The Wedding

[Astoria’s POV]

The hallway outside thrummed with laughter and vibrance.

Below were guests whom I didn’t know at all, but for some reason, I did not feel nervous.

My gaze darted to the man beside me and I was struck by the effortless way our strides matched. We weren't touching, but that necklace had changed something.

Vladimir was waiting at the base of the stairs. He straightened as we approached, his usual calm demeanor wavered as he smiled warmly at me.

"You look radiant," he complimented.

I felt a ghost of a smile tug at my mouth.  “That’s a very neutral compliment, Vlad."

He didn't offer a witty comeback. Instead, he simply shrugged and opened his hand. Resting in his palm was a slim silver band, its surface etched with intricate engravings that looked ancient.

Another heirloom?

"For protection," he said, his voice dropping an octave.

A familiar tightness gripped my chest. "I didn’t realize weddings required protection."

“It’s a gesture for the daughters,” Vladimir said, his gaze flitting to the necklace and then to Viktor. “It’s a tradition…”

Even though it was hard to believe, especially with the way the brothers exchanged glances, I smiled and thumbed the beautiful bracelet. “Thank you.”

The music outside swelled, a signal that the grace period was over. We moved toward the gardens.

~~~~~

The ceremony was breathtaking. I looked as my mother walked down the aisle towards Matthew, who stared at her like she was the only star in his universe. My throat felt constricted as I watched them exchange vows.

Unbidden thoughts flashed across my mind. For some reason, I was reminded of Shawn again. It was my dream, one of my dreams. But the thing was, Shawn never looked at me with such intensity; he never silently conveyed how much I meant to him.

Maybe it’s people like my mother who snatch and grab their opportunities or make themselves known, or like my ex-best friend, who uses their charm to get the other’s attention, and get this kind of happy ending. Not the likes of me, who love with loyalty and care for those who don’t want the care.

The crowd erupted in applause as they kissed, cutting through my uncharitable thoughts. The music rises to meet the celebration. But as the guests stood, the air in the garden shifted.

Something that caught my eye. I didn’t even think I would take my eyes away from the happy couple.

Lena.

She was one of the people I had made friends with, and she was an extremely down-to-earth person. We had similar likes and dislikes, but right then, I saw her dash out of the gardens like she was afraid.

A chill, needle-sharp and sudden, raced down my spine.

I stepped back from the crowd. Since Vladimir and Viktor had walked over to congratulate our ‘parents’, no one else noticed; they were too busy basking in the glow of the newlyweds.

I followed the hem of her dress along the manicured hedges, moving toward the shadows where the garden met the forest. The transition was smooth as if the garden had blended into the wild.

"Lena?" I called, my voice barely a whisper. My heart rate picked up as this part was completely deserted.

The silence that answered was wrong. The air here felt thick and stagnant, and the distant music sounded like it was coming from underwater. I pushed further into the trees, maneuvering my way and hoping to not to sprain my ankle in the process.

Then, I heard it.

A low, guttural growl that didn't just reach my ears, it vibrated through my very bones.

I froze. Slowly, a shudder ran down my spine. I turned.

The wolf that emerged from the shadows was a nightmare made flesh. Massive, with fur the olorof a magnolia and black eyes that locked onto mine with terrifying iciness.

I had never in my life seen something so massive and dangerous.

My heart slammed against my ribs, a trapped bird. I took a stumbling step back; the wolf matched it, crouching low, its muscles bunching for a lunge. The world narrowed down to the sound of my own frantic heartbeat.

I closed my eyes and readied for the impact or the inevitable because there was no way running would help. I would be caught and maybe meet a worse fate.

A roar ripped through the air, a sound so primal it made the wolf’s growl seem like a whimper.

Viktor.

He was there before I could blink, a wall of sudden, commanding fury between the beast and me. I could only see his back, his shoulders tense, shielding.

"Back," he snarled.

The wolf hesitated for a heartbeat, then launched itself.

The world dissolved into a chaotic symphony of violence.

I fell back, gasping, as Viktor collided with the animal mid-air.

The roar wasn’t human. A scream ripped out of my mouth as I watched the scene unfold in front of me with horror. Snapping of branches, growls, and crunching of bones were the only things I heard, but the movement was a blur.

Someone screamed in the distance, but it felt miles away. With a final, bone-snapping shove, Viktor threw the wolf aside. Wounded and yelping, the creature scrambled into the undergrowth and vanished.

A heavy, suffocating silence fell. Viktor stood a few feet away, his chest heaving, his suit shredded. A line of crimson streaked down his jaw, but it was his eyes that held me. They weren't entirely human; they were wild, dark, and filled with a raw, possessive relief that made my head spin.

A strange feeling spread across my heart, something akin to pride and maybe relief at seeing him unharmed.

“Tori!” I heard Vladimir’s voice before feeling his presence, and then the world began to tilt. The green of the trees bled into the blue of the sky. My vision blurred, and my arms gave out, but I distinctly felt that I did not hit the forest floor.

I felt strong arms hold me close. I knew I was safe, and that is all that mattered.