1 The perfect Luna

Aira Valerius.

My wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, not the day I would die.

But of course, I did noy know that. As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, the hair stylist adding the last pin to hold my hair up into the perfect bun, my eyes did not hold the same glee that my smile showcased. The smile was too practosed to perfection that the lines between fake and real blurred to me, and I was simply there, holding it up as always.

"You look absolutely stunning, my dear." My mother had cooed from beside me, her hands clasped in front of her as she stared at me with tears in her eyes. "I cannot believe the day is here. You would be Alpha Rico's Luna after years of being engaged and being the Luna-in-training." She then reached out her handkerchief to wipe the tears in the corner of her eyes, and my heart softed at the sight.

The stylist excused herself, giving us room as she was done, and so were the others.

"Mom, don't cry. You'd ruin your make up." I reached my hand out to take hers, giving it a small squeeze as I felt my own eyes begin to gloss, though I was not sure if the emotions truly were mine or hers. The lines between that had long blurred as well, and though I usually kept them at bay, I felt today could be an exception. "You are making me cry as well." I had added, my smile faltering into a slight frown.

"Oh, no, we cannot have you crying. You are the bride." She chuckled, quickly wiping her tears, then did the same with tears in the corner of my eyes. After she was done, she then stared at me, her lips curved into a tearful smile. "My daughter is about to become the Luna. I almost cannot believe it." She gave my hand a small squeeze, before she added in a low voice. "Listen, Aira, I know you agreed to this because of your father and I, but I truly believe you and Rico are made to be, even if you aren't fated mates."

We were chosen mates, she should have said. Chosen by our parents long before we even understood what being mates were.

But then again, having chosen mates is not surprising for Alpha wolves these days.

I did not say a thing though, simply listened as Mom went on to add.

"You are good for him, Aira. You are good for the pack." She added with certainty. But, she missed the most important part--whether he was good for me, whether the pack was good for me.

As always, I did not vocalize my true intentions. Rather, I plastered the smile I had mastered, and nodded. "I know, Mom. I know."

She released a relieved breath, before she sniffed back her tears. "Good. Now, I need to head back out to entertain the guests before you come out." She made a move to leave, but stopped midway, and turned to look at me. "By the way, have you seen your sister? I have not seen her anywhere around here." Her brows knit, her lips forming a frown.

I shook my head. "No. But I can help you look for her." I offered, knowing there was still some time left to the ceremony to start, and knowing Lisa, my sister, it would not be surprising if she goes missing when she is needed the most.

And she is needed now. She is my maid-of-honor after all.

"No, do not worry about that. I would find her." Mom shook her head, dismissing it. "You are the bride, you should not be seen around until the ceremony. Just wait here. I will go look for her."

I nodded, offering her a small smile. "Okay.." I watched as she exited the room, and before the door closed, I heard some voices calling for her, and I knew then that she had forgotten her intention of looking for Lisa--quite possibly, from now until the time of the ceremony.

A sigh escaped my lips as I picked up my phone and dialed her number, but she it was not going through. I repeated it a few times, but there was no answer. My gaze fell on the time, and I realized there was little time till it starts.

Pushing past mother's words, I got on my feet and decided to look for Lisa myself. I intentionally avoided the path where I know I would run into people--after all, I knew the packhouse like the back of my hand. There was still no sight of Lisa around as I continued to look around. As I approached the last room down the hall, I overheard some of the maids from outside gossiping as they arranged the flowers there.

"...I she has been training to become the Luna since she was twelve. She has basically spent her entire life becoming the perfect Luna and bride for the Alpha." One of them had said in hushed voices.

The other carried on from there, responding to the first statement. "That is true. But, I am surprised. She is nothing like him. He is impulsive, reckless, and come on, everyone knows he sleeps around but she turns a blind eye to it."

"Careful!" The first maid had scolded the second. "You are talking about the Alpha. Be careful what you say before someone hears you and you would have us both killed!"

My hands curled by my side, but I did not halt my steps. Instead, I ignored the words, letting them fall on deaf ears as I usually do, and reached the last room to check for Lisa there. However, as I reached where the room was, voices from the other end reached my ears, and my brows knit at the familiarity of it.

My heart rate began to pick up, and my steps became rushed as I reached the door, and then pushed it open, wanting to see if my ears were playing tricks on me or if it were really true. I have seen a lot, and have ignored just as much, but I was not prepared for the sght in front of me.

I recognized their voices and scents immediately, and even from where I stood, I recognized Rico's bare back as he hovered a she-wolf with extremely familiar curly black hair. I did not want to believe the sight in front of me--but the sound of the bed squeaking against the hoverboard and the mix of their moans was evident enough of what was transpiring.

And then another moan escaped her lips. "Oh, Rico, yes...yes, right there. Oh, yes, baby, give it to me..."

A groan escaped his lips as he picked up his pace, thrusting into her, and the mixture of all the sounds made it seem to me as though the world was spinning. I could not move, I could not react, I could not do a single thing but stare, frozen in my spot.

As he released his final groan and came undone, screaming the name I never thought I would hear from his lips in that manner ever, my heart crashed into a thousand pieces just as they both came undone.

"LISA!" He had moaned loud, and my world came undone along with them. Their heavy, ragged breaths became the only thing heard in the room as he collapsed on her, their lips locked as they kissed, and when they pulled back, he said; "Oh baby, you feel good as you always do."

"Really?" She grinned seductively, scratching her pink painted nails on his back--the same nails I had personally painted the night before. "Tell me, between my sister and I, who do you love the most?"

"You baby, you know I do not love her in the slightest. She is merely an obligation thrusted upon me, my mate in name." He leaned down and pressed another kiss to her lips. "She does not mean anything to me, she never did."

She fluttered her lashes at him. "Even if I am adopted?"

"Even if you were not. I do not care. You are the only one I would ever love. I will never love her."

The bouquet from my hand dropped onto the floor as a choked sound escaped my lips, instantly making them whip their gazes in my direction to meet mine.

Rico hissed. "Shit!"

So this was love--ugly, selfish, and wearing my sister’s smile.