had to be. I had waited so long for this moment, and with Nicholas waiting downstairs, it felt as though the future I had always imagined was finally beginning.

We had barely reached the balcony overlooking the grand staircase when someone stepped into our path.

Wren.

My stepsister stood there with a glass of wine in her hand, dressed beautifully for the celebration. Her gaze moved from Clarissa’s excited face to mine, and something about the way her lips curved made my smile falter for just a second.

“Well,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement, “someone looks very happy tonight.”

Clarissa squeezed my hand, but I barely noticed. I was too excited to allow Wren’s usual attitude to ruin my mood. “It’s my birthday, Wren. I’m allowed to be happy.”

“Of course.” She took a slow sip from her glass, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I suppose everyone has their reasons for being excited.”

I didn’t understand what she meant, but I didn’t have the patience to find out. “We should go. Everyone is waiting.”

As I stepped past her, I felt a sudden splash against my dress.

I froze.

Wine spread across the front of the fabric, staining the beautiful dress I had spent so much time choosing.

“Oh my goodness!” Wren gasped, staring at the glass in her hand as though she had only just realized what she’d done. “Mariana, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

I looked at her in disbelief. “You spilled it on me.”

“It was an accident.” Her eyes immediately filled with what looked like tears. “I swear, I didn’t do it intentionally.”

For a moment, anger surged through me, but I swallowed it. Today was too important. I wasn’t going to let Wren ruin it. “Forget it. I need to change.”

Clarissa immediately stepped forward. “I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re coming. Go upstairs and change before anyone sees you.”

“Thank you.” I hurried back toward my room, trying to ignore the irritation building inside me. I told myself it was nothing. Wren had made a mistake, and I had more important things to think about.

Nicholas was downstairs.

My future was waiting for me.

Or at least, that’s what I believed.

By the time I returned, my excitement had settled into a nervous flutter in my stomach. I adjusted the sleeve of my new dress as I stepped into the corridor, expecting to find Clarissa waiting for me with that same excited smile.

Instead, I saw her walking toward me with her head lowered.The moment our eyes met, I knew something was wrong.

“Clarissa?” I frowned as I approached her. “What happened? Did the cake taste terrible or something? Why do you look like that”

She stopped in front of me but didn’t answer immediately.

My smile faded. “Clarissa, what is it?”

She swallowed hard. “Mariana…”

“What?”

“Nicholas proposed.”

I blinked.

Then I laughed because the words made absolutely no sense. “He proposed? That’s impossible. He can’t propose if I’m not there.”

Clarissa’s face crumpled.

“Mariana, you don’t understand.”

A strange chill passed through me.

“What don’t I understand?”

She reached for my hand, but I pulled away and stepped around her. “Where is he?”

“Mariana, please.”

“Where is Nicholas?”

I didn’t wait for her answer.

I ran.

The moment I reached the celebration hall, the sound of applause filled the air. My footsteps slowed as I stared at the crowd gathered around the center of the room.

And then I saw him.

Nicholas was on one knee.

My heart stopped.

For one beautiful, impossible second, I thought Clarissa had somehow been mistaken. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding. Maybe Nicholas had been waiting for me.

Then I followed his gaze, he wasn’t looking at me.

He was looking at Wren.

And in Wren’s hand was a ring.

The room seemed to tilt beneath my feet.

Whispers immediately spread through the crowd as people noticed me standing at the entrance.

“Isn’t Mariana supposed to be with Nicholas?”

“Oh my goodness…”

“I thought they were together.”

“Perhaps Nicholas realized Wren was the better choice.”

I couldn’t hear anything clearly anymore. My eyes remained fixed on Nicholas as he slipped the ring onto Wren’s finger, and something inside my chest cracked so quietly that nobody else could possibly have heard it.

Wren looked up.

Our eyes met and the smile she gave me told me everything.

She had known.

She had known all along.

“Well?” Nicholas asked as he rose to his feet. “Aren’t you going to congratulate us?”

I stared at him, unable to understand how the man I had loved could stand there so calmly after destroying everything I had believed about our future. “Congratulate you?” My voice trembled. “You proposed to my stepsister, Nicholas. And you expect me to congratulate you?”

Wren immediately lowered her eyes, pretending to be hurt. “Mariana, I never wanted to hurt you. Nicholas and I genuinely love each other.”

My gaze snapped toward her. “Love each other?”

My father stepped forward, his expression hard. “Enough, Mariana. You don’t have to be so bitter about what has happened. Nicholas has made his choice. You should accept it with dignity.”

I looked at him as though I had never seen him before.My own father was telling me to accept this.

No one came to me. No one asked whether I was okay. No one cared that the person I had believed would be my mate had just chosen someone else.

I couldn’t breathe.

I turned and walked out before anyone could see me break.

I barely made it into the corridor before the tears began falling. I pressed a hand over my mouth, trying to silence the sob that escaped me, while my wolf whimpered painfully inside my chest. It wasn’t only my heart that was hurting. She could feel the rejection too, and the pain was almost unbearable.

Then I heard footsteps behind me.

I wiped my tears quickly, hoping whoever it was would simply walk past. But when I turned around, Wren was standing there, watching me with an expression I had never seen on her face before. There was no sympathy in her eyes. No guilt. Just a strange satisfaction that made my stomach twist.

“You really thought Nicholas was going to choose you?” she asked softly.

I closed my eyes.

“you still don’t understand, Mariana. You have no idea what it was like for me and my mother to fight for everything we have in this family. We had to earn our place. We had to prove ourselves over and over again just to be seen. And you?” She gestured toward me, her voice thick with resentment. “You were handed everything on a golden platter simply because you were Father’s first daughter.The Graham inheritance, the respect that should have been ours too. And now, I have everything you’ve ever owned…I’m not letting go until father’s love and patience for you finally runs out and you are sent out just like your mother.”

“So you did all this just to get back at me.” I asked.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Do you honestly think I would watch you walk away with everything while I get nothing? Do you think I would hand you the life I’ve spent years trying to build just so you can be happy?” Her eyes hardened. “What makes you think you get to be happy…Mariana?

“Don’t do this, Wren.”

She laughed under her breath. “Why not? You should have known better. What exactly do you have that would make a powerful alpha like Nicholas choose you over me? You’re nothing special, Mariana.”

I stared at her, realizing that this wasn’t about Nicholas alone. Wren had been carrying this resentment for years, and somehow, in her mind, I was responsible for every disappointment she had ever suffered.

I turned to face her, tears still wet on my cheeks and my heart racing.“Just leave...”

Instead, she stepped closer. “You should be grateful he chose me. At least now you can stop embarrassing yourself by pretending you were good enough for him.”

I clenched my fists.

Before I could respond, Wren’s expression suddenly changed, her eyes moved toward the other end of the corridor.

I heard footsteps approaching.

Nicholas.

Wren looked back at me, and for the briefest moment, I saw something cold flash across her face.

Then she moved.

Her hand struck the large decorative vase beside her, sending it crashing toward the floor. The vase shattered, and before I could even understand what had happened, Wren let out a scream.

“My hand!”

Blood immediately stained her palm.

“What?” I stared at her in horror. “Wren, what did you…”

Nicholas appeared at the end of the corridor,His eyes widened when he saw the blood.

“What happened?”

Wren collapsed against the wall, tears streaming down her face. “Mariana…”

Within seconds, everyone was rushing toward us. My father and stepmother pushed through the crowd, and the moment my father saw Wren bleeding, his expression turned furious.

“How could you?” he thundered.

I barely had time to react before his hand struck my face.

The slap sent my head snapping to the side.

For several seconds, I could hear nothing but the ringing in my ears.

Tears blurred my vision as I slowly turned back toward him, one hand pressed against my cheek.

“I didn’t do it,” I whispered. “Father, I didn’t—”

Nobody listened.

Everyone crowded around Wren, asking if she was hurt, while she cried into her hands and allowed them to believe whatever story she wanted them to believe.

My breathing became unsteady.

Then I remembered the maid, she had been there.

She had seen everything.

I wiped my tears and looked toward the young maid standing frozen near the corridor.

“She was here,” I said, my voice shaking. “She knows exactly what happened. Why is everyone acting like I did this? Ask her.”

Every head turned.

My father looked toward the trembling maid.

“Is that true?” he demanded. “Tell me what happened.”

The maid’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her fingers fidgeted against the fabric of her dress, rubbing and smoothing the same spot over and over until the material wrinkled beneath her touch. She kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes darting nervously toward me before quickly dropping to the floor whenever our gazes met.

I stared at her, my heart pounding as I watched her hands tremble at her sides.

“Tell them,” I whispered.

She looked at me.

Then her frightened eyes shifted toward Wren.

And suddenly, I knew.

Something was very wrong.