Chapter 3
1183 Words
Two days before the rescheduled wedding, my wedding planner arrived at the apartment with her sample catalogs.
She spread fabric swatches across the table and looked up at me politely.
"Ma'am, would you prefer champagne gold or ivory white table linens?"
I pointed casually at one option.
"This one is fine."
The planner blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by my indifference.
After all, I had personally overseen every detail of the original wedding preparations, choosing every decoration and arrangement with meticulous care.
She asked cautiously, "And the tableware? Silver or gold trim?"
"Either is fine."
"For your bridal bouquet, white roses or lily of the valley?"
"Whatever you think is best."
She glanced between me and her catalog, hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Ma'am, this is your once-in-a-lifetime wedding."
I lifted my gaze to meet hers.
"Then trust your professional judgment."
She didn't dare ask any more questions. After gathering her samples, she quickly left.
The moment the door clicked shut, I returned to studying the ritual materials Eleanor had sent me, memorizing every step of the rejection ceremony.
Suddenly, my phone lit up with a message from Adrian, ordering me to bring two cups of coffee to his study.
With the ritual only two days away, I couldn't afford to make him suspicious.
Suppressing my disgust, I prepared the coffee and carried it down the hall to the study. With a gentle push, I opened the door.
Adrian was in the middle of a video conference with senior pack members, their serious faces filling the screen.
Lena sat beside him, taking notes, a clean white bandage wrapped around her neck.
The moment she saw me, a flicker of triumph flashed through her eyes.
I quietly placed the cups on the side table.
Adrian never looked away from the screen.
"The meeting will be over soon. You can leave first."
Without saying a word, I turned to walk out.
Just before I closed the door, Lena's soft, sweet voice drifted out.
"Thank you, Alpha. I'm so lucky to have you..."
I pulled the door shut and leaned against the hallway wall.
A low warning growl rumbled from deep within my wolf soul.
I pressed a hand firmly against my chest, forcing down the emotions surging inside me.
'Just two more days. I only need to hold on a little longer.'
After the conference ended, Adrian sent a driver to take Lena home.
Seeing me standing by the living room window, he walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his affection feeling painfully forced.
"How are the wedding preparations going?" he asked casually, putting on the appearance of a concerned fiancé.
"Everything is on schedule." I turned around and freed myself from his grasp.
He nodded and added casually, "Lena will be attending the wedding too. She's my most important assistant, so she can't miss it."
I stared ahead.
"She's still recovering from her injury. Are you sure her attendance is a good idea?"
A faint frown appeared between his brows.
"She insisted on coming. I couldn't refuse her."
I repeated his words softly, "You couldn't refuse her."
He failed to notice the sarcasm in my voice.
"She said she wanted to witness my wedding. After all, she's been by my side for years."
A cold smile touched my lips.
"That's wonderful for her."
At my response, he glanced at me, seeming to notice something was wrong, but he chose not to ask. Instead, he went to the bedroom to change.
During dinner, we sat at opposite ends of the dining table, several feet of empty space between us like an invisible wall.
Adrian slowly cut into his steak.
"I'm going to Pack Headquarters tomorrow to deal with the aftermath of the Rogue invasion. Tell the housekeeper if you need anything while I'm gone."
"Alright."
"The planner will go over the final wedding arrangements with you one last time."
"Okay."
He put down his silverware, obvious frustration flashing across his face.
"One-word answers. Seriously?"
I stared directly at him.
"What exactly do you want me to say?"
He hesitated to say something, then stopped. With an impatient scoff, he looked away.
"Never mind."
Dinner ended without another word between us.
Adrian returned to his study to work, while I went to the bedroom to sort through my belongings.
I opened my wardrobe and stared at the white wedding dress hanging inside.
Hand-embroidered lace and shimmering Swarovski crystals adorned the gown, along with a sweeping nine-foot train.
The planner had praised it as the most beautiful wedding dress in the entire city.
My fingers brushed against the cool fabric.
It felt as cold as my heart had become.
*****
At 10 p.m., the doorbell rang.
I opened the door and found Lena standing on the porch.
She wore a beige trench coat, a silk scarf covering the bandage around her neck, and held an exquisitely wrapped gift box.
"I'm sorry to bother you this late, Elara. I brought a small wedding gift to wish you happiness," she said with a gentle smile.
I stepped aside and let her in.
Lena glanced around the living room.
"Is Adrian home?"
"He's in the study."
She handed me the gift box.
"This is just a small token of my goodwill."
I untied the ribbon and opened the box, revealing a sleek platinum necklace with a tiny crescent moon pendant.
"Adrian and I picked this out together. He said you prefer simple, understated designs," she explained softly.
My eyes rested on the delicate necklace.
The design was indeed simple and minimal, exactly as she had described.
"Thank you."
I closed the box.
Her smile softened, and her voice lowered into a quiet, smug whisper.
"To be honest, Adrian has always cared about me deeply. If not for your fated mate bond, he would have chosen me a long time ago."
I met her gaze without a reaction.
She leaned closer, her voice filled with deliberate provocation.
"Do you know why he never marked you all these years? It's because he couldn't bear to leave me. He told me himself that the Luna title is only a responsibility. I'm the one who truly has his heart."
I suddenly laughed.
The cold sound caught Lena off guard, leaving her stunned.
"Then good luck getting whatever it is you want tomorrow."
Confusion flashed across her face.
"What do you mean?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I stepped forward and opened the door.
"It's late. You should go home."
She stared at me for several seconds, unable to understand my calm reaction, then finally walked away.
After closing the door, I walked to the full-length mirror and put on the platinum necklace.
The cold metal pressed against my skin, feeling less like jewelry and more like an unbreakable chain.
I stared at my reflection.
The warmth that had once filled my eyes was gone, replaced by the frozen stillness.
In two days, I would speak the rejection oath with my own lips.
"Adrian, just wait and see. This wedding will become the greatest nightmare of your life."
- Writer
