The Monsters Beneath My Wedding Veil

Wedding interruption

Sandriner's Pov

I stood under the arch of white roses with my hand still held in Sandrick’s. The High Priest’s question hung in the air between us. Every face in the great hall waited for my answer. My lips parted, but the words would not form. The mate bond pulled so hard it felt like someone had reached inside my chest and refused to let go.

I could feel Delvis and Delhir more clearly than ever. Their presence pressed against my mind—steady, fierce, and certain. My wolf refused to accept the vows. She growled low and constant, drowning out the quiet music and the soft rustle of guests shifting in their seats. The white veil brushed my cheek. The heavy pearls on my dress seemed to weigh more with each passing second.

Sandrick’s thumb moved gently across my knuckles. “Sandriner,” he said in a voice meant only for me. “Look at me.”

I forced my eyes up to his. The blue of his gaze was calm, but I saw the first real concern there. “I am trying,” I whispered.

“You do not have to force yourself,” he answered. “If something is wrong, tell me. We can stop for a moment.”

Before I could reply, a soft blue light flickered along the row of candles nearest the aisle. Then another. Then another. The golden flames turned the same strange blue I had seen in my room the night before. A low murmur rose from the guests. Some pointed. Others leaned toward their neighbors and whispered.

The High Priest turned his head toward the candles, brows drawing together. “That is… unusual.”

Sandrick’s grip on my hand tightened. He stared at the blue fire, and his calm expression cracked. “I have only heard of that color in old stories,” he said under his breath.

The bond inside me surged again, stronger than before. Heat flooded my chest. My knees weakened. I swayed, and Sandrick quickly steadied me with his other hand. “Sandriner!”

I could barely hear him. For a brief moment the great hall faded. I smelled damp stone and cold iron. I felt the scrape of silver chains and the restless energy of two Alphas who had waited years for this day. Their strength followed, holding me steady even as everything around me began to tilt.

A sudden loud crash echoed from the eastern side of the castle. It was distant but heavy, like stone breaking or a great door slamming against rock. Several guests stood up. Guards near the side doors exchanged quick looks.

A young messenger in council colors burst through the eastern entrance, breathing hard. He ran straight toward the High Council seats and spoke in a rushed, urgent voice that still carried far enough for those of us at the altar to hear. “The lower halls… the old sealed levels… something is moving down there. The silver wards are failing. We need more men—”

The tall gray-haired council member rose sharply. “Not here. Not now.”

But it was too late. The words had already spread through the front rows. More guests stood. The soft music stopped completely. Confusion rolled through the hall like a rising tide.

I felt the bond pull one final time, deep and demanding. My wolf howled inside me. The blue flames along the aisle rose higher, casting strange light across the white roses and the silver banners. Sandrick turned fully toward me, both hands now holding my arms. “Sandriner, stay with me. Tell me what is happening.”

I looked into his eyes and knew I could not speak the full truth. Not yet. Not with hundreds of people watching. “I cannot do this,” I said, the words leaving me in a shaky breath. “Not today. Not like this.”

The High Priest stepped closer, his voice low but firm. “My lady, the ceremony—”

Another deep sound rolled up from below, longer this time. It felt as if the very foundations of the castle had shifted. Dust drifted down from the high stone ceiling. Several women cried out. Men reached for the ceremonial swords at their sides.

Sandrick’s face hardened with decision. He kept one arm around me and raised his voice so the hall could hear. “The ceremony is paused. Guests will remain calm. Guards, secure the eastern wing and report at once.”

He looked back at me, searching my face. “You are pale. You need to sit.”

I shook my head. The mate bond still burned, but now it carried something new—hope mixed with warning. Delvis and Delhir were no longer simply waiting. Something had changed in the prison below. The silver chains that had held them for so long were no longer absolute.

I stared at the side doors that led toward the eastern staircases. My heart raced. The wedding that was meant to unite the kingdom had stopped before the final vow could be spoken. And somewhere deep beneath our feet, the true heirs of the throne had begun to wake.