THE RUTHLESS ALPHA'S MARKED BRIDE

Tonight, Derek finally marks me, and I can stop pretending I don't see the pity in everyone's eyes when they look at us.

I stand in front of the small mirror in my bedroom, turning side to side. The silver dress catches the light with every movement. It is simple but pretty, the kind of dress that makes me feel like I belong tonight. Mara sits on the edge of my bed, fingers working through my long dark auburn hair, twisting it into soft waves.

"You look beautiful, Lyra," she says, smiling at me in the reflection. "Derek is going to lose his mind when he sees you."

I smile back, but my stomach twists. Five years. We have been together five years, and every Mating Day that passed without him marking me left another crack in my confidence. People in the pack started whispering. They wondered why he waited so long. I always told myself it was because he wanted it to be perfect. Tonight it will be. Tonight he would sink his teeth into my neck during the ceremony and make me his in front of everyone. No more questions. No more pity.

"Ivy walked past earlier," I say quietly, smoothing the fabric over my hips. "She looked... stunning. Told me I should have picked a different color because silver makes me look washed out."

Mara rolls her eyes. "Ivy says stuff like that because she's jealous. You know how she is. Your half-sister has always wanted what you have."

I push the doubt down. Mara is right. Tonight is about me and Derek. I have waited long enough. My wolf has been restless for months, waiting for the bond to snap into place. Mating Day is when fated mates find each other, but for those of us who already chose someone, it is the night we make it official. The whole Crescent Hollow Pack will be there. My father Marcus will finally look proud instead of disappointed.

"Ready?" Mara asks, standing up and squeezing my shoulders.

I take a deep breath and nod. "Ready."

The grand hall buzzes with energy when we arrive. Lanterns hang from the wooden beams, casting warm light over the crowd. The entire pack has gathered, hundreds of wolves dressed in their best clothes. The air smells like pine, roasted meat, and excitement. Alpha Donovan stands at the front, his voice carrying as he welcomes everyone.

"Fated mates are the heart of our pack," he says, his deep tone echoing off the walls. "Tonight, we honor the old ways. Some of you will feel the pull for the first time. Others will seal bonds that have waited long enough. Destiny does not make mistakes."

My heart beats faster. I scan the crowd until I find Derek near the center. He looks handsome in his dark shirt, his clean-cut features relaxed. When our eyes meet, he smiles. But something feels off. His smile does not quite reach his eyes. I tell myself it is just nerves.

Several pairings happen quickly. A young gamma female gasps as she locks eyes with a warrior across the room. The golden thread of the mate bond appears between them, visible only to wolves. The crowd cheers as they rush to each other. Another couple steps forward, already chosen mates, and marks each other right there on the stage. Teeth sink into necks. Howls rise. Joy fills the hall.

I squeeze Mara's hand. My father Marcus sits with the elders, his graying hair neat, face stern but approving when he looks my way. Helena, my stepmother, sits beside him, her smile too sweet. Ivy is next to her, blonde hair shining, curves hugged by a red dress. Ivy keeps glancing toward Derek. I ignore it. She always tries to stir trouble.

Derek finally makes his way to me. His warm hand finds mine.

"Dance with me?" he asks.

Relief floods through me. I nod and let him pull me onto the floor. His arms wrap around my waist. For a moment, everything feels right. The music plays soft and slow. I rest my head against his chest, breathing him in. This is what I have waited for. Five years of being his safe choice. Tonight it becomes forever.

Then he goes rigid.

His body stiffens against mine. His nostrils flare as he lifts his head, sniffing the air.

"Do you smell that?" His voice sounds strange, distant.

I pull back a little, confused. "Smell what? Derek, what's wrong?"

He does not answer. His eyes track across the room, locked on something. On someone. Ivy. Their gazes meet, and a visible golden thread snaps into existence between them, glowing bright. The mate bond. Real. Powerful. Undeniable.

My stomach drops. No. This cannot be happening.

Derek releases me like I burn him. His feet move before he seems to decide, pulling him toward Ivy like an invisible rope yanks him forward. The crowd notices. Heads turn. Whispers ripple out fast.

I stand frozen in the middle of the dance floor, arms still half-raised from where he held me. Humiliation burns up my neck and across my cheeks. People stare. Some look sorry. Most look hungry for the drama. My legs feel heavy, but I force them to move. I follow him.

"Lyra, don't," Mara grabs my arm, her grip tight. "Don't do this to yourself. Please."

I yank free. "I have to know."

The walk down the hallway feels endless. My silver dress catches on the wooden floor. My heart pounds so hard I can hear it in my ears. Sounds drift from behind a closed door at the end of the hall. Moans. Growls. The wet sounds of bodies moving together. I stop in front of the door, hand shaking as I reach for the knob.

This is my choice. I can walk away. But I need to see.

I push the door open.

Derek and Ivy are on the bed, naked, tangled together. His body moves over hers, hard and fast. His teeth are buried in her neck, marking her deep. Blood trickles down her skin. They are completely lost in each other, her legs wrapped around him, nails digging into his back. They do not even notice me at first.

When Derek finally lifts his head and sees me standing there, a flash of guilt crosses his face. Then it hardens into defiance.

"She's my fated mate, Lyra."

Ivy turns her head, lips curved in a satisfied smile. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

The words hit like a slap. My chest squeezes so tight I cannot breathe. Pack members crowd behind me now, drawn by the noise. Gasps and whispers fill the air. "Fated mates." "Poor Lyra." "Five years wasted." Some sound sympathetic. Most sound thrilled by the fall.

Marcus pushes through the crowd, his face thunderous. But his anger points at me. "Get out of here. Now."

Helena appears beside him, handing over her mouth in fake shock. "Oh, you poor thing."

I cannot speak. My world shatters right there, pieces cutting me from the inside. Everything I believed about Derek, about us, about my place in this pack, turns to dust. The pitying stares burn worse than any mark ever could.

I turn and run.

I push through the crowd, through the pitying stares and excited whispers. The pack bonds that always felt warm now wrap around me like chains, pulling tight. Tears blur my vision as I burst out of the hall and into the night.

I ran. Through the crowd, through the pitying stares and excited whispers, through the pack bonds that suddenly felt like chains. I ran toward the forest, and I didn't look back.