The Substitute Bride

”Isabella,”

I flinched as the gates of my room rattled. A guard stood there with his spear in hand, all dressed for the ceremony that is about to happen in the pack.

”Regina is waiting for her bath. Hurry up.” I nodded immediately and hurried with my clothing. 

He stood by the gates, and I sighed in relief when at least he decided to turn his back when I started putting on the dress that I was assigned to wear for today.

”I’m done,” I said and rubbed a hand on the silk blue dress that hung around my rather malnourished body. I was grateful it still hung around what little chest I have and hips. 

Anton, one of the Alpha’s guards, looked me up and down. I fidgeted, feeling uncomfortable. 

I know I didn’t look much. Regina always said I couldn’t get any guy to like me because I didn’t know how to take care of myself. 

The thought didn’t bother me much today, though. Even the guard’s careful inspection. Because today is my birthday, and I get to see my mate. I’m excited since I could feel and smell that he was just around. 

And I already have an inkling of who it is. 

Anton finally opened the gate and let me make my way to Regina’s room, the Alpha’s daughter. 

It’s still early in the morning, so I know I have to wake her up for her bath and preparation. It’s her wedding day, and we wouldn’t want her to be running late. 

As I stepped closer to her room, I could subtly hear some movements inside. 

I froze, suddenly getting assaulted with fragrance that wrapped around my senses, waking up whatever tingles in my body in pleasure. 

‘Mate.’ 

I gasped for breath, hearing my wolf that seldomly speaks to me. But she is awake, so are my senses. 

But why was he here in Regina’s room…

I pushed open the door and the question was immediately answered. 

My mouth gaped as I saw him under Regina’s voluptuous body, moving above him. They both stopped and looked at me with shocked eyes. 

“Clyde…” I mumbled in hurt as I saw the only friend I have ever made in this pack. The Beta’s son. My mate.

’No.’ Lydia, my wolf, whimpered in hurt, knowing exactly what was happening, and what it meant to us. 

Clyde sat up from the bed, making Regina fall off from him. His warm brown eyes watched me guiltily. I know he also felt the matebond the moment I opened the door.

No. He felt it even before I came and saw them. He’s older than me by two months. He must have known what we have for each other.

”Isabella… this… this is nothing—“

”Don’t say that, Clyde. She will continue hoping for the both of you.” Regina cut whatever he was going to say to me. 

My now watering eyes went to her. Regina smiled and fixed her strawberry blonde hair that was messed with whatever they were doing on bed. 

“I’m sorry, Isa. We just don’t know how to tell you that we’ve chosen each other as mates. Clyde just didn’t want to hurt your feelings because he pities you.” 

I ripped my eyes away from her and turned to Clyde who was still looking at me with guilty eyes. 

“Y-You knew I was your mate…” 

I swallowed the bile stuck on my throat. I gripped on the sides of my dress as my hands shook. 

He looked down, seeing the hurt in my eyes. 

In my years in this pack, Clyde was the only person who treated me well. Who wasn’t scared to be bullied for befriending a servant Omega like me. And because of that, I’ve had a crush on him since forever. I didn’t wish he’d choose me, but I wished we’d be mates and he’d love me because the moon goddess deemed it was meant to be. It was the only way someone as beautiful, kind and powerful as him would want someone like me. 

But even with that matebond, he still doesn’t choose me. 

“Clyde?” I croaked.

”I-I’m sorry, Bella. Regina and I… she doesn’t want to be tied to a marriage that she doesn’t want. And I thought I could help her.” Clyde stood up from the bed. 

I focused on his face. He didn’t even care that he was buck naked in front of me. 

Lydia stirred when our skins touched. Clyde took my hand. My wolf was coveting his touches despite the betrayal we were facing. My heart broke.

“But now that I could feel the bond with you… I feel so wrong. Please, forgive me, Bella.” 

I closed my eyes, savoring his touch when he held my cheek. My wolf was hungry for his touches, as I was. 

But it’s too late. I could already feel my soul shattering slowly.

”Get away from her! You are mine, Clyde! You already made your decision when you chose to come to me even after knowing she was your mate two months ago! Remember how much you loved my company that night?”

I took a step back as hurt sliced through my heart. Regina smirked, seeing how tears had fallen to my cheeks.

”Bella,” Clyde tried grabbing my hand, calling me by the nickname only he used for me. But it only brought more pain in my chest. 

“I’m sorry, please—“

”No! You promised you won’t have me traded for that god-awful killer, ugly alpha! You said you’d protect me, Clyde!” Regina screamed. 

My feet started backing away as no words could describe how much I was hurting.

Clyde was the only hope I had for my life to be better. Only in his presence had I ever felt wanted—needed. But now…

I stepped back, but Clyde suddenly caught my hand. 

“Bella, please.” I slowly shook my head.

A sharp pain suddenly struck my right cheek and I gasped. 

I looked back and saw Regina glaring at me.

”How high and mighty do you think you are?” She glared and turned to Clyde who just seemed as surprised as I was. 

“See how prideful that Omega-nobody is? She even has the nerve to reject you!”

”Clyde, I-I—“ I stuttered, the urge to not hurt my mate coming out instinctually. I was tempted, so tempted to take him as he tries to get our matebond mended. 

But can I? I was a slave all my life. Battered, beaten, belittled and insulted in all sorts of ways. But can I crush whatever little pride and respect I have of myself by taking him after seeing with my own eyes how he has betrayed and disrespected the bond we have?

“Bella, please forgive me. I want you as my mate.” My hands trembled when he suddenly took them in his. I could feel the sparks flying at the touch of our skin. 

My tears fell on my cheeks again. 

“B-But I’m no one…” I cried. “You’re only saying this because of the bond’s pull. If you aren’t so drowned by this feeling, you wouldn’t say this. You didn’t choose me when you knew I was your mate two months ago. Y-you already chose, Clyde, and it’s not me.”

I could see Regina’s smirk as my tears poured. Clyde also had his head already down upon knowing I was right. 

And it hurt. It hurt more than whatever beating and insults I’ve gotten. 

“Reject her, Clyde. Reject that prideful nobody and be with me. You will be Alpha when we get married. You said you wanted that, right?” 

My wolf whimpered upon hearing Regina. My knees wobbled, but I held on to my feet. Doing my best to be strong.

”No. I don’t want that. And I don’t care whether you are an Omega, Bella. I made a mistake. I want you—“

”NO! You are mine, Clyde!” Regina shrieked and a glass of wine nearby shattered when she swung her hands in anger. 

I flinched when a shard pierced on my exposed calf. Blood quickly trickled down on it. 

But Regina suddenly took a large broken shard and gripped it on her palms, aiming it on her wrists. Her palms started bleeding.

“Reject her or I will slit this on my hand! Reject her, Clyde!”

”Regina,” Clyde gasped in frustration. He was getting conflicted. We both know Regina would really do it. She’s used to getting what she wants. She will do anything to have it. 

“Reject her! Or I will tell my father that you both conspired against me to run away in the pack and be mated! He will haunt you down and finish your family first! You know who my father will believe in, Clyde! Do as I say and reject her!” 

Panicked, Clyde looked at me. My heart ached in both fear and pain. The Alpha adores Regina as his only daughter. He will do whatever she wants. And we both know it. 

“I will mindlink my father now if you—“

”I-I, Clyde, son of Beta Leo in Lunar Pack, reject you, Isabella of Lunar Pack. I am so sorry, Bella…”

Something inside me shattered in pieces, and I know it was my soul that was bound with his. The matebond. Pain struck me in all parts, and I could see the same in his brown eyes.

But he was too scared for his family’s welfare. I know how much Clyde loves his family. It’s one of the reasons I loved him. 

Regina threw away the glass shard in her hand and grabbed Clyde who had gotten weak. She held his hand and smirked at me. 

“Now, go tell everyone that I am not going to be married to that scarred, ugly, sick joke of an Alpha.”

”B-But, he’s the most powerful Alpha of the land. He can kill all of us if you stand him up.“ I stuttered. 

“Oh, yes, I know. So if you don’t want all of us to be killed, then make a good excuse why I can’t marry him. Or if you want, you can go ahead and marry Alpha Logan.” She laughed mockingly. 

“Go, Isa, before we all blame you for the corpses that will be counted once the lycan prince haunts us all down in your tardiness.”

As if reinforcing her words, her father, Alpha Hans, mindlinked me. “Get Regina here quickly. The Lycan prince and his subordinates have arrived.”

I gasped. 

How am I gonna tell them?