His Bride,Their Prey

Chapter 11

Elena stood at the top of the grand staircase, staring down at the sea of unfamiliar faces gathered below.

Men in perfectly tailored suits.

Women dressed in diamonds.

Guards stationed discreetly along the walls.

And everywhere she looked...

Eyes.

Watching her.

Judging her.

Whispering.

She swallowed.

Her fingers tightened around the bouquet Bianca had placed in her hands.

White roses.

Beautiful.

Almost painfully so.

It felt wrong that something so innocent could exist in a place like this.

Sophia stood beside her, gently adjusting the edge of her veil.

"Don't worry."

Elena gave her a nervous look.

"I'm trying."

Sophia smiled softly.

"You look beautiful."

Elena looked down at herself.

The wedding gown fit perfectly.

The long train flowed behind her.

The veil covered part of her face.

Everything about her looked like a bride.

Except she didn't feel like one.

She felt like a prisoner dressed for execution.

Sophia seemed to notice the change in her expression.

"You don't have to be happy today."

Elena looked at her.

Sophia's voice softened.

"Just get through it."

Elena nodded.

Then—

Music began playing.

Every conversation stopped.

Elena's heart pounded.

She took her first step.

Then another.

The long staircase suddenly felt endless.

As she descended, she noticed the people seated closest to the altar.

Alessandro Moretti sat at the front.

His expression was unreadable.

Beside him sat several unfamiliar faces.

Members of the Five Families.

People Elena had only ever heard about in whispers.

Her stomach twisted.

Then her eyes found him.

Lucien.

He stood beside the altar.

Black suit.

Black tie.

Expression carved from stone.

He looked completely unaffected.

As though this were simply another business meeting.

Their eyes met.

For one brief moment...

Something changed in his expression.

Not much.

Just a flicker.

His gaze moved over her wedding gown.

Then returned to her face.

Elena couldn't tell what he was thinking.

She hated that.

She hated how impossible he was to read.

When she finally reached him, Lucien extended his hand.

Elena stared at it.

Then at him.

"Don't make me wait," he murmured.

She rolled her eyes.

"You're so romantic."

One corner of his mouth almost lifted.

Almost.

Elena placed her hand in his.

His fingers closed around hers.

Warm.

Steady.

And for some strange reason...

She felt a little less terrified.

The ceremony began.

Words were spoken.

Promises were made.

Promises neither of them had written.

Promises neither of them had chosen.

When it came time for the vows, Elena looked at Lucien.

The priest turned toward him.

"Do you, Lucien Moretti, take Elena Rossi as your lawful wife?"

Silence.

Lucien's eyes remained on hers.

Then—

"I do."

Two words.

Simple.

Final.

The priest turned toward Elena.

"And do you, Elena Rossi, take Lucien Moretti as your lawful husband?"

Elena's throat tightened.

She looked around the room.

At the guards.

At Alessandro.

At the strangers watching her.

At the man standing beside her.

There was no escape.

Not today.

Maybe not ever.

She inhaled slowly.

"I do."

The words barely left her mouth.

Yet they echoed through the silent ballroom.

And somewhere in the crowd...

Someone smiled.

Not happily.

Not proudly.

Almost...

Knowingly.

Elena didn't notice.

But Lucien did.

His eyes briefly shifted toward the back of the room.

His expression hardened.

Then he looked at Elena again.

The priest smiled.

"You may kiss the bride."

Elena's eyes widened.

"...What?"

Lucien leaned closer.

"You heard him."

"Don't you dare—"

His hand settled lightly against her waist.

And before Elena could finish—

His lips brushed hers.

The kiss was brief.

Controlled.

Almost painfully restrained.

Yet the entire ballroom erupted into applause.

Elena pulled back, her cheeks burning.

Lucien looked completely unaffected.

She whispered through clenched teeth.

"I hate you."

He leaned slightly closer.

"Noted."

Her eyes narrowed.

"I mean it."

"I know."

Then his gaze shifted past her shoulder.

His face changed.

Elena followed his eyes.

At the far end of the ballroom stood Damiano.

Holding a glass of champagne.

Smiling.

Beside him...

Vivian De Luca.

Her expression was anything but pleased.

Elena frowned.

"What are they looking at?"

Lucien's hand tightened slightly around hers.

"Nothing you need to worry about."

Elena looked back at him.

"That's becoming your favorite sentence."

His eyes met hers.

"Because you worry too much."

Before Elena could respond, the music began again.

The guests started moving toward them.

One by one, members of the Five Families approached to offer their congratulations.

But Elena couldn't shake the strange feeling that something was wrong.

Because while everyone was congratulating the newly married couple...

She noticed one man standing completely still.

A stranger.

At the very back of the ballroom.

Watching her.

Not Lucien.

Not Damiano.

Not anyone she recognized.

His eyes met hers.

And then...

He smiled.

Elena's stomach dropped.

She blinked.

But when she looked again—

He was gone.

She turned toward Lucien.

"Did you see that?"

Lucien frowned.

"See what?"

Elena looked toward the empty spot.

"...Nothing."

But deep inside...

She knew it wasn't nothing.

Someone had been watching her.

And somehow...

She had the terrifying feeling that this wedding had never been about love.

It had been the beginning of something much bigger.

Something she wasn't supposed to survive.

Elena's eyes lifted.

Something had caught her attention.

High above the ballroom, beyond the enormous windows, something glinted beneath the afternoon light.

She narrowed her eyes.

What the hell was that?

She squinted harder.

There.

Something long.

Dark.

Pointed directly toward them.

Her stomach dropped.

Elena immediately tapped Lucien's arm.

He was surrounded by several men congratulating him, barely paying attention to anything else.

"H-hey..."

Lucien glanced at her.

"What?"

She pointed toward the windows.

"What's that?"

His eyes followed her finger.

For a second, he didn't react.

Then his entire expression changed.

His jaw tightened.

His eyes darkened.

"Shit."

Elena frowned.

"What?"

Lucien's head snapped toward Marco.

"Everyone get down!"

Marco's hand immediately went to his weapon.

Lucien grabbed Elena around the waist.

"It's a goddamn sniper."

Elena's eyes widened.

"What—"

BANG!

The sound tore through the ballroom.

Everyone screamed.

Lucien threw Elena to the ground, covering her with his body as the bullet shattered one of the enormous windows behind them.

Glass exploded across the ballroom.

Elena screamed, covering her head.

People scattered in every direction.

Chairs overturned.

Women shrieked.

Men reached beneath their jackets for weapons.

The music stopped abruptly.

For one terrifying second, everything became chaos.

Lucien pushed himself up.

"Elena!"

"I'm here!"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind one of the marble pillars.

Another gunshot rang out.

BANG!

A bullet slammed into the pillar where Elena's head had been moments earlier.

She gasped.

Lucien's expression became murderous.

"Stay here."

He reached for the pistol beneath his jacket.

Elena grabbed his sleeve.

"N-no..."

Lucien glanced back.

Her voice trembled.

"Don't go."

For a moment, he simply stared at her.

The woman who had argued with him at every opportunity...

Who had slapped him.

Who had repeatedly told him she didn't need him.

Was now looking at him with genuine fear.

Her hands were shaking.

Lucien's expression softened for the briefest second.

He crouched slightly so they were at eye level.

"I'm coming back."

"But—"

"I said I'm coming back."

His voice was firm.

Certain.

Then he stood.

"Don't move."

And before Elena could stop him, he disappeared into the chaos.

Minutes felt like hours.

Elena remained behind the pillar, listening to shouting and the distant sound of gunfire.

Every time another shot rang out, her entire body flinched.

She hugged herself tightly.

Please come back".

"She didn't even understand why she was thinking it.

She had spent her time telling herself she hated this man.

She hated the marriage.

She hated the mansion.

She hated the life he'd forced upon her.

Yet right now...

All she wanted was to see him walk through those doors.

Then—

Footsteps.

Elena's head snapped up.

Lucien appeared through the chaos.

His suit was slightly disheveled.

His hair had fallen across his forehead.

But he was alive.

Her breath caught.

"Lucien..."

He barely had time to react.

Elena rushed toward him.

Her arms wrapped around his waist.

Tightly.

Lucien froze.

Completely.

She buried her face against his chest, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"I thought..."

Her voice cracked.

"I thought you weren't coming back."

Lucien looked down at her.

For once, he had absolutely no idea what to say.

His arms remained at his sides for a moment.

Then slowly...

One hand settled against her back.

The other rested gently against the back of her head.

"I'm here."

Elena held him tighter.

Her fingers curled into his jacket.

Neither of them noticed the eyes watching them from across the ballroom.

Damiano's faint smile disappeared.

And from the other side of the room...

Vivian stared at them.

Her expression hardened.

Because ...

She realized something she desperately didn't want to believe.

Lucien Moretti was beginning to care about his bride.