Chapter 1
Ava's POV:
On my wedding day, I spotted it immediately.
The man standing in the groom's place wasn't my fiancé, Alpha Liam.
It was his identical twin brother, Noah.
Amid the raucous cheers and excited chatter, Noah leaned close, his warm breath brushing my ear.
"Ava, Liam got held up and will be late. He asked me to stand in for him for now."
Got held up?
What the hell could've been more important than showing up for his own wedding?
Off to the side, Liam's friends were clapping and cheering, but their hushed, snickering remarks didn't escape me.
"Liam's got some nerve, letting Noah stand in for him at his own wedding. Isn't he worried Ava will figure it out?"
"What choice did he have? Mia insisted on coming back to the pack today, so he took off at the c***k of dawn to pick her up from the airport."
"Relax. It's fine. Ava's head over heels for him, isn't she? Even if she finds out, she won't make a scene."
All because Mia was back?
I dug my nails so deep into my palm that they nearly broke the skin. A sharp, bitter ache spread through my chest, and I couldn't force it down.
Later, when Noah and I got into the wedding car, he slouched against the seat, scrolling through his phone.
I wiped the stray tears from my cheeks and texted Ethan, Liam's biggest rival and the Alpha who'd been pursuing me for seven years.
Ava: You once said you wanted to marry me. Does that offer still stand?
*****
The Dubois Pack had an old wedding tradition.
Before the ceremony officially began, the bride and the groom had to share the opening waltz to get everyone in the mood to celebrate.
The music swelled, and Noah took my hand. Following my lead, we glided onto the dance floor.
I'd practiced this exact dance for more than a month to make sure I got every step right. I'd even practiced until my toes were rubbed raw and bleeding.
Now that I was finally dancing it at my own wedding, the man dancing with me wasn't my mate.
That sharp, bitter ache surged through my chest again. My head spun so badly that I could barely think straight. Before I could catch myself, I missed a step and stomped on Noah's foot.
He let out an annoyed huff.
"Ava, could you at least put more effort into practicing? Mia's a much better dancer than you are!"
Mia. That name again.
Of course both brothers were completely hung up on her.
When the dance ended, Liam's parents looked at us warmly and applauded.
Everything looked so natural.
It was almost as if the man I was actually marrying really was Liam.
Everyone always said Liam and Noah were the most identical twin werewolves anyone had ever seen.
I couldn't tell whether these people genuinely couldn't tell them apart or whether they were all playing along, just like Liam's friends.
A searing lump rose in my throat, raw and painful.
Right before the ceremony was about to begin, my best friend Lily pulled me aside to touch up my makeup.
"Ava, you're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen."
I stared at my reflection in the floor-length mirror, wrapped in layers of ivory lace.
My makeup was flawless, and my wedding gown had been tailored to perfection.
I'd gone through dozens of makeup artists before choosing the best one.
I'd spent a fortune on this dress.
Every detail had been planned to make me the perfect bride.
The second I stepped out of the makeup room, Liam appeared around the corner.
His tie was crooked, and sweat beaded across his forehead. He'd clearly rushed over as fast as he could.
Lily tilted her head, confused.
"Is Liam really that nervous? He's sweating buckets, and the ceremony hasn't even started."
Liam took a deep breath. A flicker of surprise crossed his face when he saw me.
"Ava, you look stunning today."
He and Noah had swapped outfits in such a rush that he hadn't even bothered changing the dress shirt underneath.
The wedding procession started at 7 in the morning, and 5 hours had passed since then.
Had he really been waiting at the airport all this time?
Or had he spent those hours with Mia?
So many questions churned in my mind, all begging to be answered.
I smiled and reached up to straighten his crooked tie.
"But you don't look quite as dapper as you should today."
Just then, one of the bridesmaids walked over.
"Ava, you still haven't given me the rings for the ceremony."
I looked at Liam, keeping my expression perfectly composed.
He calmly pulled out a small velvet box.
Lily snatched it from his hand and flipped it open.
"Wait a second. This doesn't look like the Dubois Pack's Luna Ring, does it?"
I followed her gaze and stared at the ring inside.
The diamond was huge and dazzling, yet it felt completely foreign to me.
Liam shrugged as if it were no big deal.
"Ava, I lost the Luna Ring and got a replacement."
Lost it?
The Luna Ring was an heirloom passed down through generations, the ultimate symbol of the Luna's status in the pack. How could someone lose something that important?
The change in my expression made Liam's eyes soften slightly.
"This works fine as a wedding ring, too."
Lily clenched the fabric of her skirt and fixed Liam with a sharp stare.
"That ring represents the Luna's status. Did you actually lose it... or did you give it to someone else?"
The atmosphere quickly turned sour, and the best man stepped in to smooth things over.
"Come on, this ring is obviously worth a fortune! It's every bit as good as the Luna Ring. You can see how much Liam values you, Ava."
The air grew thick with awkwardness. Every eye in the room turned toward me, waiting for my reaction.
Suddenly, Liam's phone buzzed.
The second he saw the caller ID, his calm facade cracked. A flicker of panic crossed his face.
I didn't recognize the number, but I knew exactly who was calling.
Mia.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
I gave him a cool smile.
"Go ahead and take it. Sounds important."
He patted my shoulder, turned on his heel, and walked away without hesitation.
Not long after, Noah appeared with the groom's boutonniere pinned to his lapel.
He sighed, leaned down, and whispered in my ear again, his voice edged with frustration.
"Liam's got an emergency. He asked me to fill in for him again."
