The Runaway Bride

Aliyana’s POV

My sister’s wedding felt like a funeral instead of a celebration.

There was no joy in these walls, only the faint scent of polished wood and flowers that couldn’t cover the overwhelming sense of doom in the air. My hands moved automatically, adjusting the angle of a vase, nodding to the servants carrying trays of lanterns, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach.

“More to the left. Yes—stop there,” I instructed, my voice firmer than I felt.

The grand hall gleamed, every table set to perfection, the chandeliers lit with warm light that failed to make the place feel alive. I took one long look at the glittering room and told myself it was good enough. It had to be.

Because today was the day of my sister’s engagement.

Not the kind every girl dreamed of, the one that came with whispered laughter, stolen glances, and choice. No, my sister Alessia was being given to Alpha Nolan Greyson, a man whose name alone was enough to still have conversations. A man described with words like ruthless and merciless.

And Alessia… sweet, fragile Alessia… would be his bride.

I tried to push the ache in my chest away by reminding myself of my own future. Unlike her, I was promised to someone I loved. In a few days, I would marry Luke Geraldine, my best friend since childhood.

Luke had always been more than a friend, though it had taken years for us to realize it. We grew up running barefoot across fields, laughing until our ribs hurt, whispering secrets under starlit skies. Somewhere between mud fights and stolen apples, friendship had turned into something deeper.

Now, when he touched my hand, my heart would race in ways I couldn’t explain. He was safe and warm, everything my sister would never have with Nolan.

Guilt prickled my skin. How could I be happy about my future when Alessia’s was a glorified cage?

I was still lost in thought when my father’s voice carried across the courtyard.

“Aliyana!”

He stood with one of the guards, his silver-streaked hair combed neatly, his coat pulled into place with military precision. His eyes, however, betrayed strain.

“Yes, Father?” I smoothed my skirts, walking over quickly.

“Go and fetch your sister. Alpha Nolan will be here any moment, and she must be ready.”

My pulse skipped. “Of course.”

I hurried inside, my footsteps echoing against polished floors, and knocked gently on Alessia’s door before pushing it open.

“Alessia?”

She stood by the window, bathed in gold as the last of the sun spilled over her. Her gown, pale blue with tiny pearls stitched across the bodice clung softly to her frail frame. Blonde curls spilled down her shoulders, and for a moment, she looked less like my sister and more like a painting brought to life.

“You look beautiful,” I whispered, my throat tightening. Just like Mother.

She turned with a small, fragile smile. “So do you.”

I laughed lightly. “Compared to you? I look like an ogre.”

“You’ve been running around all day, haven’t you?” she asked gently, tilting her head to meet my gaze.

“I want everything to be perfect,” I admitted, stepping closer. The window overlooked the orchard our mother had planted before she died.

My earliest memory was of those trees, their blossoms scattering across the grass like snow. Alessia and Mother used to sit beneath them for hours while I played at their feet. Now, every time I looked at the orchard, it felt like a piece of her was still here.

Alessia followed my gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re lucky. To marry someone you chose.”

A sharp twist pierced my chest. I reached for her hands, cold and delicate in mine. “I promise you’ll be fine. I’ll be here. And I’m so, so sorry.”

We embraced, and I held her tightly, wishing I could protect her from what was coming, the way I had always tried to. Though she was older, Alessia had always been fragile, her health too weak, her body too delicate for the world. I had grown up stepping into her role as the strong one, the responsible one. But tonight, my strength felt like a brittle mask.

“I’ll be ready soon,” she murmured.

I searched her eyes, trying to believe her, then gave her one last squeeze before slipping out.

As I left Alessia’s chambers, I caught sight of a figure waiting by the orchard.

Luke.

He leaned against one of Mother’s apple trees, arms folded, watching me with that lopsided grin that always unraveled the knots inside my chest. The evening light turned his brown hair to bronze, his eyes warm and steady, as if the chaos of this day couldn’t touch him.

“You’ve been running yourself ragged,” he said as I walked toward him. “If perfection could kill, this wedding would already have you buried.”

I laughed despite myself, pressing a hand to my brow. “I just… I want it to feel right for her. But nothing about this is right.”

His smile softened as he stepped closer, pushing a strand of hair away from my cheek with calloused fingers. “You’ve always carried everyone else’s burdens, Ali. Even as a little girl, you were the one that held the world together. But you don’t have to carry me. I’ll always walk beside you.”

My throat tightened. I blinked rapidly, holding his gaze. “You mean that?”

“More than my life.” His voice was steady, quiet, but it struck deep. “One day, you’ll be my wife. And I swear to you, Aliyana, nothing—not Alphas, not kingdoms, not even the Moon Goddess herself, will take you from me.”

I swallowed hard, pressing my forehead against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. For a fleeting moment, it felt like safety, like home.

And I clung to it, not knowing it was the last time his promise would make me believe I was untouchable.

He smiled and told me he’ll see me later.

Back in the courtyard, preparations buzzed like angry bees. I directed servants to the lanterns, adjusted a garland that had slipped too low, and checked the silver trays. I told myself I was busy, but in truth, I was stalling because the moment Nolan arrived, nothing would ever be the same.

Engines rumbled outside the estate walls. My father straightened immediately, pulling himself taller. I wiped my palms on my dress and took my place by his side.

The gates opened, and Alpha Nolan’s entourage rode in. Black cars gleamed in the dusk, flanked by men in tailored suits with the quiet menace of soldiers. When Nolan stepped out, the air shifted.

He was taller than I expected, his frame broad but not bulky, his posture one of complete command. His eyes were sharp, dark, and assessing. He carried himself as though the earth bent beneath him. Behind him, his men unloaded chests of gold, silks, weapons, offerings that felt more like conquest than generosity.

“Alpha Greyson,” my father greeted carefully.

“Mr. Hastings,” Nolan replied, his nod curt. His gaze slid to me, lingering for a beat too long.

“This is my daughter, Aliyana.”

I curtsied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alpha Greyson.”

His eyes raked over me once before he grunted. “Where is my bride?”

“Right this way,” Father gestured, leading him inside to the parlour.

Servants were sent for Alessia. Minutes passed. She did not come.

Father’s jaw clenched. Another servant was dispatched. Still, no Alessia.

A cold unease spread through me. My stomach twisted as I excused myself and hurried upstairs.

Her room was empty.

“Alessia?” My voice trembled as I pushed the door wider. The window was cracked open, curtains billowing with the night breeze. Her jewelry box lay half-empty. On the bed, a folded piece of paper waited.

My hands shook as I unfolded it.

Aliyana, I’m sorry. I’m not as strong as you. I can’t do this. Please, forgive me.

The words blurred. I sank onto the bed, pressing the note to my chest.

“No…”

I tore through the halls, calling her name, checked the gardens, the stables, even the orchard. Nothing. My sister, my fragile, gentle sister who cried over fallen birds, was gone.

Servants scattered, guards questioned, the estate turned upside down. No one had seen her leave. No one knew where she had gone.

Panic clawed at my throat. My mother’s orchard swayed silently in the night, but it gave no answers.

By the time I returned to the main hall, my father was pale, speaking low to a guard. He turned as I approached, his face taut with control.

Before I could speak, heavy footsteps echoed. Nolan entered, his presence dark and suffocating. His eyes swept between us, unreadable.

“What’s going on?” His voice was quiet, but it carried like thunder.

My father’s face drained of color, lips pressed thin as if every word he swallowed was made of glass. He turned to Nolan with the rigid dignity of a man who knew he was about to lose everything.

“My daughter—your bride—she’s… gone.”

Nolan stilled. His gaze, cold and unblinking, locked on my father. “Gone?”

“She ran away,” Father admitted, voice trembling despite his attempt to keep it steady. “We’re searching for her now. Please, if you would spare some of your men, we can—”

“Spare you my men?” Nolan’s voice cut through the air, low and sharp as a blade. He leaned back in his chair, amusement flickering across his cruel mouth. “Tell me, Mr Hastings, do I look like a fool who goes after runaway women?”

Father swallowed, fists clenching at his sides. “She is your bride, Alpha. It is unfortunate… delay, but we will bring her back to you.”

Nolan laughed then, a sound so humorless it raised gooseflesh on my arms. “Bride? No. A woman who flees at the sight of duty was never worthy of that title.” His gaze slid from Father to me, lingering. “But perhaps fate has better taste.”

My stomach twisted. “What… what do you mean?”

Nolan’s lips curled, slow and predatory. “It seems I have been cheated on by one sister. Why not claim the other?”

Father stepped forward quickly, panic breaking through his composure. “She is already promised—”

“To a boy,” Nolan interrupted, his voice venomous with disdain. “Luke Geraldine? I’ve heard of him. A child playing at being a man. You would insult me further by offering me scraps?”

Father’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t dare respond.

Heat crept up my neck, fury tangling with dread. “I’m not a prize to be traded because my sister is gone,” I snapped before I could stop myself.

Nolan’s eyes flicked to me, sharp and dark as storm clouds. “And yet here you stand, trembling under my gaze. Whether you believe it or not, little dove, your father already bartered your freedom the moment Alessia fled. You’re mine now.”

The words hit like a slap, leaving me breathless.

Father tried again, desperation leaking into his tone. “Please, Alpha Nolan, have mercy. Aliyana has her own match—”

“Mercy?” Nolan stood, towering over both of us. His presence was suffocating, his voice a growl. “Your family insulted me, disgraced me before my men. Do you know what it costs an Alpha to be humiliated? Blood. And I am offering you a bargain instead.”

He turned his gaze back to me, his smile a cruel, knowing thing. “You, Aliyana, will take her place. Or your father will answer for this insult in ways far worse than broken promises.”

His gaze locked onto mine. The world seemed to tilt. Blood drained from my face. “What… what do you mean?”

A slow smile curved his lips, predatory, merciless. “It means you’ll take her place.”

The room spun, my breath caught, and for the first time in my life, I wished Luke were here to save me.

“Luke will come. He has to.” It was a whisper of hope before it was crushed. Because Luke wasn’t here. And Alpha Nolan Greyson had claimed me as his.

The air vanished from my lungs. Alessia had run from the cage, and I had just been thrown inside it.