185 Wedding revelations…
Nathan
I stood before the full–length mirror in my room adjusting the embroidery on my ceremonial joining outfit.
The deep crimson and gold of the fabric – the pack colours shimmered under the soft light–1 couldn’t believe I was the groom and the soon–to–be mated Alpha, My hands trembled slightly as I adjusted the cuffs and worked on the fastenings.
It still felt so surreal that I would be marrying Lyla today.
However, the excitement I had still warred with a speck of doubt. Everything was going way smoother than I had anticipated. Luna Vanessa had approved using the best halls in the pack since she was in charge of Welfare.
Not just that, she had quickly and efficiently organized the hall, the decoration, the food… all in less than 48 hours. Her role had fastened the preparation and made everything easy for us. She had gone a step further to send out invitations to various packs and told them that since we were all trying to recover from the Feral attack, they should only send their gifts and blessings and not bother coming.
Despite this, my father has been silent since we returned from the Harvest Moon.
He was one of the few people who hadn’t bothered to congratulate me after Lyla accepted to marry me. Instead, the moment we’d arrived, he handed in his resignation as the pack’s acting Beta without any tangible reason. Not only that, he had gone out of his way to avoid any interaction with me despite living under the same roof.
The rift between us was widening every day, so much that I didn’t know how to mend it.
Suddenly, the door to my room creaked open, startling me. I turned, expecting one of the Betas under probation who was assisting me for the time being, but I froze when I saw my father.
“Dad?” I murmured under my breath.
He was dressed in a formal attire. His blue eyes which mirrored mine were hard and unreadable as he stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him. It had been so long since I had seen him in anything other than casual clothes that it took a moment to process.
“Do you need any help? Are you ready?” He asked.
“Yes,” I replied, even though a dozen questions burned on the tip of my tongue. I voiced them in my heart instead.
Why are you here? Are you going to support me, or is this another lecture? But before I could speak them out, he spoke again.
“I’ll be officiating the ceremony, that’s why I’m here; he said flatly.
I wanted to badly ask why because my father who had been conspicuously absent from every
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preparation had suddenly decided to take the central role in the wedding. I opened my mouth, then closed it, unsure of how to respond.
“I see.” I said finally, nodding stiffly.
We were quiet for a moment before he turned toward the door. “I’ll ask them to bring the car to
the front of the house.
A moment later, we arrived at the wedding venue.
It was the largest hall in the pack and was located at a very easy location. The hall was only used for big occasions like weddings between important pack members or annual inter–pack meetings.
Else that, it was rarely used but was maintained regularly. As I alighted from the car, I spotted a lot of pack members dressed beautifully with smiles on their faces. When they saw me, they all bowed in my direction and I acknowledged their greetings immediately.
Even though I wasn’t as amazing as Alpha Logan who had been one of the best Alphas the pack. has ever produced, I was grateful that the people loved me and were beginning to get used to my leadership.
Immediately I went around, greeting the Core Alphas of the Southern Region. They were
gathered together as always talking and laughing amongst themselves. As I walked over to them, they clasped my hands, accepting my greeting with smiles.
“Best wishes, Nathan, Alpha Calder said clasping my hand firmly.
“May your union bring strength to your pack,” Alpha Renwick added.
“Are you looking forward to your wedding night?” Alpha Grant teased, getting a red face from me. “Oh!” he laughed heartily turning to the other Alphas. “It’s true then.”
“True?” I tried to fight the redness in my ears. “What is true?”
“Alpha Renwick speculated that you’re still a virgin and we doubted it because all the women love you. But you’ve confirmed it.”
“That’s not true,” I narrowed my gaze at them. “I’ve been with many women,”
My statement drew another amusing snicker from the Alphas as Alpha Renwick snapped his hand at them. “You all owe me a thousand each. Transfer only” he added.
I moved away from them going to greet some of the Elders of the pack. By the time it was time for the ceremony to begin, the knot of nervousness that had lodged in my chest since last night, loosened.
I gasped in shock when I entered the hall. The setting was breathtaking: rows of white chairs draped in soft silks of red golden- the pack colours glowed under lit lanterns hanging
overhead each table.
The screen covering the roof allowed the mid–morning sun to filter into the hall, filling the hall with light. The makeshift altar was decorated with cascading flowers. Everywhere was so
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beautiful. I was glad.
Finally, I took my position at the altar, the Moon Priest who would be joining us officially stood to one side and my father stood to the other side holding the microphone.
My father nodded to the band at one corner and they slowly started playing the marching in tune. Before my father turned to the audience.
“Please rise, the bride is here.”
All eyes turned toward the entrance as everyone rose in unison. My breath caught in my throat as Lyla came into my line of view. She was dressed in the vintage wedding gown Luna Vanessa had used during her time.
It was a simple, gold colour gown yet elegant and it hugged her frame as if it was made with her in mind. The flowing fabric caught the light with every step she took. Her hair was styled to perfection with a faint glimmer of gold added to it.
But nothing could compare to her expression. Lyla was so beautiful that tears pricked at the corner of my eyes but that was what surprised me. She was on her mother’s arm – Luna
Vanessa’s arms.
Despite the smiles both women had on their faces, they didn’t bother to hide their strained history – or rather, Luna Vanessa didn’t bother to hide it.
My eyes scanned the crowd for signs of Nanny, hoping she would be there, but she was nowhere to be found. I wondered what Lyla would do when she discovered she wasn’t here. Especially after promising she would come.
She was supposed to come earlier though but she had called me a yesterday to tell me she would come today.
I searched the room again, scanning each face…
Instead, I saw unexpected guests, Luna Vanessa’s brothers – the Alpha of Shadow Moon Pack. An influential and powerful Alpha from the West and The Alpha of the Western Hill Pack. The presence of such powerful figures set alarm bells ringing in my mind but I pushed the thoughts aside, maybe I was overthinking.
I focused solely on Lyla who was at the altar now. I smiled at her and reached out to take her from her mother, instead, of releasing her, Luna Vanessa tightened her grip and turned both of them to face the crowd.
I didn’t miss the satisfied smile on her face.
*Honored guests, Alphas of the South and visitors from every part of the world. My name is Luna Vanessa Skye Woodland, the widow of Alpha Logan Woodland and I regret but I cannot approve
this union!”
A stunned silence fell over the hall. My stomach dropped, I knew it. I had a feeling some sort of drama would happen.
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initial shock to register, she continued.
“According to our laws, the firstborn daughter of an Alpha who has no male heir is to be married to an Alpha Regent, ensuring the stability and strength of the lineage. This is our tradition, our
law.”
The silence grew heavier. My hands clenched at my sides, as my jaw tightened. I glanced at Lyla, who looked stricken, her lips were parted as though she wanted to protest.
Then Luna Vanessa turned to Lyla, her lips were curled, into a faint, triumphant smile.
—
“Lyla is Alpha Logan’s bastard. And unless we’ve decided to allow bastard children to ascend as Lunas, I cannot and will not approve of this union. I call on the powers of the seven core Alphas of the South and the representative of the West to bear me witness and not permit this marriage to proceed.”
