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Chapter 4

Sera

Two weeks later, here I stood in an ivory wedding gown that clung too tightly to my curves making life difficult for me to breathe. I cursed under my breath the tailor.

The ceremony took place at the Moonstone Courtyard beneath the full moon. A sacred place for sacred bonds. But nothing about this day felt sacred at least not to me.

It was all a charade we both just wanted this to be done already so we could go about our normal lives. Speaking of normal I don't know what that will look like now as the Luna.

I didn't look at Aldric when he slipped the ring on my finger. My hand was steady, but my heart wasn't and neither was his I could tell from his unreadable expression. 

At least that was clear to both of us but that was the least of my worries now, since I was on the alter, I constantly looked over to see if James was still sitting in the front row, I couldn't trust anyone to here to leave them with him.

So I made sure he was sitting in the front row, his feet barely touching the ground, dressed in crisp ceremonial robes, his bright eyes glowing, i bet even he couldn't wait for the vows to be over so he could eat the large beautiful wedding cake.

He smiled when he saw me look. That smile kept me grounded.

“For the bond of the pack, of honor, of blood and moon,” the priestess said. 

“Do you, Sera, take Alpha Aldric as your mate and husband?”

My voice didn’t shake as I responded. “I do.”

The Alpha’s answer came seconds later, cool and unflinching. “I do.”

When the ceremony ended, there were a lot of murmurs from the crowd, some approvals, some their murmurs one couldn't really hear but one thing was for sure the air was filled in the courtyard, then my eyes went to James's position but all I saw was an empty space, I scanned the room but he was nowhere to be found.

I did tell him to wait for me and not go anywhere without me. Where could he have gone to? I wouldn't forgive myself if anything bad happened to him.

Something twitched in my stomach, the thought of something bad happening to him makes me want to throw up.

Where could he be?

I didn’t wait to greet the well-wishers or accept the ceremonial blessings. I broke into a run, barefoot under the dress, heartbeat increasing louder against my ribs even louder than than the celebration drums.

“James!” I called, pushing through the corridors, the side gardens, the kitchens.

But he wasn't near.

Then I heard a sharp sniffle that sounded just like him.

I followed the sound to the edge of the garden, just behind a wall of trimmed hedges. There, in the shadows, James stood to my surprise cornered by two familiar yet venomous figures.

Gina’s smirk first hit me first. Her arm was folded across her chest, amusement and curiosity full in her eyes. 

What's she doing here in the first place? I don't remember inviting her or any other person. This was supposed to be low low-key celebration but because the Alpha was involved it couldn't go that lowkey.

Gilbert also stood close, he was too close to my son, and his voice sounded low and cruel.

How can they be picking on a kid? 

Did he take Gina as his mate when I was gone? Think Sera, whatever the case is none of my bussiness.  focus on your son. i tell myself.

“Where do you think you come from, huh?” Gilbert sneered, squatting to James’s level. 

“You think wearing those royal robes makes you someone? You're nothing but a bastard.”

“Leave him alone!” I shouted, charging forward.

Gina turned, pretending surprised. “Oh look, the Luna graces us with her presence. Or should I say the wannabe Luna?”

James ran into my arms, clinging to me, trembling.

“Mommy,” he whispered, “why do they keep calling you a whore?”

His voice broke something in me. I held him tighter, my eyes burning.

“You son of a bitch,” I hissed at Gilbert. 

“You’re picking on a child?”

Gilbert smirked. “You think you're someone now, Sera? Because the Alpha made you his wife? You were always too easy.”

Before I could react, James stepped forward, fists clenched.

“Don’t talk to my mommy like that!”

The world froze.

Gilbert’s face twisted with rage. “You little brat—”

He raised a hand.

I moved to shield James, but before Gilbert’s hand could fall—

A roar tore through the air.

Alpha Aldric’s presence slammed into the garden like a wall of fire. He moved faster than any of us could blink, his hand wrapping around Gilbert’s wrist mid-air.

“If you ever—” Aldric’s voice was deadly low, “—so much as breathe wrong near my son again, I will rip your throat out in front of the entire pack.”

Gilbert froze, his arrogance shriveling.

“Your… your son?” he stammered.

Aldric shoved him back. “Yes. My son. James is blood of the Alpha line. You’ll remember that if you ever want to keep your pathetic life.”

Gina stepped forward, voice trembling now. “Alpha… please—”

“I don’t care.” His gaze sliced through her like a blade. “This ends now.”

James held my hand tighter, and Aldric turned to him, lowering to one knee.

“Are you alright?”

James nodded slowly.

“Good.” Aldric looked up at me. “Get him inside. I’ll deal with the rest.”

As I led James back through the gardens, his small voice broke the silence.

“Mommy… does this mean I finally have a daddy?”

I stopped in my tracks. My throat closed. I looked down at him and brushed his hair back from his face.

“Yes, baby. It means that from now on, no one can ever hurt you again.”

But deep down, I knew the truth.

The wedding was just the beginning.

The real war the one for our dignity, our place, and our peace, had only just begun but at least he just proved he would protect James and only that was okay for me