Fated to my Sworn Enemy

Chapter Three

Layla's pov

I rolled my eyes in disbelief in front of the mirror, which felt like the millionth time. I still couldn't believe it was my own reflection staring back at me.

The day that was meant to be the most memorable of my life had become the worst moment instead. There I was, draped in a simple dress instead of a wedding gown.

I had anticipated this day for years but could not believe that Liam would not be the one I would be getting married to; instead, it would be a stranger. A total stranger!

"I should just get the hell out of this family and pack," I growled under my breath.

The wedding and mating ritual were set to take place under the full moon's light.

As dusk approached, a Beta from my soon-to-be pack who introduced himself to me as Zain drove me towards the notorious Wildforest territory.

The Wildforest Pack was infamous for its savagery and impregnable borders, ruled by the formidable Alpha Ares. For generations, this pack had been the most feared in the region. Under their current merciless Alpha, even the strongest packs treaded carefully, wary of incurring their wrath.

The absence of my adopted pack members during this journey spoke volumes about their disdain for me. Their rejection clawed at my heart, but I forced those feelings down. Instead, I allowed myself a glimmer of hope that I might find true belonging and perhaps even love within the ranks of my new family and pack.

Unbeknownst to me, Alpha Scott had been waiting for me at the entrance to the venue of the wedding, and immediately after I alighted from the car, he led me to the venue, silence lingering between us.

I inhaled deeply as we approached there—an archway of interwoven branches and bones where three guards stood sentinel.

Torches blazed on either side of the entrance.

"And here comes the bride." A person announced, and all heads turned towards me, which almost swept me off my feet in embarrassment.

My eyes darted through the crowd, landing on Liam and Zoey. Their fingers were intertwined and smug grins plastered across their faces.

My stomach churned, disgust rising like bile in my throat. How dare they flaunt their betrayal so shamelessly?

I forced my gaze away, focusing instead on the sacred circle where my soon-to-be husband and I would soon complete our marriage.

Suddenly, a voice thundered through my mind, shattering my composure: "Mate! Finally!"

Frantically, I scanned the gathering, searching for the source of that voice. But all I saw were impassive faces, their eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity.

Returning my gaze to my groom, I was confused to see his eyes widen as if in shock.

A wave of disappointment washed over me.

"I must be an eyesore to him," I thought bitterly.

Another rejection, another pack that would treat me as an outcast. I knew once my groom rejected me, his family and pack would definitely follow suit. The cycle seemed endless.

"It's time, Selina!" That same voice echoed in my head again, but the unfamiliar name only intensified my confusion.

Suddenly, a searing heat erupted within me. My muscles began to twitch and spasm, growing and reshaping beneath my skin.

I bit back a scream as pain lanced through my body, every nerve ending on fire.

My bones also cracked and shifted, lengthening and reshaping with sickening cracks. Could it be? No, it can't. It's not possible!

Surprisingly, my senses sharpened to an overwhelming degree—scents assaulted my nose, and sounds crashed against my eardrums.

Shifting my gaze at my groom, his face widened, not with disgust as I had feared but in disbelief.

Around me, gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Their expressions shifted from boredom to shock, then to something I could not quite comprehend.

I tried to speak, to ask what was happening, but only a whimper escaped my lips.

The world tilted sideways as I lost my balance; my body was no longer my own.

Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision. I fought against it, desperate to understand and to maintain consciousness. But the pull was too strong.

The last thing I saw was a sea of astonished faces; their eyes locked on me before everything went dark.

In that moment of oblivion, I had no idea that I had just experienced my first shift—a transformation that would change everything and mark the end of the weak Layla.