The morning sunlight streaming through the window mocked me with its cheerfulness. Today was my wedding day—a day that should have been the happiest of my life. Instead, it felt like I was preparing for my own funeral.
"Stop fidgeting, Seraphina. You'll wrinkle the dress," the seamstress snapped, pins clenched between her teeth as she made the final adjustments.
I stood before the mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. The wedding gown was stunning—a masterpiece of ivory silk, delicate lace, and tiny crystals that caught the light with every breath. The triplets had spared no expense making this sham of a marriage look legitimate to the outside world.
"There. Perfect," the seamstress declared, stepping back to admire her work.
Perfect. The word tasted bitter in my mind. Nothing about this day was perfect. Not the dress. Not the ceremony about to take place. Certainly not the three men waiting to claim me as their bride.
"You may leave now," I whispered to the seamstress.
The moment the door closed behind her, I allowed my shoulders to slump. Two days had passed since the mating ceremony—two days of avoiding the triplets, who were equally determined to avoid me. The bites on my neck had healed into three distinct marks, each one a perfect crescent moon. I touched them gently, feeling the strange warmth that radiated from the bond marks.
My wolf whined, confused by the conflicting signals. The bond told her these were our mates, but every interaction proved otherwise. The marks might be on my skin, but there was no connection between our hearts.
A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts, followed by the door swinging open without waiting for my response.
Lilith Thorne sauntered in, her bridesmaid dress hugging every curve of her perfect figure. Unlike the modest gown I wore, hers was deliberately provocative, designed to draw attention away from the bride.
"My, my," she cooed, circling me like a predator. "Don't you clean up nicely, Seraphina? Almost like you deserve to be Luna."
I met her gaze in the mirror. "What do you want, Lilith?"
Her painted red lips curved into a cruel smile. "Just came to see how the blushing bride is feeling on her special day." She reached out, adjusting my veil with false tenderness. "Nervous? You should be."
"I have nothing to say to you."
Lilith laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Oh, but I have plenty to say to you." She leaned closer, her breath hot against my ear. "You think you've won, don't you? Just because the Moon Goddess played a cruel joke with that mating ceremony."
I turned away from her, but she grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you," she hissed, all pretense of civility gone. "This marriage changes nothing. Kaelen, Ronan, Orion—they'll never love you. Never want you. The only reason they're going through with this charade is because their father forced them to."
Each word struck like a physical blow.
"You think I don't know that?" I whispered.
"What you don't know is that they're already planning to get rid of you." Lilith's eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "Once their father steps down and they become the ruling Alphas, they'll find a way to nullify this farce. And guess who'll be standing right beside them as their true Luna?"
My stomach twisted with dread. Deep down, I'd already suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed made it real.
"You're lying," I said, but my voice lacked conviction.
"Am I?" Lilith traced one perfectly manicured finger along the neckline of my wedding dress. "Why don't you ask them yourself? Oh wait—they can barely stand to be in the same room as you." She smirked. "I, on the other hand, will be in their bed tonight while you sleep alone on your wedding night."
Tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me cry. "Get out."
"I just wanted to make sure you understood your place," she said, stepping back. "This is all temporary, Seraphina. Enjoy your little moment in the spotlight while it lasts."
With a final smug smile, she swept out of the room, leaving the scent of her expensive perfume lingering in the air like poison.
The moment the door closed, I sank onto the vanity stool, my legs suddenly too weak to support me. My reflection stared back at me—pale, frightened, adorned in finery that felt like chains.
"Seraphina?" My mother's soft voice preceded her entrance. One look at my face and she rushed to my side. "What happened? What did that wretched girl say to you?"
I couldn't bring myself to repeat Lilith's words. "It doesn't matter."
Mom knelt before me, taking my trembling hands in hers. "Of course it matters. You're shaking like a leaf."
"I can't do this," I whispered. "I can't marry them. They hate me, Mom."
She cupped my cheek gently. "They didn't always hate you. Remember when you were children? How they followed you everywhere? How Kaelen would pick flowers for you? How Ronan would share his dessert with you when no one was looking? How Orion would growl at anyone who made you cry?"
"That was a lifetime ago," I said bitterly. "Before everything changed. Before they decided I was worth nothing."
"People change, sweetheart. Feelings change." She smoothed my hair back. "The Moon Goddess chose you as their mate for a reason."
"The Moon Goddess has a sick sense of humor then."
Mom sighed, her eyes sad. "Perhaps this is her way of setting things right. Of bringing you all back to where you were meant to be."
I shook my head. "You don't understand. Lilith says they're planning to get rid of me once they become Alphas."
"And you believe her? The girl who has schemed to take your place since you were children?" Mom's voice was firm. "Lilith Thorne would say anything to hurt you right now. She's desperate and jealous."
"But what if she's right?" I whispered. "What if this is all just a cruel joke, and I'm the punchline?"
Mom took a deep breath. "Seraphina Moon, listen to me. I don't claim to know what the triplets are thinking or planning. But I do know this—a fated mate bond is the most sacred connection in our world. It can be denied, it can be fought against, but it cannot be broken. Those marks on your neck are proof that you belong with them, whether they accept it yet or not."
"I don't want to belong to men who despise me."
"Then make them see you. The real you. The strong, brave girl I raised." She squeezed my hands. "Trust in the Moon Goddess's plan. She hasn't abandoned you, even in our darkest times."
A knock at the door interrupted us. "Ten minutes until the ceremony," called a voice.
My mother stood, smoothing down her simple dress—the best she could afford as an Omega. "It's time."
Panic clawed at my throat. "I'm not ready."
"No bride ever feels ready," she said softly. "But ready or not, a pack is waiting. Three alphas are waiting."
I rose shakily to my feet, feeling like I was about to walk to my execution rather than my wedding. Mom adjusted my veil one last time, her eyes filling with tears.
"Your father would be so proud of you," she whispered.
The mention of my father sent a pang through my heart. He was locked away in the pack prison, framed for crimes he never committed. Would he even know his daughter was getting married today? Would the guards tell him?
"He should be here," I said, my voice breaking. "He should be walking me down the aisle."
Mom blinked back her tears. "I know, sweetheart. I know."
She offered me her arm, her smile trembling but determined. "Shall we? Don't keep the pack waiting."
As we moved toward the door, my thoughts drifted to my father, alone in his cell. I was about to become Luna to the very men who believed him guilty, who had participated in his downfall. What would he think of me now?
I took one last look at my reflection—a bride dressed for a wedding that held no joy, no love, only duty and the shadow of inevitable heartbreak.
This wasn't a wedding. It was a sentence.