Left at the Altar, Alpha King Backs Me Up

Aurelia’s POV They say marriage is the grave of love. But hey, getting a proper burial beats having your corpse rot in the wild. After more than two months of hard work, I finally finished sewing my wedding dress with my own hands. Under the lights, it’s pure white, elegant, and sparkling. I’ve imagined the moment I’d walk down the aisle toward the man I love so vividly that even in my dreams, I can’t suppress a smile. From the ages of nineteen to twenty-five, I have dreamed of this moment, the moment I will become his Luna and that day has finally come. But in the blink of an eye, that beautiful dream was shattered in the most gut wrenching way. “Aurelia, the Alpha just came by and said you’re no longer going to be at the mating ceremony. He took the ceremonial dress,” Veronica, one of my oldest friends, said, sounding puzzled. I looked up at the cracked door, still groggy from sleep, and frowned. “Alpha Trystan took my dress?” “Yes, didn’t you know?” Slowly, I snapped out of the grogginess, but I couldn’t understand why Trystan would take the ceremonial dress so early. I had it laid on the couch down in the living room of the packhouse so I could get ready. “I would check through the pack link.” Veronica nodded and slowly backed away from the door. I sat up at the edge of the bed, still unsure of what was going on. Our packhouse was already overflowing with wedding preparations - where would he even put it? I searched for him in my mind and finally found him, but he blocked me. Then I tried again and broke through. Alpha, did you take my ceremonial dress? I need it for tonight. I did. Come and meet with me in the office immediately. His voice sounded hoarse and tired, even through the pack link. I rushed to get dressed and straightened my hair before heading out. The sun was barely up, the air still cool as I hurried to the car and went to the Alpha’s office. I passed a few curious glances, but I ignored them. When I finally reached it, he was already outside the door, waiting. I sucked in a breath and took him in. He looked like he hadn’t hardly slept. “Is something wrong?” I asked, concern filling my voice. After a pause, he replied calmly, but with an icy tone. “Aurelia, we need to cancel the ceremony.” My mind buzzed as it went blank. “But why? Everything was fine last night.” “Laura, your sister, was diagnosed with a rare werewolf leukemia. The pack doctors say she only has three months to live at most.” For a moment, I almost thought it was karma finally catching up to that horrible girl. You see, we weren’t close, especially with all the things she put me through out of jealousy. “What does her leukemia have to do with our mating ceremony?” He sighed. “Her final wish is to mate with me. She wants to die without regrets.” Before I could wrap my mind around it and respond, he continued, “I know this is too much to ask, but she’s dying. Can you find some compassion for her in your heart? She is your sister.” I was so shocked, I almost laughed at how ridiculous his request was. After a long pause, I asked in a sullen voice, “Trystan, do you even hear what you’re saying? You want to give my dying sister the place of Luna. That position is rightfully mine, and we have planned our ceremony for a while. Do you realize the chaos that might happen if you mate with a woman who can’t even fulfill the role of Luna fully?” Trystan cleared his voice, remaining firm. “Yes, I know what I’m doing, Aurelia. I’m going to mate with Laura tonight to fulfill her final wish. You may feel this is unfair to you, so as compensation, I’m willing to give you a sum of money to start over with and maybe find another man who will mate with you. I hope you will think this over.” My entire body went numb as I shoved that memory aside. “And if I refuse?” I could tell Trystan’s patience was wearing thin just by the look on his face. His brows were furrowed and his gaze had narrowed into slits as his eyes glowed. “Aurelia, can’t you show some kindness to your sister for once? She is your family, and she’s dying. Can’t you even grant this tiny wish for her?” What kind of twisted logic was this? I couldn’t help but bite back a bitter laugh. “If you care so much about her, why don’t you just follow her to the grave after she dies? It’s only fitting that mates go together, right?” "You—" he trailed off. My words left him speechless. After a tense moment, he went another direction. “I’ve already brought the ceremonial dress to the hospital. Laura’s about your size, so it’ll fit her perfectly.” Before I could respond, his phone rang. A familiar voice called out from the background. “Alpha! Laura’s awake.” That voice… It was Rebecca, my father’s current wife, my stepmother, and Laura’s biological mother. “I’ll be right there,” he answered urgently, then turned back to me. “I need your answer in an hour.” He ran off before I could say another word to him. I scoffed. What a sweet little family they’ve made for themselves. How ironic. Years ago, Rebecca tore my mother’s marriage apart. Now her daughter wanted to steal my fiance. Like mother, like daughter. After the divorce, which was brutal considering werewolf mating customs, it took less than three months for my dad to parade Rebecca into our home like a queen. She brought along her precious twins, both two years younger than me. I thought they were just step-siblings. Later, I learned the devastating truth that they were my father’s flesh and blood. He had already been cheating and built a whole secret family behind my mother’s back. It was a grave offense since wolves mate for life. When mom found out, she was furious. She sued again, trying to reclaim what was rightfully ours. But my father? He not only refused, but he swallowed nearly all of my grandparents’ business assets, leaving us broke. Grandpa collapsed from the shock. Mom sold everything, scraped together every penny, but still couldn’t save him. The grief from it all crushed her. Then came depression, then breast cancer. She didn’t last long after that. I knew she didn’t die from illness. My poor mother died from heartbreak and betrayal. She begged me to leave with her. I didn’t because I was twelve, angry, and stubborn. I stayed, to be a thorn in their side. To make them pay. After losing everything, I swore that one day I’d take back every bit of it, with interest. I worked my way up. And now? I was supposed to marry Trystan, my childhood love and the future alpha of the Silver Moon pack. Our marriage was meant to be a power bond, a triumph. I thought I’d finally won. But here we are. On the night before our wedding, I got betrayed by him. And the girl who once called me sister. When had Trystan and Laura grown so close? Though she was part of the pack, I rarely saw them interact. Was it when she had looked at me while we were together a few months ago and said that she’d only ever love our alpha and she’d rather die than not have him? Despite me already being his mate to be and our ceremony coming, her dramatic proclamation had only earned her a few cheers from those who hated me and didn’t want me to be their luna. But if these were the reasons for him mating with her now, then what was the meaning of us being together for all these years and finally having our ceremony? I had always been the one there for him. I had tended to every wound when he went through the trials to become the next alpha. When he was broken and bleeding, I was the one that the pack doctors got blood from to give him. That one time he got sick and was so weak after one of the fights, I was the one who was by his bedside, taking care of him. I was the one who spent countless hours and sleepless nights, ensuring that my mate and Alpha heir would survive. And now, just because my sister was dying, he betrayed me like this without hesitation? And because of that, he’s calling off our planned mating ceremony to mate with her instead? I fought back tears. He wasn’t worth it. The abuse and humiliation I endured in the Silver Moon Pack had taught me one thing. Tears would never get me anywhere. The only thing that could get things done was action. I caught up to where the alpha had vanished and opened the door to the hospital where my sister stays. He turned after seeing me and walked back to the door. “What is it?” “Alpha, I’ll surrender my place as your mate on one condition. I want the money and to have another mate. If you agree, I want it signed in writing what I’ll receive for doing this, so you can’t back out of it.”