Chapter 3

—•AVERY’s POV•—

I stared at Jess, the words echoing in my head but not making sense.

"What do you mean? I'm the bride! How could the wedding happen without me?"

She gripped my arms, her fingers digging into my skin. "Ryan married Kira! Your sister! The ceremony just ended, the whole pack was there, and I came as fast as I could to tell you."

The world stopped spinning. I felt like I had been doused in ice water, my entire body going numb with shock.

No. No, no, no.

"That's not possible," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "You're lying Jess."

But the truth was written all over Jess's face. She wouldn't lie to me, not about something like this.

The ground dropped out from under me. The pack house spun around me, faces turning blurry. Somewhere nearby, cruel laughter erupted from the omega girls—but I barely registered it. All I could hear was the sound of my own heart breaking.

My knees buckled. The world tilted sideways. I clutched at my chest where a terrible pain was spreading -not from my wolf, not from any wound, but from something far worse…

My mate bond was being torn apart.

"Ryan..." The word came out strangled. My vision swam with black spots. "He wouldn't... we're…”

My whole body shook. My vision blurred. This had to be a nightmare. A cruel, horrible joke.

Jess’s face crumpled. "Avery, I’m so sorry.”

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through my chest, so intense that it made me double over.

I opened my mouth to speak, but instead of words, hot, metallic liquid surged up my throat.

I barely had time to gasp before blood poured from my lips, splattering the front of my ruined wedding gown.

Gasps and shrieks of horror erupted around me.

“Oh, Moon Goddess—”

“She’s bleeding—how dramatic.”

“Look at the mess she's making.”

“A disgrace, even on her wedding day.”

I heard it all. Every word.

"Avery!" Jess lunged forward, grabbing my shoulders as I swayed dangerously. "Oh gods—someone help! She’s—"

I violently pushed her off.

I didn’t want help.

I wanted answers.

I wanted him.

Without thinking, I gathered the skirts of the heavy dress and started running, barefoot, towards the pack church.

Sharp stones and thorns tore into the soles of my feet, but I didn’t feel it. The only pain that mattered was already bleeding from my heart.

The ruined veil tangled behind me, and the stiff dress stuck to my blood-stained skin, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

I ran.

I ran like the truth wasn’t already tearing me apart from the inside.

My lungs burned, and my feet ached as I ran. People stared as I passed, their faces a blur.

Somewhere along the way, I collided into someone. A hard —warm chest—but I didn't pause to apologize or even look at who it was. I just kept going.

When I finally reached the pack church, I burst through the doors, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

What I saw felt like a punch to my gut.

There—on the altar where I was supposed to stand—was Ryan.

My mate.

My first love.

My future.

He looked devastatingly handsome, regal, dressed in full Alpha attire. His smile was faint. Formal. Proud.

Standing beside him…

Kira.

My sister.

In my wedding dress.

She wore my beautiful wedding dress.

MY Dress.

The one I designed stitch by stitch.

The one that went missing.

The pendant. The hem. The pearls. Every thread—mine.

Now it clung to her.

They both had fresh mating marks on their wrists. The silver glow hurt my eyes.

They were surrounded by smiling guests, many of whom had been invited to my wedding.

The ceremony was over, but the celebration was still in full swing.

"RYAN!"

I screamed before I could think.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as they noticed me standing there, bloodied and disheveled, in a ruined wedding dress.

Conversations stopped, and all eyes turned to me.

But I didn’t care.

I locked eyes with Kira first.

My stepsister was the first to react. She gave a startled cry and hid behind Ryan, whispering something in his ear.

Her eyes, however, when they met mine, held not guilt but triumph.

Ryan's gaze hardened as they landed on me. There was no love there, no regret, only annoyance.

"Avery," he said coldly. "What are you doing here?"

I staggered forward, unable to believe what I was seeing. "Ryan? What's going on? We're supposed to be getting married today!"

He sighed. Like I was an annoying problem he had hoped to avoid.

“I was going to tell you later,” he said. “But since you’re here… yes. Kira and I are married.”

My heart shattered.

"But why?" I cried, my voice breaking. "I'm your mate! We're supposed to be together!"

"Don't make a scene," he said, his tone sharp. "Kira only has three years to live. Her dying wish was to marry me. I couldn't deny her that."

I turned to my sister, who was now playing the part of the weak, dying bride.

She leaned heavily against Ryan, as if she were too frail to stand, her face a mask of feigned innocence.

“I’m so sorry, Avery. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him. I just… I didn’t have much time left.”

I was choking on disbelief. “What?”

Ryan wrapped his arm around her as she pretended to stumble. "Kira, stay calm. Don't upset yourself."

He turned back to me. "Avery, you need to understand. Kira's sick. The healers gave her three years at most. All she wanted was to experience being a Luna before..." His voice trailed off, as if he couldn't bear to finish the thought.

"But what about me?" I demanded, tears streaming down my face. "What about our bond? Our plans?!"

"You're being unreasonable," Ryan scolded, his voice hard. "It's only for three years. After that, you and I can be together."

I stared at him. My chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.

“You expect me to wait? For my sister to die, so I can pick up the pieces you two leave behind?”

Kira stepped away from Ryan, coughing delicately, her voice weak.

"Ryan, maybe it's best if we end this. I don't want to come between you and your mate."

"No," Ryan said firmly, pulling her closer again. "I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it."

I felt like I was watching a perfectly orchestrated play, with Kira as the tragic heroine and Ryan as her devoted husband. And I was the villain, the selfish woman who wouldn't let her dying sister have her last wish.

I didn’t recognize the man standing before me anymore.

"This is ridiculous," I spat, anger replacing my shock. "Kira has never been sick a day in her life!"

Just then, my stepmother, Jennifer pushed through the crowd, her face full of malice.

"How dare you!" she hissed at me. "My poor daughter is dying, and all you can think about is yourself. It's only for three years, Avery. Can't you be selfless for once in your life?"

Then my father—Ethan Coleman, the former Beta of the Red Moon pack—appeared at her side. He didn’t say much, just looked at me with that familiar disappointment etched into his face.

“Avery, enough,” he said sternly. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”

The guests began to murmur, their voices rising in a chorus of disapproval. They called me:

Selfish.

Ungrateful omega.

Heartless sister.

A disgrace to the pack.

I felt cornered, betrayed by the very people who were supposed to care for me.

In a moment of desperation, I turned to Ryan.

"Fine," I gritted, my voice trembling with emotion. "If this is what you want, then I reject you as my mate."

The crowd gasped. The very air seemed to freeze.

Ryan's eyes widened in alarm.

Mate rejection was a serious thing among werewolves. It could cause physical pain, even death in some cases.

"No!" He growled quickly, grabbing my wrist. "Don't do that, Avery."

A flicker of hope sparked within me.

Maybe he did care after all. Maybe there was a reason for all this madness.

"Why not?" I eyed him suspiciously, my voice barely above a whisper. "If you love Kira now, why does it matter if I reject you?"

Ryan's grip tightened, and his eyes darkened. "Because I need you."

"Need me? For what?"

He glanced at Kira before answering. "Kira can't have children. She's infertile. But as Alpha, I need an heir!"

Realization dawned on me, cold and horrifying.

"You want me to have your child... for her?"

Ryan nodded, as if it was the most reasonable request in the world.

“It’s a logical solution. You bear the heir. Afterward, we can reject each other. You’ll still have your place.”

I stared at him, unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth.

The man I had loved since childhood, the one I had dreamed of spending my life with, was now treating me like nothing more than a breeding machine.

"You're out of your mind!” I said, wrenching my arm free from him. "I will never agree to this. Never!"

I turned to leave.

“You don’t have a choice, Avery Coleman,” Ryan said darkly. “As your Alpha, I command you to stay.”

The Alpha command slammed into me like a physical blow. My legs gave out.

Without a wolf to help me resist, I was completely at his mercy.

“Take her to the east wing,” he ordered coldly. “She is not to leave.”

Two guards grabbed me roughly by the arms.

As they dragged me away, I turned one last time to look at the man I had loved.

And the woman I once called sister.

The perfect couple, the Alpha and his Luna. And I was nothing but a pawn in their game.

"I hate you," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Both of you!"

Then the doors shut behind me.

And the world I knew collapsed completely.