His Runaway Luna

Amelia’s POV: Click, click, click. I take careful, tentative steps in my new stilettos, the clicking sound echoing down the hallway of the pack house. It’s the first time I’ve stepped into the territory of Blue Lake Pack, the very pack that exiled me when I was still an infant, despite the fact that my father, Henry Wiley, is the pack Alpha. Tonight is a Blue Moon Night, a rare occurrence, and it's also my twin sister Mia's wedding day. The groom's pack insists that the wedding happen today, but Mia is stuck abroad with urgent matters, unable to make it back. So, here I am, standing in for her as the bride. Henry has promised me that as long as I follow his plan and play the bride’s role, he’ll help Grandma Amanda with her illness and let us rejoin the pack once the wedding is over. The white wedding dress belongs to Mia, yet it fits me like it’s tailor-made for me, hugging my body perfectly, with the middle sleeves long enough to cover the fiery red birthmark that snakes its way from my shoulder to my upper arm. The lace details are pretty, and the beading on the top makes it sparkle just enough. With joy, I spin in a circle, twirling the hem of the dress. I’ve never worn something this beautiful. As I pass by a slightly ajar door, a female voice from inside draws my attention. "Dad, what if Amelia finds out the truth? What if she tries to escape?" The female sounds worried. Who is speaking? Mia? Isn’t she abroad? What are they talking about? Driven by curiosity, I hold my breath, tiptoe quietly, and edge closer to the door. "She won't. She thinks she's just helping you out. She doesn't know we're selling her to Alpha Arthur." What? Selling me? To whom? Henry's words hit me like a punch to the gut. “It’s a pity...If Arthur Moore isn’t a lunatic, I’d love to be his Luna. After all, Blood Shadow is the most powerful pack in the region. But you know, Dad, they all say he already killed several servants! “And he looks like an old man although he’s only 30-something. He's got wrinkles all over his face. So terrible!” “Moon Malady. He suffers from Moon Malady. It ages the sufferers quickly and drives them mad!” Hearing Henry, my eyes widen. “Oh, geeze...” The female giggles. “Arthur desperately needs a solution, or his status will be challenged. To the outside world, he claims he will take a chosen mate, but the truth is, he needs a woman with Alpha blood to sacrifice to the Moon, so he can cure the sickness and increase the chance to find his fated mate soon. Whatever, he’ll take Amelia, and we’ll get the money. It’s a win-win.” Henry lays it all out without any hint of sympathy, as if the pitiful girl who is about to be sacrificed has nothing to do with him. I stumble back from the door, my mind reeling. So, this is their trap? I can’t stop my hands from shaking. The joy I had just a moment ago is now replaced by pain. They are my father and sister. How can they be this cruel? Mia is only several minutes older than me, but our fates are thousands of miles apart. She’s the Alpha’s prized daughter, and I’m nothing but a rogue that everyone shuns and despises. The day my mother gave birth to us, the pack elders shook their heads at me. They said the fiery red birthmark on my left shoulder and arm was an ill omen of disaster. And they thought the way my strong mother died in childbirth was the best proof of their beliefs. Henry had wanted to kill me, but Grandma Amanda pleaded for my life. As a result, we were exiled from the pack, living as rogues. I always feel guilty for Grandma. I’m the reason she can’t live with her pack. There was a chance I might return to the pack at 16 when I was supposed to gain my wolf. But I didn't. I’m a werewolf without a wolf, a fate worse than being exiled. Henry’s visit and offer rekindled my hope. But now, that hope has been replaced by a colder, harder knot of betrayal. My heart aches. I was born unwanted, but never have I thought of giving up on myself. I must fight for my own life. I can’t be the substitute bride, the sacrifice. Grandma needs me. I have to get out of here before it’s too late. Backing away from the door, I try to calm my racing thoughts. I don’t have a wolf, so it’s impossible to run faster than Henry and his people. Thank goddess, I got an Uber. Just as I’m about to make my escape, my phone chimes. I notice that the voices in the room have fallen silent. They must’ve realized someone’s right outside! The door’s pulled open, and I come face to face with Henry, and a girl who’s my spitting image. Mia. Fury boils me again at the sight of her. I yank the veil off my head and toss it at the schemer. “Now that the real bride is back, my role as a substitute is over! Congrats on your mating!” I say, dripping with sarcasm. Then I spin on my heel, ready to leave, but Mia stops me by grabbing my elbow. “You can’t leave, b*tch! You have no choice but to get married! Remember, your grandma is still in the hospital, waiting for the money to save her ass!” Mia narrows her eyes, shouting at the top of her lungs. My heart sinks. Is she really my sister? Why is there no warmth coming from her? “She is also your grandma!” I snap bitterly. “So what? She never cares about me. I don’t give a sh*t about her life and death.” A cold, sneering smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. What a heartless woman! Enraged, I snatch a vase and throw it at Mia. She screams in terror. While Henry’s checking on her, I take my chance to escape. Kicking off the shining stilettos and picking up the long gown, I run at my maximum speed. Behind me, I hear Henry shout, “Stop her!” As soon as I reach the exit, I quickly glance at my phone. My Uber has arrived. It’s a black car, with plate number 68... “Black, 68...” I mutter to myself, gasping for breath and scanning the surroundings. In a second, a car stops right in front of me. It’s black, and the number is 68... My Uber! My face lights up. I dash to the car, only to get tripped and fall to the floor. The dress tangles around my legs, and I struggle to get up. Henry and his men are closing in, their footsteps louder and louder. Panic surges through me. I am doomed... Suddenly, the door of the Uber car bursts open, and the driver steps out. A single sight of him makes my breath catch. Is he a prince? He is tall and broad-shouldered, with a muscular build. His face is rugged, his jawline firm, and he has short, dark hair. Those green eyes are deep-set, so gorgeous that it’s hard to look away. With long, quick strides, he walks toward me. His eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that makes my heart skip a beat. "Need some help?" he asks softly, stretching his strong, beautifully sculpted hand…