01|The Wedding
1627 Words
“What do you mean he is not coming?”
Alina’s voice trembled.
Three days of traveling non-stop. Kicking against the harsh weather to make it to the Darkfur pack in time. Only for the groom, the same man who had not bothered to show his face since their arrival in the early hours of the morning, to humiliate her in the most inhumane way.
Her heart pounded so fast she could hear it in her ears as her fingers dug into the wedding dress she wore to hide their trembling.
The silk wrinkled beneath the strong grip of her fingers. Embarrassment flushed through her body, making her lips quiver with every passing second.
She could feel the stares burning holes in her skin, and she tried to keep her breath steady, to avoid collapsing right in front of the servants.
The servants themselves froze. Their eyes met, right before the one thing Alina feared most began.
Rushed, hushed whispers spread through the room. Sharp words that cut deeper than knives.
“Oh, is she dumped already?” one murmured.
“But she is so pretty,” another whispered with a hint of mockery and pity in her tone.
Alina blinked rapidly. Her eyes were already wet, tears threatening to fall. She had already seen the accusing looks in their eyes when they stepped in, and right now, she felt what those looks communicated more than ever.
Undeserving. A complete nobody.
She didn’t ask to be married to their Alpha. Hell, she did not ask for this treaty. For this marriage, either.
Alina stiffened, blinking the tears back as her jaw tightened.
Not here. She told herself, not before them.
Her throat burned, but she swallowed the ache, forcing her shoulders straight even though her knees felt weak.
She turned to her uncle, her voice hoarse with bitter emotions. “How can the groom not come for his own wedding?” she asked again, unable to stop her voice from cracking at the end.
Collin’s eyes shifted towards the groom’s mother. He looked somewhat tired and older, the weight of the moment pressing into the lines of his face.
“The marriage ceremony will go on, Alina,” he said slowly as though tasting the words before speaking them. “He had pressing matters to attend to.” He added, lifting a glass of Scotch to his lips.
“This is strange,” she whispered and inhaled sharply, and pressed a hand to her chest as though holding her heart in place. Her head spun and she looked around desperately for Anis's familiar face. But she was nowhere in the large hall.
Where was her personal maid?
Not far away, Alina noticed the groom’s mother, the Luna Phillipha of the Darkfur pack, seated with a few ladies around her.
Silver streaks ran through her hair like threads of frost. Her amber eyes gleamed with quiet authority. Even though she stood still doing nothing more than observing the proceedings in the room, her presence sent a constant chill through everyone present.
As if on instinct, her head turned. Her focused gaze met Alina’s curious ones.
She felt the chill from the Luna’s gaze sweeping down her spine.
The Alpha of the Darkfur pack had always been known to avoid making appearances, but for some reason, the older woman didn't look fazed or anxious as she was at her son’s absence.
There were still a lot of things she did not know about the Darkfur pack.
Wedding preparations took time.
But she had been approved as Alpha Lucien’s bride, only two days ago. Luckily, Alina and her people were nomads who could make it down to the capital in time.
Alina’s throat tightened when the Luna suddenly moved in their direction.
Luna Phillipha smiled at Alina who looked like tears were about to fall out of her eyes.
Yet while Alina could not read her expression, her husband-to-be’s mother simply nodded in her direction when she forced a smile back and bowed.
Phillipha faced her uncle as she spoke.
“Alpha Collin, please it’s in her best interest to be able to make decisions without him present. That is the best quality of a good Luna. Your niece is worthy of this…is she not?” Her brows lifted, a stern look on her face as she watched Collin hesitate then nod hurriedly.
“You chose Alina well, Luna.”
“Good.” Luna Phillipha’s icy glare softened around the edges as her lips curled into a smile. “Then this shouldn't stop this union either way.”
“Now that we have an understanding regarding Lucien’s presence, shall we commence?”
“Of course. Thank you, Luna Phillipa,” Collin shifted on his feet, dropping into a low bow as he glanced in Alina’s direction
“Phillipha is fine, you can call me Phillipha. We are about to become a family now, Alpha Collin, let’s drop the formalities.”
“And don’t worry about our soon-to-be bride, she is in good hands.”
Collin nodded in agreement and straightened as she left.
He dropped the empty glass in his hand on a nearby table with a small thud and returned to Alina.
“It is settled, Alina, you’ll wed without your groom,” he said in a deep tone.
Alina’s lips parted. Words formed, trying to come out, but she forced them back into her throat.
She pinched herself for agreeing to something as bizarre as deciding it was in her interest and that of her clan to keep quiet and do as she was told.
Collin was like a father and mother to her since she was orphaned at birth. He took sole responsibility for her immediately after she was born and dedicated his younger years to her, taking care of her like his own.
He swore not to get married till she was married and kept his word to the surprise of a lot of folks in their pack. She trusted him with her life, so whatever Collin said was final.
Phillipha led them into the room where the marriage rites were performed and a paper was given to her at the end for safekeeping.
This was all new, being referred to as Alina Darkfur as well as pouring drinks in honor of the goddess for a fruitful marriage. She wondered if it would be the same if her supposed husband were here.
The priestess blessed the union and the celebration began.
The grand hall was adorned with tumbling silks of deep greens and golds, shimmering under crystal chandeliers.
Merriment and laughter filled the air mingling with the sound of musicians, their instruments and voices very lively. It was more buoyant and grand than she expected and very important people graced the event as well as commoners who came to have an eyeful of what their new Luna looked like from a distance.
Some court ladies came forward to dance, while she sat and observed them. Some looked at her with admiration, others had jealousy all over their smoky eyes.
I couldn't care less. I really do not want him. she thought.
One particular blonde-haired woman interested her. She flared her nostrils so much that her anger could come out through them, if she did so again.
Alina stood in the midst of her party, surrounded by festivities that were meant to celebrate her union with a man whose identity eluded her. She held the thought when her uncle came and stood beside her.
“Uncle,” she said, standing and bowing immediately, only to be held back by the shoulders by a half-pleased Collin.
“Don’t do that, you are a queen Luna now, and I am supposed to do the bowing” Tears formed in his eyes and Alina swallowed as emotions clogged her throat.
She was married. A Luna now. But before then, the one who had seen her through her bad days, days with barely any food to eat, had been her uncle.
As nomads who wandered around with no real home of their own. They’d come a long way to get to where they were right now. Darkfur’s proposal of marriage had been unexpected but it had come at the right time.
She knew Colin was thinking about the old days, and she knew how bad it would look on his image if the guests noticed he was crying. No one loved a weak alpha, because in their world, weak alphas…were as good as dead.
Alina smiled and moved close. She held his left hand and wiped away a tear in his eye. It was the first time she'd seen him cry.
Colin bent and gave her a reassuring hug then whispered in her ear in a way that only she could understand, but those words were the reason for her very existence.
“Alina, remember you must turn them and all they stand for… to dust.”
The words made her freeze for only a second, before the reality of her true situation dawned on her.
Colin patted her back, and she relaxed in his arms to show him this burden wasn’t so much for her to bear.
“To dust,” She whispered back, hoping it would remind him that she wasn't a weakling.
The goddess forbade her from forgetting the importance of her mission in Ravenest.
The entire Darkfur pack would pay for the pain they've caused her people.
And by the goddess, not even their grains or livestock will be remembered when she finishes with them.
“To Luna Alina!” A sudden chant rose from somewhere in the crowd, and Alina’s lips curved into a big smile as she raised her cup.
“To Luna Alina!”
- Writer
