Chapter 1: My Wedding Became a Massacre

Anne's POV

The first time I saw blood on my wedding dress, I thought someone had spilled red wine.

I was wrong.

But that was later.

For now, I stood before the altar of Silvermoon Cathedral, staring at the man I was about to marry, convinced that nothing in the world could ruin this day.

Adrian Vale smiled at me.

"You're staring," he whispered.

"Maybe I'm having second thoughts."

His smile disappeared.

I lasted two seconds before laughing.

"Look at your face! You should have seen yourself."

"That's cruel, Anne." He pressed a hand to his chest. "On our wedding day, too."

"You'll survive."

"Will I? I'm beginning to think marrying you is more dangerous than fighting an enemy Alpha."

I grinned. "You should have thought of that before proposing."

He shook his head, but his eyes softened as he took my hands.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

For a moment, the noise of the gathering faded. I looked at Adrian, at the familiar curve of his smile and the warmth in his eyes, and felt the last of my nervousness disappear.

We had known each other for years. He had been there when I broke my arm climbing the old watchtower, when I lost my first sparring match, and when I cried after my first encounter with a dying wolf.

He had seen me at my worst and never made me feel small.

I trusted him.

I loved him.

And today, I was going to marry him.

"You're going to make me cry," I whispered.

"Then I'll have to kiss you before you ruin your makeup."

"Adrian!"

He laughed.

The priest cleared his throat pointedly.

"Perhaps the two of you can save the flirting for after the ceremony."

Laughter rippled through the cathedral.

My cheeks warmed.

Adrian leaned closer. "See? Even the priest knows I deserve a kiss."

"Keep talking, and you'll deserve a broken nose."

"There's my future wife."

I squeezed his hands, smiling despite myself.

I had no idea those would be the last carefree moments of my life.

The cathedral was filled with people from Silvermoon and the neighboring packs. White flowers decorated the pillars, silver ribbons hung from the balconies, and sunlight poured through the enormous stained-glass windows.

My mother had insisted on every detail.

She wanted the wedding to be beautiful.

My father had wanted it to be secure.

For weeks, he had doubled the guards around our territory and summoned warriors from neighboring packs. At first, I assumed he was being overprotective. My father had always been cautious, especially when it came to me.

But three days ago, I had overheard him arguing with one of his advisers.

If Blackthorn discovers the truth, none of us will be safe.

He had stopped talking the moment he noticed me.

When I asked what he meant, he claimed it was a disagreement about border patrols.

I hadn't believed him.

Still, I hadn't pushed the matter. Today was supposed to be about new beginnings, not old fears.

I glanced toward the front row.

My father sat beside my mother, his expression unusually stern. Even from a distance, I could see that his fingers were tapping against his knee.

He wasn't nervous about the wedding.

He was waiting for something.

Our eyes met.

He gave me a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

A strange uneasiness crept into my stomach.

Before I could think about it, my mother caught my attention. She lifted her hand and mouthed, You look beautiful.

I smiled back.

Whatever worried my father could wait until tomorrow.

Today, I was getting married.

The priest began the vows.

Adrian turned to face me, his teasing expression replaced by a seriousness that made my heart flutter.

"Anne Vale," he began, "I've known you long enough to know that you are stubborn, reckless, and almost impossible to argue with."

I narrowed my eyes.

The priest sighed.

Adrian grinned before continuing.

"But you're also the bravest woman I've ever known. You never abandon the people you love, even when you're afraid. You make me want to become a better man, and I promise that I'll spend the rest of my life giving you reasons to smile."

My eyes stung.

"That was actually sweet," I whispered.

"Don't sound so surprised."

I laughed through my tears.

When it was my turn, I took a shaky breath.

"Adrian, you've been my best friend, my safe place, and the person I look for whenever something goes wrong. I promise to stand beside you, even when the world turns against us. I promise to fight for us, to tell you the truth, and to love you even when you're being unbearably annoying."

He chuckled.

"Especially then," I added.

The priest smiled.

"Then let us proceed with the exchange of rings."

Adrian reached into his pocket.

He stopped.

His smile vanished.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

He looked toward the cathedral doors.

For the first time that morning, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.

Before I could ask another question, my father rose from his seat.

"Everyone, stay where you are."

His voice cut through the cathedral.

The conversations died immediately.

The guards near the entrance reached for their weapons.

My mother stood.

"What's happening?"

My father didn't answer her.

He was staring at the doors.

Then came the sound.

Three sharp knocks.

Nobody moved.

Another three followed.

My father's face went pale.

"Seal the entrances," he ordered.

The guards rushed toward the doors.

Too late.

BOOM!

The cathedral doors exploded inward.

Wood shattered across the marble floor. The nearest guards were thrown backward as armed warriors flooded the entrance, their black uniforms marked with a silver wolf beneath a crown.

Blackthorn.

I recognized the symbol immediately.

Every Alpha in the region knew it.

Blackthorn was the largest and most feared pack in the kingdom. Its Alpha King had crushed rebellions, destroyed rival territories, and forced even the strongest Alphas to bow before him.

Caelan Blackthorn.

The Blood Alpha.

My father's worst enemy.

And he had just invaded my wedding.

Screams erupted around me.

Adrian grabbed my arm.

"Stay behind me."

"What is he doing here?" I whispered.

He didn't answer.

His eyes were fixed on the warriors spreading through the cathedral.

My father stepped into the aisle, drawing his sword.

"Who gave you permission to enter Silvermoon territory?"

Nobody answered him.

Then the warriors parted.

A man walked through the broken doorway.

He wore black from his shoulders to his boots, with dark fur draped over one shoulder. Blood stained the sleeve of his coat. A sword hung loosely in his hand, its blade catching the sunlight.

He didn't hurry.

He didn't need to.

The warriors around him lowered their heads as he passed.

Caelan Blackthorn.

I had seen his portrait before, but the painting hadn't captured the coldness of his face or the terrible stillness in his eyes.

He looked at the terrified crowd as though we were nothing more than an inconvenience.

Then his gaze settled on me.

Everything inside me went still.

For one strange moment, I couldn't breathe.

His eyes narrowed.

He looked almost angry to find me standing beside Adrian.

Then he began walking down the aisle.

Straight toward us.

Adrian stepped in front of me.

"Caelan Blackthorn," he said, his voice hard. "You're interrupting a wedding. Whatever dispute you have with Silvermoon, take it up with my future father-in-law."

Caelan didn't even look at him.

He kept his eyes on me.

I hated the way he looked at me, as though he knew something I didn't.

"Move," Caelan told Adrian.

Adrian tightened his grip on my hand.

"No."

A murmur spread through the cathedral.

Nobody refused the Alpha King.

Caelan finally turned his attention to Adrian.

"You should have chosen another day to marry her."

Adrian lifted his chin.

"She's chosen me. That's all that matters."

For the first time, Caelan smiled.

There was nothing warm about it.

"Has she?"

His gaze returned to me.

My stomach twisted.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

Caelan stopped a few feet away.

Up close, I could see the blood on his knuckles. He smelled of smoke, iron, and something sharp that made the wolf inside me uneasy.

His eyes travelled over my white dress before settling on my face.

"You were supposed to marry another man today."

I lifted my chin.

"I am marrying the man I love."

Something flickered across his expression.

It disappeared so quickly that I almost missed it.

"Unfortunately," he said, raising his sword, "your wedding ends here."

My blood turned cold.

"Caelan, don't!" my father shouted.

The Alpha King didn't look at him.

He raised his sword higher.

And for the first time that morning, I understood that my father hadn't been waiting for a wedding to begin.

He had been waiting for a war.

Caelan brought his sword down toward Adrian.

And I screamed.