LOGINA male employee who usually loves to crack jokes now stared at me with wide eyes. "Is that really Rhea, the intern who's always late? Damn! If I'd known it would be Luna, I would have asked her out to lunch more often!"Everyone laughed, including me. The awkwardness and hurt caused by Leon's kiss faded a little."We're so shocked, Luna Rhea," said a female employee. "All this time, we only knew Alpha Leon as a workaholic and cold. We never imagined he'd get married, let alone to one of us!"Next to me stood Leon, face unchanged as always. Not a smile, not a frown - just quiet. You talk too much, he told us, words flat but eyes light. Back to your desks now, he added, tone edged with something close to laughter.Fine, Leon,” I told him, eyes meeting his with a small grin."Let them talk. I'm shocked to see myself now, too."I turned to Laura. "You're not alone, Laura. In fact, I only found out recently."Laura laughed, the sound cracking through the room like lightning. Others followe
Rhea's POVThat kiss from Leon, short and tasteless, clung to my mouth like dust. Down went my chest, heavy without warning. Before I could catch it, noise cracked through the room.Cheers exploded just as Edwin nodded once, eyes meeting those figures half-hidden near the stage edge, cameras ready."A photo session with family and close relatives!" Edwin exclaimed, his voice cheerful again.A burst of white petals framed us as we paused there together. His fingers stayed locked around mine, firm like an anchor, steady even when my thoughts wandered. That grip, warm, unshaking, pulled me back every time I drifted too far.The lead photographer, a portly man with a bushy, friendly mustache, immediately shouted instructions. "Okay, Alpha Leon, Luna Rhea! First, a formal pose. Stand straight! Smile! Eyes for the camera!"Frozen in place, Leon gave a small nod, face slipping back into that serious leader mask. A fake grin stretched my lips, playing the joyful bride while Rora grumbled nons
“I pronounce you husband and wife.”Leon turned towards me. Slowly, he removed the thin veil that covered my face, draping it behind my head.Forward he tilted, close to my face. When our mouths met, my pulse raced without pause.Out of nowhere, my heartbeat roared louder than anything else. Everything nearby just disappeared for a second. Music stopped meaning anything.All that stayed was the warmth of his hand on mine. Something deep inside me jumped, alive and loud, begging to answer back. Not out of duty, but because it wanted to. A quiet hope rose: maybe this wasn’t forced. Maybe under all the rules and blood promises, we were actually here, together, choosing each other.I waited for him to press deeper. Still hoping that quiet glow from his gaze would finally reach our lips.Then everything broke apart, fast.Without warning, Leon jerked his face back, like he’d brushed against something sour or somehow
A sharp wave of peonies, roses, then lilies hit me at once. Inside, the ballroom had become a glittering maze of glass-like trees. Light bounced wildly from the huge hanging lamps across the floor, their surfaces so smooth they mirrored every move.Inside, I went. My dress trailed behind, its smooth fabric whispering along the tiles with each move. Right away, everyone looked. So many faces filled the room, coworkers frozen mid-thought, partners sizing me up quietly, relatives watching closely, their nods polite but eyes sharp underneath.Yet there, after the stretch of soft red floor, my eyes stayed fixed ahead.There he was, Leon, standing still atop the raised platform, surrounded by sweeping curves of pale blossoms. Not a trace of black today. Ivory cloth hugged his shape like it had been made just for him. This version of him felt new, yet completely unchanged. What caught his eye was how he stood there, calm, sharp, glowing under that golden light. Not like a man, more like some
The world was still dark when Smith and his assistants stormed my room.I'm sure it was only four in the morning, but the eccentric man was already shouting about "tired pores" and "crucial skin hydration."I was pulled out of bed by his female team with my life barely in my grasp, and then soaked in a bath filled with milk and flower petals with a very intoxicating aroma.The process felt like an eternity. My face was polished, my hair pulled, combed, and sprayed with various potions until my head felt heavy. Yet as Smith at last gave the nod, motioning his helpers forward with Leon’s picked dress, my heartbeat kicked up hard.Right then, when the lace met my skin, shock hit me.Under yesterday's shadowy lobby glow, the dress seemed lifeless, almost forgotten. Yet here, beneath the sharp gleam of mirror bulbs, its true shape woke up. Silk crepe clung close, moving like water down my skin. Above that, Chantilly lace traced the shoulders and throat, so fine it felt like breath. Suddenl
"I often wonder if the Moon Goddess truly loves you that much?” His eyes gleamed in the lamplight. “That she would do anything to keep you alive, even if it meant tying you to me through a mate bond and making me your shield?""Maybe so.” I couldn't help but chuckle, though there was a twinge of pain behind it. “There must be a reason I was the sole survivor of the deadly plague that attacked my entire pack. Well, maybe fate wanted me to see you in that basement to stop you from performing the ritual."The atmosphere suddenly became very serious. Courage, born of frustration, drove me to step closer to his desk. I placed my hands on top of his stack of expensive documents."What ritual did you perform that night, Leon?" I asked, my eyes locked on his. "I will be your wife tomorrow. I will be part of your soul according to clan law. Tell me, was the ritual so forbidden? So dark that you were terrified if I revealed it to the elder council or the other clans?"Leon didn't move. He simp







