Three

CHAPTER THREE

CALISTA’S POV

I sat quietly in front of the mirror while one of the maids stood behind me, carefully fixing my hair and adjusting the white dress around my shoulders.

The dress belonged to Eira.

Everything I was wearing had been prepared for the woman who was supposed to stand beside Axton today, and looking at my reflection made my chest tighten because I knew that everyone outside was waiting to see Eira, not me.

My father stood near the door with my stepmother beside him, and neither of them looked at me with anything close to affection.

My stepmother folded her arms across her chest as she stared at me through the mirror.

“Do you really think your plan of taking Eira’s husband has worked?”

My fingers tightened against the fabric of my dress.

She stepped closer, her voice filled with contempt.

“Enjoy your few minutes of pretending to be Luna, because the moment Eira comes back, she will take her place again, and you will return to being the useless daughter nobody cares about.”

My father gave me a cold look.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, Calista. After everything we have done for you, this is how you repay us.”

I lowered my eyes, unable to find the strength to answer them.

Just then, the door opened, and another maid hurried inside.

“Alpha Axton is here. The ceremony is about to begin.”

My stepmother immediately turned toward the door.

“Let’s go.”

The maids stepped aside, and I slowly stood up before following them out of the room.

My heart pounded as I walked toward the ceremony hall, knowing that there was no turning back now.

When I entered, hundreds of eyes immediately turned toward me.

The entire hall became filled with whispers.

I kept my eyes lowered as I walked forward, trying not to listen to the voices around me.

Then I saw him.

Axton was standing at the altar in his black ceremonial clothes, looking as cold and distant as he had been when he left me the previous night.

His eyes moved toward me when I approached.

He looked at me once.

Then he looked away.

There was no surprise, no admiration, and certainly no warmth in his expression, as though I were simply another person standing in the hall.

I walked toward him and stopped at his side.

The elders gathered in front of us, preparing to begin the ceremony, while the entire pack became quiet.

One of the elders stepped forward. “Today, we gather—”

The large doors suddenly opened.

A man rushed inside. It was the Beta.

His breathing was heavy as he hurried toward Axton. “Alpha!”

Axton’s expression hardened. “What is it?”

The Beta stopped in front of him. “We have found her, Alpha.”

The entire hall went silent.

My heart dropped. Eira.

Axton immediately turned toward him. “This mating ceremony is canceled.”

A wave of whispers spread through the hall as everyone reacted to his words.

Axton took a step toward the Beta, his eyes fixed on him. “Where is Eira?”

The Beta stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. “I am not talking about Eira, Alpha.”

Axton’s expression changed slightly. “Who? Who are you talking about” 

“The rogue.”

The hall became silent again.

“The rogue we have been searching for has finally been found.”

For a moment, Axton simply stared at him, then  the disappointment on his face was impossible to miss, he had believed they had found Eira.

He turned away from the Beta and looked toward the elders. “Let’s continue.”

The Beta stepped aside as the elders returned to their positions.

I stood beside Axton, my hands trembling as I tried to calm myself.

The elder looked between us before continuing the ceremony. “Alpha Axton, do you accept Calista as your Luna until the rightful Luna is found?”

Axton’s face remained cold as he looked straight ahead. “I accept.”

The words were simple and emotionless.

The elder then turned toward me. “Calista, do you accept Alpha Axton as your mate and stand beside him as Luna until Eira is found?”

My throat tightened, I  looked at Axton, he  didn’t look at me.

My voice came out weak. “I accept.”

The elder brought our hands together, and the moment our palms touched, something inside me suddenly shifted.

My breath caught.

Axton’s eyes moved toward me.

For the first time since I had entered the ceremony hall, he looked at me for more than a second.

His expression remained cold, but his eyes changed slightly as if he had felt something he hadn’t expected.

I swallowed nervously.

Neither of us spoke.

The elder continued with the ceremony while our hands remained joined, and although the entire pack believed I had finally gotten what I wanted, I knew the truth.

I wasn’t becoming Axton’s Luna because he had chosen me.

I was standing beside him because Eira was missing.