Rejected By Fate, Bound By Blood

vaelora “You should have let me die.” Alaric was on the ground, completely covered in blood. So was the battlefield. Those who survived knelt beside Alaric, their heads resting on the ground. "You will look at me when I talk to you. Look into my eyes. Look at the monster that you helped create," I said with a smile because I was a monster, and I wore it with pride. I wasn't ashamed of what I was. "Vaelora..." he said my name in a weak voice, and I wanted to rip the head off his neck, but instead, I just watched him. The powerful Alpha of the Blood Fang Pack was at my mercy. He had this coming all along. I lowered myself to his level. "Isn't it poetic? You ruined my life. You ruined the life I could have had. I am just returning the favor." Without another word, I stood up and walked out of there, completely drenched in the blood of my enemies. But I didn't feel what I thought I was going to. I didn't feel happy or victorious. I just felt more pain, and it wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried to shove it down. This was all I had wanted for four years, and the satisfaction I was supposed to get wasn't there. FOUR YEARS EARLIER "Today is the day," Lisa said as we both lay on the bed, facing each other. "Yes, it is," I replied, unable to hide my smile. I couldn't believe today was actually the day. I had been dreaming of it for so long, and it was finally here. Lisa sat up, and I did the same. She held both my hands in hers. "I'm so proud of you." I could see her eyes already starting to tear up. "Do not cry," I said. But the tears had already started rushing down her cheeks. I immediately pulled her into my arms. "Please don't cry. Please don't cry." But as I said those words, I also started crying. After a moment of us crying in each other's arms, she pulled back, wiping the tears away from my cheeks. "You are getting married to the man of your dreams." I tilted my head. "It's not getting married, per se," I replied. "Can you just let me have this moment?" she said, cutting me off. "It's our mating ceremony, and..." I paused, just thinking about it. Alaric was the love of my life. He was the Alpha of this pack, and I couldn't believe how lucky and blessed I was by the Moon Goddess. She gave me someone as precious as him. I was speechless. "Don't you think we need to start getting ready?" "Who is we?" I said playfully. "Today is all about me." "I know," she replied, "but I, as your best friend, am going to help you get ready and make you look stunning. The best you have ever looked in your entire life." "I don't get it," I replied. "Don't I usually look stunning?" "Girl, you look like a hot mess every single time. Stunning isn't the word." I moved back, placing a hand on my chest dramatically as though I was offended. "Oh, so that's what you're going to say, huh?" "I'm kidding," Lisa said. For a moment, neither of us said a word. We just stared at each other. "Do you know how grateful I am to have you?" I said. My tone, expression, everything was serious now. I wasn't joking. Lisa was like the sister I never had, and I didn't know how to start thanking her for being kind to me, for being my friend when no one wanted to be close to me. "I am going to start crying again, and we are never going to leave here." So she stood and offered me her hand. "Get off the bed." I took it. She helped me down, then pulled me into a hug. "I love you, Vaelora, and nothing is ever going to change that. Not even when you're someone's wife." "Can you stop? I am his mate." "You do realize what follows after the mating ceremony, right? You get married to him." "Fine, I am going to be his wife, but that's in a couple of weeks." "And you are going to be Luna. I cannot wait for my best friend to be Luna. I will do a lot of things and get away with it." "Are you for real? Is that why you want me to be Luna?" She laughed. "I'm just kidding." The rest of the day went by so fast. It felt like one minute it was day, and the next minute it was night. I sat in front of the mirror, wearing one of the most beautiful dresses I had ever put on my body, but it felt so heavy. I could barely breathe. My hair was styled to perfection, and Lisa made sure the golden strands in my hair fell flawlessly around my face. She was just so amazing. Really, she was so good at this. I got up, and I just couldn't believe today was actually here. The dress was pure black with golden stones all over it. My lips were painted to match, and whenever I moved, the fabric flowed behind me. "You look stunning," Lisa complimented, and I had lost count of how many times she had told me I looked beautiful. "It's time," I said. "You need to get ready, and we need to go. The chariot is already waiting." "No, I'm not coming with you," Lisa said. "Why? You want me to ride alone?" "Unfortunately," she replied. "I have things to take care of before I come." "Like what?" "There's my dress," she said. "It's torn." "Why didn't you say something? I feel so bad that you didn't tell me. We would have figured out a solution." She took both my hands in hers again. "Listen to me. I am going to be there, standing in front, cheering you on, okay? You just need to go. You're running late." "I'm scared," I finally said. I didn't know why, but I'd been having this strange feeling, and Lisa was the only person who knew about it. And I think she noticed my anxiety because she walked up to me again. "You are going to be fine, Vaelora. Today is going to go perfectly. You have nothing to worry about.”