Episode 002
1124 Words
The wedding Day
Kaelen's Pov
She kissed me.
I almost forgot where I was for a second. There was no chapel, no people, and no pastor. It was just her. This weak little Omega stood in front of me, shaking, with her lips pressed against mine as if she were signing her death sentence.
I already knew everything her eyes had said. Fear. I saw that same fear in everyone who looked at me. They never saw me as a wolf but a , monster, the mask, and the scars. She was just like the rest. Like everyone else, Maelis was afraid of me.
I had told myself that it didn't matter. Let them be afraid of me. People stayed in line because they were scared. Fear made me untouchable. But when her mouth touched mine, soft and desperate, it made my chest feel tight in a way I had never felt before.
I had never tasted anything like her. Sweet, like a child. A taste that wasn't mine. But my body acted like I had been starving for it my whole life. My heart was pounding in my chest. It sounded like buzzing bees in my ears.
I pulled her closer without meaning to. I ran my hand through her hair and held it tightly, pulling her close as if I could make us one. My tongue pushed through her lips, looking for something to eat.
"Control yourself," Eric, my wolf, growled inside me. "You will break her."
But I couldn't. The more she shook, the more I wanted her. She was fragile and shook like a rabbit caught in a snare. I ate her like I had the right to.
"Kaelen, she can't breathe!" Eric got frustrated.
I opened my eyes for a second and saw her face turn bright red. Her chest struggled to get air. Her hands were stiff against me, not pulling me closer, but holding her ground. Fear. Always be afraid.
I let her go, and my fingers shook as they fell from her hair. Her brown eyes were wide and scared as they locked on mine. And at that moment, I could see it written all over her face. She thought the rumors were true. She thought the mask was real. She thought I was a monster.
I straightened up, jaw tight, and made myself finish the ceremony before she ran away from me completely. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the small black box that I had been carrying all morning.
When I opened it, the sapphire stone caught the light and lit up the chapel. The ring. The ring my mother gave me. The queens have passed it down for generations. In her will, she clearly said, "Give this to the woman who becomes your Luna." I promised to do what she wanted.
When I held it out for Maelis, it felt heavy in my hand.
I said, "As my Luna, you will wear the ring of the royals," and my voice echoed in the quiet room.
She opened her mouth. She looked down at the ring and then back up at me. Her teeth bit into her bottom lip as she looked at her father. Tharold sat up straight in the front row, his eyes shining with pride. Evelora sat next to him and held Soriah's hand. Both women had smug looks on their faces. They thought they had won.
Maelis looked back at me, and even though she was scared, she smiled a little. She nodded.
"Yes," she said in a whisper. "I agree."
The pastor's voice broke through the silence and brought us together. The ring slipped onto her finger, which was too small for it.
But the quiet in the chapel wasn't peaceful. It was waiting. Looking. Taking measurements.
And as I held her hand tighter, I wondered if I had just tied myself to either salvation or ruin.
...
Soriah's Point of View
When I saw her standing there, I wanted to scream. My sister. My weak, sad sister shone in front of the chapel like she belonged there with him.
The people in the crowd were shocked and talking to each other. Many people looked at her like they had never seen her before. I hadn't either. She looked... lovely. It hurt my chest to say it.
The white dress fit her perfectly. The silk trailed behind her with the fluidity of a river. The light coming through the stained glass made her skin shine. A silver barrette held back her hair, making it sparkle like something special. The box with the royal seal on it had the brioche in it. A present just for Maelis.
I remembered how it felt in my hands last night. I had taken it from her and laughed at how confused she looked holding it.
I snapped, "You don't even know what this necklace is." "You will lose it by the end of the week." Someone like me should wear it.
I was putting it in my hair and smiling at the mirror when Father came in. His hand ripped it from me, and his voice was sharp.
"This isn't yours. You said no to Kaelen. You picked Cedric. "Sit with your choice."
He had thrown it back at her. She had caught it, and her eyes were wide, but she didn't say anything. That silence hurt more than any words could.
Here she was, standing next to Kaelen, wearing the dress, the brioche, and the ring. All the presents I had wanted. Everything that should have been mine.
When the doors finally opened and Kaelen came in, my chest burned even more. For a second, I thought he wouldn't come at all because he had figured out that Maelis wasn't worth it. The thought of leaving her alone nearly made me laugh.
But he did come. And when he walked by me, the room got quiet.
Cedric's mouth was open next to me. He was looking at her.
I dug my nails into his arm. "Watch your eyes."
He blinked and looked at me, his cheeks turning red. "I'm sorry, love." I've never seen her like this before.
Nobody had, I had never seen her like this before.
I hissed, "She is your ex now." "Don't forget what you chose."
He kissed me on the head. "Of course." I will stand by you.
But his eyes gave him away.
I made my hands into fists and made myself look back at the altar.
And that's when I noticed it.
The ring that Maelis wore. The sapphire stone shone brightly in the chapel lights.
The royal family's ring.
How could she, of all people, be the one to wear it?
- Writer
