Under the silver moon

Chapter 2: wedding with no love

Chapter 2: Wedding with no love

The great hall had lost its warmth.

The decorations were ideal just too ideal. Every silver ribbon shone brightly , every candle danced with careful intent, as if the room itself knew it was supposed to appear lovely, rather than to feel lovely . Serena stood at the end of the aisle, her breath tight in her chest, fingers gripping a bouquet of white winter roses that had a faint smell of frost and nothing more.

The gathering formed a barrier of gazes, people dressed in luxurious silks alongside wolves in formal black, organized into tidy groups while everyone feigned ignorance of the division.

Pressure buzzed beneath the ceremony's sleek exterior, akin to glass poised to break.

Her father's grip was firm on her arm as he escorted her down the aisle, inch by inch. She held her chin up, eyes focused on the person anticipating her at the altar.

Alpha Kael Draven. Her future spouse.

He exemplified tranquility, his expression chiseled into stoicism. Without a grin.

Absence of warmth. The fitted black suit embraced him like a second skin, the silver emblem of his pack shining on his shoulder. His gaze trailed her every movement, yet it was inscrutable, as if she were not a woman but just a job to finish..

When she reached him, her father’s hold relaxed . Kael offered his arm, and she placed her hand lightly on it,He’s hands cold as ice. His muscles were tense beneath the fine fabric, as if this entire display was an endurance test.

The officiant's voice resonated throughout the silent hall. The vows were official, devoid of artistry, with every word measured for political security. Serena recited her lines flawlessly, her voice unwavering despite the knot in her stomach. She saw a reflection of herself in the shiny silver cup on the altar her llips painted red, her eyes sharp. She looked like a woman playing a role in a drama she didn’t believe in.

When it came time for Kael’s vows, his tone was low, controlled, his words came out with no form of emotion in it. He didn’t look at her when he promised to protect the treaty, the alliance, the shared future. The word love was nowhere in the script.

Then the officiant paused, the air holding that ancient, expectant beat. “You may seal this union with a kiss.”

The room waited.

Kael did not move. His gaze swept over her face, lingered for a second, then shifted past her to the audience.He smirked as he shook his head .

Serena’s heart thudded one heavy, humiliating beat. The officiant cleared his throat, smoothed over the moment with a blessing, and the ceremony moved on, as if the absence of a kiss were a trivial oversight instead of a statement carved in stone.

The audience applauded , polite but thin. Serena turned with Kael to face the crowd, their arms brushing but not intertwining. The applause faded quickly, replaced by the scraping of chairs and the murmur of polite conversation as the reception began.

The ballroom beyond the altar had been transformed for the celebration long tables heavy with food neither of them would touch, a band playing music neither of them would dance to. Serena walked beside Kael, her steps measured. Every movement, every glance, was being judged.

They stood together as dignitaries approached with rehearsed congratulations. Kael played his part: a nod here, a clipped word there. Serena smiled, but her cheeks ached from the strain of forcing a smile . She kept imagining the headlines already being written: Treaty United by Vows, Not Affection.

When Kael stepped away to speak with one of his pack’s elders, Serena found herself momentarily unguarded. She turned toward the window, needing space, needing air. The snow had started to fall outside, delicate flakes swirling in the moonlight. It should have been beautiful. It wasn’t.

A shadow leaned close behind her.

“You won’t last a week.”

The voice was a woman’s low, amused, laced with the faintest growl. Serena turned sharply. The speaker was tall, with dark hair pulled back into a severe braid, her dress the deep green of forest shadows. There was something feral in her eyes, something that made Serena’s instincts scream wolf.

Serena’s grip tightened on her bouquet. “Excuse me?”

The woman’s smile was thin. “Kael doesn’t tolerate weakness. He doesn’t have patience for… outsiders.” She looked Serena over slowly, as if measuring her worth and finding it lacking. “You’ll be gone before the moon cycles.”

Serena felt the burn of every watching gaze in the room, even though no one else was close enough to hear. She straightened, lifting her chin in defiance. “Then it’s going to be a very long week.”

The wolf’s smile deepened more a challenge than approval before she melted back into the crowd.

Across the room, Kael was still speaking with his elder, but his gaze flicked toward her for the briefest instant. She couldn’t tell if he’d noticed the exchange. Maybe he didn’t care.

The music swelled, another flawless waltz. Serena stood in her perfect dress, in the perfect hall, married to a man who hadn’t kissed her, surrounded by strangers who wanted her gone. The roses in her hand were starting to wilt, their edges curling inward, petals already bruising.

She forced her fingers to loosen, one by one, and smiled at no one in particular.

If they wanted her to break, they would have to try harder.