Her Silence, Her Shield

way to her death

Valerie's fingers tightened around the edge of the dressing table.

For the first time that evening, the numbness she had carefully built around herself began to crack.

Fear slipped through the cracks.

It wasn't the ceremony that frightened her.

It wasn't even Alpha Kaelen Blackthorne.

It was the realization that, once she stepped through those doors, there would be no going back.

The maid carrying the ceremonial gown hurried toward her.

“Quickly! Take this off,” she yelled, and two more maids immediately surrounded Valerie.

For the next few minutes, Valerie didn’t know how many times she was pulled harshly. They didn’t care whether her clothes were torn away or if they scratched her a few times.

They just hurriedly put the ceremonial gown on her.

The gown was beautiful.

Far too beautiful for a sacrifice.

Valerie stared at the silver embroidery longer than she had expected.

Someone had spent weeks designing every detail of this dress for Melanie.

Tonight, Valerie would wear it to her execution.

It was made from layers of white silk embroidered with silver threads. Tiny crystals had been sewn into the sleeves, catching the light whenever she moved.

Valerie stared at herself in the mirror.

For a brief moment, she didn't recognize the woman looking back.

Her silver hair had been braided and pinned with moonstone ornaments.

Her pale skin had been covered with layers of makeup.

Every bruise had disappeared beneath concealer.

Her lips had been painted a soft pink.

Still, with that oversized gown on her, she looked like a clown ready to appear in front of the audience.

Xyla growled inside her mind, clearly displeased with the way Valerie looked.

“If they wanted to wrap the sacrifice in silk, at least, they should have minded your size.” She grumbled, but Valerie just smiled bitterly.

She didn’t know if she would be able to survive the next hour.

So, it didn’t matter if the gown was her size or not.

At least the silk was softer than chains.

Valerie almost smiled.

“Let's worry about surviving the ceremony before we worry about whether anyone laughs at us, Xyla.” She said to Xyla, trying to stay calm.

Xyla's uneasiness had been growing since the ceremony was announced.

Valerie couldn't understand it.

Before she could question her further, the door opened again.

Valerie saw Martha entering the room with a veil.

“Put the veil on.” She instructed one of the maids around Valerie.

A maid immediately lifted a long translucent veil and placed it over Valerie's head.

Martha inspected her from head to toe.

“Remember what Alpha Harper told you.” She reminded Valerie in a stern voice.

Valerie nodded.

“Keep your head down.” She continued, and Valerie just nodded.

“Don't make a sound.” Valerie's eyes flickered.

Don't make a sound?

As if she ever did.

She had been silent for twenty-two years.

Yet Martha still felt the need to remind her.

“And if they raise any questions, just take the blame.” Martha’s tone hardened as she continued glaring at Valerie through the mirror.

Valerie's fingers curled beneath the folds of her gown.

She already knew that she was just a shield for Melanie, but it still hurt her heart.

Martha grabbed her arm and pulled Valerie towards the door, without giving her a chance to steady herself.

Martha didn’t loosen her grip on Valerie’s arm and continued dragging her towards the ceremonial hall.

All the maids followed them hurriedly. Xyla wanted to rip Martha’s hand away, but her restlessness continued to increase as the distance shortened between them and the hall.

The corridor was decorated with white roses and silver ribbons. Hundreds of candles burned along the walls, their flames dancing in the cool evening breeze.

Valerie heard loud and cheerful voices.

Laughter….

Excited murmurs and whispers…

There were so many alphas and other esteemed guests from different packs, yet she felt the presence of the Wolf-Fang Pack.

Among all the presence, she could detect them easily.

And it made both Xyla and Valerie more anxious than they already were.

Music floated through the corridor. Martha stopped at the door of the hall where Harper was impatiently waiting for them.

Even if the bride was not Melanie, he had to keep the façade of a doting father so that no one could sense anything odd.

Harper just grunted in displeasure and wrapped Valerie’s hand around her elbow slightly.

Valerie’s heart tightened. This was the first time that Harper let her touch him.

And this could be the last time.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

The main door opened, and light flooded her face under the veil.

Valerie lowered her head immediately.

The hall fell into a hushed silence.

She didn’t dare lift her head, fearing that someone would recognize her and would end her life before she could even see who her murderer was.

A powerful aura crashed against her chest, forcing her to lift her head.

Xyla tried hard against this force, but her own powers were suppressed.

For the world, she was just an omega.

Above all, a mute omega.

Her eyes darted directly to the source of the overwhelming presence.

Valerie’s breath hitched when she saw him.

Standing at the far end of the hall was the man she had been sacrificed to.

Kaelen Blackthorne.

Valerie had seen her photos, but even at the death door, she couldn't help but admit that the photos had failed to capture the sheer presence of the man.

He stood beside his parents, dressed entirely in black.

He stood well over six feet tall, his broad shoulders stretching beneath his perfectly tailored black suit.

His dark hair was neatly pushed away from his forehead, exposing sharp features and piercing silver eyes.

Something was intimidating about him.

Something that made even experienced warriors instinctively straighten their backs.

His wolf's aura filled the hall.

Valerie felt Xyla become unusually quiet.

The MC, Harper's beta, announced her presence to everyone in a cheerful and loud voice.

"Please welcome, the lady of the evening - Melanie Moonstone."

Valerie's body trembled hard when she heard Melanie's name.

Valerie froze in place when her gaze met Kaelen's cold, piercing gaze.

Even through the veil, Valerie felt the weight of his cold stare.

She blinked when she felt as if something unreadable crossed his eyes, but it felt like an illusion.

It passed away too quickly.

Kaelen looked at her for perhaps three seconds or less, but it only made Valerie's heart sink.

"Did you enjoy playing us like a fool, Harper?" Valerie almost stopped breathing when his cold and powerful voice echoed through the hall.

Harper's body tensed instantly, and the fake smile faltered.

"I..... I didn't understand wh... what you want to say, Alpha Kaelen." Harper was so anxious that he stammered hard while replying to Kaelen.

Kaelen's brow furrowed, anger now seeping out of his aura, forcing the lower-rank wolves to fall to their knees.

Valerie flinched with every soft thud across the hall.

Kaelen just tilted his head slightly, and a mocking smirk crept onto his lips.

"Let's forget for a while that you are an alpha, Harper. Are you this incompetent as a father that you didn't realize that the she-wolf holding your hand is not your daughter, but someone else?"

Harper went completely still.

The smile on his face disappeared.

Around them, gasps erupted.

Valerie's fingers tightened around the folds of her gown.

Then Kaelen's silver eyes settled directly on her.

As if he'd known from the moment she entered the room.