THE CHRISTMAS LUNA SATISFYING THE ENIGMAS

ALESSIA “I’ve always wanted to keep two mates in case one disappoints. Little did I know this principle would save me today.” He didn't even look at me as he spoke, his voice echoing off the chapel walls as he neared the altar. The words didn't just hurt; they shattered me. My bouquet slipped, hitting the floor with a dull thud. White petals scattered across the marble like debris from a wreck—the same way my heart was currently splintering. I thought the worst part of today was waking up to find my hand-designed gown missing, but hearing him say this, with that casual shrug in his voice? It was worse. Was this the "surprise" he’d been hinting at? For a second, I actually thought I’d lost it. Maybe the summer heat was making me hallucinate. I blinked, looking twice at Ethan, my mate of three years. But reality didn't shift. It just got colder. But who is he talking about? He’s standing here alone, my mind scrambled, trying to find a logic that wasn't there. Then, he snapped his fingers. The sound was sharp, like a whip c***k. Immediately, the side door of the chapel swung open. My jaw dropped. Lillian Matthews. His Beta, his "best friend." She walked in with a slow, steady stride, a smug grin plastered on her face. There was a spark in her eyes I’d never seen in all the years she’d spent trailing behind Ethan—something sharp and triumphant. Then I saw the dress. My eyes dragged down the silk, the intricate lace, the specific hem I’d spent weeks sewing. My wedding gown. My legs turned to water. I stumbled over my heels, catching myself just before I hit the floor. “What? What is this?” “You… you stole…” The words choked in my throat. Tears burned behind my lids, hot and stinging. I forced my legs to move, reaching out, wanting to scream, wanting to rip that veil off her head and drag her to the ground. “How could you?” I balled my fists so tight my nails bit into my palms, trying to see through the blur of fury. She was a Beta and I was just an Omega, but in that moment, I didn't care about ranks. The heat in my chest was enough to burn an Alpha to ash. “How could you steal my gown on my wedding day?” I lunged toward her, my heart screaming for some kind of justice, but Ethan’s hand clamped around my arm like a vice. The chapel was alive now—whispers hiss-crawling through the pews, the priest standing there like a statue of confusion. I felt like I was drowning in the middle of a room full of people. “Relax, honey. Don’t make a scene,” Ethan said. His tone was so flat, so bored, it was like he was talking about the weather and not the destruction of my life. “I paid you three thousand dollars for the dress you sewed. Consider it a commission.” I whipped my head around to look at him. My eyes were wide, vibrating with a mix of shock and pure loathing. “What do you mean by that?” I screamed. I wanted to make him flinch, but the twisted grin stayed fixed on his face. I looked back at Lillian. She had the exact same expression. It was a script. They’d written this together. “Tell me,” I spat through gritted teeth, my body shaking with a chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. “Why did you take it? Why her?” I hit my forehead with the heel of my hand, desperate to wake up from this nightmare. “Calm down and let me explain,” Ethan whined, acting like I was the one being difficult. “Lillian is my best friend. My first love, long before I ever met you. This wedding was always for her. Not you.” He paused, his eyes narrowing. “Not after I realized you were cheating on me.” The air left my lungs in a sharp gasp. My neck felt stiff as I stared at him, my lips parted. “Who is cheating?” The words flew out before I could process the insanity of it. I searched his face, looking for a sign of a joke, a breakdown—anything. How could he stand there with another woman in my dress and accuse me of betraying him? “You want me to say it in front of everyone?” He smirked, glancing at Lillian as if asking for her permission to ruin me further. The fire in my gut turned into a boiling rage. My wolf was pacing, snarling at the scent of a setup. “How could I cheat on you?” I barked back, my voice cracking but loud. “You kept me locked away! I don’t even breathe outside without you!” “Oh?” He snarled. The mask of the "loving mate" finally fell away, revealing something jagged and cruel. Alpha Ethan looked dangerous now. His smile wasn't a smile anymore; it was a threat. “Behave yourself. Do you realize where you are?” He barked at me—really barked—for the first time ever. I recoiled, horror washing over me. He just laughed, reaching out to grab the collar of my dress, his eyes bleeding into a dark, suffocating red. I felt the breath leave me. I thought this was it. “I’ve never seen a guilty person bark so loud. You’re like a dog,” he hissed. “Shameless bitch.” Lillian pressed a handkerchief to her mouth, a small, dainty chuckle escaping her. “That’s exactly why she could never be your Luna, Ethan.” Ethan didn't even look at her; his red eyes were locked on mine. “Listen to me. I’m saying this so everyone hears. You were never meant to be a Luna. Not from the start.” He pointed a finger at my chest. “You’re just beautiful. That’s it.” He leaned in, emphasizing the word. “Thank the Goddess I didn’t take you seriously, even when I felt myself falling. Imagine how broken I’d be now if I’d actually trusted a traitor.” He kept going, throwing insults like stones, but he still hadn't said what I’d supposedly done. My heart felt like it was physically failing. “What did I do?” I cried out, the sound tearing from my throat. “Please, just tell me!” He looked at me with pure disgust before rolling his eyes and turning toward the crowd. “Lillian and I have been best friends since we were kids. We went through everything together. I thought we’d just stay friends, but fate has a funny way of changing the plan. I fell in love with her a long time ago.”